Page 69 of A Court of Ash and Midnight
I moan again, arching up off the ground…
“Daemon, you filthytraitor.”
We both freeze as the voice carries over us, and I look down past Daemon’s body to see a woman standing a dozen feet away, staring down at us.
Chapter Thirty-One
“Trianne!” Daemon growlsas he jumps up, covering me with his tunic. “What in the thirteen hells are you doing here?”
I recognize the woman. She was Daemon’s second in the tournament challenge. Her blonde hair is unbound now, not braided tightly as it had been that day, but it’s definitely the same woman. She’s classic fae, tall and slim and stunningly pretty.
“That is hardly the question foryouto be askingme.” She crosses her arms over her chest and glares at him with her violet eyes.
“What, I’m not allowed to blow off some steam?” Daemon scoffs. “You have no right to question anything I do, but especially not this.”
I flinch. I know he’d told me he couldn’t be caught with me, but his words still sting. I shimmy my pants back on and stand up, staying a couple of feet behind him.
“Blow off steam with another fae. Not a…” She casts her eyes on me as if I’m an earthworm. “…ahuman.”
A ripple moves over Daemon. “Again. Not your right. Not your place.” He puts emphasis on the last word, his voice dark and deadly.
Trianne only narrows her eyes further. “You may be royal blood, but I’m the one who’s been there at the Court of Onyx while you’ve been away this whole time. Your aunt and uncle listen to me. And they will beveryinterested to hear about this.”
“You say that as if I had a choice to stay or go.” Daemon’s shadows spin around him slowly. “And tell them for all I care. If they want to keep a journal of my bedroom activities, they can go right ahead.” He shrugs.
They lock eyes for several long moments, and then Trianne shrugs. “Fine, Daemon. If you want to keep a lowly human whore for a lover, you go right ahead. It’s not as if it’s a disgrace to your family name and your entire legacy.”
Daemon’s shadows lash out, almost more quickly than my eyes can follow, and wrap around Trianne’s neck. She gasps and reaches up, trying to pry them off with her fingers. Before I can even react, Daemon pulls them back, and Trianne falls to the ground, choking.
When she crawls back up to her feet, the look she shoots him is both furious and triumphant. “That’s what I thought,” she says, her voice ragged. “More than just letting off a little steam.”
“I’m warning you,” Daemon snarls. “Do not do something you’re going to regret.”
She doesn’t respond, just staggers backward, locking gazes with me for a moment, hatred burning in her eyes. Then she turns and storms off, disappearing from view on the far side of the glen.
When she’s gone, Daemon lets out a string of curses, running a hand through his hair in agitation. I step toward him slowlyand place a hand on his shoulder. He shudders beneath my touch. “Are you okay?” I ask softly.
“This is exactly what I was trying to avoid,” he says, his voice carrying a low groan.
“Does their opinion weigh so heavily on you?”
He turns to face me, running one hand up into my hair. “I couldn’t care less about their opinion. I hate my aunt and uncle. What I’m worried about is what they’ll do with this information.”
“Everyone already wants me dead, Daemon,” I say, trying to make light of things.
“You don’t understand how hateful they are. They will try to punish me for what they view as a transgression. And they’ll punish me by punishing you.”
“Well, I’ve got my guards, and I’ll be extra careful.”
Daemon shakes his head, his eyes haunted. “This isn’t the first time this has happened.”
My muscles go rigid. “You mean, you’ve had human…” I’m not really sure the right word to use for whatever’s happening here.
“No, not lovers. A human friend. A long time ago, when I was a child. They found out and…” He shivers in rage, his jaw clenching and unclenching. “I will never forget it. Ever.”
“I’m so sorry that happened,” I say softly.
He pulls me against him gently and wraps his arms around me, and we stand like that for several minutes. Finally, Daemon pulls back, his gaze serious. “You need to practice. You’ve only got another day until your challenge with Toryn.”
