The downpour drowned everything in sight. Luamis, the land of relentless sun, had given us nothing but storm after storm. And I wondered, when we dragged Elva from her throne, if we had changed more than just her fate.
“Let’s get back,” he said.
That was all he gave me.
But I didn’t move. I let Niveus walk past, leaving Ronan’s back to me. Because why had he been so adamant about me going to hunt today? Why had he hesitated when Gus offered?
I swallowed, every raindrop slamming against my skin like an accusation. It wasn’t chance we ran into the monsters. Ronan had known. He’dknownthe Eldritch were waiting.
Only it was supposed to be me sent into its jaws—
Kill him.
I didn’t think, barely even blinked, before the thing inside me slithered back out.
I realized too late what I was doing. Too damn late.
Ronan’s fury was already back in full force as I stood, lunging off Zyran’s back, slamming him and I both to the ground.
“You set me up.”
He threw me off his body, my dagger flashing for the tendon at his heel but he twisted off the ground, his boot snapping out.
It missed my face by a flinch.
The horses bolted, thundering down the path leading toward camp. They hadn’t spooked at the Eldritch, but at this?
Ronan’s fist came for me, and I dodged, spinning and driving my boot into his chest. He didn’t even stagger. His hand just clamped around my ankle, steel-tight like the godsdamn shackles from that cell.
Anger sharpened his face, his eye’s nearly bursting with flame, as he growled, “What the fuck are you doing?”
I could have blamed the curse, but it hadn’t stolen this. My vision was clear, the rage my own, and he knew it. I twisted from his grip, driving my other foot for his temple, but he was too fast.
His arm shot out, catching it, securing both legs in his grip until I was thrown on my back, flat against the forest floor.
My dagger burned in my fist. “You tried to set me up.”
I jerked up, blade slashing for his face. He spun me again, air bursting from my lungs as my chest slammed into the ground.
I managed an inhale. “You wanted the Eldritch to attack me.” With my cheek pressed into the muddy terrain and arms sprawled uselessly beside my head, I was at a disadvantage.
Any breath that had returned went ragged as his weight sank into my back.
“I told you,” he leaned in, warmth bleeding through the cold, “if you ever tried to kill me again, you’d regret it.” I writhed, elbow driving for his temple. He just pressed harder, his voice coming low against my ear. “That’s another strike, Viper.”
My back arched, hips shoving up against him. His tongue clicked, a shift of his knee locking me in place. A laugh tore from me, muffled but vicious. “I won’t miss on the next one.”
I felt his restraint cede, felt the tether shift between violence and something we both refused to name as he eased up.
“I didn’t set you up,” he said. “If I wanted you dead, you’d know. I don’t do subtle. Now,” he drew in a long breath, followed by an exhale that leaked out like smoke, “take a breath. And if I ever decide to kill you, you’ll be the first to know.”
My dagger slackened in my hand, my teeth grinding together so hard it hurt. A slow, furious breath snuck out of me anyway.
“Fine,” I snapped, turning to face him as he stood. “But for the record, that’s the worst reassurance I’ve ever been given.”
Ronan cocked his head, that near-smile tugging sharp at one corner of his mouth. “Good,” he said. “I’d hate for you to imagine I put that much thought into you.”
My arms crossed, chin tilting in an angle that meant I wanted to stab him. Repeatedly.
