“Well, yes. I intended for him to.”
His head tilted. “Oh?” The scent doubled.
“I seduce, Kye. I had to get inside somehow.”
Kye’s heart thundered. A small roar met my ears, the sound of blood crashing. Not my blood. His full lips thinned as his gaze shifted through the trees. He released a long sigh through his nose. “And did he think you came for more than a kiss?”
“I assume so,” I said flatly, gesturing again toward the laces I’d untied.
“Next time, Leihani”—he scrubbed a hand through his hair—“just let them fucking hang me.”
“Kye,” I chuckled, eyes flickering up at him in tired humor. But at the sight of him staring at me without an ounce of mirth, my words stopped short.
He crossed his arms again. “You’remywife.” The words stirred a sudden heat within me, coiling in my center and vibrating in my chest. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “If you ever seduce another man to save me, at least do me the favor of ensuring I can kill him afterward.”
My mouth opened to offer a retort, but my tongue refused to move. My mind refused to think. I sat arrested by his molten eyes, burning into mine. Rainwater dripped from the leaves all around us, catching moonlight as they fell.
And I thought I might fall with them, right there on the forest floor.
22
Maren
“At least,” I managed to murmur up at him. “At least, I think Cenek is dead.”
Kye raised a brow. “You don’t say?”
I smiled tightly.
“What did you do to him?”
“Cenek?”
“No,” he said patiently. “The fucking weevil.”
“Oh, him. Marik.”
Kye ran a rough hand over his mouth and down to his chin as though fighting for command of himself, a fist fused into his side.
“I ruptured his testicles.”
“How did you—” His eyes closed. “Never mind. I really don’t want to fucking know.” The corner of his mouth lifted, the scent of anger dying away as he turned to unbuckle the other bedroll from Kolibri’s saddle. The black mare watched him with dark eyes, her body unearthly rigid.
“Not sure she’ll let me comb her down,” Kye muttered, clearing loose hair from the steel bristles. I stood, my legsgroaning, but Kye cautiously took a step toward Kolibri, an open arm outstretched. Kolibri swished her tail, giving him a quick glance, and then cast her eyes to me.
He came to her shoulder, sliding his fingertips gently over her. His voice smooth and soft, he whispered words I couldn’t hear. Kolibri ignored him, swishing her tail every few minutes as he went to work on her coat. She turned her head to peer at him only after he’d finished, and he lurched away as she leaned to the side and flattened her ears, snapping at the air in his direction.
Kye swore, dodging blunt teeth. “She won’t let me ride her,” he said, sitting next to me. “But that’s okay with me, as long as she’ll tolerate me enough to comb her.”
“At least Sero is friendly.”
Hearing his name, the gray horse nickered in agreement.
“Thank you,” I said, watching as he sat on my bedroll, “for the horse.” Half-hidden under the cover of night, Kolibri raised her head at the sound of my voice.
“She suits you,” he mused, clamping a stalk of grass between the crowns of his teeth. He surveyed me and the foot of distance that separated our bodies.
You’remywife.
