Her strawberry blonde hair was in ringlets. Gideon had never seen it like that. It made her look doll-like.
A lethal doll.
He glanced at the gun in her hands. It was a gentleman’s revolver. Used for dueling and little else.
“You sure it’s loaded this time?”
Rune took off the safety. “Soren loaded it for me.”
Gideon bristled. What kind of man gave a girl a loaded gun without teaching her how to use it?
Unless he did teach her.
The girl in front of you isn’t a girl,he reminded himself.She’s a manipulative witch.
And the prince caught in her spell was clearly in on thisscheme. Soren and a handful of guards were probably waiting at both exits.
Gideon had walked himself into a trap.
“You’ve gotten rusty,” said Rune. “You thought I’d parade myself through the streets of Caelisknowingyou were here, waiting to kill me?”
“Could we skip the gloating,” said Gideon, “and move on to the part where you put me out of my misery?”
“I’m not going to kill you.”
“No, you’re going to call your fiancé’s bodyguard to do it for you.”
To his surprise, Rune lowered her gun. “I’m here to propose a truce.”
“Awhat?” Gideon lowered his hands.
Was this a trick?
“Atemporarytruce,” she amended. “If you help me, I’ll break off my engagement to Soren, nullifying his alliance with Cressida. That’s what you want, right? It’s why you came to kill me.”
She’d snagged a hook in his chest and was reeling him in. Because yes, thatwaswhy he came to kill her.
“Why would you break off your engagement?”
She glanced away. “You were right. I don’t want to be his wife.”
The real Rune would never admit to Gideon being right. Was she lying?
Two nights ago, she was fully committed to her role in Cressida’s alliance. Clearly, she had some surprise up her sleeve.
He studied her, wary. “What kind ofhelpdo you want from me?”
Rune sat on a small bench leaning against the wall. Setting the gun down beside her within easy reach, she grabbed a set ofshoes off the floor and pulled the first one on. By keeping her hands occupied, she demonstrated the risk she was willing to take for this truce.
After all, Gideon also had a gun.
But he was intrigued, and she knew it.
“I want you to get me safely into the New Republic, and I want you to give me the sibyl you’re holding hostage.” She glanced up at him, pulling on the second shoe. “If you kill me, Soren will simply wage a war against the Republic to avenge me. So it’s in your best interest to help me.”
She’s bluffing.
Unless she wasn’t.
