Page 12 of Lady of the Lake

He coos with mock sympathy, then narrows his eyes, studying me. “Since when did you give a fuck about the gods? The only god you need to worship is me.”

“If you keep talking about yourself like that, I might go look for the basilisk and end it all.”

He leans closer, his breath warming the shell of my ear. “You say you want to be rid of me badly, but I think you’re lying, little farm girl. I haven’t seen it in your dreams—you keep them tightly locked—but I can see it in the way your chest flushes when I get too close. The way your breath hitches. I can hear your heartbeat right now, and your pulse is racing.” His voice drops lower. “Your body warms when I’m near you, calling to me.”

Heat slides through me, pooling deep in my belly. “That’s called dread, Prince Talan.”

A low, dark chuckle. “Is it?”

Warmth licks down my spine. “I think maybe we should focus on the basilisk hunting us right now.”

His gaze dips to my lips, and the heated look in his eyes tells me he’s thinking about a different type of hunt altogether.

A piercing cry rends the air, and all the heat drains from my body. “It’s coming,” I whisper.

He turns his head, and a line forms between his black eyebrows. “Do you know what, my blushing bride? I’m done with your stupidly slow pace. From now on, we’re going to move at mine.”

In a swift movement, he sweeps me off my feet, and his warmth enfolds me, seeping into my body. With me wrapped in his powerful arms, he races through the dark forest.

I press tightlyagainst Talan’s chest. Heat radiates from him, soothing my muscles in the cold. He’s been carrying me for twenty minutes, but he doesn’t seem to be tiring.

I almost feel safe with him, but the basilisk shrieks again, and my muscles freeze. Judging from the sound, the creature is closing the distance between us.

A blood-chilling roar rumbles through the woods, shaking the snow off the trees. Behind us, tree branches snap and the earth trembles.

“It’s getting closer,” I breathe.

“You really have a talent for spotting the obvious.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to the Paimpont River.”

Ahead of us, the trees thin, and a vast, roaring river carves through the cold dark forest. The surface of the water glistens with rose in the pale light of the twin moons.

Oh,gods.“We’re not goingintothe river, are we?”

“Legends says that creatures from the Otherworld cannot cross water, and despite its wings, a basilisk cannot fly. All we have to do is make it to the other side.”

Near the river’s edge, he lowers me to the snowy soil. A shiver runs down to my bones. He glances over his shoulder at me, his jaw clenched. “Whatever you do,” he says quietly, “don’t look it in the eyes. Jump into the river,now.”

I freeze in horror. I don’t dare look back. Talan unshoulders his bow, then whips out an arrow from his quiver.

I turn, keeping my gaze lowered. Even so, I can see how fucking large the basilisk is. Moonlight shimmers off dark scales and the creature’s serpentine body, its taloned feet kicking up snow as it runs. A mere ten yards away. A low, furious roar erupts from the monster, trembling over my skin, and I catch a glimpse of a forked tongue, of sleek dark wings swooping behind and?—

I feel the lure of the basilisk’s eyes. I want to look up, but somehow, I resist.

Talan looses an arrow. It slams into the basilisk’s throat, but unfortunately, that doesn’t slow it. Talons slash through the snow as the monster barrels toward us.

My blood runs cold. Pivoting, I sprint the last few steps to the river, praying that Talan is right about creatures from the Otherworld. I splash into the frozen water, the bitter cold biting my legs and piercing right through me. A growl rumbles over the frozen forest, and I turn back to see the basilisk still stumbling forward, another arrow lodged in its scales. Only Talan stands in the way.

“Talan!” I shout, desperate for him to run. Why do I want to save this man I’m trying to kill?

I step deeper into the water, the river dragging at my heavy clothing, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. The water is freezing. I take another step and tumble. My body stiffens, and my lungs go still. I can’t move a muscle, can’t swim. My body has turned to ice. Talan told me to escape into the river, but he had no idea I’m half human and break more easily than he does.

A hand finds me and drags me to the surface. I inhale a mixture of air and water, panicking. Talan pulls me close. His nearness and the warmth of his powerful body calm me, and I suck in the cold air. I’m hungry for his warmth as he carries me across the river. We reach the other side at last, and I feel the scrape of the rough embankment beneath my boots.

“Okay,” I gasp. “I can stand here.”

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