Page 61 of The Demon Crown

“You’ll never know unless you try. Just go say hi.”

“I’m supposed to watch you.”

“And where am I going to go?” She opened her arms wide and gestured all around them. “I have no idea where I am.”

That sealed the deal. He gave her one last stern look before turning his attention to the lovely woman in the dirt. And she was excited to see him. The redhead stood, wiping her hands off on her skirts before loudly saying his name.

It was cute. They seemed so young and so innocent and so unaware that she was going to disappear the first moment she could. What a shame for the guard who would realize that he’d been tricked.

Ah, well. Who was going to get mad at her? Greed?

Sneaking into the undergrowth of the jungle, she slipped into the cool shadows and explored. She didn’t want anyone to find her, so she stayed hidden. Servants meandered past her, all of them plump and healthy with jaunty steps as they walked to their next task. They didn’t know what it was like to starve.

Did Greed think his entire kingdom was living like they were? That would explain a lot.

She’d gotten lost for about an hour when she found another garden. This one seemed to be more filled with plants that looked... dangerous. Some of them even had teeth that opened and closed toward her, as if they sensed where she was.

Varya lifted a hand, shifting one of the giant fronds in front of her so she could get a better look.

An arm slid around her waist, firm and broad and all too strong for his own good. Maybe she should be embarrassed that she knew exactly whose arm it was the moment it touched her.

“What are you doing spying on my gardens?” Greed growled in her ear. “I thought I’d locked you up.”

Shivering, she leaned back against him. She had no other choice. Varya wanted to stay away from him, but even thinking such a thing was impossible. She had her needs, and he was a very handsome man with all those hard muscles all pressed up against her back as though he belonged there.

“Your guards are easily distracted,” she replied.

“Did you slip away from Ivo?”

“His attention was more on the pretty redhead in the garden than it was on me.”

He cursed, his fingers spreading wide on her belly as he drew her closer. Did he even realize what he was doing? “I’ll have to talk with him about that.”

“Please don’t. I got to explore this beautiful place you call home, and he got to talk to the girl he’s very interested in.” Varya turned in his arms, wrapping one of her own around his neck. “Besides, you wouldn’t have found me all alone like this.”

A low groan rumbled in his chest. “You are injured.”

“I’m fine.”

“I will not tarnish you any more.”

Tarnish. Like she had been ruined by what had happened to her. And all of a sudden, she heard their voices in her ears. Whispering words of torment with a weapon only men could wield against women.

She’d thought it hadn’t bothered her. That they weren’t there anymore in her head because nothing had happened. They’d just threatened. They hadn’t actually touched her. And yet...

His thumbs traced underneath her eyes. “What shadows haunt you, treasure?”

“None that you can fight.” She tried to pull away from him, but he didn’t let her go. Greed held her there, staring into her eyes, forcing her to look at him. And she gave in. “They intended totarnishme, but I assure you they did not succeed.”

His eyes searched hers, and she had the distinct displeasure of watching him understand what her words meant. The rage that poured over him was icy cold, and then it turned into a despair unlike any she’d seen before.

“Ach, my treasure.” He drew her tight against his chest, those massive arms holding her close to his heart. “Nothing would ruin or wreck you in my eyes. I do not wish to harm you any more than they already did. You are so very small.”

“I am not weak,” she muttered against his chest, angry that tears were pricking in her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m healed and I can leave now.”

“Not until I show you all my home has to offer. Yes?” He drew back and stared down into her watery eyes with a soft smile. “You will let me show you my home before you go.”

She didn’t have it in her to say no.

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