Page 44 of A Kingdom of Destruction

“You have no idea what you’re doing. You’re reacting like a frightened animal in a maze, and you’ve ended up at a dead end. What will you do now?” Cillian asked. “Besides posture and try to intimidate me.”

“I don’t belong here. I belong at Grimrose, with my father, working to repair the kingdom you’ve destroyed.”

“There is nothing there for you. Nothing but struggle and a losing war. You’re here for a reason,” Cillian snapped back.

“I’m here because your father maneuvered mine into an impossible position.”

Cillian shrugged, unbothered. “That’s how you win battles, Aven. You of all people should know better. Just like you should have known the absolute frivolity of trying to escape. Did you seriously think no one would find you? I’m not going to let you go.”

She drew in a ragged breath and said, “I knew I needed to try.”

She never would have forgiven herself if she’d seen a chance and decided to stay put.

He stalked forward, caging her between his body and the gate, his slender fingers wrapping around the metal on either side of her head. Heat spread from his body through her. Cillian stared at her, through her, his nostrils flared. “Now that you’ve tried, what are you going to do?”

Again he’d managed to catch her off guard with these strange questions. In all her years of fighting against the fae, she knew they were devious and had never had a straightforward conversation with one.

If interrogations could be termed a conversation.

She resisted the urge to rub her chest and place her hand between them for more space. Not when his nearness tickled something in her abdomen. Awakening a part of her she didn’t dare look at too closely.

“I’m not going to give up.”

“Then you and I are going to have fun playing cat and mouse with each other. No matter where you run, I am going to be behind you, and I am going to catch you.”

She might be a fool for making an attempt to run, but she’d be even more foolish to think Cillian would grow tired and give up on her.

“Why does it matter?” she asked.

His scowl degraded into an expression of pure suspicion. “You gave your word you would stay. So did your King. Those words are bonds, and now you belong here. Do you really want to return to a life of sadness and strife rather than living in luxury in a palace?”

He was right. She had given her word. But…

“It’s a comfortable lie,” she insisted. “Doesn’t make reality any less real. You call me a guest. I call it being a prisoner.”

“It’s not a lie. The luxury of life here also comes with responsibilities, which you’ll see soon enough,” he added, shrugging one shoulder like lifting both was too much effort. “Now, are you going to come back with me? Or are you going to make me chase you again?” He dropped his head and closed the gap between them, sliding the tip of his nose along the side of her face.

Why did she get the feeling he would like that?

Why did she, too, like the imagery?

Aven cleared her throat. With as much pride as she could muster, she nodded. “Lead the way and I’ll follow.”

Cillian took his time before he shifted backward, scoffing. “Somehow, I doubt very much you will.” The flatness in his tone told her exactly what he thought before he reached and twined his fingers through hers, gripping her tightly.

He might not consider her a threat, but she knew the time would come when they’d butt heads again. He was the victor this round. Next time? She prayed it would be anyone’s game to win.

16

Aven needed something to do with herself. Immediately.

She stared down at her palms. Enough time had passed for her calluses to crack and begin the healing process. Any more days of inactivity, and she’d be soft. Too soft to protect herself when the time came.

She glanced across the breakfast table toward Cillian, his attention on a manuscript in front of him, only half paying attention to the food he brought to his lips by muscle memory. “I need to exercise,” she said into the silence of the small, sunny parlor. “Train.”

They’d had breakfast together for the last three days, as though Cillian needed to keep an eye on her to ensure she wouldn’t try to escape again.

He took his time looking over at her, finishing the bite of food he’d taken before swallowing. “Train for what?”

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