Page 27 of A Court of Ash and Midnight
I’m not sure why his words sting, but they do. “You’re a liar.”
I’m expecting anger, but he actually smiles. A sharp, glittering, dangerous smile. “Oh, yes. And a traitor and murderer, too. Don’t forget that.”
A shiver runs over me as I realize again what a dangerous line I’m walking. He could kill me right here, right now, and no one would ever know. But somehow, inexplicably, I don’t think I’m actually in danger with him. Despite what people say about his family. Despite the rumors about the poison.
I glare up at him, defiance blazing in my eyes. “If you don’t care, then why did you save me? You could have just let them find me.”
He scoffs. “Because I wanted to eavesdrop, obviously. And if they’d seen you, they wouldn’t have spilled all their juicy secrets, would they?”
I stiffen. “I guess. Plus, they apparently think I’m sharing information between you and your…army or whatever. So, if I was found here, that’d confirm their belief.”
Now it’s his turn to tense up. He looks mildly alarmed for a moment, then his face falls back into a scowl. “Perhaps you area spy for another faction…”
“And maybeyou’rea traitor and revolutionary.”
Silence falls between us as we lock gazes again, heat and venom humming between us. I cross my arms over my chest, realizing belatedly how absurd it is that I’m standing here in a wet nightgown in the dark, with a complete stranger who clearly hates me.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Daemon growls, a low rumble that rises from his chest.
“You’re the one who yanked me in here, remember?”
“I mean at Shadow’s Keep. You don’t belong here.”
“Well, you heard the professors. I’ll be gone soon enough.”
I reach for the latch to the panel to let myself out, but Daemon’s hand shoots out and grabs mine. His hand is rough and envelopes mine entirely. Heat pulses where our skin touches, and a jolt of adrenaline spikes through my veins.
“They might still be out there somewhere. And I have no intention of confirming their suspicions,” he snarls.
“I’m surprised you care what they think.”
“I don’t,” he says. “I just don’t want to give them the satisfaction.” He’s still holding my hand, though he’s holding it down by his side, and as if realizing that he abruptly lets go. “This way.” He jerks his head to the left and beckons for me to follow him.
I hesitate for only a moment, then move down the narrow passage behind him. The walls are stone here, and it smells mustier the farther we move away from the entrance. As wemove, I catch the sound of the rain again as we travel toward the exterior of the building.
“Does anyone else know about these passages?” I ask softly.
He’s silent for a moment, as if he’s not going to answer, then, “not to my knowledge.”
“So, how did you find them?”
“I look for things others don’t.”
Silence falls again. The passage turns sharply to the left and we continue along it, then turns left again before ending abruptly. So abruptly that I run right into Daemon as he’s turning around. I stumble backward, and his arm shoots out to steady me, his fingers sliding around the small of my back. Our eyes meet again, and then he drops his hand quickly as if I’ve burned him, his look of momentary surprise replaced by a scowl once again.
He turns a latch, and a small doorway, barely tall enough to step through, opens in the wall. A glimpse of night peeks through, and the scent of rain rushes around me.
“I would say thanks, but you’ve made it clear this wasn’t a personal favor.”
His jaw rolls. “Let’s not repeat this, shall we?”
The passage is so narrow that I have to practically slide along his chest to step out through the door. I try not to look at him, but I can feel his eyes on me, and there’s that connection again, that electricity like lightning in the clouds. As I step outside, my willpower breaks and my eyes move up to meet his. The tension that rolls between us makes another shiver roll over me.
“Agreed,” I say. “The Commander will have me out on my ass tomorrow, no doubt, so we won’t ever have to see each other again.”
He stiffens at my words, and something moves across his eyes, too quickly for me to read.
I don’t wait for a response. I turn and stride off into the dark, rainy night.
