His smile could only be described as dangerous.
“When you’re not threatening to kill people, I mean?” I added.
“No.” Darcke turned on his heel but froze when he saw the chalice.
“So you see that, at least?” I gestured to it.
“It’s hard to miss a golden cup standing in the snow.”
I could barely imagine snow right now as the sun hammeredacross my skin, making sweat stream down my back. Using the back of my hand, I wiped at my forehead, but it did little to help. More beads built as soon as I got rid of the other ones.
“I couldn’t touch it,” I said. “It was like my body wouldn’t let me.”
Darcke narrowed his eyes.
“Do you think we should drink it?” I pulled at my jacket to try to get some air into it, but it was like the breeze had died down entirely. “It looks like water.”
“I wouldn’t mind something steaming hot right now,” Darcke said. “And water reveals the truth when asked.”
“Hot?” I laughed awkwardly, trying to ignore the last part of his sentence. “It looks perfectly cool to me.”
“Must be your fucking gods messing with our minds,” Darcke snapped.
Despite the heat, a cold knot formed in my stomach. “Don’t speak like that,” I warned.
“Why?”
“Because they’re watching us, and I’m sure they’re already sufficiently upset with me, so I don’t need to piss them off further.”
Darcke tilted his head. “Why would they be upset with you? I thought you were theperfect heir.”
My eyes widened. Fuck. Why did I say that?
“Never mind,” I said.
“No, I think I do mind.” Darcke took a step toward me. “If you’re going to tie me to you for the rest of your life, I should like to know why your gods are upset with you.”
“It’s nothing.” I retreated a step as the world became even hotter.
My leathers squeaked as my legs moved, chafing against my burning skin.
“Look at you.” Darcke’s eyes roved over me. “You’re scared.”
Sweat stung my eyes as I shook my head. “I’m not scared.”
“Yes, you are.” Darcke followed as I backed up. “Why?”
My jacket was beginning to feel suffocating, the leather painful as it wrapped around my arms and torso. As sand whirled around us, I wiped at my forehead once. Twice. After the fourth time, I groaned and started wriggling out of my jacket.
“I just… I don’t know if I’ve honored them enough lately.”
I had little hope that would be enough, and I was right.
As I dropped my jacket on the ground, Darcke came into my space once more, forcing me to tilt my head back so I could continue meeting his eyes. “Why?”
“I—”
Fuck, it was so hot. It was like the air was shrinking my clothing. My skin crawled beneath my trousers, and the tunic stuck to my skin no matter how many times I tried to free it from my body.
