He tilts his head toward me.
“It’s calledbribery.”
“Ah. Of course.”
The slight smile he gives me sends a shiver down my spine that isn’t altogether unpleasant. I try to shake it off, but it persists. Worse, I can feel people watching us—witnessinghim smiling at me—even if they’re trying to be discreet about it.
I’ve had enough of this unsettling celebration preparation, I decide. There are several paths that lead down to the creek; I decide to take one. I’m not sure whether the king will follow me, or whether or not I want him to. But I don’t look back, not intending to reveal my emotions either way.
I hear him give a few final orders to his staff before trailing after me.
We end up walking together for some distance, far enough that the bustling activity at the pavilion becomes nothing more than a soft hum. But the pleasant feeling from our earlier stroll is nowhere to be found. All of my nerves are alight as Gareth’s cryptic warning plays in my mind.
But without the distraction of Arlo, at least I can treat this more like a mission; I know I shouldn’t waste this opportunity to dig my claws more deeply in and see what I can dig up.
“Thank you, by the way,” I say, breaking the silence. “For releasing Briar, I mean.”
“It wasn’t a favor. I was just holding up my end of the deal.”
“Well, I didn’t expect you to do it.”
“…You truly have a very low opinion of me, don’t you?”
“Whatever gave you that idea?” I smile sweetly.
He shakes his head, dark amusement flickering across his features, but he says nothing to this.
We walk for another minute or so before I can’t help but add: “Let’s not pretend your opinion of me is any higher, though.”
He acquiesces with a shrug. “I think you have a long way to go before you’re worth the time and trouble you’re costing me, that much is true.”
I bite my lip, locking my reply inside.
“And most of my advisors agree.”
Heat prickles across my skin. I feel like I’m back in the arena, all those judgmental eyes looking down on me.
The king’s next words are predictably smug. “You enjoyed your visit from some of them this morning, I trust?”
“Thoroughly. It was a brilliant way to start the day, getting humiliated in front of powerful people—and quite the show for them, I’m sure.”
“I’m sorry I missed it myself.”
“Of course you are. I’m assuming you’re one of those gross men who gets a rise out of watching women be degraded.”
“I wouldn’t even put that in my top five fantasies, actually.”
I almost ask him what his top five actuallyare,but thankthe gods I manage to not blurt out the first stupid thought that enters my head, for once.
Because that information was most certainlynoton the list of things I intended to try and pry out of him.
Judging by the little smirk flirting with his lips, I suspect he knows where my mind has wandered to. Probably because my face is flushing hot, giving me away.
I put more space between us and attempt to gather my dignity. We’ve come to a more manicured spot, a small, paved sitting area with benches facing the creek and a small gazebo in the center. While Reave leans against one of the gazebo's carved posts, I kneel beside a flower bed and busy myself with picking weeds from between ornamental stones.
“We have a gardener for that, you know,” he says after a few minutes.
“I like getting my hands dirty.”
