Her teeth grated together as she resistedhitting him. She’d never hit anyone before, but she’d love to bashin Orin’s face.
“I can stay, and I am,” he stated. “Get usedto it. I’m not leaving here until they finish searching forme.”
“You’re putting innocent lives at risk.”
“I don’t care.”
Without realizing she was going to do it, shelaunched a punch at him. Even injured, he was far faster than her,and he caught her hand with ease. She considered trying to hit himwith her other hand, but he would catch that one too, and it wouldonly infuriate her more.
She felt like an ill-tempered child as sheglowered at him and jerked at her hand. He released her, and shescrambled back before throwing the potion at him. “Drink it orsuffer; I don’t care what you do.”
He fumbled for the potion as it started toseep into the earth. He righted it and set it aside. She tossed thefood and water she’d brought for him onto the ground.
“There’s enough for a few days,” she saidbefore turning on her heel and stalking away.
“Lexi.”
She didn’t stop to look back at him, but shewished she’d never told him her name. At the time, she’d foolishlybelieved that because she saved his life, she could trust him withthe information. She’d been a naïve idiot.
She wasn’t prepared for a world wherebrothers turned on brothers and where the one she saved turned onher like a rabid dog.
“If you tell them I’m here, I’ll tell themyou’re a scorned lover who decided to turn me in and you’ve been arebel spy this entire time,” he said.
Her teeth ground together until she sworethey’d shatter, but she still didn’t look back. If there were anyway she could do it and survive, she’d gladly hand him over to Coleand Brokk.
“You keep me safe, and I’ll keep you safe,”he taunted.
“Screw you.”
She stepped through one of the gates herfather installed and closed it behind her. She didn’t bother totell him that she would keep him safe. They both knew she wouldn’tturn him in, but if he had any doubts about her intentions, shewanted him to fester in them.
“I’ll see you soon!” he called after her.
Now she understood why his brothers werehunting him.
CHAPTER 20
Lexi closed her eyes and leaned against thefireplace as she tried to calm the anger coursing through herveins.That asshole!
How could he do this to her when she’d putherself on the line to save him?
Becausehe’s a damn dark fae, and Ishould have known better than to trust him.
It was true, but it didn’t matter now. Nomatter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t change what she’d done.She’d put herself in this position, and the best she could hope forwas to somehow crawl out of this mess without getting anyonekilled.
She stepped away from the fireplace andstrode over to sit in one of the chairs. She sank into the invitingcushion and stared at the fireplace as she tried not to think abouthow long Orin would hold her hostage.
“Lexi?”
She almost squealed and jumped out of thechair when Sahira said her name. She spun in the chair to discoverher aunt standing in the doorway. Sahira had been in the gardenwhen she slipped into the tunnels; she often spent a couple ofhours there a day, but she’d apparently finished early today.
Thankfully, she hadn’t caught Lexi coming outof the tunnel. From now on, she’d have to use a different entranceinto the tunnels.
“Yes?” she croaked.
Sahira didn’t seem to notice anything off asshe smiled at her. “Would you like some tea?”
Lexi glanced at the clock and was amazed tosee it was already their normal teatime. Where had the daygone?
