He still slept deeply, that lean chest barely rising and falling, and Selly steeled herself to see it through. She could see well enough to aim. In fact, that there wasn’t more light worked in her favor, as she might be distracted by the sight of his skin, of his narrow waist, the shadows indicating enticing musculature. Surely she was cursed that she felt lust for a man she hated. She would kill him cleanly, no suffering, which was more than he deserved. Then she’d arm herself and wait to be found. With any luck, she’d get another chance at his monstrous mother, too.
She drew the bow.
“Good choice on the bow,” Jadren said quietly, not moving, not even opening his eyes, so far as she could see in the dimness. “It’s much easier,” he continued, sounding not at all alarmed, “to kill from a distance. Blades are so… intimate.”
“Don’t move,” she warned him, calming her suddenly racing heart. She should have loosed the arrow already. Hearing his voice, knowing he was awake… Doing this necessary thing had just gotten much more difficult, curse the man.
“Or what?” Now he sounded sardonically amused, levering himself up on his elbows. “You’ll kill me? Seems like that’s your plan, no matter what.”
“You strapped me to that chair,” she snarled in a burst of betrayed fury. “You stopped me from killing that monster of a woman and let them—” She broke off, unable to continue. Her hands were shaking, her palms coated with cold sweat, threatening her grip on the bow. She shouldn’t have hesitated this long.
Jadren heaved a sigh, sounding ever so put upon, then reached over to touch a lamp on table beside the bed. It glowed with low warmth, magically radiant.
“I said, don’t move!” she repeated, hearing the desperation in her own voice.
Sitting up fully, Jadren scooted back against the headboard, which was covered in some dark color that framed his moonlight pale body. He adjusted the blankets over his lap, then held out his hands. “Think of it this way,” he said conversationally, “the light can only improve your aim. And it’s already improved my experience considerably.” His eyes caught the warm light as they traveled up and down her body with leisurely sensuality. “If I have to die, being killed in my own bed by a beautiful, long-legged woman in scanty, lacy, black lingerie is definitely the way to go. I’d been wondering what you had on under that nothing of a gown. I’m most gratified to report the reality exceeds the fantasy.”
She’d forgotten what she wasn’t wearing—and had planned for him to be dead already—and was annoyed with herself for blushing at his frankly sexual perusal. Not that she believed him. He’d called her a stick-insect, scrawny, and not much to look at, words a person didn’t forget. Yes, he’d also flattered her, but Jadren said whatever was convenient in the moment and she’d do well to remember that.
“I couldn’t find anything to put on.”
“Yeah, that’s a problem. You’re kind of a menace where clothing is concerned. You could ring for someone to bring you a robe?”
“Nice try, but I won’t fall for that.”
“Doesn’t bother me. Like I said, the view is excellent from where I’m sitting.”
“Look all you want,” she scoffed. “I’m sure you did already, since you obviously put me to bed this way.” His bed, he’d said. This was his bedroom. She didn’t know how to take that.
His gaze skimmed back up to her face. “Not me. The servants took care of you while I conferred with my bitch of a mother. I only came to bed a bit ago, unfortunately. What is with you and your refusal to let me get a decent night’s sleep?”
“Conferring with her about what?” she demanded.
He flicked the question away. “This and that.”
“House Phel secrets you spied out.”
“Of course.”
That he admitted his betrayal so easily, without even a pretense at guilt, restored her anger. She leveled the arrow at his heart, no doubt a black and twisted thing beneath that muscled chest dusted with red-gold hair. “I’ll kill you for that.”
“The way you’re trembling, the arrow will go wild,” he said, as if offering advice.
“I’m not trembling,” she argued, ridiculously, as her shadow leapt wildly, looking like it danced along the wall where the lamp cast it. “Besides, I can hardly miss at this distance.”
“You could miss the killing strike, though,” he pointed out, very reasonably for a man about to die. “If I’m only wounded, that will be upsetting for us both.”
“For you,” she spat.
“Have you ever killed anyone before?” he asked, raising an auburn brow. “Killed someone human, not an animal or melting one of those hunters,” he clarified before she could answer. “Someone you know. A person you’ve spoken with and looked in the eye, perhaps even kissed. It’s not easy.”
“Have you?” she challenged. A lot of this shaking was muscle fatigue. It had been foolish to draw before she was ready to loose the arrow. It should be one smooth movement: draw and loose. Not this standing here forever, having a conversation of all things.
“Yes,” he answered gravely. “I know what I’m talking about when I say it isn’t easy.”
“You’re a liar.” She wished she didn’t sound so plaintive.
“I am that,” he agreed, far too easily.
