Page 100 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

Jaxon and Rian fight like shadows given form. Blades flash. Their bare torsos gleam with sweat and runes. Their dark magic curls across their skin—alive, writhing, invigorated by the fight.

The Fae move faster than anything I’ve ever seen. My eyes can barely track them—just flashes of bronze muscle, dark steel, and movement that blurs like smoke in a firepit.

Rian spins, drops, and hooks Jaxon’s blade with his own before launching up and over and landing with a grace that steals my breath. His muscles ripple. His jaw clenches. His magic pulses in time with my heartbeat.

And Gods help me—I stare.

I shouldn’t be admiring him. Not when I still don’t know if I can trust him. Not when he’s part of the reason I’m tangled in all this mess to begin with. But something about the way he moves, the intensity, the control⁠—

Jaxon laughs as Rian recovers from the maneuver. I jolt out of my stupor.

“Show-off,” Jaxon says.

Rian shrugs, breathless. “You’re just jealous I made you miss.”

“That’s one point. I’ve still got four.”

Rian mutters something under his breath, and then his gaze lands on me.

He falters.

Just a half step, just enough to break the flow of his footwork. But Jaxon doesn’t strike. He follows Rian’s line of sight and grins.

“Well, well. Look what the forest dragged in.”

I raise a brow. “Hello to you, too.”

“Where’s Draven?” he asks, tossing Rian a waterskin before grabbing his shirt from a stump on the ground.

“He went back into the forest, ” I say, hiking a thumb over my shoulder. “He didn’t tell me why.”

Rian and Jaxon share a look—quick, sharp—a silent conversation I’m not invited to. Then Jaxon shrugs on his shirt with a disappointed sigh.

“Shame your sister didn’t tag along.” He waggles his eyebrows. “I was hoping to show her my dagger technique.”

I suppress an amused snort. “She’s busy working at the forge.”

Rian huffs, “I’m sure she is.”

I frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Before he answers, Jaxon claps Rian on the shoulder and says, “Good luck. I’m off to find Draven.”

Now, it’s just me and Rian.

I try not to look at him too directly. He hasn’t bothered putting on a shirt, and the intricate inked designs swirling across his chest distract more than I care to admit.

“So…” I cross my arms in a feeble attempt to conceal how his presence affects me. “Where were you yesterday? I thought you were going to help me with the book.”

“I had things to attend to.”

I glance around the empty clearing, arching a brow. “Oh, yeah. Looks like you all are so busy.”

His eyes narrow, but I press on.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, what do all of you do all day? Other than measure whose sword is bigger?”

My cheeks flame as the unintentional innuendo hits me, but I don’t look away.