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He huffed an annoyed breath. “Scion believes the capital is going to be attacked, and for once, his paranoia is likely more along the lines of intuition. The entire family stayed behind to protect the city.”
I cocked an eyebrow, moving to step around him. “I see.”
“He’s convinced that since the rebels were able to get into your tower last night, Dullahan will use the opportunity of us all being in Inbetwixt to seize the castle.”
I sucked in a startled breath. It was the first time I’d heard Bael refer to Dullahan—the rebel leader whom my sister had invoked in her final breath, and were I not so suspicious of his motivation for being here, I might have questioned him more about it.
I might also have mentioned that Prince Scion was likely wrong; I didn’t know what the rebels were planning, but I had a note signed “Ambrose Dullahan” currently burning a hole in my pocket that suggested he may see me in Inbetwixt. I didn’t know if I would actually see the rebel, but I doubted he was still in Everlast City.
Imighthave mentioned that, but I didn’t.
“Well, don’t let me hold you back from guard duty,” I said, distrust heavy in my tone. “I need to go.”
He moved to the left, blocking my path. “Wait,” he said. “There could be any number of other creatures between here and the boundary. That was a Beithir serpent—you’re lucky to be alive.”
“Well, then I don’t want to keep its friends waiting any longer.” My tone dripped with sarcasm. “I’m sure they’re quite hungry.”
Bael darted in front of me again, like we were doing an odd sort of dance. “Lonnie.”
I set my jaw, my nails cutting into the skin of my palms. “Move.”
Hedidmove. So quickly, in fact, that I didn’t see him until it was far too late.
Bael lunged forward, pressing my back against the nearest tree, caging me in with both arms.”Don’t be foolish.”
Electricity shot up my spine, and my breath hitched.My mind immediately ran to last night, when we’d stood in this exact position, only far,farcloser. My stomach turned over, and my pulse thrummed with mingled fear and anticipation.”The only foolish thing I’ve done is not run the moment I saw you.”
“Don’t be so stubborn, then. You don’t have to cross the finish line on your own,” he said sharply. “And as for running…you know I’ll always catch you, little monster.”
I shuddered. There were a thousand ways to interpret that and even more things to say in response, but I simply had no energy to spar with him. “Let me go.”
His intense, golden gaze trained on me as if ready to strike. “No, I don’t think I will. You might not want my help, but you’re going to get it, and anyway, I think you still owe me an explanation.”
Anger mixed with hurt rose in my throat. He had absolutely no right to judge me. None. Not when he was hardly forthcoming with his secrets. “I owe you nothing.”
“Nothing?” he asked, a mocking lilt to his voice.
“Nothing more than what we bargained for. Not an explanation. Not my honesty or my loyalty, just the crown and to win thesedamn hunts.Which you are currently keeping me from, by the way.”
“Not even an end to our earlier conversation?”
I winced slightly at that, but I recovered. “No,” I snapped. “You have a lot of nerve to demand I share all my secrets with you while flaunting your own like nothing is amiss.”
“What does that mean?” he growled.
I let out a humorless laugh. “I don’t claim to be an expert, but I do not believe most Fae princes sleep in cages,my lord.”
I’d had quite a lot of time to consider this argument while traveling to Inbetwixt. So much time, in fact, that it had almost entirely distracted me from my fear of the hunt. I was not precisely certain I believed Bael’s assertion that we were mates—I wasn’t certain I disbelieved it either. I was certain, however, that he would get absolutely nothing from me until I got equal treatment in return.
“That’s a different situation,” he growled.
“Of course it is.” My tone dripped with sarcasm. “How foolish of me. It’s always different when it applies to you.”
I went to push against his chest, both determined to pass by him and knowing it was futile.
Sure enough, Bael caught my wrists in one hand and held them above my head like shackles, holding me in place. His eyes raked over my body, and I became all too aware that I was still soaking wet from my leap into the water, every part of my clothing sticking to me everywhere that mattered. Mingled embarrassment and something else, something hotter, joined the anger already taking root in my belly and combined into a whirlwind of confused emotions.
He exhaled sharply through his nose. “It’s different because knowing would put you in danger. I can’t do that anymore.”
