I nodded. Several beats later, he peeled his hand away. I seized the opportunity and bellowed at the top of my lungs, “HELP!”
The hand returned, dissolving my voice. “That wasn’t quiet.”
I responded with frantic, muffled jargon.
“Listen carefully,” he said, tightening me against him. While I no doubt reeked of fear, sweat, and desperation, this man had the audacity to smell a little too good for someone in the process of capturing me. “There is no escape here. I take it you know what I am. And while your past actions have made me question your judgment, surely you are smart enough to acknowledge that fighting me will not end well for you. Accept my generous offer and do as you’re told. Because I assure you, no one in this building is willing to go up against me.”
Arrogant ass.
Though to his credit, only twenty-four guardians existed in all of Gaianos—each possessing unparalleled power. I would be a fool to cross one. My shoulders sank in defeat. He took that as my sign of acceptance and did as he said he would. I lurched away, whirling around to face my captor. “What do you want from me?”
“Your presence is required by Gregorios, the Chosen Seer of Scorpio. I cannot speak to why.”
“That’s not good enough. What could a Chosen possibly need me for? And what were you doing, impersonating the king?”
At some point, he’d shed the mask, hood and scarf, opting for fitted black pants, a matching tunic and leather vest with subtly padded shoulders. It was plain for a guardian’s standards, yet everything about him made it impossible to think straight.
A flicker of frustration bled through his pale features. “I was not impersonating him. You clearly made a false assumption.”
“You said nothing when I addressed you. Or as I…”
He spun his wrist outwardly, fingers splayed wide in anticipation. “As you… failed to seduce me?”
My cheeks heated. “You’re not taking me anywhere. I have obligations here.”
“Such as seducing your king?”
“I needed to put him to sleep—like you did to me.” I staggered backwards. I didn’t know how much vervain he’d forced me to drink. “You could have killed me!”
“But I didn’t.”
I glowered at him. “My family is in danger. If you hadn’t intervened?—”
“Had I not intervened, sweetheart, you would be dead.”
“You don’t know that.” I lifted my chin. “I’m quite capable of seducing men.”
“Is that so?” His eyes dragged down the length of me.
I wrapped my arms around my waist. “I’m not goinganywhereuntil I find my brother.”
“Finding your brother entails going somewhere.”
“Withyou, arrogant prick.”
His face hardened like stone. “I have explicit orders to take you back to Scorpio with me. We can do this the easy way, or you can make it difficult for yourself. Perhaps you care for another nap?” He cocked his head. “You do look a bit tired.”
“Fuck you,” I spat.
“I believe you tried that already.”
The urge to slap this man was overwhelming.
“We’re leaving now.” He reached for me.
“No!” I exclaimed, my mind reeling. “Hold on a second. I… have a proposition for you.”
Slowly, so painfully slowly, he lowered his arm. His piercing eyes simmered with interest.
