Page 60 of Beyond the Winter Kingdom
Maybe I was. Or maybe I was saying the things he thought but couldn’t voice because heknewhow it sounded. “Am I? Because for someone awfully obsessed with my safety, you are also the person that put a magic nullifying collar on me.”
His expression crumpled for just a second. “That was different.”
“Was it?” I demanded. “Because I was kidnapped by brownies, then robbed by a gang at knife point because of said necklace. That wasbeforeyou found me at the brothel where I was going to be forced into prostitution, in case you forgot.”
He opened his mouth—then closed it again, jaw tightening. “This isn’t about the necklace. This is about you not thinking about your actions.”
“That’s rich, coming from the guy who tried to fight a small army while bleeding out.”
“I knew what I was doing.”
“So did I.”
We stood there, breathing hard, neither of us moving.
Eventually Vareck’s jaw eased the slightest fraction, just enough for him to ground out, “I’m not doing this.” He walked ahead, moving faster than I could keep up with.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I shouted, throwing my hands out.
“Not now.” He growled his final two words, shook his head, and picked up his speed, his hands balled into trembling fists.
Damon appeared at my elbow, wiping drops of water from his face. “It means you jumped off a fucking cliff and he needs a minute to figure out how to say you’re stupid.”
Sadie rolled her eyes. “It worked out fine.”
“Only because I was there,” Damon muttered, flicking water from his sleeves.
Sadie narrowed her eyes. “Oh yeah, because our savior, the fuckboy prince, jumped in after us and magically saved the day.”
Damon’s nostrils flared. “Redcaps.” He took a long, deliberate inhale and turned, stalking ahead without another word.
Sadie blinked. “What the hell does that mean?”
I shrugged. “I think it means he needs a minute before he calls you stupid? Guess it runs in the family.”
She snorted and looped her arm through mine.
“They’re so dramatic,” she muttered.
“Yeah ... are they?” A hint of guilt taunted my thoughts. If I was so sure they were in the wrong, why was it there?
“They are. Pretty sure the ladies in Faerie aren’t the do-it-yourself types and they don’t know how to handle that kind of female independence,” Sadie said, firm in her assessment. After a moment of silence, she changed the subject without even pretending to segue into the topic. “So, you and the king?”
I lifted both eyebrows in her direction. “You and the prince?” I shot back.
“Oh, come on. I would never.”
“Need I remind you that you were dating the witch who threw us both in here?”
“Incorrect,” she said firmly. “Not dating. Just friends with benefits. You were friends with her too.”
I sighed. “Yeah, well, look how well that’s turned out for us.”
“Hey.” Sadie bumped my shoulder with hers in a caring manner. “Amelia fooled us both. We’re not talking about her right now, though, we’re talking about you and Vareck.”
I inhaled a deep breath and let it out, blowing a raspberry. There was no escape from the conversation. “What about us?”
Sadie squinted at me, disbelieving. “Seriously? You’re fated mates. That’shuge.”
