Page 63 of Hell Storm

It was true, I felt the twinge of power deep within, but couldn’t quite access it yet. In due time, though.

The guards were close enough now that Corina could hear them too. She sat straight, rolling her eyes as the door unlatched.

A metal tray was placed on the floor, and without looking, I knew it only held a slice of bread, a boiled egg, and a cup of water. That’s all they’d brought her for all three meals since we arrived. It wasn’t much, but it kept her from starving, I supposed. Beside it, a chalice of blood, laced with whatever left me void of my abilities.

“Eat up. We’ll be back to collect the tray and the girl in ten,” was Jax’s morning greeting. As usual, his smaller protégé, Tomas, had no words, just awkward glances as he adjusted the blue band on his arm—a fashion statement of sorts, I guessed.

Corina’s resentful gaze met Jax, and he responded with a laugh and a loud smack of his lips, making a kissing face at her.

“Right back atcha, sweetheart,” he mocked. “Which reminds me. Tonight’s gonna be rather special for you, so make sure you clean up well, and … I don’t know, try to do something nice with your hair.”

The grin he wore grated on my nerves.

“What do you mean‘special’?” There was no dialing back the protectiveness I felt over Corina. And in instances like these, where these goons thought it wise to play coy, I was especially irritable.

“Well, allow me to be the bearer of good news,” Jax grinned. “It seems the two of you are famous around these parts. The boss requested that the lady take her supper withhimthis evening.”

“She’ll do no such thing,” I answered before Corina had the chance. “Wherever she goes,Igo. No exceptions.”

Two sets of eyes darted toward me—Corina’s with a sharp look I couldn’t quite read. The second, a fading smile from Jax as he came closer. I stood and he sized me up with each step. I did the same. What he lacked in height, he more than made up for in girth, but I’d held my own against better men.

“Boss wants to dine with the woman,” he asserted, “so he’ll dine with the woman.”

As tensions mounted, Tomas read the room, inching closer as if he meant to create a wedge between Jax and I if the situation escalated.

However, a warm hand came to rest gently on my shoulder, and the feel of it calmed me instantly.

“Why does he want to meet me? Or better yet, I’d love to know whatallof this is about?”

I didn’t face Corina when she asked, but I was anxious to hear Jax’s answer.

“There’s interest in speaking with you both,” Jax revealed, addressing Corina directly, “but he’s requested that he have a word with you first.”

Beside me, Corina crossed both arms over her chest. “None of this makes even abitof sense.” She raised her voice out of frustration. “Why won’t anyone tell us why we’re here?”

When Jax finally turned to meet Corina’s gaze, it seemed she had said some magic word that earned her his full attention.

His large belly jiggled when he adjusted his belt as a small part of the truth was revealed.

“Well, had one of our guards in the field not recognizedthisone’s mug,” he paused to point at me, “we wouldn’t have bothered either of you. But as I’m sure you know … a prince fetches an attractive ransom. When he falls into the right hands, that is.”

Corina’s brow knitted together.

“Ransom? This is about money?” she asked before I had a chance to respond myself.

The sound of gruff laughter filled the space, and it only added to the already heightened sense of aggravation eating me alive. All this cryptic conversation, the riddles, it was enough to drive a man mad.

“Don’t be naïve, sweetheart. There are some things far more valuable than money. The girls will be down to fetch you when it’s time to get dolled up.” With that, Jax turned to leave.

“At least tell us who this guy is,” Corina called out, prompting Jax to pause and flash a smile over his shoulder.

He answered her question with only one word.

A name.

“Aaric.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

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