She pushed some of her braids back in frustration. “You don’t think I know that?”
“I’m serious. The consequences could be dire.”
She got right in my face. “You seriously think I don’t know? Of course, I know beast boy. I don’t intend to let anyone take it from me.”
My eyes trailed from the blazing fire in her eyes to the blade at her side. “Do you even know how to use that thing?”
Her lips quirked in displeasure as she cocked her hips in that way when she was annoyed or impatient. “I’m pretty sure I’ve proven that more to you than anyone.”
I shook my head. “I mean, do you know how to wield a blade, sword fight?”
Uncertainty crept into her eyes.
So that’s a no.
“See that panel over there?” I pointed to a box of electronics with buttons and levers. “You can open the door and come inside. I’ll teach you how to use it so no one can ever take it from you.”
“No fucking way.”
My eyebrows shot up. “No fucking way?” I echoed. “Sweetheart. You need help, and I’m very invested in giving you that help.”
“Oh yeah, Miranda,” she mocked, “Why don’t you walk into a cage and trap yourself with a feral, overly powerful god. Nothing could possibly go wrong.”
I honestly couldn’t tell if she was talking to herself or me.
“Miranda,” I said sternly. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.” And I’d never been so certain of anything in my life. In fact, lately I calmed when she was near. Her mere presence drowned out the pain I experienced day in and day out. I couldn’t account for it. It was more than my daily deaths. It was her.
Miranda eyed me. No one I’d ever known could pack so much suspicion or sass into one look. It devastated me in ways I hadn’t expected.
“I can take lessons from someone else,” she said finally.
I shook my head. “If a god is crazy enough to go for a snatch and grab of the blade, risking you’ll stab them, you’ll need to know how to fight them off using what you have. And you have the blade that can hurt them the most.”
She shifted her weight onto the other foot. “I don’t know if it was a god who tried to break into my car.”
“It doesn’t matter. If someone is trying, it will only encourage others to follow.”
Miranda pursed her lips.
Wild, untamed energy rose in me. I wanted to rip the bars away. But not because I was losing control, it was because I wanted to get close to her. I wanted to get inside the clockwork gears of her mind to give myself a fighting chance.
Don't abandon me now.Let me in.
After what felt like an eternity, she raised the blade, pointing it at me. “If you step out of line, I’ll kill you.”
I let out a sigh of relief, my crazy levels dimming back down. “Perfect,” I said in agreement.
“When should we start?” she asked.
I grinned. “What are you doing right now, sweetheart?”
* * *
When she hitthe button to open my cage, and the bars slid to the side, I backed up, giving her ample room to assure her safety.
I jerked my head toward the controls. “You might want to turn the lights on too.”
She did as I suggested, without taking her eyes off me. She didn’t trust me. But I wouldn’t be so callous with her safety.
