I whirl, hand tight around her neck as I shove her into the nearest tree, crowding her until her chest heaves against mine, and Skies help me, I hate the lust that coils deep in my belly at the press of her soft body.
“You’ll what?” I snarl, baring my teeth.
Liar. Liar. She’s a liar.
“I don’t think you realize what kind of trouble you’re in. If you test me, I’ll kill you. If you annoy me, I’ll kill you. If you breathe wrong—I’ll. Kill. You. Stop asking questions.”
There’s fear in her eyes—true terror.
It doesn’t bring me the satisfaction I’d expected.
Her lips part on a quivering inhale, and my faithless eyes drop to them. I suppress a growl and continue hauling her to our destination.
Ten minutes later, we reach the camp where I instructed Sulon to meet us—three tents pitched around a fire.
My second-in-command stands ready to greet us, wiping his blade clean, along with Rhayl, Dreltem, and a few others.
Mayah—the waterwielder—doesn’t want to cooperate, though. Her heels dig into the ground as if that might stop me from dragging her toward the fire in the center of camp.
“Sit.” She doesn’t move, so I clamp my hands around her shoulders and force her to the ground. “Stay.”
The men chuckle as she snarls at me, and their mocking laughter needles at some violent instinct inside me. I shove it down.
She deserves it. All of this and more.
I nod toward Sulon, leaving the waterwielder by the fire, ignoring her glare burning into my back. The remaining five soldiers form a semi-circle around her. I grit my teeth but don’t tell them to stand down.
“What is your command, sire?” Sulon asks, voice low, eyes darting over to the waterwielder and lingering on her bound wrists. “Is she a…?”
Prisoner. The word won’t pass my lips, though.
“She will remain here until I command otherwise. And she will remain unharmed. Understood?”
Sulon’s gaze returns to her, something dark swirling in his gaze.
“Sulon,” I hiss, hands clenching at my sides. “Swear to me she’ll be safe here.”
His eyes jerk back to me. “Of course, sire,” he reassures. “She’ll be perfectly safe.”
I study him closely. No prickles. With a stiff nod, we settle beside the fire, and the men busy themselves with their respective tasks.
I refuse to look at her.
The sun is setting when I finally spare a glance for the waterwielder. She sits huddled by the fire where I left her, looking entirely too beautiful for a prisoner.
Skies damn me into the earth. Lightning strike me until I’m ash.
Her pretty face conceals a deadly snake. Her full lips speak only lies.
Gritting my teeth, I stalk over and sit beside her. She recoils likeI’mthe snake. Scowling, I tear off a strip of dried meat and hold it to her mouth. “Eat.”
“Untie me. I’ll feed myself.”
“No.” I press the meat to her mouth again, and she snarls, flinching away from my hands.
Irritation flares in my chest. I force myself to shrug as if she isn’t driving me insane. “Suit yourself.”
I’ve nearly walked away when Rhayl stands up. “I can try to feed her, sire, if you’re worried about her reserves. A healer would be useful if one of us is injured.”
