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"Thank the gods," she whispered.
"Or Menz’s impressive ability to put away a barrel of liquor by himself."
Kallie froze, hands extended in front of her. She knew that cold voice. The voice that sent shivers up her arms, that made her feel a way she shouldn't. And briefly, Kallie wondered how she had missed his approach, but the storm had been too loud, too consuming. She retracted her hands slowly and moved the letter opener to her back pocket as she turned around.
Smiling, she forced her body to appear calm despite the thudding inside of her chest. "Gray, I was just seeing if Calamity needed some company."
A lit torch that hadn't been there before sat near the entrance and cast a dim light on Graeson. The light bounced off of him as if scared to linger on him for too long.
"Oh, is that so, Princess?" His brow arched as he leaned against the opening of the stable with his arms crossed over his chest, drenched and amused. He shook the wet hair clinging to his face and water splattered against the farming equipment on the wall. He unclasped his heavy, wet cloak and hung it on a rusted nail protruding from the wall. Without his cloak, there was no hiding the sparkling steel attached to his hips. Kallie swallowed. "The girl who fears horses is checking onmyhorse? And in this weather? Should I be flattered or concerned, little mouse?"
Kallie wrapped her hand around the cold metal at her back while trying to avoid looking at the two sharp, curved blades that hung at Graeson's side. "And what are you doing out here?"
Graeson's gaze slid down her body. Amusement sprinkled his face. She was wearing the same clothes from before, wore no cloak, had no weapon, and had a loaf of bread sticking out of her pocket. The right corner of his mouth tugged up. "Same as you, I suppose."
"Hmm." Kallie nodded.
"Mhm." His hand twitched, but he did not move otherwise. And the corner of his lip still pointed up as though it was a permanent fixture upon his face.
Neither of them moved. Time slowed as Graeson and Kallie stared each other down. It was only a matter of time before one of them moved. But the question was who would be first?
Although rage bubbled inside of her, Kallie would force herself to be patient for a little longer.
When Graeson's lips split apart a moment later, she smiled internally. But his words, which were nearly inaudible as the storm raged on, were unexpected. "You know, I really had hoped I would have been wrong," Graeson said as he took a step sideways.
Kallie tilted her head. "Wrong about what?"
He continued to move toward her. His hand slid across a wooden pole that held up the small attic space above them which was lined with barrels and miscellaneous objects. Still, his silver eyes never left her. "You."
Kallie began to walk in the other direction as she kept her back clear from his view. "Me?"
"Yes,you. Fynn had thought—he had believed that you would be. . ." He waved his hand around as though he was trying to catch whatever word he was thinking of. "Obedient. But me? Oh, no. You're not that type of person." He twisted one of the rings on his fingers.
"And what type of person is that exactly?" Kallie could not hold back the bite in her words. This man did not know her. Yet he acted like he did.
A crooked smirk appeared on his face. "The type of person to be commanded."
Heat rose to the tips of her ears, but her mouth remained shut. Her fingers flexed around the smooth metal as her rage threatened to boil over.
When Kallie did not respond, Graeson continued. "I've always believed you were so much more, but perhaps I was wrong."
Kallie's brows knitted together in confusion. Why did he care? And why didshe?The only thing she knew for sure was that he was tiptoeing around the subject as he bought himself time. But if he wanted to play this game, she'd play. At least for a little longer.
"More how?" she asked.
As he thought, he sucked his teeth. "More independent, strong-willed. More of a fighter." He shrugged. "But it seems you are just the king's doll. You do what he says when he tells you to do it." He ran a hand through his hair. "Do you have your own desires, little mouse?"
His words sparked a nerve. She was more than theking's doll. And every day she was working to prove it. She had her own goal: power. Her own throne waiting for her to claim it. And she would achieve it. She would achieve everything she had sought to accomplish since she left Ardentol.
"You know nothing, Graeson."
He chuckled. He wasalwayschuckling. "I know more than you think, little mouse."
She tipped her chin up. She was done playing his game, and in one fluid movement, she threw the letter opener at his chest.
Graeson caught it in one hand as he dropped his gaze to the dull piece of metal and flipped it over in his hands. "Really? A letter opener? I expected more from the—"
Kallie swung the rusted rake at his head, barely missing him as Graeson ducked, his quick reflexes surprised her even though they shouldn't have. However, Kallie couldn't spend much time admiring his skill. The momentum she had put into her swing caused her to lose her balance, and Graeson didn't hesitate. He threw out a hand.
