I rose to my knees as he approached, watching him warily as he halted at the foot of his bed and stared at me, eyes cool and glimmering, a hardness to the edge of his expression that hadn't been present all night.
“I should go,” I said, half-heartedly hoping that somehow he would let me go without us discussing this first. “My family will be worried.”
He didn't move, but I felt his displeasure clearly enough, but when he spoke his voice was calm, his words measured. “I will allow you to leave. For now. On one condition.”
I stiffened. “They have a word for that. They have several words for that kind of threat, none of them pretty. On a date what usually happens is the girl and the boy have a good time, and then the girl rides her horse back to her place. If she's smart. I would like to be smart tonight.”
“Before I allow you to leave, you will Vow to me that you will never make another Vow unless you have my permission.”
I slipped off the bed, and his gaze tracked my movements. I didn't go far, aware that would be a waste of energy at this point. It took me a few tries to respond in a normal tone.
“Let me check the value of my understanding,” I said. “The one Vow I have already made just knocked me out and you want me to make another?”
“I want you to make a Vow which will effectively prevent you from ever doing so again. You are rash, and young, and you cannot be trusted. I have enough work to do without running behind you and undoing all of your madness. I am not your servitor.”
I blinked at him, jaw loosening in shock as I felt my cheeks warm with temper. “You have the unmitigated gall to talk about my madness? I let my temper get the best of me once.Once.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, the corner of his mouth quirking in a slight smile.
“I'm not talking about my overall temper,” I snapped. “I'm talking specifically about my temper in relation to making Vows. I've only ever made one. To kill you. You think you'd be trying to hasten my demise.”
“And that is what you get for thinking. You will make the Vow, Aerinne. You will repeat it after me word for word.”
I scowled, and began pacing in a tight circle, weariness fraying my nerves. “This is insane. This makes no sense. This is controlling and you—you just can't do this. You have no right.”
“I am your Prince.”
“I've sworn no oaths to you.” I turned to face him.
“No. You have not. Believe me, that has not escaped my notice and the lack will be rectified.”
Me and my occasionally big mouth.
“You have no right,” I repeated. “Just let me go home, Renaud.”
Suddenly his cool impassiveness disintegrated, and he crossed the space between us, grabbing my upper arms, his eyes brightening with his own temper.
“Do you understand what just happened, you stupid girl? You could have died. If your temper ever gets the best of you again, you probably will.”
His fingers tightened around my upper arms as if he wanted to shake some sense into me hard enough to rattle my teeth.
“I've learned my lesson,” I said.
“You have not. You absolutely have not. Because I know you have not, I will make you take this Vow before you leave, and it will protect you from yourself because I can't always be at your side to do it for you!”
“I don't need your protection,” I said in a hiss. “I don't want it.”
“Have you no concern for your life? Fine. I'll save myself the effort and kill you now rather than waiting for the Vow to take you at some unexpected moment.”
I lifted my chin. “Do what makes you happy. You want to kill me before the Vow does? Go ahead. Not that that makes the least bit of sense, but you’re male, and an Old One, and I suppose no one expects you to actuallyhaveto make sense.”
This argument was ridiculous. Probably one of the most ridiculous arguments I had ever had. Neither of us were coherent, nor rational. The humor of it would have struck me if it weren't for the very real danger snarling in front of my face.
Renaud released me, lip curling and his eyes glinting. He turned on his heel and strode out of his own damn room and I watched, not moving because I wasn't stupid, and him leaving the bedroom wasn't a sign he'd given in.
Several moments of very cautious breathing later, the Prince returned, this time a White Guard at his side. They stopped two arm lengths in front of me.
“Prince, what is this?” I asked.
