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I just about stop breathing, a strangled noise fighting its way out of my throat as the threat hits home.
The guards are free to leave Siúcra—they’re not prisoners like the rest of us, bound by the prison’s magic—but most of them live on-site. When some of the guards patrol in pairs, I’ve heard them discuss it.
No way in hell do I want to go there.
They heard me. I know they did. Dusk’s grin widens and Rys… he breaks the stare. Muttering something under his breath to the Unseelie guard, he backs off—and then he willingly walks into the cell.
Dusk slams the door closed behind him, his cold laughter ringing out over the echo of the slam.
He offers one last parting shot before he and Kyr leave our wing: “Enjoy the company while it lasts.”
The worst part?
I’m not too sure who Dusk is taunting when he says that.
Rys watches them go. He’s braced near the bars, his back to me as he crosses his arms over his chest. It’s probably the worst possible time to notice this, but from where I’m sitting cross-legged on the floor, I’m perfectly positioned to focus on just how tight his ass is.
Hey. As everyone in Faerie keeps on pointing out, I’m only human.
Luckily for my pride, I manage to tear my gaze away from his backside in time for Rys to turn around and look down at me.
He’s wearing a determined expression that immediately has me on edge.
“I’ll find a way to get you out of here.”
“Oh. Uh. Okay.”
Damn it.
I don’t really know Rys all that well, and he could be as big a threat to me as Dusk, but my gut tells me that I’d be better off throwing my lot in with the scowly prisoner rather than the lecherous guard. I mean, it’s pretty damn obvious he doesn’t actually want me around, which is a good thing. I’m pretty sure he won’t try to grab me, use his touch magic on me, or worse.
And Rys might
think of me as a nuisance, but he’s actually been kind of nice to me so far. Maybe not so nice… but he’s been looking out for me. I can’t forget the way he saved me the pear, or how he explained just what the captain was doing with all of the other prisoners.
I had a lot of time to do something while I waited for Rys to be brought back to his cell from wherever the guards keep bringing him to. Since this was my lot right now, I convinced myself that maybe it wouldn’t be too bad to have a new cellmate.
So, of course, his first instinct is to find a way to kick me out.
Why am I not surprised?
“But… you don’t want to leave.”
I shrug, then pull at the bottom of my jacket’s sleeve, tugging it past my wrist. “Doesn’t matter what I want, huh?”
Sue me, but I’m still a little bitter at the exchange between Rys and Dusk. His wants, the guard’s… I could care less except it seems like I’m the toy being tugged between the two.
“You heard what Dusk said.”
I hate that he sounds so surprised.
“I’m human,” I snap, “but that doesn’t mean I’m deaf or stupid. I was sitting right here, you know. So, yeah, I heard him.”
“He still thinks he can make you his,” muses Rys. Unnecessarily if you ask me. “It’ll be a sweeter victory if he can get you to beg for his touch while you share this space with me.”
“That will never happen,” I promise. “I will never give him permission.”
I didn’t give it to Veron to save me from going to prison. I’m sure as hell not going to give some corrupt guard the pleasure of getting me to agree when I won’t get anything out of it.
