He blinked. “Yeah. Didn’t you say you were hungry?”
“Yes, but…” I tilted my head to the side. “You’re not worried I’ll run off?”
A warm chuckle bubbled from somewhere deep in his belly. “You can try, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There are eyes everywhere in Cruor.” Gesturing to the walls where shadows seemed to linger as if in response, he climbed the stairs. “Go on. Eat something.”
With his back turned, my gaze immediately targeted the double doors leading out to the Kitska Forest. Icouldrun. Try to navigate the swirling maze of vines and trees, even though I didn’t have the faintest idea how we’d arrived. The vortex had winnowed us here in no time at all, but we could’ve traveled miles from Midnight Jester. Maybe more.
Wandering alone in the forest at night, low on power from Iky’s drain and without food, was not a smart decision. Not with monsters hiding in the cursed wood waiting for easy prey like me.
Turning back to the stairs, I caught Ozias watching me with an easy smile.
“Good night.” I waved. He let out another quiet laugh and then disappeared into the hallway. Giving up on the idea of escape, I headed toward the kitchen. The manor was quiet. Buttery-yellow lights glowed softly at the end of the corridor, and my stomach reminded me to pick up the pace. As I tiptoed toward the opening, a quiet thud met my ears.
Hidden in the dark mouth of the hall, I peeked my head into the kitchen. In black, slim-fitting trousers and a cream-colored long-sleeve tunic, Noc stood over a cutting board with a serrated knife in one hand. Cuffs rolled past his elbows, he sawed through a freshly baked loaf of bread. The blade made soft clunks each time it touched the board, and the ice cubes in the empty glass beside him shifted.
I rotated the rose-gold ring around my finger. Noc was unlike any being I’d ever seen. Tall, with a chiseled jawline worthy of sharpening a blade, he lorded over the counter. Even the way he sliced the bread, so precisely and fluidly, reeked of danger. And then he shattered that illusion entirely with a quietly hummed lullaby. I didn’t recognize the tune, but the soft notes had his lips turning up in a smile, and the visible tension in his neck melted away. His gaze softened as if lost in a memory. Seeing, feeling something beyond my comprehension.
And then my stomach growled.
His hum died in an instant, but he didn’t look up from the loaf of bread. Corded forearms flexed, and he set the knife aside. “You know I can hear you.”
My heart leaped into my throat. I froze, not daring to move.
Sharp and inquisitive eyes—ebony in color, with a metallic sheen like a hematite gem glinting in the sun—cut in my direction before sliding away. “When was the last time you ate?”
I fisted my hand against my navel. If only my stomach had remained silent. There was something endearing about the way his whole body had lightened with that song. But now… He was frigid as ice.
Maybe I was wrong. Ozias had been warm when I’d expected nothing but harsh words. Perhaps Noc would be the same. Stepping into the light, I moved toward an open barstool. “I had the opportunity to eat some shapeless lamb earlier, but I thought it better to starve myself than risk illness.”
Those obsidian eyes drifted once again to my face. “Is that so?” He swapped the bread for the meat and reached for a smooth carving knife. He began cutting without looking, his unnerving gaze trained on me. Dexterous fingers moved with ease, and my pulse skittered in response.
“Yes. Won’t you cut yourself that way?” My mind snapped back to the moment he’d hovered above me, his neck so close I could see the veins beneath his skin. If only I could have made his blood part of our deal. But it wouldn’t have been given freely. I needed another option, another way.
Please cut yourself. Cut yourself, and let me pretend to fuss over you. Let me get a napkin and wipe away the blood so I can save it for the taming. Please.
He held my gaze, a distant smile teasing his lips. “Highly unlikely. Do you want one?” He started to work on the white cheese.
Toying with my ring, I prayed he’d miss his mark. “Sure.”
“What is that?” He nodded toward my ring before pulling two plates from an overhead cupboard and pushing the knife to the side. Disappointment caught in my throat, and I swallowed the exasperated sigh before it could give me away. He set the dinnerware out before him and began to assemble our sandwiches.
“Just a ring.” I hid my hand under the lip of the countertop. Rose gold with an opal stone resting above a thin leaf, it was a gift I cherished above all else. The remaining piece of my past I couldn’t throw away. “Do you cook frequently?”
Noc raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t call this cooking, but either way, the answer is no.” He slid my plate in front of me. Thick wedges of sourdough bread cradled a slab of ham and cheese. My mouth watered, and I sank my teeth into the sandwich before he could take it away.
And then I paused, half-chewed food coming to a standstill in my mouth. I’d almost forgotten where I was. What job he’d been hired to do. Even though I’d watched him prepare the meal, there was still the possibility he’d poisoned it. Maybe he’d thought twice about our agreement and decided he was better off without the hassle. I should’ve called Tila from the beast realm to test my food.
Noc studied the sandwich in my frozen hands and then glanced at my scrunched expression. He took a bite of his own meal. “I don’t poison guests unless they forget their table manners.”
I forced myself to swallow. “Noted.”
A faint smile pulled at his lips. “I take it you’ve had to watch your back for quite some time.”
“Mhm.” Deeming the food safe, I continued to eat in a more civilized manner.
“Why is that?”
I lifted one shoulder. “No one’s perfect. I did some bad things.”
