Page 62 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

I unlock it, yanking it open. My breath catches as I take him in. His hair is braided close to his scalp, and ash covers every inch of exposed skin. His smile gleams at me from beneath the layer of soot and dirt.

"What in the gods did you roll in?" I yank him inside, checking behind him to make sure he's alone.

He raises his arms, smirking. "It's camouflage." My attention draws to the little pot in his hand. "I brought some for you."

"Oh." I close the door and turn back to him, crossing my arms over my chest. "What is it?"

"Powdered wolfshade and ash," he explains. "It'll help you hide in the shadows." He hands me the container, and my fingers tremble as I take it. His eyes flick to the gemstone in my breastplate and then back to my face. "Are you ready?"

I nod, though in the weeks since I've been here, I've only grown weaker. And without magic, I'm at a major disadvantage. My warrior training and skills with a blade might be all that saves me.

And the necklace.

One glance at it, and others will be more hesitant to attack me, unless they've got a death wish.

The lid screeches as I wrench it open, unleashing a lengthy hiss that fills the air around me. I take a deep breath of the dusty fumes and scoop a handful of the ashen substance, smearing it into my skin with a deliberate ferocity. The ash clings to me with a thick and heavy weight, as if I'm coated in dark paint. Its particles course through my veins, clinging to my face and arms like a second skin.

"You missed some," Az notes, pulling at the fabric of my shirt and tracing the outline of my neck where I hadn't applied it. His fingers linger on my flesh, sending a shiver through me that has nothing to do with the cold.

"Thanks," I mumble, more heat in my voice than I intended.

He steps away, but not quickly enough that I can't see the smirk on his face. We both know what just passed between us and neither of us say anything.

You don't need to, his gaze whispers.

I swallow and look away, my cheeks hot.

"You know, only one of us can win." He plops onto my bed, body splayed as though it's his own. “But even though we're competing, we should still look out for each other. So you make it back in one piece."

The muscles in his biceps flex where he's got an arm slung behind his head, and I can't help but remember the way he held me. I clear my throat and force my eyes to the floor. "You could let me win."

He throws his head back with a deep throated laugh that burrows straight into my core. "And why would I do that?" he croons, the heat in his voice setting my heart racing. “Maybe I want to win and earnyoua favor?”

Instead of meeting his gaze, I lock eyes with the red gemstone at his chest. I will beg, steal, lie, and cheat to win this hunt. If I do, I'll earn two favors instead of one.

I approach the bed, my intent predatory as I sink to my knees. Az swallows, his throat bobbing as he adjusts himself.

"There's something I want," I whisper, my fingertips tracing a path around the gemstone. "Let me have it." His eyes close, a sigh escaping his lips as my hands continue to explore.

"And what's that?" His voice is husky.

Tracing the lines of his armor with my fingers, I follow them until I meet the soft flesh of his hip bone. My grip tightens.

"I want to win," I whisper.

At any cost. It’s probably why I ended up dead. The gods were tired of me being a terrible person, capable of grievous sins, regenerating time after time. This is my hell.

He groans and his eyes fly open, an emotion that looks a lot like admiration flashing through his gaze. He cups my chin in one hand and looks into my eyes. "Why should I let you?"

"Because I can ask for something you can't."

He stills. "What are you talking about?"

"If I win, I earn two favors. I'll use one to ask Caius to release you from your curse," I whisper.

He sucks in a breath, and I can see how much it hurts him to even contemplate the possibility of freedom from being at Aggonid’s every whim. He could live wherever he wants in the underworld, away from court.

His hand drops from my chin, and he turns his head away, his shoulders slumping. "Don't toy with me like that."

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