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“Don’t critique my murdering.”
The bastard actually grins at me.
I bring the goblet of water to him. “Get up. Drink.”
He braces himself on his elbow and manages to climb to his knees. “Maybe I’m already dead. Maybe this is paradise.”
“Why?”
“I’m being offered a drink by a beautiful naked woman.”
My traitorous stomach flutters at his flattery even though I know he’s just manipulating me. I shove the golden goblet at him. He struggles to catch it with his hands tied, though only a little of the water sloshes onto his chest.
Rook drinks slowly, looking at me over the goblet. He licks the water from his lips, watching me watch him. His fangs glint in his mouth. I can’t tear my gaze away. My heartbeat pounds against my ribs.
I need to distract myself. “Why did that knight call you the Gray Prince?”
Shadows darken his eyes. “Because the Gray Prince is the bastard son of the last king and his succubus whore.”
“King Everhart of Chymeria?”
“Everhart the Ever Hard.”
My brow furrows. I hadn’t heard that nickname before.
He dips his head. “A useless whoremonger.”
“Really?”
The goblet clinks as he sets it down. “You’re fond of the late king?”
“When I lived in the village, they praised King Everhart. They mourned his death after Queen Dulcamara stabbed him in the back.”
“Mourned in secret, I should hope.”
“The villagers weren’t stupid. They knew the queen would have beheaded them.”
“Queen Dulcamara is efficiently ruthless.”
I tilt my head. “Was it just some sort of insult? Calling you the Gray Prince?”
Fire flickers in his eyes. “No.”
“You’re a prince?” I stare at him. “You’re fucking royalty?”
“I’ve never fucked royalty and I don’t plan to.”
A laugh escapes me. “Those knights should have killed you.”
“Probably.” His gaze sharpens as he inspects me. “You lived in that village before you burned it to the ground?”
Shit. I let that slip. “Doesn’t matter.”
He refuses to look away. “It does.”
“I buried all my secrets deep and pretended to be a sweet little human girl for years. But the dragon broke free eventually.”
I hate how he’s staring at me. As if he understands me.
