Page 62 of The Rat King
She gave a forceful yank to her wrist and said, “I’m dry as a bone.”
I chuffed. “You’re a liar is what you are.”
Staff brought in heaping plates of breakfast foods I knew Avery liked and placed them before us. “I figured after last night you would be hungry,” I said, nodding to the ridiculous amount of food on her plate.
“Would you please stop talking?” she asked, stuffing a bite of pancake into her mouth.
“Are there other things you would prefer me to do with my mouth?” I asked her.
“What is wrong with you?” she asked, her face screwing up into the cutest agitated expression.
I looked at her with seriousness then. Her eyes softened as she took in my change in tone. “I have never tried to make you think I’m a better man than I am. And I don’t wish to disregard or minimize your feelings, but I would do what I did again.”
“You’re a fiend,” she said.
“I am a lot of things. A monster, as you say. But as I walked through my palace this morning, as the sun rose, and saw the faces of my people as human, with sunlight on their skin, I knew I would do it again in a second. I would wound us both again in a second, without hesitation. You and I will recover. That’s also the kind of man I am. I will not sit here and allow you to act like you don’t like it. That you didn’t fall in love with everything that I am. Maybe you saw things differently because of that spelled pill, but you knew who I was at my core, and you gave yourself to me willingly.” My blood was thrumming, and I knew if I didn’t get out of here, I’d do or say something I’d regret. I was moments away from grabbing her, pulling up her skirt and proving to her exactly how right I was. And I knew she wasn’t ready for that.
Wood scraped across the stone floor as I pushed my chair back from the table. “You have the rest of the day to pack. Tomorrow, we leave at dawn.” I gave her a last glance as I stormed from the room.
As I got to the door, wrenching it open, she said, “You didn’t finish your breakfast.”
“I’ve lost my appetite,” I said, slamming the door with a crack behind me.
Chapter 45
Nighval
“Youmeantotellme you’re not going to just magically transport us there? I thought you were powerful,” she said, carrying her pack down the staircase that led to the gravel drive the next morning. Attendants followed behind with an overstuffed trunk, and I chuckled, knowing despite her aching chest, she was present of mind enough to pack her many creations.
She dropped the pack at my feet. Even as she looked up at me, somehow, she still looked down her nose. Warm rays from the breaking sun danced across it, making me want to relive what it was like to kiss that beautiful face. I really needed to play my cards right and get back into her good graces soon, so I could do it again.
“We have a few stops to make along the way. I figured the proximity worked for me once before. Perhaps it will work again.” I shot her a wink because I couldn’t resist.
“You are conniving and despicable,” she hissed.
I wanted to press her angry lips to mine. Instead, I held out a hand to help her into the carriage. “I’m being honest as I was before, and you’re the one who fell in love with me. What does that say about you?”
She groaned, but I could tell there was an edge of humor in her voice as she put her hand into mine. For this trip, we would take a larger carriage that had an insert to go between the benches so it could transform them into a makeshift bed. I didn’t want to use my power because I had some things I needed to do along the way, and I wasn’t lying whenever I said I wanted the excuse to be near her. I craved her touch.
“I’ve been asking myself the same thing. Obviously, I was a fool. But I’m not anymore so no need to worry about that. And since I still have my memories intact, your ruse will not work on me,” she said, raising a defiant chin.
I huffed a laugh. “We’ll see.”
I crawled into the carriage behind her as Eclipse strode up beside it.
“I thought now that you had your magic back all the time, the carriage wouldn’t need a horse to pull it?” she asked.
“Eclipse will accompany us, but we will ride in here and the carriage will travel by my power. It doesn’t require much.”
“So why can’t you ride out there on him?” she asked, glaring at me from across the bench.
I moved my hands in the familiar pattern, and the carriage jolted forward. I pulled the curtains back, pinning them so we could enjoy the beautiful countryside as we rode. “We’ve been over this, Avery. I wish to be in my wife’s company as much as possible.”
“Well, your wife doesn’t wish it.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window.
“You’ll come around.”
“That’s what Gran Jane said, and I assure you I won’t.”
