Page 54 of The Shadow Heir

Gasping, I turned to the side and raced down the length of one of the stone benches, turning into the tunnel several of the fae had used. But before I reached the door, Casimiro materialized, his arm propped against the slick stone, blocking my path.

A frustrated scream popped from my lips as I sought another route. Anything to get away from him—from how handsome he looked and how fast my heart was beating at his words. He’d helped me survive, but he was still fae, still the heir of this wretched place, and still going to try to kill me as soon as Ihelped him. I couldn’t stand the sight of him. I hated that I was his pawn and that he held information about Talia over my head.

I hated that he’d saved my life.

Hated that he had a sliver of goodness in him.

That Iwantedhim to have goodness in him.

If he had no goodness in him at all, it would be much easier to forget what he’d just said.

At the far edge of the arena’s seats, a path had been cut into the mountainside. I charged down it, trying not to look at the perilous cliff edge on one side. Up ahead, a short stairwell curled up and around to an even higher path. It led, eventually, to a balcony studded with flaming torches, not unlike the balcony adjacent to the heir’s quarters. From this part of the path, nearly the entire mountainside was visible, as was the sprawling castle built into the rock. At the very top was a structure similar to the castles I’d seen in Avencia—tall stone walls topped with two towers limned with sunlight, like twin knives pointed at the heavens.

Momentarily awestruck by the sheer size of the castle, I didn’t see Casimiro reappear in my path until I ran directly into him. He was black as night and made of whirling darkness—the same strange form he’d taken when he took me from my home.

I shrieked and backed away, nearly stumbling off the edge of the path. Casimiro grabbed my arms and steadied me. For several seconds, my heaving white breaths mingled with the inconsistent outline of his features. Then he solidified and I was again staring at the corporeal Shadow Prince.

I slapped his face.

He caught my offending wrist, but only for a second. By the time I yanked my hand down, he’d already let go. In my hand was a smooth, cold item. I backed away from Casimiro, placing my back to the stone wall on the side of the path farthest from the path’s edge.

I lowered my arm and opened my palm, where a small vial, no larger than my little finger, rested. My eyes snapped up to Casimiro’s. “What’s this?”

“An antidote.”

My fingers closed around the tiny vial. “For what?” I tucked that hand behind my back, just in case he tried to snatch it back.

“Enchantments.”

My eyes had nowhere else to look but his face, which was too close. Despite the way he made me squirm, I held his stare. “And why would you want to give me this?”

“I need to know that you will not be…tampered with by anyone in my court as you go about your task,” he said, the warmth of his breath brushing my chin.

A horrified scoff burst from my mouth. “Your court is foul, you know that?”

“More than you do, I assure you.”

That answer silenced me.

He tilted his head, his loose hair falling across his forehead. My attention traveled to his mouth and back to his eyes, but not fast enough. One side of his lips curled up. “You managed just fine back there. Dips have the ability to smell magic, a convenient benefit of using them as spies. Diego took to you so quickly because of the ruby scented with my magic.”

Heat flared up my chest, a mix of anger and something I didn’t want to admit. “Do you want me to say thank you?”

“You’re alive, so, yes, I assumed you would enjoy that outcome.”

“Adánwasn’t protected!”

He averted his eyes, and he raked one hand down his face. “I can’t do anything about Adán. He chose to entertain, and his choice ends in death. If I heal him, my father will return. Immediately. And then you will all die.”

I straightened my shoulders, putting my face a little closer to his because I couldn’t stand the thought of cowering before him. “You are a murderer.”

“The bargain and the mortal’s subsequent choice are what kill the entertainers. You had the choice to live.”

“So you saved me today, but I’ll die after I help you. Not exactly excellent negotiation skills.”

“Need I remind you that you are still alive because of me.” His chest rose and fell faster now.

For a moment, I glared at him. “You snatched me from my comfortable life, made me into a death-defying circus performer for your creepy little court of nightmares, just so you could try to squeeze some fraction of feeling out of your dead heart.”

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