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But just as my fingers sink below, a strong hand reaches for mine, pulling me up, until my torso’s reached the shore.
Hot. The hand dragging me is scorching.
And it’s him. I know it even before I get an eyeful of his ridiculously beautiful face. I smell him.
Just as I detect the distinct stench of burning meat.
Then I’m too busy coughing up water, shivering in the cold night air, and shaking the deadly grip of fear from my skin.
When half of the lake’s out of my throat and nose, I stumble to my feet, feeling weaker than a newborn fawn.
The man who almost killed me after saving me stands in the moonlight, smirking down at me, with that impossibly gorgeous mouth.
Only it can’t be moonlight, because I see each of his striking features clearly—clearer than anything I’ve ever laid my eyes on.
His pale skin glows in the darkness, and his waves aren’t black as I thought before, but a blue almost as dark as ink. His eyes still dance with stars in the darkness, but now I can distinguish each silver fleck.
I stare—or glare—at him, not quite understanding the information my brain fires at me. What the hell is his fucking deal? He stopped Valdred and took me away. That suggests he's on my side. Then he chucked me into that nightmarish lake. That suggests he's most definitely not wearing a Team Rina T-shirt under that velvet jacket.
And now, he’s helped me get out. Like we're old pals again.
I cannot trust him as far as I can throw him, that's for certain. The fact that he's handsome enough to make anyone lose their sanity after one glimpse is a weapon.
I look away.I'm about to mutter a general, all-encompassing, empathic what the hell, when my gaze notices things.The shiny green of the grass, the noise of the ants crawling away from me. Everything is new and beautiful and impossibly bright, because it's likely around midnight.
My eyes catch something, and I gawk at his hand, resting at his side now. The one he used to pull me out when I was about to sink below again.
No wonder I smelled something frying; it’s a lump of inky-black scorched flesh, still steaming.The skin looks like he's just dipped it into acid.
I have so many questions.
None are more important than barking the first words out of my mouth. “You asshole! You complete and utter bastard! How dare you?” My voice rises higher and higher, letting out all of the rage and frustration I’ve accumulated for the last couple of days. “Why the hell did you throw me into that fucking lake? I could have died, you dick!”
Weak as I was a moment ago, I’m surprised I manage to get to my feet without wobbling. But I do.
As I stand, I notice Valdred a few steps behind the man he called Ryther.
He’s watching me openmouthed and stunned, as if he’s seen a ghost.
I don’t turn to look at what he’s gaping at. Ghosts can wait until I’m done with them both.
“And you!” I snap. “You hear some girl’s being taken advantage of by a worm and your reaction is to bring her to your kinky woods and shove your dick in her holes? I can’t believe this fucking place. You’re all the fucking worst!”
I’ve never once dramatically stomped my foot on the ground, but I do so now.
It’s only then that I realize the words shouldn’t have been able to cross my lips. I am cursed to heed Junis’s orders.
At least…I was.
I return my attention to Ryther again. During my speech, he lost neither his smirk nor his spellbinding beauty, sadly.
I cross my arms over my chest. “So, you broke the spell, did you?"
I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have been able to say all that to Valdred minutes ago. I should thank the pompous asshole, except I'm no longer the kind of idiot who thanks anyone. And I'm too angry to even try to sound grateful.
"There’s such a thing as warning a girl before throwing her in a creepy lake!” I grunt.
“If I’d warned you, you wouldn’t have had the fight to emerge.”
