I was quick to obey. So I moved unhurriedly through the tall grass and sat.
“Ready,” I called back, eventually.
My nose tickled. The gems embedded in my skin disappeared. My longer limbs shortened and I eased back into my human form. Ifelt so… small.
I stretched before throwing on my pack, which felt heavier now in my weaker human body. I trudged back to the path.
“There,” he said, satisfied. “That’s better.”
“Wouldn’t want your precious egg to get hurt,” I shot back. He raised a brow as I strutted past him, avoiding eye contact. “Hey, Delilah?” he called.
“Yeah?” I answered without slowing.
“What you did in there…” His voice dipped. “You were incredible.”
The sincerity stopped my boots mid-step. I glanced back, gave him a single nod, and kept walking.
For several awkward minutes, silence hung between us, thick with uneasy tension. Eventually, he broke the quiet with his low voice, asking, “Do you still have your truth stone?”
“Yes,” I replied, wary.
“Good. Hold it. I want to ask you something, and I need the truth.”
My nails dug into my palms with aggravation.
“Titus—not that you deserve it—but I’d give you the truth without the damn stone. When have I ever lied to you, or given you any reason not to trust me?” I snapped, exhaustion pulling moodiness out of me.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked.
“I cannot for the life of me figure out what you want, or what I am to you. One moment you’re telling me you have feelings for me, and the next you’re more worried about your stupid fucking eggs. Ialmost diedgetting them for you!” I scorned.
“Stupid, stubborn girl,” he growled. “Just hold the damn rock!”
“NO!” I shouted.
I was tired. My body and emotions had been through hell and back, and it made me a little dramatic.
So I threw the rock as hard as I could into the forest.
“If you want to ask me something, then ask it. You asked me to trust you and I did. It’s a two-way street, Titus.”
He fast traveled—one of his short magical sprints and met me face-to-face. Familiar flames flickered, but his gaze was surprisingly soft. His magic retrieved the stone instantly, and he slipped it back into my pocket.
“Fine,” he breathed, close enough to steal my air. “But keep this. You never know when it may be of use.”
Then he looked into my eyes with all the tenderness I’d been starving for and asked, “Are you planning on returning to the mortal realm—for sure?”
My stomach dropped. That was the one question I’d been asking myself over and over.
“Why does it matter? You got what you wanted, and after I get the dagger, you won’t need me anymore,” I snapped.
“Excuse me? You are the only one who left the mine satisfied,” he said with a devious smirk. “So, I think you’re the one who got whatyouwanted—and may have no further use for me.”
“Of course you’d bring that up.” I huffed and started walking off. “You’re an asshole.”
His voice softened. “It does matter. So, I need you to be honest with me, Delilah.”
I stopped and turned around to confront him. “Ugh. Why would I stay?” I exploded. “So I can keep playing this fucked-up mind gamewith you? So I can get old and wrinkled while you stay young and beautiful forever? So you can mark me and make me your mate—and let’s not forget I’ll have to spend one day a month being Aurelius’s and Cercies’ mate too—”
