“Hate to break it to you, pet, but yes you are. If anyone can figure you out, Baga can.”
“I don’t want to be figured out!”
“Tough,” he says, resolution firm in his face.
“Sitri,that,” I hiss, pointing at the door.“That’swhat I thought witches looked like before I ever met any witches!”
He chuckles softly before trudging forward. The sly grin pulling across his mouth implies that I’m not going to like whatever it is he’s about to say. “You know what a witch looks like?”
I give him a bland look, already knowing what comes next.
He bops me on the nose. “Likethis.”
“Ugh,” I groan, brushing him off with a wave of my hand. “I don’t even know this woman! And, she’smean,” I hiss.
He snorts, eyes narrowing. “Pet. Can you imagine if I left you at the mercy of someone nice? You’d mow them over. No, you need someone to match your…tenacity. And she’s really not so bad once you get to know her.”
“She’smad!”
“She’s a little eccentric. But we need someone that thinks outside the box for you. This is going to be good for you, pet. It’s not good for you to be cooped up in my chambers all the time. This way, you can…” He lifts a palm. “Get outside, get some fresh air.”
“Oh, now you suddenly care about keeping me locked up in your chambers?”
His shoulders sag. “I’ve always cared, Pandora. I just didn’t know what to do with you. Now we have another option.”
“How do you even know we can trust this woman?”
“I trust her with my life. And with yours, or I’d never leave you here.”
I glower at him, crossing my arms against my chest. “You’re not leaving me here.”
His brow quirks for a split second and then he’s bounding down the stairs two at a time. I fly down after him, completely disregarding my earlier wariness of them. He might be faster but I’m more desperate. I leap over the last five steps and throw myself at him, locking my arms around his waist. I dig my heels into the ground, trying to keep him put as he continues forward. “You’re…not…leaving me here,” I grunt out between heaving breaths.
He binds his hands around my wrists and peels me off of him, crossing my arms in his firm grip as he turns around. “You’re going to be fine, Pan. You’re being dramatic,” he heaves, exasperated.
“I’m not your child. You don’t get to just drop me off with the babysitter. This isn’t how you treat your—your—“
“My what?” He asks, looking slightly amused. “Say it.”
“You don’t get to control my life!” I snap, stomping a foot.
“You areacting like a child.” He peels my fingers away. As soon as he frees one, I wrap my hand around his other arm, digging my nails in.
“I should be able to choose. I should have the choice!”
“I’m going to give you all the choices, pet. All of them. But first, you have to get your magic under control.”
My eyes narrow with suspicion. Div’s adamance that Sitri wants my magic for himself. “Why do you care about my magic so much?”
“You already know why I care,” he sighs.
“Please don’t leave me here,” I plead. “I’ll never go out again. I hardly go out anyway. You don’t have to worry I’ll accidentally kill someone.”
“I told you I’m not worried you’ll kill someone,” he snaps. “I’m worried you’ll kill yourself. Or worse reveal yourself.”
“I don’t care. I’d rather d—“ I break off. It’s too late. His face darkens, amusement fading.
“That’s not a choice you get to make.”
