Page 80 of Path of the Dark
Downstairs, the inn-keeper’s wife was still tearing strips off some unfortunate. Ryana could barely make out the words. Finally, she could stand it no longer.
“What’s all the fuss about? One ofyourmen causing trouble?”
Elias snorted. “So you’re awake after all.”
“It’s hard to sleep with all that noise downstairs.”
“It’s one of the locals … he groped a serving wench.”
Ryana didn’t answer. She wished she hadn’t let curiosity get the better of her. It wasn’t worth letting him know she was awake for that piece of inane gossip.
Silence stretched out between them. Ryana closed her eyes, willing Elias to go to sleep. Yet his breathing didn’t change. He was alert, watchful.
“Shadows,” Ryana finally muttered. “What is it?”
“Excuse me?” Again, she caught the amused edge to his voice.
“I can’t sleep with you lying there thinking.”
A beat of surprised silence followed.
“Do you want to know what my thoughts are, Ryana?” he asked softly. He spoke her name like a caress, and heat flooded through Ryana at the intimacy in his voice.
“No,” she choked out the word. “I’d rather we slept in separate chambers.”
He heaved a sigh. “We’re not going into this again.” The mattress shifted as he rolled toward her. “I don’t understand why we have to have these pillows taking up half the bed. I’m not going to maul you.”
“I’m not sharing this sleeping pallet without them,” Ryana replied through gritted teeth.
Elias didn’t reply immediately. However, she could feel his gaze boring into her back, willing her to turn around and face him.
“Are we to be enemies forever then?” he asked finally.
“Aye.”
“Shadows, don’t tell me you’re the sort to nurse grudges?”
Ryana heaved in a deep breath, her anger rising.Grudges?The man had a nerve. “You deceived me,” she said, her throat tightening. “I don’t give liars second chances.”
