Page 151 of Wings of Destruction

The energy of her statement lands like a slap. I wonder if anyone has ever talked to me this way.

I laugh at her skepticism. “I know more about you than you think. Which is why I want you here. Tell me you’re not blind to the possibilities. The girl who wrote these notes is not blind, or shortsighted.”

“I see enough to recognize your motives.” She lifts her shoulder in a shrug. “You’re transparent.”

My hand lifts to my chest in mock injury.

“I’m wounded. Right in the heart.” My smirk darkens. “I’ve said such lovely things about you and all you have are insults.”

“You don’t have a heart. Only an empty space where something should be.”

“Come over here and feel it for yourself.” My mouth twists at the corners.

Her head tilts, studying me, and I fight to stay still. “You forget I’ve seen you fight. How can you be so cold, so rotten to the core?”

She shakes her head and toes the book. “How can you only care about greed but write about peace and philosophy? You spoke about people being stronger as a unit and using their differences to make them whole, but then you… you’re the son of the man tearing the kingdom apart?”

She folds her arms and abandons caution. “You take part in your father’s battle like a good soldier and you’ve turned DragonSpear into your own mini kingdom. Practice, I suppose? For the future?”

“I have some questions of my own. How can a woman who writes as eloquently as you be so pigheadedly stupid?” I throw back. “How can she throw away every opportunity she’s presented with because it wasn’t what the princess wanted? Forget your expectations. Make the most of what you’re given.”

She scoffs. “You must think you’re adorable from your position above everyone else. How’s the view from up there? It’s dragon dung.”

“Who says it’s dragon dung?”

Despite her reservations, she steps up to me. My brows rise at her boldness.

“Want to call me pigheaded again? I’m no princess but you’ve ensured I’m the person you see right now. Nothing and nobody. I’m heading to the pits. Why would I ever want to throw my lot in with you and your murderous father?”

The word ‘murderous’ hits like a physical blow.

“Why not take the opportunity?” I ask, holding firm.

“Because nothing is freely given in this world. And definitely not at DragonSpear,” she insists hotly. “There are always strings attached. You’re not going to pull me from the mines at the last minute because of remorse or compassion.”

“Then what’s the reason, princess? Or will you respond better to Fury?”

I see her flinch at the nickname. The truth of it clearly stings because fury radiates off her in waves. She touches her throat absently, and I wonder about the pendant that’s no longer there.

I break our staring contest with a lazy blink. “Why are you hurting yourself? To prove a point? To make me pay?”

“If I’m not willing to stand for something, then my life means nothing.” Her breath explodes out of her. “If I give in easily and bend to the king’s agenda, then what good was my mother’s death? My life is a mockery of her memory.”

“No.” I shake my head sharply. “No, it’s not.”

Her hands curl into claws, muscles tightening. “And what would you know about it? All you do is dance to the tune your father plays like he’s twanging that fiddle. You’ve got a private gym, a private locker room, and I’m willing to bet you’ve got the nicest bedroom of all the students, too. So you doing this favor for me? It has the stench of a trap.”

My jaw locks tight enough to crack teeth.

She turns to leave but I grab her by the back of her dress, dragging her to me. She goes boneless to avoid contact.

“Fine.” I release her, and the abruptness sends her down. “You want to hurt yourself, then fine.”

She lands on her hands and knees and turns to face me, crab crawling back.

I kneel down and look at her, face to face. “But you don’t know a blasted thing about me.”

My words are unexpectedly kind, and maybe that’s why they seem to hit her so hard. I’m right, though.