“Because it’s cruel. Got it.” She turned away, heading toward the writing desk, which was the furthest point away from the hall.
He grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Not because of that.”
Rune glanced back at him.
“Watching you flirt with them makes me…” He made a sound low in his throat. “It makes want to go to the shooting range and fire off a hundred rounds, imagining I’m firing atthem.”
Rune stared at him. What was he saying? That he wasjealous?
“I hated watching you flirt with Abbie.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I hate that you lied to me about her.”
He let go of her and drew back.
“Ilied?”
Voices in the hall made them both go quiet, glancing to thedoor. When it didn’t open and the voices passed, she dropped her voice to a whisper again. “You told me Abbie was an old friend. But she’s not. She’s more than that.”
His entire demeanor darkened. Like a coming storm.
“Did William tell you this?”
William the spy?she wanted to shout. But Gideon didn’t know she’d overheard his conversation, and she intended to keep it that way.
“William saw you and Abbie go to our cabin together.Alone. Why would you do that, unless it was to…” She bit down on the rest of that sentence.
Why was she asking him this? Did she really want to know?
“To dowhat?” he growled.
She fisted her hands and glared up at him.“You tell me.”
He stepped toward her. Rune stepped back.
“To kiss her?” His voice rumbled through the aisle as he continued walking, and she continued backing away. “To rekindle some old romance? Isthatwhat you want to hear?” This seemed to enrage him. Why it would, she had no idea. Why did he get to be angry about her romantic entanglements, but she couldn’t question his?
Rune bumped into the desk directly behind her. He’d backed her right up against it.
“You want to know? Fine.” He moved in close, taking up all her air. “Yes.I kissed her.”
The thought of it—his mouth on Abbie’s—felt like a bullet in her heart.
Which made no sense.
He was planning to kill every single witch she’d come here to save. He was plotting against her even now. He was a coldhearted brute. Abbie could have him!
But Rune’s heart and her head refused to align. They were two ships on different courses.
Her heart had gone rogue a long time ago.
Gideon seemed to be waiting for her next barb. As if they were in a boxing ring, and he wanted her to throw another punch. But any response was pointless. He’d won the match by admitting to that kiss.
She nodded curtly, letting him know she wanted out of the ring. She was done with this conversation. Rune tried to step out from between him and the desk. If Edmund was finally gone, they needed to look for the child.
“We arenotfinished.” Gideon pressed his hands flat on the desk, one on either side of her, preventing her from leaving. “I had to watch you kiss that stupid prince. Do you think that was fun for me?”
Soren?
That wasn’t at all the same!
