Page 56 of Barbi and the Villain

“Are you nervous, Barbi?” he drawls, his deep voice washing over me and causing my skin to erupt in goose bumps.

“Nervous? Me? Why would I be nervous? I’m calm—very calm,” I mumble.

“Hm,” he muses, biting on his lower lip.

Oh Lord! Please take me right now!

His teeth are straight, white, and absolutely perfect.

And I’m a sucker for good teeth.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Perfectly straight—sure. I’m sure.”

I squeeze my eyes shut in embarrassment as I mentally chastise myself. Blunder after blunder. I am not fit to be out in society. No wonder everyone laughs at me. I’m a walking disaster.

His laughter reaches my ears and as I slowly open my eyes, I see that he has resumed his place—away from me.

I release a disappointed sigh.

“You need to learn how to lie better, Barbi.”

I blink at the sudden shift in his tone.

He gets up and straightens his clothes.

“You can have the rest of the food. If you go straight up the mountain, you will find a portal that should take you back to Anthropa.”

He’s dismissing me.

Just like that.

“B-but?—”

“It will not be hard to recognize it. It should be a blue…” he continues to explain how to get to the portal, and whereas twenty-four hours ago that’s all I would have needed, that is no longer the case. How can I go back when I’m finally about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime? I no longer have to read about quests and magic and true love. I’ll get to live it.

Besides, it’s not as if anything out of the ordinary awaits me at home.

“I don’t want to go home,” I state firmly as I get up to be on eye level with him. Okay, that might be a reach considering I’m half his size. But I place my hands on my hips and look him straight in the eye as I say. “I am coming with you.”

The amusement drains from his face.

Silence envelops us for moments on end. There’s only the crackling of the fire and the dogs’ barking.

“And where do you think I am going?” he asks in a low, measured tone.

“I don’t know. But wherever you’re going is far safer for me than setting out on my own. You’re strong. You can protect me,” I admit shamelessly. “There’s the plague to worry about, but also psycho Damien and his entourage. Since we both escaped, I have no doubt the entire continent is already looking for us. So I am not going to take any chances.”

“I have my own mission that requires my immediate attention,” he adds tensely. “I cannot be responsible for a human.”

My heart plummets. Again.

I stare at him, my shoulders squaring. Disappointment ricochets through me, though I am not sure what I was expecting. My illusions slowly shatter and I’m mad at myself for having those illusions in the first place.

“More important than me?” I whisper, not intending for him to hear me.

Foolish, foolish girl.

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