Page 40 of Kiss of Ice

He stalked towards her, his expression granite. Clouds of white boiled violently around him.

“And that gave you the right to risk life and limb?”

“I didn’t know you cared.”

“Icarethat you defied me and acted with reckless disregard.”

“You said I could ride anytime I wanted. And anyway, I wasn’t reckless. I told you I could do it.”

She forced herself to hold her ground as he approached. Mistral continued to chew the grass, completely unperturbed by the enraged jinn walking past. Lucky Mistral, she thought.

“I told you the gully path was perilous, yet you chose to ignore me.” His eyes flashed green. “I can see you need a lesson in obedience.”

She eyed him warily.

“What do you… hey! Put me down!”

Kam hoisted her over his shoulder and she found herself staring down at his back. Outraged, she began beating him with her hands as hard as she could.

“Let me go you fucking bastard!”

“Be still, woman.”

“Put me down right now!”

Kam leapt into the air, his wings unfurling as he hurtled upward. Ren shrieked with fear and anger as the ground dropped away. She clutched at the back of his tunic.

“You can’t do this to me!”

“And yet I am.”

“But Mistral! My horse!”

“My men will fetch him.”

“My father will hear of this, you arrogant son of a troll!”

Kam didn’t answer. He flew back to the palace and she was powerless to do anything but dangle over his shoulder and pray to the gods he didn’t drop her.

Seventeen

He set her down in her bedchamber. Instantly she flew at him, the fingernails of one hand daggering towards his eyes. He grabbed her wrist.

“Careful, my Lady. Your claws are showing.”

Undeterred, she raised her other hand and slapped him across the face.

“You despicable bastard,” she yelled. “How dare you treat me like a sack of potatoes!”

He slammed her back against the wall, his own temper rising.

“I will treat you however I desire. You’re mine to do with as I please.”

“Fuck you!”

She struggled furiously, forcing him to pin both her hands.

“The more you defy me, Ren, the harder it will be.” His eyes flickered over her. “This dress, for instance. I told you not to wear it again, didn’t I?”

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