HUNGER.
“Stop it,” I whispered under my breath, clearing my throat and taking a long gulp of wine.
Her eyes darted to me, but she remained silent, finishing her first helping before spearing more with her fork. “Have you spoken to Ishtak as I requested?”
“No. I haven’t been able to speak to her.”
“But you’ll continue to try.” It wasn’t a question, but I nodded in agreement anyway, lies sitting on my tongue.
“And you’ll retrieve me when you do get the chance to speak to her.”
Again, not a question, but a command from a Goddess.
My mouth tilted upward. “Yes.”
“Good. We’re done here. Thank you for the meal, Arthur.”
“You’ve barely eaten.”
“I decide that. Now if you could direct me to the li?—”
I leaned around the corner of the table, feral with the idea that she was trying to leave my presence. I grabbed a leg of her chair to pull her nearer to me.
In a flash, her long luxurious leg slipped out of the slit in her lace skirts, pressed hard into the stone floor, halting my progress.
“I’m close enough,” she chided, rising to her feet when I let go.
“I decide that.” I stood, unceremoniously picking up my chair and slamming it down next to hers before grabbing my plate and tossing it in front of me. “Sit down, Goddess.”
“I’m not accustomed to being ordered around by a man.”
“I’m not accustomed to using this much effort to reign in the Beast, so unless you’d like to have this conversation with him, sit down and eat.”
“You’re threatening me with the Beast?”
“It’s not a threat.”
Her eyes followed mine to where black claws quickly grew from my fingers, digging into the table.
She sat calmly, choosing peace for both of our sakes. Picking up her fork again, she stabbed at a roasted carrot, popping it into her mouth.
I took a deep inhale, feeling the Beast’s claws retreat back into my hands. Fully human again, I picked up my utensils and continued eating, adding, “You’ll dine with me every evening until you decide to end this the right way.”
“I—”
“If you refuse,” I continued, ignoring what I was sure would be a protest, “I will come to retrieve you. And I will not come as a man.”
“Such a gracious host.”
“You’ll find no grace here, Goddess.” I made sure to brush my arm with hers, reaching for another helping. “Only darkness and death.”
CHAPTER 25
Reshina
Once Arthur was convincedI’d eaten until I was full, he swept his chair aside, offering his hand. I took it, accepting his countenance of gentlemanly grace, even though we both knew it to be little more than pretense.
Arthur puzzled me.
