“So I lied.”
“And invented a story about baking competitions.”
Despite everything, I feel my mouth twitch. “It wasn’t entirely a lie. We have been watching a lot of Bake Off.”
“We have,” Dis agrees. There’s something almost amused in his voice. “Your friend seemed skeptical.”
“Adam knows I don’t bake. I once set fire to instant noodles.”
“Perhaps you should learn. For authenticity.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. The absurdity of the situation is too much. “Right. I’ll add that to my list. Learn to bake. Keep shadow king prisoner. Lie to best friend about both.”
“You forgot one.”
“What?”
“Feed shadow king dinner.” Dis’s eyes fix on me. “You were about to make pasta when we were interrupted. To fuel yourself for fuelling me.”
My stomach does that swooping thing again. Right. The pasta. The feeding.
“I should probably do that,” I say.
“You should.”
I stand up, my legs still a bit unsteady.
I walk toward the kitchen, then pause in the doorway. Turn back to look at him.
“Disney?”
“Yes, Little Witch?”
“Thank you, really. For hiding. You didn’t have to do that.”
The blue eyes study me for a long moment. “We have a common goal, it seems. Not being discovered.”
“I guess we do.”
“Besides.” Something shifts in his expression. “You’re going to feed me. I have an interest in maintaining this arrangement.”
It’s a flimsy excuse, and we both know it. He could have revealed himself. Could have called out to Adam. Could have begged for rescue.
But he didn’t.
He chose this. Chose to stay hidden. Chose to protect me, even if he won’t admit it.
Of course, there is the whole shame thing. I mustn’t forget that and get all sappy. Dis has reasons he doesn’t want to be discovered that have absolutely nothing to do with me.
But still. He’s not entirely a selfish jerk. I don’t think.
I nod slowly. “Food coming up.”
I turn toward the kitchen, and not for the first time since this whole thing started, I feel like maybe we’re not just captor and captive.
Maybe we’re something else. Something I don’t have a name for yet. Something that feels dangerous andcomplicated and possibly like the worst idea I’ve ever had. But also something that feels right in a way I can’t explain.
I’m just not sure what that means.
