Page 31 of Beneath the Flames
“Why?”
“It’s not safe for you to be poking about.”
“I thought you said there wasn’t anyone else here.”
Rhydian’s shoulders tensed, but he kept his back to me as he pulled aside the curtain to look at the lava rivers outside the castle.
“Trust me when I say there doesn’t need to be anyone else.Besides, it’s notanyoneyou should be worried about.”
“What do you mean?”
Rhydian turned to face me, and for once, he looked like he was actually going to give me a straight answer, but then his eyes shuttered, and his mouth pressed into a thin line before he shook his head.
“Go back to your chambers.”
“And if I say no?”
I swear the gold rings around his eyes dimmed as he glared at me.
“Are you always this insufferable in your world?”
“Are you always this insufferable inyours?”I retorted.
Rhydian’s glare held mine for a few seconds longer.Heshifted forward, inhaling quickly, and I flinched away.I waited, wondering if he would reprimand me with his fists for talking back.As soon as the thought crossed my mind, he reared back as ifIhad hit him.
“Has that man so tainted your opinion of other males that you would think I could do that to you?”he said in a growl.“I won’t hurt you.I am not a coward.”
“What?”Had he somehow interpreted my feelings by my reaction?I decided to focus on the second part of what he said.“If you’re not a coward, why did you kidnap me?Why bring me here and then leave me to die alone?That sounds like what a coward would do to me.”
I swear the color drained from his cheeks before he hid it behind a scoff.He stepped toward me again, his eyes locking on mine, and I automatically pressed my back against the wall.One of his hands landed on the wall next to my head, and he leaned closer.
“Do not presume to know anything about me.I will not tell you again, Maren.Go back to your chambers.Lock yourself in and stay there.”
He could have easily grabbed my arm and dragged me back to my room, or summoned Nico to make sure I went, but he simply stepped away and turned his back to me as he stomped up the hall.
“Why should I?”I dared to call after him.
The pause in his steps only lasted a second.“Because, Maren.There are worse things than me that live in the shadows.”
Maren came far too close to that room.
The one room in this entire blasted castle that I wouldn’t be able to just explain away.It was the one with the evidence.The place where I, and all of Eroth, was cursed.
Nico was the only person that knew about it, but it was a rare occasion that he was ever allowed inside it.
How had she even found it?It was a maze of hallways to get to it, tucked deep inside the castle.How long had she been wandering around unchecked?For the first time in many years, I wished there were other servants here, someone I could assign to watch her, to keep her out of places she shouldn’t be.
But insteadIwould have to keep an eye on her.Hence why I was following her as she went back to her chambers to make sure she kept her nose out of places it didn’t belong.When she finally slipped inside and the click of the lock echoed, I let out a long breath and headed for my own chambers.
I was a prince.I should have had better things to do than watch her every move.But there was no one else to do it.I couldn’t have asked Nico.He was too young, and he’d likely tell her everything, and that couldn’t happen.Plus, he had a habit of befriending people, and I didn’t need him getting attached to her.I had learned that lesson the very first time.I wasn’t willing to go through that again.
Besides, it wasn’t like I didn’t have endless time now.Ever since I’d resigned myself to my fate and had quit looking for someone to break the curse, I had nothing but time.Every waking moment used to be consumed with searching other worlds for the one the curse required, but after decades and decades, failed attempt after failed attempt, I’d given up.
The hall was brisk as I turned down the one that led to my chambers.My steps slowed as I found the door slightly ajar.Someone was inside.Had I found an intruder in my room before the curse had weakened my magic, I wouldn’t have even hesitated, wouldn’t have felt the tiniest bit of trepidation.But now?In the weak state my magic was in, there was an infuriating quickening of my heart.
It couldn’t be the girl.I’d sent her back to her room, putting an end to her poking around.Nico, perhaps?
As soon as I put my hand on the wooden door to push it open, I sensed him.Every muscle in my body tensed, preparing for a fight.
