Page 12 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

His lips curve into an insufferable smirk. “Can I?”

“Yes,” I hiss. “Now, leave. I need to bathe.”

His gaze dips down to the surface of the water. I’m not sure how much he sees in that swift glance, but the silver in his eyes is absolutely volatile as he turns on his heel and stomps away.

“Fine. Just don’t drown. You’re no use to me dead.”

My blood boils. “I wasn’t going to drown!”

“No?” His boots squelch as he steps onto the muddy bank. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Any appreciation I have for the fact he jumped in to save me, fully clothed, withers up like dried thistleweed leaves.

After everything he’s done…the lies…the deceit…how dare he talk to me like some pretentious little ass. No, a pretentious little prince.

Good sense leaves me. That’s the only excuse I have for the words that fly from my mouth.

“Aren’t you going to apologize?”

Rian stills. With predatory precision, he faces me where I hunch naked in the river.

It’s not the most formidable position, but I don’t care.

“Apologize?” His voice cools like the water sliding over my skin.

“Yes.” I lift my chin. “Apologize.”

There was a moment at the Late King’s Festival where the pull between us seemed mutual. I believed Rian was as drawn to me as I am to him.

As I was to him.

But it was all a trick. A lie. He needed me to cure Darius. He still does.

Sure, Rian released me from our first deal, but I don’t believe he truly intended to leave me in Verdanthia.

Agitated shadows slither along his shoulders. “What in the revered Mother’s name do I have to apologize for, Sunshine?”

“Don’t call me that.”

Shadows curl down his arms, encircling his wrists. “What? Sunshine?”

“Yes.” I sneer. “It’s belittling.”

“On the contrary, Elara.” His tongue coats my name with sickly sweet venom that makes me want to shudder and shiver in equal measure. “It’s charming. As am I. So again I ask what do I have to apologize for?”

“Charming?” I scoff. “Please.”

He takes a single step forward. “What do I have to apologize for, Elara?”

“You lied to me.”

“I never lied.”

“You let me believe Silas was a human prisoner.”

Now that same Fae is off scouting, allegedly meeting us at our unknown destination after searching for whatever it is the Shadow Prince asked him to find.

Gray smoke peeks through Rian’s piercing silver irises. “That deception was not designed for you.”