I cursed to myself as the ship stayed silent. She was on his side.
“I just want to honor our gods, and you’re making that difficult.”
“Yourgods,” Darcke snarled. “Still not it. At least not all of it. What are you hiding?”
“What areyouhiding?” I shot back.
His body lined up with my own, and I became very aware of his trembling muscles, his hard chest heaving against me. My eyes darted to the window before coming back to his, and my body swayed at the challenge in his eyes.
“Are you scared of me?” Darcke asked.
“Yes,” I answered truthfully.
“Why?” he asked.
“If you didn’t betray your people, why are you working for the king?” I blurted out.
Darcke’s slow grin chilled my blood. “If you’re scared of me, why did you choose me as your second?”
Because I didn’t have a choice.
I suddenly wasn’t sure if the thought was his or mine—a strange understanding filled me that allowed me to take a deep breath for the first time since the choosing. Strength that I hadn’t felt since my father rushed through my body, the bond between us tightening, becoming clearer, like a bridge guiding us over a roaring river.
The silence that followed became leaden, and I fought a shiver when Darcke leaned in farther. “Look at us finding some common ground.” One of his legs spread mine apart, and he stepped in closer, his body pressing against mine until the table bit into my back.
“Do you feel that?” he asked. “The bond likes it when we speak the truth.”
His breath was hot as it hit my face, and I should have moved—I should have sneaked by him as his arms fell to his sides insteadof caging me against the table. But a challenge echoed in me, and instead of backing down I pressed a hand to his chest, right over the broken rune on his heart.
I tilted my head back. The bond surged, a pulse pounding along the tether connecting my soul with his. Darcke’s heart thudded against my palm, and my eyes widened when a flash of heat flooded my veins. Warmth and worry collided within me, a storm of conflicting emotions that left me breathless.
“I should go,” I whispered.
Darcke dipped his chin, leaving our faces only inches apart. “That’s probably best.”
When my fingers splayed over his chest instead, his heart skipped a beat. Mine followed, beating a rhythm that did nothing to help the fog spreading in my mind.
“You’re not scared of me,” Darcke rasped. “Not as much as you’re scared of something else.”
I tried to quell the vibrations of unease within me, but it was impossible when his hand sneaked around my back, and I stopped breathing entirely when Darcke’s lips brushed my ear. “Your body doesn’t lie as well as your mouth does.”
I went cold.
Darcke’s lips twisted into a wicked smile as he stepped back. “You should remember that if you’re going to continue hiding things from me.”
I closed my eyes when my heart leaped, then began thundering in my chest.
“It’s the same for you,” I snapped, but my voice betrayed me, a tremor finding its way into it. “You need to watch out too.”
“Maybe I want you to find out all my secrets.” Darcke walked up to the window again, his back turned on me.
“Liar,” I whispered when the bond strained, something sharp and harsh winding around it.
He turned his head over his shoulder, raising an arrogant brow. “Weren’t you supposed to leave?”
I started stalking to the door. “Whatever.”
A loud clattering stopped me in my strides, and I spun to the table, which shook so violently the food atop it flew into the air with each wave.
