It was bullshit. But of course, Yuto didn’t know that. And if he did…well, I didn’t know what he would do. Definitely not let me leave. Of that, Iwascertain.
He cocked his head, studying me. “Why is it bullshit, Aradia?”
“They were just necklaces, and I had a good reason for stealing them.” Father actually had a good reason for his theft. I couldn’t say the same for most of his crimes, but this time had been different. They weren’t even the prince’s necklaces to begin with. They’d belonged to his victims. Trophies to remind him of his brutal conquests. My father had sneaked into the palace, pilfered the trophies, and then returned them to the women’s families.
If anyone’s soul was tarnished, it was the prince’s. Not mine.
“By the fire in your eyes, I’m certain you believe that to be true.” Yuto edged closer, his gaze sweeping across me, studying me, picking me apart, piece by piece. “But there is something inside of you keeping you here, Aradia Galatas. And whatever that thing is, I intend to find out.”
My heart thumped. It sounded like a threat, but it was spoken with a caress. It unnerved me far more than I wanted to admit, especially to him. So, I chose my only option. Snark. “Yeah, well. It’s my desire to watch you bleed out on the ground.”
“Careful, Aradia.” He erased the distance between us with one step, and then he curled a steel finger beneath my chin. I swallowed hard, desperately trying to force my eyes away from his, but I couldn’t move. I was frozen to the ground. “I am the Lord Master in this castle. Your threats roll off my back, but my companions are unlikely to feel so inclined to ignore them.”
My hands fisted. “If your companions kill me, then none of you will get out of this place.”
“Yes. And that’s a risk that I imagine some of them would be willing to take.” His lips curled into a strange smile. “I’meager to get out of here. Some of them enjoy Inishfall.”
I snorted in disbelief. “That’s a lie.”
“It is not.” Methodically, Yuto rubbed his finger against my jaw and then drew it up to my lips. The steel was cold, and yet it almost burned me. “They would rather spend the rest of their very long lives in this island prison than see their Lord Master killed.”
His gaze held no room for argument, and all the blood drained from my face. Yuto wasn’t lying, not about this. He meant every word of it. I glanced at the door, wondering if any of the others were out there listening to this conversation. They’d seemed welcoming enough before, particularly Callista. Would she really slice open my throat if I made empty threats toward her Lord Master?
Maybe she would. Maybe they all would.
“Just leave me in peace,” I finally snapped, yanking my chin out of his grip. “You want me to get some sleep? I can’t do that if you’re here.”
He smiled. “Very well, Aradia, although there is one more thing I should add before I go.”
Fantastic.
Just what I wanted. More threats. More terror. More Yuto.
“You should know I was alerted the moment you opened that door,” he said. “Your movements throughout this castle will never go unnoticed.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “And neither will yours.”
As soon as the words shot out of my mouth, I wanted to kick myself. What kind of sense did that make?And neither will yours?!
What a great threat, Aradia. You really told him.
A smile whispered across his lips. “Luckily, it’s my castle, and I don’t mind if I come or if I go.” He leaned closer and curled a finger around my bloodied dress. “There are some fresh clothes in the wardrobe. Would you like any assistance changing?”
Growling, I pushed both my hands against his chest and tried to ignore the sculpted ridges of his abs. “No, I don’t want your help. Stop trying to get me naked.”
His wicked grin almost melted my resolution to get him out of here. “I wasn’t speaking of myself, but it’s certainly interesting that your mind went there…”
I pushed him harder, but he didn’t budge an inch.
With a chuckle, he spun on his heels and strode out the open door. I glared at the empty space where he’d just stood, thinking up a million different things I should have said in the moment. Yuto was everything I hated. Cocky, powerful, self-righteous. The fact he was attractive made him even more frustrating than he would have been otherwise. I was trapped here. There was no way out. And I certainly wouldn’t get a wink of sleep regardless of how tired I was. Stupid dragonlord.
8
Aradia
“The Lord Master has requested that you join him for dinner this evening in the Great Hall. Callista perched calmly on the sofa, watching me glare out at the setting sun. Her hair had been spun into a twisting braid that hung over one shoulder, and a billowing red gown flowed to her feet. It had been a long day with nothing to do. Every time I’d tried stepping out into the corridor, one of Yuto’s little friends would appear and quickly usher me inside.
Yuto had been conspicuously absent. All day, I couldn’t help but wonder what he was up to. Had he trekked back to the portal, hoping to trap another mortal into leading him out of this place? What would happen if he succeeded? Would the rest of his friends be stuck here forever? WouldI?
