I push away from the door. Walk back to the living room on legs that feel unsteady.
Dis is back to sitting cross-legged. Arms resting on his knees. Looking perfectly composed, except for the way his eyes track my every movement.
I sink down to the floor. Back against the wall. As far from the circle as I can get while still being in the same room.
I’m exhausted. Wrung out. My magic feels strange in ways it hasn’t since I was first learning to channel power.
Dis is quiet for a long moment.
Then he speaks.
“I’m still hungry, Little Witch.”
Chapter 9
Plan B
He’sstillhungry?Afterall of that, that’s what he has to say to me? Of all the ungrateful, entitled… I stop and take a deep breath. He is royalty, what was I expecting?
“You’re not starving yet!” I snap.
Even though I have no idea if that’s true. He has been trapped in my summoning circle for, what, two days? Three days? I’ve completely lost track of time, because of the whole not sleeping thing. But whatever, the point is, it definitely hasn’t been a week. Surely that’s not a long time without sustenance?
Although, to be fair, I get hella hangry if I miss one meal. I’d be a feral monster after a couple of days. And Dis is ancient, powerful, and clearly not someone who handles deprivation gracefully. The frost spreading up my walls every time he’s annoyed is evidence enough of that.
My eyes narrow as I try to assess Dis. He stares back at me calmly, giving nothing away. He’s good at that. The composed, regal stillness. It’s infuriating. I can’t tell if he’sgenuinely struggling or if this is just another power move designed to make me feel guilty.
“I summoned you here for revenge,” I huff. “To make you pay. Not to cater to your every whim!”
Dis lifts his head into a proud tilt. “Basic sustenance is not a whim.”
Hell’s balls. He has a very valid point. And if he was on death’s door, he’d be far too proud to tell me. He’s already outright said he is so ashamed of being trapped that he didn’t want Hex to see him. Even though that might have resulted in his rescue. That’s how deep his pride runs. He would rather suffer in silence than admit weakness.
For fuck’s sake. What a mess. The chances of Hex being pissy with me go up exponentially if I kill one of his brethren. Nevermind my pesky conscience, which has apparently decided to show up now of all moments. Inconvenient timing, conscience. Truly terrible.
I scramble to my feet. Dis flows gracefully to his. He is such a douchebag. All I wanted was a little revenge. Why does he have to make it so difficult?
I take another deep breath and try to pull myself together. This doesn’t have to be a big deal. It’s practical. Pragmatic. I’m not doing this because I want to, I’m doing it because the alternative is letting him starve, which creates more problems than it solves.
I centre myself and make peace with my decision. It’s time to get on with things. Plan A was a disaster, so plan B it is.
“You’re hungry?” I ask.
“Yes.”
I take a step towards him. “Then get onyour knees.”
Blue eyes blaze, sapphire-bright. Frost spreads up the living room walls, crunching and painting pretty patterns across the plaster. It creeps toward the ceiling in delicate fractal formations, beautiful in the way that dangerous things often are.
It’s not going to distract me. Or intimidate me. I’m the one in control here.
I walk up to the edge of the circle with false swagger, every step deliberate, like I do this kind of thing all the time. Like commanding ancient shadow kings to kneel is just a normal Friday for me. I pause on the very edge, and unzip my tight black jeans.
Dis’s burning blue eyes drop down to my fly.
My skin prickles. I don’t think it’s just the cold. I think I’m stupidly overreacting. Even though this is no biggie. It’s just like a glory hole. A very weird, magical, glory hole. One with a very ancient powerful being on the other side. A very ancient powerful being who hates me.
“You don’t have teeth, do you?” I blurt out.
