“That's the year you captured my brother. I never saw him again. Is Danon still alive?”
The Prince tilted his head down, lashes veiling his eyes. “Haveyouseenabody?” The pointed question delivered with courtly gentleness warned: tread carefully.
Fuck careful. I pressed myself against him, betting he still muted our conversation, conveniently forgetting what I’d just escaped. Used this flesh he wanted so badly as a weapon.
“Renaud, the onlyreasonyour palace is still standing isbecausewehaven'tseenabody.”
His smile unfurled like a fallen angel unfolding tattered wings, cruel and capricious, sensual lips revealing straight white teeth a single misstep from tearing into my flesh.
“Are you cold, Aerinne?Oris there anotherreasonyou press so sweetly against me?” His attention lowered to my cleavage and flared, pupils dilating.
More anger uncoiled, sparked by thelustand malice entwined in his voice.“What I am, is using everything within me to restrain myself.”
His eyes burned, flashing from glacial to blue flame in a whiplash. “Aerinne, this is you practicing restraint? I cannot wait to see what you're like whenunleashed.”
Enough of this. I stopped moving, making dead weight ofmy body, forcing him to halt. If I didn’t escape now, I would do something Not. Nice. I hung onto civilized behavior by a thread.
“Prince, when you see meunleashed, it will be because I'm covered in yourblood.”
“Only if you are on your back, Lady.Oryour knees. Then you mayhavemybloodallyou wish.”
I recoiled. Not because it disgusted me. Because it didn’t. Anger morphed to desperation. “I’ll die before I let youhaveme.” Which was probably true.
Renaud’s hands clamped on me, a warning that he could whisk me back into that bower of trees. “I could execute you for speaking to me thus.”
“Aw, who's insecure in his power?” My voice trembled despite my defiance. “Raise your hand.”
The Prince bit the rim of myear, sharp and punishing. “You courtdeath, little halfling. Is this howyou wishme to woo you? Pain and punishment? Desire and debasement?”
Teetering on the verge of reckless, I unsheathed my own mockery. “I fear none of that, Prince. I thought you said you knew me.”
He slid his hands down and gripped my buttocks, squeezing, blatant ownership in the touch. A choice hovered in the air like a swordagainst myneck, but then Renaud released me and stepped back, bending in alowbow.
I lockedmykneesto keep from sinking to the stones. To keep from lunging at him with my hidden blade. For a split second,I'dbeen certain he was about to force me tomyknees, cover my hips with his, and fuck me until I screamed—in front of the Court.
“Lady Aerinne, ithasbeen a pleasure.” A flicker of feral amusement. “Perhaps you should return to your father now.”
I turned on my heels and left the courtyard, not returning to my father. I needed a few minutes to regain my composure. More than a few minutes.
This dance wasn't over.
The night would be long, and I braced to only go down fighting, all the while wondering at the one glaring omission in our conversation.
The one person he hadn’t mentioned.
Whose death should have been the writ for my immediate execution.
ChapterThirteen
Ireentered the courtyard and searched for my father, ignoring attention as I waded through the viscous stares of guards and courtiers.
Curiosity, disapproval, amusement or disdain in various degrees beat against my neck, a battery of merciless gazes. With the gazes came the indiscreet whispers.
The Prince gave her permission to use his name.
The Prince dances with her, touches her, indulges her.
Ahalfling, but comely enough. She must taste sweet.
