“What was I supposed to do?” Evelyn spat.
“What did you tell him I was getting out of these deals?”
“A dance with me at the next ball and discussions for increased trade between Lochmatten and Carrowmore.”
“You never cease to impress me.”
“Do you have a dragon scale and an enchanted bracelet?”
“I can get them.” Haydn left thefor a pricepart unsaid.
Evelyn shook her head. “I don’t want another Bargain. I just need this favor.”
“A favor would be a bottle of wine and more pillows for your bed. You want adragon scale.”
“I had to think of something that would be worth me making more deals!”
“The reasons you lie to your husband are absolutely not my problem.”
“Haydn, please?—”
“I love it when you say my name. You surprised me with it earlier.”
Evelyn frowned. “Why were you ignoring me at dinner?”
“Did I hurt your feelings?”
“No, but… Youneverleft me alone at the palace, and you wouldn’t even look at me tonight.”
Haydn lowered his voice. “My head would be on a spike right now if I had done what Iwantedto do to you on that dining table.”
Evelyn flushed with heat and dropped her gaze. “Will you give me the scale and the bracelet?”
Haydn was quiet for several heartbeats. “For a kiss.”
Evelyn’s eyes flashed up at him. “What? No!”
He tilted his head and smiled, like she was being stubborn but he found it cute. “One small kiss isnothingcompared to what you are asking for.”
“I’mmarried! I’m not kissing you!”
“That’s fine.” Haydn shrugged. “It saves me a lot of time, actually. I won’t need to travel to two different lands to hunt down and negotiate for itemsyouwant.”
“Ask me for something else!”
“I’m still under the last Bargain we made, where I can’t take you from your husband. I don’t want anything else.”
“You’re being ridiculous!”
Haydn folded his arms behind his back. “I won’t even touch you. I’ll just stand here. You can kiss me, and then I’ll leave to get the items you lied to your husband about.”
I know this isn’t okay, but… if I have the dragon scale and the bracelet, Leo will believe my story.
Haydn’s smile grew as he watched her. “Two seconds of your time, and your web of lies will get stronger.”
“Shut up!”
“And you were surprised when my first wish was for you to be nice.”
