He chuckles deeply, sending an irresistible rumble in my chest.
What in Silver's name is wrong with you?
I really have no clue whatsoever. How am I supposed to know? I'm just as surprised as you are!
"Nothing's wrong with you, love."
Ugh! He hits you with the nickname.
"Wait…" I put the lantern down. "How are you doing that?"
"Doing what?" His voice is tired but it sends the hair on my skin into a frenzy.
"You can…hear my mind."
"No, love," he smirks slowly and I am immediately hit with a flashback of how his smirk was the last thing I saw before I snapped out.
I want to wipe that smirk off his face.
"You're just too predictable."
"Yeah?" I cross my arms and step forward, maybe way too forward because now, I'm less than a finger away from touching the silver gate.
"Come on love," he chuckles dryly like we're discussing dinner.
"Stop calling me that!"
"Release me," he says weakly. "I know that's why you came in here."
"I'm not here to talk to you. I want answers and I want them now."
He moves a little, rattling the chains. "See, that's still talking."
"What were you doing less than four feet away from Eldarda's walls?"
"Eldarda, Hmm…." He licks his lips, as if tasting the name. "What's Eldarda?"
I tilt my head to the side, larva bubbling in the pit of my belly. "We could do this my way. Where I walk into this cell, twist every weapon of silver I can find into your body, bleed you out until you die, or we can do this the easy way."
"I didn't expect my mate to be this feisty," he lifts his head fully and the soft amber cast by the lantern highlights the sharpness of his jawline. He swallows and I watch the bop in his throat dangle. He breathes through his mouth, I'm compelled to admit that –
It's so hot.
Shut up.
He gives me a coy smirk, his tongue is licking his lips. "You can use me. Yes, strangle me please."
My chest tightens and I feel a surge of heat flood my cheeks. Thank silver it's a bit dark in here.
I sigh, giving up. I turn around to pick the lantern. "This was no use."
The numbness sets in again, my heart falls within me. What was I thinking? Killing a lycan? Like that would make me some kind of hero and the council would just let bygones be bygones.
Anyone could have made the mistake. I only thought I was helping one of us, one of Eldarda's own.
And Anna, gosh, Anna.
Anna wasn't your fault. There were two alphas, there was nothing you could do.
I could have just stayed there and died with her. None of this would have happened. No stupid lycan, no death sentence, nothing.
That's right. I'm to be hanged first thing tomorrow morning once the sun beams in all its splendor. A darkness overtakes me but it fades slightly, a small smile as I realise — there's no one to say goodbye to.
My parents are dead.
"You hunters think you're so clever," his deep voice pulls me out of my trance. "But you're just clawing at the rest of the world…. complaining because you're weaker than the rest of us."
My head snaps first before the rest of my body turns to him. I'm still barely a finger away from the silver gate. "You say that but you're the one trapped feets below the surface, hanging from chains."
A dry laugh escapes his lips. "You think I cannot leave?" I raise a doubtful brow. "I can," he says calmly. "But why would I do that when I'm enjoying this show?"
"What show?"
He shakes his head and pulls lazily at his left arms. The chains snap off like a leaf on a branch. My eyes widen but my feet remain glued to the floors. He does the same with his right hand and then his legs.
He moves slowly, like a predator hunting prey, until he gets closer to me. I don't flinch when he reaches me, his face glimmers in the soft amber.
Dark hair on his head, his eyes are onyx, I can see the amber lighting them up. His lips twinkle even with the soft light. His eyes remain on me.
My eyes soften at the scar on his shoulder but immediately sharpens when I feel his fingers graze the exposed skin at the side of my belly.
His traces leave a hot scorching need. When he watches my expression, there's a mischievous glint in his eyes. I snap away, shuffling backwards and out of reach.
"That's too bad, mate." He flexes his fingers like he's still tracing my skin. "We're enemies, remember? I shouldn't feel the need to touch you like this."
This man….
Heat floods my cheeks. "If you could leave, why do you stay then?" I cross my arms but my skin sizzles with the need for his touch.
Is that even right?
"What do you want?" I ask harshly, hoping to slice him deeply with each word.
He backs away from the gate. "Why would I trust my enemy?"
"You are not…" my eyes snap shut. "God, I hate you!" I say through gritted teeth and yank the lantern from the floor.
He walks to the centre of the cell and clicks the chains back on like he didn't just snap them off a minute ago.
I shake my head. I cannot figure him out.
My ears pick up footsteps approaching, must be the guards. Whatever, I'm not responsible for this. I hold the lantern up, our eyes meet in a wicked clash and I find my way out of the dungeon.
What in Silver's name!
You haven't been laid in forever. Is that sexual frustration I hear?
A chuckle escapes my lips as I make it to Eldarda's grounds. You're the horny one, not me.
True.
"Dina."
My footsteps come to a halt. The golden hair always gives him away.
Dylan searches my eyes, his expression darkening. "What happened?"
I hold my breath for this one. "I'm…to be hanged by…" I shuffle my feet against the grounds. "...by…"
"Dina…" he shifts his weight from one foot to another.
"First light tomorrow." My breath leaves my lips and my eyes are fixed on Dylan's own. I'm searching them, but I don't know what I'm looking for.
Will he be unfazed? Unhappy? Will he just give me a pat on the back? A side hug?
"I'm to be hanged by the first light tomorrow."
Dylan's bright face sinks, the twinkle in his eyes fades and I squint my eyes, finding it hard to recognise the person in front of me.
He takes a step back, his hand wiping his mouth, stroking his chin. "And who passed this sentence?"
My lips tighten. I try to smile but Dylan's daring me not to with the look on his face.
I release a sigh, my eyes rest on his lips and then back to his eyes. "Your mother."
There's a calm. For a moment, it's all about the sellers on the street screaming at a buyer, the dogs barking in the distance, the birds flapping their wings a little too aggressively.
And just then, Dylan —
He starts walking away from me, fast and easy.
"Dylan?" my feet shuffles ahead, catching up to him. "Dylan, what are you —"
"If she hangs you, she better be well prepared to have me hanged too."