She opened her eyes to find Orin grinning ather. Her teeth ground back and forth as she glowered at thearrogant prick.
“I’ll help with feeding them,” he said.
“I can’t have you coming and going from thetunnels.”
“I’ll be careful and conceal myself in theshadows.”
She swallowed the lump rising in her throat.If she made this choice, she couldn’t turn back. She’d be puttingher neck on the line for a bunch of strangers and a douchey fae astrustworthy as a crocodile with a toothache.
“Why are youreallydoing this?” sheasked.
“The war against the Lord is taking on manyforms. Undermining him every chance we get is only one of thoseforms.”
She suspected it was more than that, but shecouldn’t bring herself to believe he might actually have a heart,even if it was a minuscule one.
“How many others are fighting on your side?”she asked.
“I can’t reveal that.”
“Will you reveal my tunnels to them?”
He hesitated before replying, “No. Yoursecret is safe with me.”
She shifted her hold on the shovel andlowered her forehead to rub it with one hand. He was probably lyingto her, but putting her decision off was pointless, and standingout here only put them at a greater risk of exposure.
They both knew she wasn’t going to turn thesepoor fugitives away.
“Elexiandra.” She lifted her head to look athim. “I won’t tell anyone about these tunnels.”
“You’ve already told these people.”
He slipped a vial from inside his shirtpocket and held it before her. “It’s a forgetting potion. Oncethey’re safely ensconced inside, I’ll give it to them.”
She wished she’d hadthatto use onhim.
“They’ll never remember how to get here,” hecontinued. “I will keep your secret safe because it benefits me todo so.”
And that was a truth she could count on.While the tunnels remained a secret, he would have a place to hide.Lowering her hands, she looked up at him.
“Were you planning on entering the tunnel nomatter what?” she asked.
“You told me you were going to shut itoff.”
“Don’t play your games with me; yes or no?Were you going to try to get into the tunnel without me?”
“Of course, but I don’t have to do that now,do I?”
Her teeth were going to be nubs if she didn’tstop grinding them. No matter what happened, when this was over,she was going to find a way to get back at this asshole for all theshit he’d put her through.
“I’ll hide them,” she bit out.
“I knew I could count on you,” he said with awink.
Without realizing she intended to do it, herhand fisted and she swung at him. Her punch was so hard and fastthat he didn’t have time to dodge it before it slammed into hisnose. His head shot back, and his hands flew to his face.
“Fuck you!” she spat.
The fugitives all gasped and took a couple ofsteps away from her. She glared at Orin as he covered his nose andstared at her over the top of his fingers. She scented his blood onthe air but couldn’t see it.
