I finally rose to my feet and took small steps towards him, making my way around the desk. I cautiously placed my palm on his own, reaching for the coin, but he instantly closed his hand, the coin trapped between our palms. I sucked in a breath and tried to pull my hand free.
Tried to.
In a heartbeat, the whole world shifted and I found myself beneath his weight, pinned to the table, ice dagger at my throat.
CHAPTER 5
“Who are you?” the Ice Prince roared.
“I…I—”
“What’s your name? And who sent you?” he asked, his voice predatory. “Speak!” White wisps of mist formed at his mouth and trailed up.
“I—I’m Cordelia Wildheart. I’m—I’m nobody.”
“Nobodiesdo notsneak up on Fae like that, and nobodiesdo notplay tricks on them.”
I wanted to tell him not to blame me for his inattentiveness, for his assumptions. I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but my throat ran dry and my mouth failed me. I was stunned and frozen—frozen like the ice dagger he held at my neck. Its tip burned my thin skin, and I knew it would leave a mark.
“Look at me,” he demanded. I lifted my eyes and met his own—green indeed. They glowered at me. “Who are you?”
My lips trembled as I replied, “I—I swear, I’m just a servant, no one sent me. I’ve been a servant here for—for over five years.”
I squeezed my eyes shut while he sniffed at my neck. His cold breaths brushed against my skin as he inhaled and exhaled so very close to my ear.
He pulled away. “How are you doing it?”
“W—what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. Your scent. How are you hiding it?” His voice hardened, sharp with command.
“I—I don’t know what—”
“I can smell nothing but horses. Why is that, huh?”
“I—I take walks near the stables.”
His grip tightened and he pulled me near, taking in another deep breath as if…as if that was fucking normal! Goosebumps prickled my skin at the cold, misty breaths that fanned against my neck.
“People who walk by stables don’t smell like horses,Cordelia. Do you know who does? Spies. Messengers.”
“I assure you, I’m neither,” I muttered, my voice on the verge of breaking. “Please let me go.”
His hold loosened, but his eyes did not soften, and before moving out of my path, he threw the ice dagger into the now-empty glass and said, “Here, you can have your glass of ice.”
I scrambled down the desk and with a quivering hand, placed the silver coin next to the glass. Tears rolled down my face as I rushed for the door.
My lungs tightened.
My fingertips went to my raw neck and I winced, but I didn’t dare slow my pace until I’d made it around the hallway. Then I rested both of my hands against the wall, my head tilted forward, and took deep, counted breaths. The carpet absorbed my tears like sand does water on the rare occasions of a drizzle. It took me longer than I would have liked to recollect myself, and as I wiped my face, I couldn’t believe my own thoughts. I wished that Mounir would arrive earlier than anticipated so that he would remove me from the Ice Prince’s service. I knew he would—he was not going to leave anything that Farah ordered in place, and I couldn’t wait to be relieved from him.
I replaced my sewing box in its hiding place, then washed my face with the little remaining water before making my way into the servants’ kitchen and offering my help. I needed something to do, I needed to distract myself. So I chopped onions, anexcuse for my reddened eyes, and I washed and peeled potatoes, saving the skins for our own meal—potato-skin soup.
The gathering of servants reminded me about the meeting, and by that time, I had already decided—I wouldnotserve Lord Aegir ever again.
“Where’s Sabriela?” Farah asked.
“I’m here!” Sabi said as she swiftly entered the kitchen, fitting herself in between Nadya and me.
