Page 126 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

Her head snaps back to him, her eyes simmering. “You almost sound as if you wish it was.”

“Maybe I do. Maybe some scars would carve some sense intoyou,” he growls viciously, and this time she flinches back from him as if he’s hit her. As if she’s never seen him before.

“Why not do it yourself? Or does your king not allow it?” Her eyes glow with fury and hurt.

“I would truly consider it if it kept you from suchidioticideas in the future.”

“Funny how he said something similar,” she says, a smile on her face that looks as cold as the Winterlands.

Riven leans back, running a hand through his hair and over his face. Melody gets up.

“Where do you think you are going?” he asks, his voice still raw. But sharp.

“To my room.” She heads for the door.

He gets up too. Before she’s halfway crossed the room, he blocks her way. Although she is very tall, she still has to lift her head to look up at him. “Oh no. You are going nowhere. You and I are to stay here for the night, whether you like it or not.”

“That sounds likegreatfun,” she says.

To his surprise, she turns around and walks back to the bed. She sits down and pulls her legs up close, her long hair falling around her body, shielding her face. Riven follows her and sinks back into the chair, watching her.

“You’re still pissed,” she says after a while into the silence. “I can see it all over you.”

“Indignant rather thanpissed. Enraged, granted. Annoyed, perhaps,” he retorts dryly, pursing his lips, his fingers drumming on the armrest.

“Really? Feels rather like sulky and sour to me.”

“Well, babysitting is quite a waste of my talents.” Riven scrutinizes his nails and adds, “And it gets rather tiresome.”

“Yeah, what would you be rather doing? Day-drinking and seducing women?” She looks at him now, another challenge in her gaze. She’s in some mood, provoking him like this but he’s already seen her temper.

“Careful,” he warns, reining in his instinct to bare his fangs.

“Or what? You’ll singe my hair? Or rip into my throat like Caryan. Oh, you can’t, remember. You made a promise not to hurt me.”

He licks his teeth before he turns his head away, allowing himself a deep breath. “I did indeed.”

“Regretting it already?”

His eyes go back to her. To his surprise there is pain in them, belying her sharpness. “My cheeky little pup, how could I ever, when you are so endearing?”

“Just trying to make babysitting more fun for you.”

He leans forward, bracing himself on his legs. “I would know far more entertaining ways to achieve that.” He expects her to back down, to blush. But whatever happened before, it must have stripped away her usual shyness, because she’s holding his gaze, her face blank, her eyes cold.

He turns serious again. His voice falls low as he asks, “Why did you run away, Melody?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I just don’t like to be locked away, for one.” She says it angrily but turns her head away from him at that.

“And where in the sweet hells would you have gone?”

“Away. To Niavara,” she hisses, but her eyes are shining.

“Niavara is not for you,” he answers.

Her head whips back to him. “Nothing here is for me. I’m weak and fragile. I don’t belong here. It sucks.” When he doesn’t say anything, she says, “Come, deny it.”

“I cannot.”

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