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He whirled, glaring at me. “Because the beast is hideous. It is repulsive. I am repulsive, and what good you think lying to me will do, I?—”
“I’m not lying!”
His expression became scathing, his disbelief more than clear.
I scoffed. “Fine. Believe me or don’t, but you aren’t repulsive. Not to me.”
Stalking past him, I headed for the forest. We needed to find the others, wherever the hell they were.
And I was tired of this argument already. This man no sooner went one direction than he switched and went another. Helping me, then snarling at me. Giving me his blanket to cover the bottom of the glass box where I’d been forced to rest, then treating me like I meant nothing to him at all.
Clearly this was just who he was, and no matter how stupidly I was drawn to him, I couldn’t let that keep driving me to make a fool of myself. I had more self-respect than that.
“Why not?”
I stopped. His words were measured. Wary, even. When I turned, he was watching me like I might be something that would bite.
Which… I was. But I didn’t intend to bite him again.
“What do you mean, why not?” I replied coldly.
“Why don’t you find me repulsive?”
Did he seriously want me to make a fool of myself for him again? “I’m not going to argue about that with you.”
I turned to leave.
“Everyone does. Always.”
I paused and then looked back at him, alarmed in spite of myself. “Why?”
“Because I am a monster.”
He said it like it was so straightforward, no one could possibly miss it.
And I wasn’t sure how to respond. It hurt, and not just because he made it sound like I was an idiot.
“I suppose that means you think I’m repulsive too,” I replied archly, drawing myself up to hide the pain. “Given that I’m clearly a monster as well. How kind of you to inform me of that.”
Fury surged across his expression before I could turn away again. “No! You are—” He cut off, looking to the side sharply while his teeth bared in a snarl.
Damnable curiosity nibbled at me. I shouldn’t give in, not when I’d had enough of his attitude to last me a lifetime.
But… “Did someone make you like this? Turn you into that?”
He looked back, his brow furrowing like he wasn’t sure why I asked. “No.”
“Then why did your people say you were repulsive?”
“My people are Erenlian.”
Again, that tone. That look. Like I was asking obvious questions.
I struggled to keep my temper in check. “And that is supposed to mean what, exactly?”
He was silent.
I exhaled. Forget it. When I returned to Aneira, I’d take up talking to the walls. It’d be easier than trying to talk to him. “Either explain yourself or forgive me for how I’ll simply ask someone else. But I will not keep going back and forth with you like this.”
