Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
He opened and closed his mouth. “Do not push me, Blythe.” With a huff of frustration, he stabbed his fingers through his hair. Muscles flexed. In his arms, alevala switched places. He froze. “Unless you want to push me further and see what happens.”
Roux stepped forward, putting his body less than an inch from hers. Challenging her. And yes, highjacking her good sense.
“Do you, Lyla? Are you ready for this?”
Yes. No. Maybe? Her heart skipped a beat. “I think you’ve forgotten the threat of chains. But I haven’t. As soon as you come at me with those shackles, the fight is on.” A fight the ruby guaranteed she’d lose.
“I expect no less.”
Would he truly keep her bound in front of so many foes?
Daring him to complain, she very obviously pilfered two of his daggers from the desk and stomped toward the bathroom.
“What if we agree to a second truce?” he asked, his tone flat.
Hmm. Blythe halted in the doorway and executed a slow turn. He wore his blank mask, but oh, his body language told a different story. He feared her response.
“Go on. I’m listening.” What price would she pay to maintain her freedom? But more importantly, what price would he pay?
“I won’t put shackles on you today, and you won’t attempt to kill me or escape. We’ll use the reprieve to catalogue our surroundings and learn what we can about the threats against us.”
It wasn’t a bad idea, actually. But like she’d really make this easy on him. Not after their last negotiation.
She hit him with a smug grin. “I’m waiting to hear what I get from this bargain.”
His lids slitted. “I think you know what you get.”
“Tell me anyway.” How much power would he cede to her?
“You get...whatever you want.”
Her eyes widened. Tremors swept through her limbs. Whatever she wanted? As in anything? For the Astra to make such an open-ended offer, it could mean only one thing. He would cede much power.
Did Roux have...feelings for her?
“Deal,” she said, an embarrassing wobble in her voice. “I’ll let you know when I decide.”
* * *
“I’m Tonka, by the way.”
Blythe eyed the day’s escort. A fellow harpy who hadn’t sided with her on the day of Roux’s arrival. The female led the way with Blythe behind her, and Roux trailing Blythe. She had no doubt the Astra tracked her every move. The heat of his gaze bored into her back, keeping her blood white-hot.
“Oh, so you’re deigning to talk to the it now?” she asked the harpy with forced breeziness.
“What can I say?” The blonde was as happy and chirpy as could be, as if her dreams were coming true right before her eyes. Grinning, she spread her arms wide. “This is an amazing day.”
“Is it? Do tell.”
“Kerry—you might know her as the manticore—has decided to fight on behalf of the entire royal council,” the harpy said. “We are united, making us one, after all. She is our representative.”
They thought they were doing something big with this move? That they’d cover all their bases in the effort to “trap” Roux, letting one woman risk her life while the others plotted from the sidelines? No need to ask why they’d chosen Kerry over everyone else. If her abilities were anything like Laban’s, she could rip out throats with her teeth and paralyze her opponents with a toxin that leaked from her claws.
“Not gonna protest?” Tonka asked. “I don’t know if you noticed, but she’s not like other females of her kind. She mean.”
“Why bother protesting?” Every member of the welcome party was a dead woman walking whether they entered the tournament or not.
On the second story of the palace, they descended another flight of steps.
“What’d you do to be banished to this realm, anyway?” Blythe asked, changing the subject.
Bitterness contorted Tonka’s features. “The year of General Nissa’s coronation, I discovered her in bed with a lover. Rather than murder me to keep her secret, she sent me here.”
Ouch. In those days, the virgin rule had been strictly enforced. Had anyone learned General Nissa liked to entertain gentleman callers regularly, she would have lost her seat of authority.
Finally, their threesome hit the first level of the silo. In the center of the rounded foyer was a stone wishing well. Or what looked to be a wishing well. It seemed to grow from the floor itself.
Tonka climbed onto the ledge and saluted Blythe and Roux. “See ya down below.” That said, she stepped off and whooshed through the opening, disappearing into the darkness.
Roux grabbed Blythe’s arm before she could follow suit. “We go together, she-beast.”
She should protest. But she didn’t. She nodded, letting him wind his strong arms around her and gather her close. His heat and scent enveloped her, a dangerous combination, and she sort of sagged against him. Not intentionally. It happened without thought. Beneath her cheek, his heart raced.