Well, probably not kiss him.
The door creaks open, and I tense as the man with the gold eyes steps into the room carrying parchment and charcoal.
Hades!
Must he be everywhere?
“I should have known you were behind this,” I say, my lips twisting with bitterness.
The man sits down in a chair near my bed and folds his arms across his chest as he studies me. I hold perfectly still, refusing to squirm or plead for mercy.
Instead of speaking, he continues to stare, his eyes scorching me.
What? Is there something on my face? Or does he like the view of me tied to the bed? Some people are into that sort of thing. Maybe he’s one of them.
“Did you not expect me to show up?” I ask after a while. “Is that why you had me kidnappedagain?”
“No.”
I scoff and bite back the powerful urge to tell this man how I really feel about being tied to this bed.
Finally, he glances away, staring down at the parchment in his lap. Then, he picks up the charcoal and draws unfamiliar ancient symbols—the kind I have never been taught.
“So, are you going to sit there and draw all day, or do you have something to say?” I ask, not bothering to hide my mounting frustration. “Because if this is your idea of hospitality, it’s a bit lacking.”
Something glints in the man’s eyes as he looks up for a beat. “You’ve got quite the sharp tongue for someone in your position.”
“I’m sure you didn’t go through all the trouble of kidnapping me just to admire my finer qualities.”
Stop it, Everly.
He can kill you.
He pauses his sketching, the charcoal hovering above the parchment. “No, I didn’t. I want you to get close to Cenric. Spy on him, seduce him, I don’t care. Just get close to him and report to me. Every detail, every whisper, every secret—I want to know it all.”
“You want me to spy on Cenric?” I ask, not bothering to hide my incredulity. The very idea is absurd, dangerous even.
I ball my hand into a fist and let out a frustrated breath. If I say no, this man will kill me, but if I say yes, I will have to betray Cenric.
My chest tightens, and I find myself wishing desperately for something I’ve never had: magic. The kind of magic that could whisk me away from this place.
The man continues his sketching, as if he’s oblivious to my inner turmoil, or if he’s aware, he simply doesn’t care.
If I don’t agree to this man’s demands, I could end up just like that woman. Then, I would never be able to help my family.
The gods help me!
I don’t want to spy on Cenric.
Damn this man. Every single part of me wants to deny him, but I can’t. “I will do as you asked.”
“Of course you will.” His attention returns to me as he speaks. “Because you’re smart, Everly. You value life.”
I clench my jaw, fighting back the urge to tell him exactly what I value: my family, my home, the life I had before I stumbled into this mess.
The door creaks open, and a woman steps into the room.My breath catches when I recognize her from the ale house last night.
She’s tall, and her hair cascades down her back in pale waves, so light it almost appears white.
