“Yes.”
I blinked at his sudden, curt answer, my smile slipping. “A girl?”
He tsked his tongue against his teeth, then readied his stance. “That’s not how the game works, Ellie.”
“Well, then come at me, Sainte.”
He shrugged, his shoulders flexing as he rolled them, muscles tightening beneath his tunic. I drew in a deep breath, focusing on his movements, aiming to immerse myself in the fight. Any previous scuffles I’d been in were frantic and confined, never paced with calm assessment.
My brow furrowed as he moved with deliberate intent. Sidestepping, I aimed a slash at his exposed midsection, but he retaliated with lightning speed. He deflected my attack and seized my arms, drawing me close. A sharp hiss escaped me as his dagger found its mark, grazing my side.
“Have you ever loved a boy?”
I gazed into his cool, inquisitive eyes and returned a smirk. “Boy?” I scoffed. “No.”
He emitted a curious hum before releasing me. I spun away, needing a moment of space. With a shaky breath, I mustered a cocky grin before facing him again.
“Girl?” he asked.
My head flew back with a bark of laughter, then I wagged my dagger. “That’s not how the game works,” I mocked.
His lips pressed together with a nod of understanding. He would wait until the next–
He charged with a quiet grunt, and I gasped as he snatched my wrists, shoving me against the table, pinning my weapon to its top. His grin was wolfish and predatorial as he loomed over me, hips pressed hard against mine.
“I thought we were playing with daggers!” I snarled, struggling to free my hands.
He scoffed, a mirthful, throaty sound as he yanked my dagger from my fist and tossed it aside, then tapped his own against the hollow of my throat.
“So, girl?”
“No,” I hissed.
“Never loved then, eh? Never gave your heart away to have someone mistreat it—leave it shattered in pieces?”
“Oh no, I didn’t say that.”
My lip curled in a snarl. He found this amusing. He got all the answers he wanted while I was left wanting.
“You want to know?” I asked.
Something flickered in his eyes, hungry and dangerous.
“I loved a man once—dreamed of him every long, lonely night. I lay on that cot, surrounded by kids who hated me, with a woman in the next room who saw me as a burden—and all I cared about, all I thought about, was him.”
He blew out a breath, and a flicker of some strange emotion danced across his features. Was that jealousy?
“And you claimed to have only kissed a few boys.”
“Oh, I did far more in my sleep.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. All playfulness melted from his expression, his teeth bared in a grimace.
“Do you want to know, Sainte?” My tone dropped to a raspy whisper, a wicked smirk lifting my cheek. “What we did in my dreams?”
“I’m sure you’ll spare me.”
My barked laugh was bitter. He started this conversation. I would not let him get me riled just to walk away from it. I was done with him playing with my feelings. In a few days, I would meet my end. I didn’t have anything to lose.
