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The woman hurled her fingernails toward Jeryn’s countenance, intending to peel off his skin. In response, Winter’s scalpel knife appeared from nowhere, the hilt trapped in his fist. Before he could spear through her, my hand clamped onto his wrist, our forearms striking the grille. Iron shuddered from the impact, the sound echoing down the cellblock.
Both captor and captive halted. Flare’s pupils dulled, the blaze snuffing out as she recognized us.
Jeryn registered my hold on his arm. His features folded, logic returning as his grip on her loosened. At the same time he released Flare, the prince’s free hand seized the necklace from her.
Flare staggered back with a scowl. Once she was a safe distance from him, I let go of Winter.
Still, it took some time for Jeryn to dice his gaze from her to me. “You’re either foolish or suicidal to interfere with my property.”
“How dare you,” Briar seethed. “You will not touch her again, nor any of these people. They may be your prisoners, but they are still on Autumn soil.”
Jeryn’s attention slithered from me to the princess. He surveyed Briar’s appearance, from the loosely braided bun at her nape to the silver, strappy gown. She’d donned the color of his court, the silhouette glittered with a thousand dainty chains like armor, and the skirt hissed with every movement.
The prince hedged. His fingers closed protectively around the fang-shaped vial, then he shoved the keepsake into his coat pocket. “Show me your mouth.”
From any other living, breathing, talking entity, this command would have met the point of my dagger. However, he’d made such a request once already.
Briar parted her lips. Once she did, the prince vacated his position by Flare’s cage. He stalked up to the princess, balanced his finger beneath her chin, and angled her mouth to the torchlight, his gaze dissecting every crevice.
“Much better,” he said, lowering his hand. “You have a strong constitution.”
After what had just happened, Briar merely nodded. Whereas I summoned every remaining ounce of self-control. “That’ll be the last time you set a finger on Her Highness. Or anyone down here, for that matter.”
To which Jeryn merely cut an eyebrow my way. “You mistake me for someone who gives a fuck about your savior instincts.”
“Amusing. Who said anything about me needing your approval?” But clearly, Jeryn was used to squashing his opponent with a simple look, whereas I volleyed, “You know, I thought princes were supposed to be intimidating.”
“And I thought jugglers were supposed to be perceptive,” he contended. “We are both mistaken.”
“Oh, I’m quite perceptive. Try me.”
“No,” was all he replied.
I seized on that trap. “Which could either mean it’s not worth your effort or you don’t dare to. It may be the former, but not replying at all means you’re still leaving the latter up for debate.”
To that riddle, he sliced his attention to Briar. “Must we do this?”
“Converse? I’m afraid so,” she clipped. “Poet and I have the queen’s blessing to approach you on Autumn’s behalf.”
Jeryn pared his eyes at her. His silence indicated that Briar should speak her mind before he lost interest and carelessly strode away.
Her face pinched. The shift in her freckles signified she was about to stray from our plan, if only to voice a pertinent thought. Not only due to the incident with Flare, but also the burned body he’d refused to heal. “Being a ruler might grant you the power to reject those you deem unworthy. But as a doctor, you have sworn an oath.”
“I have sworn that oath to human beings,” Jeryn stated blandly. “Not to living plagues.”
“Too close to home?” I wondered.
For some reason, the prince’s eyes ticked toward Flare’s cell. In response, the woman’s golden irises sizzled. She moved in front of the dirt mound where she’d drawn her sketch.
So many ways to interpret the demand he’d made about that pile.Sweep away this filthhad sounded as though he was referring to both Flare and the muck. Mayhap the mess insulted his tidy sensibilities, though a hunch told me it was more than that.
Consequently, they were off to a dangerous start. In which case, Jeryn’s intentions upon returning to Winter didn’t bode well for Flare.
Realizing that he’d been focused on her for too long, the prince wrenched his gaze back to us. “Give me a reason to keep listening.”
Briar obliged. “You have stalkers.”
“Though considering your charming disposition, I can’t imagine why,” I scoffed.
