“Why areyouso fucking scared?” Darcke screamed. “Just do it! Use your magic and get us out of here!”
“I’m not scared!” I cried back as I threw myself to the side to avoid another branch aiming for my face.
The cage creaked as the roots crept closer to Darcke, and I winced when he growled, trying with raw fury to shove off the roots weaving around his body. My own muscles strained as he fought for his life, and another jolt of fear pressed against my chest.
“Liar,” Darcke said slowly. His head whirled my way. “Did you think I was handsome when you were under the huldra’s spell?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” I screamed as I zigzagged to avoid the branches. I wasn’t getting any closer to the cage, especially half blind from dust and everything else finding its way into my eyes.
“Just fuckinganswer!”
“No! It was your tattoos!” I cried.
The cage howled again and the roots drew into the ground, leaving barely any space left for Darcke’s body.
“You’re lying,” he growled. “It’s reacting to you lying!”
“What?” I took a shuddering breath in a moment of respite. “No!”
“Yes!” he snarled. “It does! Answer the question again, andDon’t. Fucking. Lie.Did you think I was handsome when you were under the huldra’s spell?”
“Yes!” I snarled as a branch caught my shoulder, sending me right into another, which struck me in the eye so hard I saw stars. “Fuck!”
I didn’t even need to look with the one eye I could use. Darcke’s satisfied arrogance weaving through me was enough.
“The cage didn’t move,” he taunted. “Apparently it wants you to tell me the truth. What are you hiding from me, little heir?”
“Noth—”
“No lies,” he snarled.
“Fine.” I pushed up against the side of the tree to avoid more of its branches vying for me. “Something I can’t tell you!”
“Why?” he demanded.
Pressure mounted behind my eyes as I struggled with what to say.
“Because it could risk everything for the people I love,” I finally decided.
“Me dying today will kill you too.” Darcke’s voice lowered, and there was a flicker of soothing filling it that did nothing for the sheer terror within me. “Is whatever you’re hiding worth both our lives?”
“Yes.”
It was the easiest truth I’d told so far.
A spark of surprise went through him.
“Do you want me to die?” he asked. “Doyouwant to die?”
“No! Of course not,” I replied.
“But you will risk it?”
“I have to!” I cried.
“No, you don’t.” Darcke fought the roots coiling around his neck. “You have a choice. You can use your magic or answer my question.”
“Don’t ask me,” I begged. “Please, don’t ask me.”
