Page 213 of Flirting with Darkness

He flinched at my words, eyes screwing shut, and for a moment—for the briefest, silliest moment, the thrumming mass of my heart hurt for him.

Because, fae couldn’t lie, but damn could they deceive. The look on his face was such a convincing picture of pain, like it hurt him to hear me say that, it had the pressure at the back of my eyes buildingfor him.

“You’re right.” He said it so softly, I barely heard. “I couldn’t tell you because of the geas. But… you’re right.”

Of course I was.

The stories had always warned me.

Worst of all, though, he wasn’t just a monster, he washer monster. Terrorising herdearguests so they couldn’t leave.

Not mine. Never mine. Always someone else’s. My chest caved in, crushing my heart.

My beast. What a joke. It wasn’t a lie, no, but it was a twisting of the truth—a reference to the fact we were married, nothing more. They must’ve planned it together—what words he could say to win me over. The pretty ways he could gain my trust. How he could make me think…

I swallowed, vision blurring.

How he could make me think I was in love with him.

“I’m sorry, Rose. You’re not—”

“Don’t say my name.” I pointed the knife at him.

I had to be like this blade. Cold and hard as iron. Unbleeding. Unfeeling.

I had spent so many years protecting Ariadne. Now I had to protect myself.

Iron cuts through flesh. Iron cuts through fae. Iron cuts through lies.

I said the words over and over in my head—a call to the gods for strength as I edged towards the door.

Other than slow breaths, he didn’t move.

I made it to the door and some stupid soft part of myself paused, because, it reminded me, this was the last time I would ever look at him.

We were in the early hours of the morning. I just needed to hide and survive for the rest of today and tonight, then tomorrow at dawn, I would be free to leave.

That was if anything I’d been told in this place was true.

I clenched my jaw at his back, at the way he was bowed over, like I was hurting him.

But it was my heart that was broken. Andmyeyes where the ones burning with tears that finally spilled over as I slipped outside and slammed the door before telling House to lock it.

When I heard it click, I huffed a breath of relief that became a sob. To think I’d given myself to him. To think of all I’d told him, all I’d felt for him, all I’dtrustedhim.

Fae were dangerous, like the wolves outside Briarbridge, Faolán included, and I’d been a damn fool to ever think otherwise.

37

HIDDEN

In a corner of the house, below a secret staircase I’d discovered a week ago and hadn’t thought to mention tohim, I found a hidden cupboard and stayed there. Light crept under the door, so I knew the sun had risen.

A tall clock stood in the hallway outside, its case carved in the form of a ribcage, its pendulum shaped like a heart. The morningtick tick ticked on, the sound echoing through the hall and into my hiding place. Eventually its dark, deep chime tolled eight times.

Less than twenty-four hours before dawn. I just had to survive this day and night, and then I’d be free.

Only me and an iron knife against Granny and her watchdog Faolán, and an entire house. Though… House had locked the door when I’d asked. Maybe it wasn’t all bad—or maybe it was only cruel at night… Or something else I didn’t understand affected its moods.

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