Page 32 of Decoy

He withdrew his dagger and motioned for me to do the same. I bit my lip in dread for my next admission. “Actually…I’ll need to borrow a weapon if I’m to participate.”

Up went his eyebrow, as I knew it would. “Is this a ploy to acquire another weapon? As if my generosity in already providing one wasn’t enough.”

“You merely returned my own,” I snapped.

“One thatIsucceeded in obtaining from the royal armory after you got it confiscated in the first place, making it arguablymine.”

Unfortunately, I had no counterargument for such an erroneous statement. “Aggravating man.”

He shrugged. “I only speak the truth. The question that remains is whetheryoudo.”

Irritation tightened my jaw. “I wouldn’t admit my folly unless it was absolutely necessary.”

“I see you consider your need to challenge me to a duel of much greater importance than I initially suspected.” His eyes twinkled, his satisfaction at once more having me firmly within his control. “Pray tell what happened to your other dagger?”

As loath as I was to admit it, I had no choice but to confess. “It’s been confiscated.”

His amusement faltered, revealing his surprise. “Confiscated?”

I was too humiliated to speak the words again, so I merely nodded, an admission almost as painful. He was silent a long moment as he searched my expression to determine my sincerity. Upon finding it, he sighed.

“So much for my generosity in returning your dagger only for you to promptly lose it.”

“Apparently daggers aren’t becoming for a princess.” It was the only weak explanation I could give for why anyone would dare take my dagger from me.

“Then you should have been more discreet in your possession of it.”

He was right. Once more I’d allowed my guard to falter…and it was all his fault, consideringhe’dbeen consuming my thoughts when the unfortunate moment had transpired.

He continued studying me with such concentration I could almost feel him poking and prodding my secrets. “I can’t help but wonder at the reason you’ve been so determined to get your hands on a weapon. Do you find yourself in danger?” Considering he was currently my most prominent threat, he seemed uncharacteristically concerned.

“You more than anyone know I possess an enemy. I seem to recall being almost poisoned last night.”

He didn’t deny this. Instead he considered a moment more before heaving a sigh of acquiescence. “I can’t believe I’m doing this…” He withdrew a dagger hidden in his boot and handed it to me. “Here.”

My fingers itched to take it, an impulse I resisted only due to the suspicion stilling my hand. “I find it difficult to understand why you’d willingly arm your prey.”

“Perhaps I find entertainment in the challenge?” His indifferent tone couldn’t mask the urgency in his eyes, as if he was truly invested in my protection even though such a thought didn’t make sense. When I made no motion to take it, he tilted his head. “Would you prefer to find another letter opener instead?”

I rolled my eyes, but against my best efforts, my lips twitched at the teasing quip. While a letter opener could get the job done in a bind, I needed a weapon more suitable for combat. Despite having been the one to request his generosity, accepting another weapon from him would only put me further in his debt. I wanted to best him, not remain at a constant disadvantage.

Even so, I found myself reaching out to graze the hilt with my fingertip. It was made of a metal far finer than even my expensive dagger, but it wasn’t this or the onyx gems embedded into the hilt that made me covet it, but the fine craftsmanship of the blade that I imagined cutting him with with far too much satisfaction.

Temptation weakened my resistance, but I didn’t immediately falter. “You do realize that arming me means I could easily turn it against you?”

He shrugged. “I can handle a few attempts on my life; it’d only even the score.”

“Confident, are you?”

He smirked, but despite his display, uncertainty filled his eyes, doubt that contradicted his silent boasting…as if despite his theatrics, deep down he didn’t feel confident at all.

He pressed the dagger’s hilt against my palm encouragingly but didn’t force me to accept it; if I wanted his help I’d have be the one to take it. I deliberated only a moment more before accepting it with a sigh of reluctance. The hilt felt warm against my skin, bringing with it a sense of security.

Since I was already drastically in debt to this man, perhaps there was no harm in burying myself even deeper; the humiliation I was unfortunately becoming quite accustomed to was still far preferable to the death awaiting me should I fail.

I took a wavering breath before forcing out the dreaded words. “Do you know how to breach a locked window?”

I expected a teasing quip, but he only grew thoughtful. “Is it locked from the inside or the outside?”

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