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I take Tiara’s reins and lead her toward the hut off the beaten path, but the cart continually gets stuck on various rocks and potholes.
“Fuck this,” I say with a sigh.
I unhooked Tiara from the cart, and the wind almost knocked me over. I quickly led her and Verrin into the forest and noticed the wind died down slightly once we were amid the large trees.
We walked for half a mile before I saw the hut. I pointed at it, my hair wisping around my face.
“There!” I yelled to Verrin.
We raced toward the hut, with Tiara trotting behind me. I reached the door and looked at her.
“She’ll be fine!” Verrin assured me.
I nod and tie her to the fence outside the hut before walking in with Verrin, hearing the wind squeal through the logs and straw. Using my body weight, I close the door and lock it behind us.
“Holy shit,” Verrin said, laughing. “That was awesome. Tell me you felt that rush.”
“Rush?” I say defensively. “Of which part? Where you manipulated my friend, carelessly raced along a town path, almost tipped the cart over, or when we got stuck in a freak windstorm?”
I watched his face fall and realized my words may have been too harsh, but my pride was too strong to back down.
“I’m,” he pauses, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. “I apologize. I didn’t realize you weren’t having a good time.”
I scoff and look at the wall. I hear him approaching me and avoid eye contact. He placed a hand on my arm, and I shrugged it off.
“Hey,” he said quietly, wrapping me in his arms and kissing my neck. “I know how I can make you feel better.”
I pushed him off and walked toward the living room, tying my hair up. “Oh please,” I say as I search through the cabinets in the kitchen, looking for something to eat. “You’re a demonic sorcerer, and I’m a human farm girl. Cut the act.”
“What act?” he said, surprised, throwing his hands out to the sides.
I turn to face him with a doubtful look on my face. “What would youpossiblysee in a human other than just another hole to conquer?”
He stared at me in silence with his mouth agape. Hope and panic rise in my chest as I debate whether or not I want to hear his answer.
“Jenna,” he said, walking toward me with a severe look in his eyes. “You’re joking, right?”
I dare not change my facial expression and want to know what he has to say. My father always taught me that the longer you stay silent, the more your opponent will say. That's the key to figuring someone out, finding out who they are.
“Jenna,” he said, lightly chuckling. “You’re lovely.”
“What?”I think the panic is fading. This is not the answer I expected.
“You’re brilliant,” he begins, pacing around the room and looking at the floor. “You’re hard-working. I mean, look at your hands. They’re calloused to death. You’re so caring, serving your sick mother.” He approached me slowly and stood before me with his hands behind his back. He scoffed and looked at the cabinets behind me, pursing his lips. “You are fierce, going after anything you want.” He looked into my eyes. “But you are also,” he takes my hands in his, and I feel the softness of his hands, “one of the gentlest creatures I have ever met.”
“Creature?” I say, smiling. He chuckled and corrected himself.
“Woman.”
I look at our hands clasped and pull mine away, turning back to the counter. I’ve been manipulated by men before, human men. There’s no telling what a demonic sorcerer could do, especially with how he influenced Mr. Massey earlier.
“Jenna,” he pleads, placing his hand on my shoulder. “I mean everything I’m saying. I’ve never met someone who seems to have such drive and craving for life as you do. You’ve awakened something in me that I …”
His voice trails off, and I lift my gaze to the wall. My heart sinks, and the sliver of hope returns. I turned to face him and found him staring at the floor.
We remain silent as I wonder what he’s thinking. Could he be lying and trying to think of more fabricated reasons to get me into bed? Is he telling the truth but thinks he’s said too much?
My heart begins to race as I realize I have asked men a million times why they would be interested in me, and most of them can’t come up with an answer. In a heartbeat, he had listed many.
