She giggles again. “I got a name.”
A name.
Ronyn stills, and for the first time, he looks at her with severity. “What kind of name?”
She tips her head back over the edge of the bath, still splayed like a waiting feast. “The kind of name that gives us direction,” she purrs. “The head of the unit coming to collect the weapons. The one that will knoweverything.”
She looks at him with the promise of violence. Torture. Whatever it takes to know the truth.
Ronyn waits, his eyes locked on hers.
“The Crown’s Blade. Commander in charge. Thalmyr’s little bitch,” she says, but her voice is still edged with seduction. “The Blade.”
The Blade.
The words land like a blow.
Ronyn was hopeful they’d find the dragons. Yes, so they could save the realms. But really… so he could find people likehim.
But if he was honest, he didn’t think they would.
Now, not only are they on a mission to locate the Melders, but they’re also on the verge of understanding Thalmyr’s operation.
This is a lead. A genuine lead.
“I’ll find a way to extract more information from Orrin about The Blade tomorrow,” Ronyn says, voice distant with forming plans.
“I’ll go hunting for information. Women like to gossip. I can pretend I do, too,” Jax counters.
Ronyn’s eyebrows rise of their own accord.
“What?” Jax snaps indignantly.
“Jaxxy, you are genuinely incapable of pretending literally anything. I fear pretending to gossip will drive you to accidentally become a bit murderous,” Ronyn points out, voice barely steady with a laugh that threatens to break through.
Jax scoffs arrogantly. “You had no idea I was pretending last time I took little Tarrakai for a ride.”
“What do you mean?—”
Ronyn cuts himself off, mind catching up to the insult.
“You faked it!?” he snaps, disbelieving.
He stands up, throws his hands to his hips, and strides around the room—questioningeverything.
Jax chuckles. “I was just trying to get your confidence up, Ronie,” she defends herself sarcastically.
“Oh thank you so much for the confidence,” he quips, clapping his hands theatrically, “unfortunately it came at the cost of my fucking dignity.”
Jax laughs. Loud, true, uninhibited. Something Ronyn doesn’t believe many ever get to witness. And suddenly, his dignity feels like a worthy price to pay for it.
Jax stands from the bath tub, her naked form stealing every thought from Ronyn’s reeling mind.
She slides her legs over the edge, not bothering to dry herself. She stalks toward Ronyn like he’s prey caught in her snare.
Her deep-brown eyes fix on his, “I will graciously allow you to redeem yourself, though.” She positions the statement like she’s doing him a favor. Fuck, maybe she is.
This woman could bend the godsdamned Stars to her will.
