Page 22 of The King of Frost and Shadows

“That’s why you won’t speak of this to anyone.” He stalked closer.

A tingling warning shot through me, and I didn’t want to learn his plans for me. His finding me naked and alone couldn’t be a coincidence. Acid roiled in my stomach.

“If you do, I’ll have no choice but to visit”—he smirked and tilted his head, pausing for dramatic effect—“Eiric. That’s your sister’s name, right?”

I tensed, understanding the threat. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I would.” He stood a few feet away, easily within striking distance if he wanted. “In fact, I hope you tell Tavish all about this so I can take someone you care for away from you, giving you the same courtesy you gave me.” Hetsked. “Now, what should I do with you?”

The time to act had come. It was now or never.

I used my injured leg to kick water from the tub, aiming for his face. He jerked back at the sudden splash. I spun and jumped out then squatted to retrieve my dagger from under my jeans.

The toes on my right foot panged, and my knee hit the wooden floor, forcing me to catch myselfwith the same arm as earlier and causing my attempted fluid motion to secure the dagger to fail. My kneecap throbbed, but I gritted my teeth and ignored the pain.

The sound of wings flapping echoed against the walls, and the gigantic bathroom suddenly felt very small. I slid my hands under the jeans just as Eldrin slammed into me.

He knocked me onto my injured side. I groaned, and he gripped my arm, forcing me to lie on my back as he straddled me, pinning me down.

A scream lodged in my throat, and I tried bucking him off, but he held me in place. His face turned a tad purple like he might be flushing, fae style.

“Stay still, or I will have your family on Earth slaughtered,” he snapped, holding my wrists with one hand while he lowered the blade of his dagger to the top of my chest. The blade sliced my skin, the sharp sensation stealing my breath.

“I’m not going to sleep with you.”

He laughed menacingly and lowered his face toward mine like he might kiss me. I prepared to bite his lips off so he could never try to kiss me again.

A few inches from my face, he stopped and spit, the liquid hitting my left cheek. He rasped, “I don’t want anything of mineina Seelie Cailleach-sgath. Don’t flatter yourself. When I learned you were bathing in theking’schambers, I knew this would be the best place to get you alone. Nothing more than that.”

My blood froze. “So you’re acting against yourking?” What could be so important that he would disobey his king and his own family?

“I’m doing what needs to be done.” He sneered, and the lines in his face deepened. He dug the knife in more, and warm blood trickled down my body.

Placing the dagger into his mouth, he removed a bottle from his pants and scooped my blood into it.

That couldn’t be good.

When he lowered his head a little more, concentrating on getting more of my blood into the bottle, I acted.

Bracing for the pain, I jerked upright and headbutted him. My ears rang on impact, and a deep throb pulsed in my head, but the agony was worth it when his grip slackened.

He snarled, but I yanked the dagger from his mouth and aimed to stab him in the shoulder.

He bolted, his gigantic wings flapping, and I sliced into his arm instead. Even though the wound wasn’t that deep, his black blood dripped all over me. He held the container in one hand, his white eyes appearing to have more color.

“I should kill you,” he spat, hovering over me. “Right here and now.”

He screwed the cap onto the jar, and I noticed that my blood looked different. It wasn’t red anymore but golden like honey.

I glanced down and saw that golden liquid had dripped underneath me. My mind ran in circles, but the threat remained. I couldn’t lose focus. I lifted my head and met his gaze. “Do it. I dare you. Your death won’t be far behind mine.” I, once again, was using Tavish’s obsession with breaking me himself against Eldrin.

“You’ll regret that, sunscorched.” He lowered himself to the floor several feet from me. “Your sister will pay the price for you.”

Eiric.

My heart fractured into pieces, but I couldn’t fall apart and become more of a target. These fae used fear to feel superior. “Do that, and I won’t hesitate to tell Tavish what happened, including that you straddled me while I wasnaked.” He probably wouldn’t care about that last part, but if I said it with enough confidence, maybe Eldrin would believe it.

Eldrin glared, and the hatred in his eyes had my skin crawling.

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