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The lie was smooth. He sat on the nearest chair and waited for her gaze to dart elsewhere and look for another escape route, but it remained fixed on him.
“You can leave, you know. But rest assured that the castle will be crawling with my kind, especially those already aware of your disappearance. I bet all the other Houses will try to get to you first to one-up House Bronson.”
Now it was his turn to lie, considering no other Houses would even know she existed when her wanted records had been taken down, and he was among the few who kept up with that news. But the lie got to her, her throat moving at her gulp before she cleared her throat.
“What do you want?”
Nate gestured at his forehead, no longer bleeding but still smarting. Then he lightly patted his stomach, which was feeling the effects of having a rock thrown hard at him—his fault for being too focused on his goal. “Servitude in exchange for losing me my meal. Becoming my prisoner instead.”
She sneered. “Do I even have a say?”
“Sure.” He shrugged. “You can say no and suffer the consequences.”
“I won’t be your slave.”
“I didn’t say slave,” he countered. “What else can you offer me, then?”
Silence.
“House Bronson knows I did nothing to them but continues to pretend I did so they can have a reason to retaliate against House Nova. I’m a pawn in their games.”
The words were blurted out. His brows lifted.
“I have no use for that information.”
Frustration clouded her features before her blank expression returned.
“A lot of houses despise House Hendricks, particularly the King and his tyrannical sons.”
Do you mean my parents?he wanted to ask, then kept it to himself. “Common knowledge. Everyone hates the ruling monarchy. What else?”
“A pirate named Isaiah is making secret deals with the nephew of House Rue, who wants the daughter out of the way so he can be their next head. Isaiah is identified with the three rings on his nostrils, which he got from a previous pirate—yanked them straight out of flesh while the previous pirate was still alive.”
It was so specific that he gaped. Realizing she witnessed his unguarded moment, Nate scowled. Then he shot out of his seat and was on her in a second. The woman swallowed a gasp when he snatched the candelabra and returned it to the bedside table, then blinked down at the cuffs chaining her to the bedpost.
“I have a party to attend.”
“You can’t just keep me here—”
“I can, actually, and I should with all the nonsense you are spouting off. Don’t worry. I will decide what to do with you soon. In the meantime, there’s a spare uniform inside that bedside table, where my cousin always keeps it. You should get yourself accustomed to donning one and becoming a servant for my house.”
There was a splutter of disbelief, then the woman stiffening when he patted her down for weapons. He took the key from her pocket and noted the warmth of her skin, still unused to how naturally warm humans were. It was pleasant. When he was done, her lashes fluttered mockingly.
“Are you done feeling me up?”
“What’s your name, by the way?” he asked.
She hesitated. “Winter.”
“Winter, I wasn’t feeling you up. You are not my type, human or otherwise. And be careful how you speak to our kind. You will find that not everyone tolerates that kind of language, and you will be torn to bits if you attempt it on anyone else.” Nerves shimmered in her senses, the first that they were visible. He smiled, leaned closer, and crooned. “And you are lucky I have somewhere to be.”
“Or you will tear me to shreds?” she shot back, but there was a tremor to her voice.
“No. I like compulsion and bending people’s will. But I like it better when I don’t have to use anything but words.”
Her blood smelled faint but appealing. Her skin smelled of sea salt. He stepped back before he could attempt to compel her, not about to go down that route unless necessary.
“Use the servant outfit,” he reminded. “I won’t have control if someone walks in here and sees that you don’t belong to any house.”
