Page 111 of Throne of Ice and Blood
“Careful with those eye rolls, little rebel,” he warns. “Wouldn’t want anyone to realize that you’re not actually my submissive little plaything.”
I let the hint of a smirk blow across my lips and make my voice deliberately seductive as I reply, “Yes, sir.”
His fingers grip the smooth black fabric of my dress harder, and he works his jaw. Letting out a controlled breath, he shakes his head at me while his gaze, burning with lust, sears through my very soul. “Such a little menace.”
Lightning crackles through my veins as he slides his hand up the side of my ribs and brushes his thumb right underneath the curve of my breast. A shudder of pleasure rolls down my spine. A satisfied smirk spreads across Draven’s mouth. I attempt to glare at him, but it’s undone when he makes my heart skip a beat by caressing the side of my ribs again.
I hold his gaze, watching the way the light gleams in his eyes. The rest of the room disappears around us. It’s just me and him. His hands on my body. His eyes, burning with desire, on mine. I can feel his very soul calling to mine, and all I want to do isto grab the front of his armor and yank his stupid troublesome mouth down to mine and kiss him until he can’t breathe.
Because I can’t fucking breathe either.
Indecision rips at my chest.
Should I tell him? After the torture and humiliation I have seen the Icehearts subject Draven to, he must surely hate them as much as I do. If I told him about the heist and the rebellion, he would want to help me. Wouldn’t he? He must want out of here as much as I do.
And he has been standing up to them more and more. First this black dress and now dancing with me in front of everyone. Maybe he is finally ready to fight back.
My mind drifts back to what Galen said earlier. That Draven didn’t even try to fight when the Icehearts came to their home and demanded his allegiance. That he just got down on his knees and surrendered. It doesn’t sound anything like Draven. But then again, I didn’t know him two hundred years ago. He was only eighty-six back then. Maybe this confidence and power that he now exudes came later.
So if I ask him now to join me and help me crush the Iceheart Dynasty, he might say yes.
Fear draws its icy fingers down my spine.
Can I really take that risk? If I’m wrong, and Draven still doesn’t dare to go against the Icehearts, I will be dooming not only the Red Hand, but the entire resistance. The human one and our fae one.
Swallowing, I gaze up into Draven’s eyes, trying to read his mind.
But they betray nothing.
And I can’t stop thinking about that blinding, world-ending, completely mind-shattering pain that I felt when I connected to Draven’s emotions after Bane had whipped his wings to shreds.Thatis what Draven is risking if he simply fails them. So whatwould they do to him if they caught him actively trying to bring them down? A shiver of fear rolls down my spine at just the thought of it.
I stare up at him while indecision fights desperately inside me.
“Have you…” I begin before I even know what I’m doing. But I decide that I need to know. I need to ask this much, at least. So I clear my throat and try again. But I keep my voice soft, so that only he can hear. “Have you ever considered leaving?”
His dark brows furrow slightly. “Leaving what?”
“This.” I flick a glance around the room, and to my surprise, realize that other people have started dancing as well. Tearing my gaze from the courtiers now filling the dance floor, I meet Draven’s eyes again. “Leaving the Icehearts’ service.”
He clenches his jaw, as if in frustration, and glances away for a second before returning his gaze to me. “I can’t leave.”
“You’ve never even considered it?” I ask, trying to read the tense emotions on his face.
“Of course I have.” He forces out another tight breath. “But I can’t.”
“Why not?”
He opens his mouth as if to reply, but then just closes it again and heaves a long, frustrated breath. “I tried once. It didn’t… They…” He expels another forceful sigh and then meets my gaze head on. And when he speaks again, there is no doubt that he means every single word. “I can’t leave.”
Disappointment sinks into my stomach like a block of ice.
Because that answers my question.
Should I tell him about the heist and the rebellion?
The answer is no. No, I can’t tell him. Ever.
It might be because he doesn’t want them to whip his wings again, or he might be trying to keep the Icehearts from torturing his clan the way they are torturing him, or some other kind oflogical but very inconvenient reason, but the fact of the matter remains that Draven will not go against the Icehearts.
