Page 21 of The Princess and the Demon

“Touche, my dove. What is it you wish; your bargain is mine to honor.”

She seems to deflate with relief, which only feeds my mirth. Her eyes fall to my feet before she meets my gaze again.

“I wish to trade places with the sun-touched male child promised one-thousand years ago. I will take his place as the wares of your bargain.”

I still, my eyes regarding her silently. The mirth has drained from my face.

“It can’t be done.”

She shakes her head at me. “I’m not giving you a choice.” She holds up her hand, showing me the deep cut on her palm.

“My blood grants me a bargain of my choosing. You can strike it with me, or we will both be trapped in this circle. The choice is yours.”

Anger blooms within me, and I pull myself up, clenching my fists and looking down at her.

Reaching out, I wrap a hand around her slender throat.

I could easily snap her neck here and be done with it, but then there’s the issue of the binding circle. I would be powerless to release its hold.

Her eyes widen in fear, and she wraps her hands around my forearm.

I lift her easily, pulling her closer.

“This is a dangerous game you play, minx.” I say through gritted teeth. “You want to play dirty; we can play dirty.”

I don’t notice when she reaches into her skirt to pull a small knife. But I do notice as it catches the moonlight, and I bellow another laugh.

“Your weapon is useless to you!”

Her eyes glint, and she reaches up to slash it across my forearm, instantly clasping the cut on her hand to the wound on my arm.

My entire being shifts, and I drop her.

She crumples to the ground with a cry, and I am forced to one knee.

The human tricked me.

She’s forced me into a blood bargain.

Elora

My cry pierces the air as I hit the ground with a thud. The air is knocked out of me, and for a moment I just lay there, scared to move. I gasp in a breath, assessing my body for any major injuries.

Nothing hurts, so I sit up, wrapping my hand around my throat.

I decide to stand, brushing off my skirts as I do. The demon before me huffs out heavy breaths, his head lowered between his shoulders.

I reach out hesitantly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He flinches, and I jerk my hand away.

Even kneeling he’s almost as tall as I am.

With wide eyes, I take him in.

I don’t really know what I was expecting, but he’s more man than I thought he would be.

His skin is a ruddy blue-grey, and two black goat horns twist on either side of his head. Straight black hair falls into his face. His brow is furrowed over eyes black as night.

Weren’t they amber before?

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