I flinched. I couldn’t help it. I immediately felt my cheeks heat as embarrassment crashed into me.
“Fuck. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” He ran a hand over his face, but he didn’t take the words back. Realization dawned on me. He meant it, and I had no idea why, but it infuriated me.
“So because I don’t have control over my Token, you don’t think I should be here?”
His eyes searched mine, his face devoid of any emotion, making it impossible to read. “Yes,” he deadpanned. Then took a step closer to me. “I’m not going to lie to you. I told you to run the first night.”
“Well, I’m not running.”Yet, at least. Sooner or later, Dahes was going to send a thatcher to collect me, and I’d be gone. But was he going to take Hael too? I had no idea what Dahes was going to do to him after I came back. I didn’t even know what I was going to tell him yet.
“You should.” He was right before me now. “The Vargothi endstonight, which means Elion’s going to turn his attention to something else.” His voice was a whisper now. “And you’re not doing a good job at blending in.”
“I didn’t realize I was supposed to.”
“No?” He challenged. “Do you have zero survival skills? Was running from a Tallik not enough? Was watching that girl burn not enough? Was this morning not enough?”
“I…” I opened my mouth and closed it. “You did it on purpose? You brought me to MonClem, knowing Elion was going to torture you, to what? Scare me?”
“You think I purposely signed myself up for that?” He let out a single laugh that died on his lips. “I brought you to MonClem because—” He stopped short. “It doesn’t matter why. You need to leave tonight.”
“No.”
He ran his fingers through his dark waves. “You’re going to regret it.”
“You don’t know a single thing about me. You don’t know what I’ve been through.”
“You’re right. I don’t.” He cut me off. “But I know what Elion is capable of, and I’m trying to warn you that he isn’t any better than Dahes. Whatever you’re running from, I promise it’s not better here.”
“You talk like you hate him.”
He didn’t answer, and it was infuriating. He only spoke to me whenhewanted to, on his own terms, which mostly consisted of him telling me what to do, and that was mostly just threatening me to run. Whatever happened between us last night was gone.
“Are you allowed to be here?” I asked.
“I’m the leader of the drakins and it’s a ball in their honor, so yes,” he drawled like I just asked the most stupid question on the planet. Which, when he phrased it like that, made it seem like I did.
I rolled my eyes. “I meant talking to me.”
I quickly glanced at the dais again. Elion wasn’t paying attention to us, but he could look over at any moment. And even though we were off to the side of the room, a lot of people were staring in our direction.
Before Hael could answer, a servant approached. “Excuse me.” Both of us turned to look at her. She was wearing a simple cream gown and her black hair was tied back into a tight bun that twisted around a knot on the top of her head. It drew attention to her sharp cheekbones, making her look severe. “Your servant asked me to give these to you,” she stuttered. “He said you might need them.”
Bran—I smiled. He told me earlier that he was serving in the back kitchen tonight.
She was carrying a tray with two drinks. Both were the lightest shade of pink, it almost looked white. There were bubbles fizzing at the bottom, a far cry from the dry wine and amber ales I’d been forcing down my throat.
I took the glass closest to me, seeing Hael do the same with the other.
“Thank you,” he nodded to the servant. Her eyes widened before she took off through the winged-archway, nearly dropping the empty tray as she ran out.
I took a sip and nearly moaned. It was so much better than anything I’d ever tasted. It was sweet and fruity with only a slight tang to it.
Hael was watching me, but I couldn’t read his expression. His glass was still untouched in his hand.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He cleared his throat, then rolled his shoulders, and I didn’t miss the slight wince that flashed across his face from the movement.
I couldn’t stop staring. I had no idea what it was about him, but from the moment he brought me here, my eyes kept searching for him.
