“Would you?”
“Without hesitation.” She startled at that. Her lips parted, but she struggled with exactly how to respond. “But not for my life.”
Arianna furrowed her brow. “What then?”
“A chance.”
“For what?”
“Us.” His voice was raw, too full of emotions for her comfort. “Let me show you what he stole. Let me walk you through our memories.”
Her breath hitched and for a brief moment, she envisioned it. Allowing the male the world feared to parade her around, her arm in his as she shyly smiled and drank in every word. Would she let a few pretty words dissolve a lifetime of sin? Of murder?
Her fists clenched and ice crawled out from between her fingertips, trailing over the back of her hand. It would be so easy for her to play the role of a pretty queen. It would have been easy with Niall, too.
Arianna’s magic rumbled through her like thunder. She wouldn’t ever be weak again. She wouldn’t let another’s words influence rational thought and she certainly wouldn’t give in to sugar-coated words when she knew bitterness lay just beneath the surface.
Her gaze snapped up, and she shot her hand toward his face, ready to freeze this monster once and for all. Enough with the games. Let him remain right here as a reminder to others that she wouldn’t be trifled with.
A fraction of a second. That’s all it took. One moment he was there, the next, his power had shattered the frozen ground at her feet. It deflected her attack easily, and she winced at the way he’d pinned her arm behind her back. Particles of earth floated in the air between them. Panic rose through her. He could kill her. She’d blink and those very particles would be down her throat, gagging her, drowning her. Arianna rallied her magic—
“I won’t hurt you,” he whispered in her ear. Close. Why was he so close? Arianna slammed her elbow back, ice flying, but his magic reacted, blocking the shards. She used her body’s momentum to strike out with her opposite palm next. TheDemon blocked it again and inched back, still on his knees. He held both hands up. “I won’t fight you, either.”
Her chest rose and fell as she stared into those green eyes, noting the resolve there, scenting the truth in the air. She hated that she couldn’t tell if this was a glamour or not. She hated the way he was looking at her, as if she’d stolen his most prized possession.
“Why?” she spat. She wanted a fight. Gods, she wanted nothing more than to beat this male into submission. She wanted to show him and the world exactly what she was capable of when cornered. And yet, something in her hesitated.
“Because you are the Queen of Alastríona.”
Her body shook, fists clenched. “Then bow.” The words fell from her tongue easily, as if she’d said them over and over to others. Subordinates. That drew her up short. She’d never demanded it of anyone. Had she? Maybe once, but—the headache was growing again.
Sadness twisted his features. “You’ll kill me the moment I do.” She’d already been plotting whether her magic was faster, what kind of distraction might prove best. If—
Rion sank to one knee and her breath hitched. “But I will. I will bow. I will beg. I will break myself into a thousand pieces. For you, Arianna, I’d give absolutely anything.”
“I want you to die.”
Another sad smile.
The ice surrounding them cracked and Talon burst through, his magic racing forward to surround The Demon without a second thought. The Demon. He’d chosen that monster over her yet again.
Talon, the male who’d once been her childhood best friend, looked between each of them before extending his hand to melt the ice she’d been forming around the creature’s body. The Demon didn’t even acknowledge Talon’s presence.
“We’re going to Nàdair,” Rion said simply. “I’m taking you to the High Lord there. We still have a war to fight. Once that war is over, if you still wish for it, we can talk about your request.”
Talon just looked between them, poised yet uncertain. The ice on the other side of her began to melt, too. She didn’t have to look to know Raevina was responsible. Arianna didn’t bother solidifying it again.
Arianna steeled herself, ready to ask the one question she should have asked from the beginning. “And how do I know none of you are working with Vairik? How can I be sure you aren’t just going to Nàdair to feed him information on how to best infiltrate it?”
“If you think for one second,” a female voice growled, “that I would let that monster anywhere near my home, you’re even more delusional than I feared.” Saoirse’s voice. Arianna turned to find the Lady of Brónach standing beside Raevina. “Now stop fighting my brother, get inside, and rest. As Rion said, we have a whole war ahead of us that’s going to decide the fate of the entire continent. I’d like a few hours of sleep first.”
Saoirse glared between them one final time before spinning on her heel and marching inside. Moments later, the hinges of an old window creaked open. Raevina turned away as well, leaving Talon alone with the pair.
Talon melted the rest of the icy structure around her with a flick of his wrist, but his magic still lingered in the air. He watched her carefully, as if she might change her mind and strike out again.
He knew her too well.
“Come inside,” Talon tried. “Just for a bit of rest.”
