Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
M eandering without a purpose, I found myself trailing down the path towards the archery targets. Each footstep left trampled flowers in my wake. I planned on examining the puncture holes from the competition earlier that day—I hadn’t had a chance before the sword-fighting competition.
The circular hay targets were spaced ten feet apart. The starting line sat eighteen paces away, stretching farther with each new mark. I started walking, eyes sweeping the field, half-lost in thought—until something caught the corner of my eye.
I froze.
Lying beside one of the targets was a bow. Just… there. No guards, no handlers, no training soldiers nearby.
Abandoned.
Forgotten.
Or maybe left for someone.
My breath hitched, and for a second, I just stared. It felt strange, like stumbling across something sacred—or forbidden. Like I wasn’t supposed to see it, let alone touch it.
My pulse kicked into overdrive, blood thudding in my ears. I twisted around, scanning the field.
Thank the Gods—empty.
Not a soul in sight.
Without thinking, I let my finger drift across my wrist, tracing the familiar path to the dark red ruby on my bracelet. As I debated what I was about to do, I wondered what my father would say.
Somehow, I thought he’d be proud. Reckless or not, he’d always backed my bad decisions with that infuriating half-smile of his.
Drawing in a ragged breath, I turned back to the bow. And Gods—it was beautiful. Like, holy hot-damn beautiful. Whoever crafted this knew exactly what they were doing.
With more hesitation than I cared to admit, I reached out. My hand shook slightly, the wood cool beneath my fingertips, smooth as silk. The second I touched it, something in me settled. The balance in my hands—flawless. Like it had been waiting for me.
I knew I shouldn’t even be touching the damn thing. But then I spotted a full quiver of arrows—and a delighted squeal slipped out before I could stop it.
I was reckless.
But not usually this reckless.
Practicing at home was one thing—tucked away where no one ever ventured except for my family. But here, in the Ophelian Fields, everything was open.
Exposed.
I could easily be caught.
And for some reason, that only made me want it more.
Tendrils of obstreperousness unfurled, animating like a fury taking over its host. I didn’t care how much trouble I’d be in if I got caught; screw the stupid rules.
Stupid and reckless were a dangerous combination, but that was who I was.
No point in trying to deny it.
But was I stupid enough to take a shot?
Without a second’s hesitation, I knew the answer:
Nexus yes.
I glanced around one last time, checking that the coast was clear. Still, no one in sight.
A wicked smile tipped my lips as I marched out ten paces and faced the target. Carefully, I placed the quiver at my feet, withdrawing a single arrow.
I twirled it between my fingers, examining its uniqueness. Whoever had made the bow had also made the arrows. I could tell by the flourish they put on each arrowhead; a carving of a wolf.
Carefully, I nocked an arrow. A nervous whoosh of air escaped me. I filled my lungs with another deep breath, pulling back the string.
Knots formed between my shoulder blades as my muscles strained with the resistance. I was strong, abnormally strong for a female, but I could barely pull the string back; the bow was made for someone much larger and stronger than me.
Determination sparked in my chest, flaring brighter until it surged like lightning through my veins. This might be my only chance—I wouldn’t let it slip through my fingers. I just had to be stronger. More relentless.
Relentless I could do.
Obstinance was practically etched into my bones.
Jaw clenched, I tightened my core and drew the string back again.
My arms trembled. Fire licked through every muscle. I gritted my teeth and pulled harder—but it was no use. The bow refused to yield.
Defeated, I slumped.
Deep down, I knew the truth. No matter how many times I tried, no matter how hard I pushed—I’d never fire this bow.
Plain and simple: I wasn’t strong enough.
Curse the Gods. Because this?
This straight-up sucked.
“I’m impressed with the effort.” The cool, confident voice sliced through the silence, sharp enough to draw blood.
My head snapped up—and locked onto two stunning cerulean eyes. Emerald flared in response as I glared at him like I could set him on fire with just a look.
Honestly? I probably could.
How long had Maalikai been watching me?
The real question was—how stupid was I to think I was alone?
Didn’t matter now. He’d caught me red-handed, still clutching the Gods-damned bow like a prize idiot. There was no talking my way out of this one. I was going to be in so much trouble.
Oh my Gods, I was going to get banished.
Branded.
Publicly humiliated.
Then how would I protect my mother? Oh my Gods, I'd so royally stuffed up. I’d crossed the line. No—I’d crossed it, set it on fire, and danced naked on the ashes.
Clearly, I shouldn’t be trusted with decisions. Like… ever. And now my fate was in the hands of a stranger. A stupidly attractive, infuriatingly mysterious stranger. But still. A stranger.
My eyes narrowed, digging into his. Even though everything was riding on him, I wasn’t about to cower. I’d rather go down with pure, unbridled violence.
“What are you doing here?” I hissed.
Maalikai stepped forward.
Not just forward—into my space, like he owned the damn air I breathed. His fingers curled around mine, and heat surged up my arm like fire licking bone.
“I came,” he murmured, “to get my bow.”
My gaze dropped to the weapon still clenched in my hand. Then back to his. His eyes shimmered—a flash of steel-blue, then stormcloud gray.
“This is yours?”
“Mmm.” The sound was low. Rough. Almost a growl. It vibrated in my chest in ways I definitely wasn’t ready to unpack. I jerked my hand, but his grip didn’t budge.
My fingers twitched uselessly in his hold.
“I—I’m sorry,” I said, voice catching against my will.
Damn nerves.
His mouth curved, Ezekiel-slick. “No, you’re not,” he said, and his voice was full of velvet challenge. “Not really.”
Something snapped inside me. The leash on my rage. It fractured, releasing the wildfire that always walked with me, like a shadow.
“You’re right,” I bit out. “I’m not sorry.”
If he wanted a fight, I’d give him one he wouldn’t forget.
A slow, wolfish smile bared just a hint of fang. “There she is,” he said, almost like it pleased him. “That’s the girl I saw in town.”
I stepped closer, rising to my full height—chin up, shoulders squared. He still towered over me, but I wasn’t built to be intimidated.
I was built to bite back.
“Really? And what girl was that?” I spat.
“The one drowning in unapologetic rage,” he said, like it was a compliment.
Pure vehemence rocked through me, brandishing my skin in molten lava. “Fuck. You.”
His grin spread, wicked and slow. “Is it bad,” he murmured, “that I love the way you say that?”
I had no clue how to respond. So, obviously, I defaulted to virtuous wrath.
Jerking my hand from his, I stormed away. Screw him and his perfect face and smug little smirk.
“Hey,” he called after me, voice like thunder on the horizon. “Wait.”
Not. Going. To. Happen.
“Wait.”
My footsteps pounded against the dirt, fuelled by rage and humiliation and something far too dangerous to name.
I needed space.
Air.
Preferably without smug warriors with lightning eyes and perfectly sculpted cheekbones.
Footsteps pounded behind me as Maalikai jogged to catch up, matching my pace. I ignored him, picking up speed, but was failing in the mess of my flowing skirts.
Anxiety squirmed uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach. Knowing Maalikai could ruin me at any moment, left me vulnerable. A feeling I rejected at the best of times.
“Please,” he whispered the word with a tenor that splintered my heart, almost convincing me to give in.
Almost.
“Not a fat chance in Nexus,” I snapped, harsher than I intended.
A calloused hand brushed against my bare arm, bringing me to a complete stop. His touch wasn’t forceful, but it commanded. There was something enigmatic about him that demanded that I listen. Heart thundering, I slowly turned.
“Please.” His voice was low, coaxing—almost amused.
A laugh rolled out of me, easy and bitter. Like I wasn’t a breath away from panic. He could end me with a single word. He’d caught me holding his bow. He had every right. And if he did, my life would crumble faster than I could rebuild it. My mother would be alone, my promise just a whispered word. My uncle wouldn’t be able to fix it. But I’d die before I let him cage me.
My eyes flared. “If you’re going to turn me in, just do it.”
He blinked—slow, deliberate—like he was genuinely confused. “Why do you think I’d turn you in?”
“Because you’re a dick.”
A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face before a shadow of a smile lifted one side of his full lips, slow and sure. He took a step forward, and I swear the air bent around him. His eyes lit up—crystal blue, then deeper, like glacier cracks swallowing sunlight.
What in actual Nexus. Why did his eyes change colors? And why did my body respond like it wanted to set itself on fire?
I looked away, like I couldn’t withstand the weight of his stare. And then I hated myself.
The realization hit harder than any threat—this feeling, this pull wasn’t just with him.
I’d felt it before.
With Sebastian.
Gods, Sebastian.
With him, it had never been just heat. It was laughter in the dark. It was every moment I didn’t think I deserved—every joke he cracked when I wanted to cry. Every time he'd been there for me, without hesitation. Without me asking.
He saw me when I was broken and never once made me feel like I was weak. He knew me in ways Maalikai couldn’t. In ways I didn’t even know myself. And still… I was standing here, heart pounding for someone else.
What the heck was wrong with me?
Sebastian had always been the calm to my storm. The missing piece I couldn’t live without. Complimented me so perfectly, it felt like a sin to consider anything different.
To consider anyone else.
And I—I was entertaining the idea of setting myself on fire just to feel Maalikai’s heat. The guilt hit like a punch to the ribs. Sharp. Deep.
I could almost hear Sebastian's voice—soft, teasing, warm. The way he said my name like it mattered. Like I mattered. He would never say it the same way again. Not if he saw this—saw me with Maalikai.
With Sebastian, I was transparent. I would never be able to hide the truth–not from him.
Not the way my pulse jumped for Maalikai. Not the betrayal curling quietly in my chest. I didn’t get to lie when it came to him. And I didn’t have the luxury of pretending I wasn’t already breaking everything that mattered.
Did that make me some indecisive, lust-drunk Josephine knock-off?
I bit the inside of my cheek, hard.
Gods, no.
I refused to be.
But the shame that licked through me was a torturous burn. The truth I didn’t want to face? I didn’t know if I was better than her. And that terrified me more than anything.
Turned out, it didn’t matter if I avoided Maalikai’s gaze—because I could feel his eyes on me, burning into my skin like he was seeing inside my soul.
“No, I’m not going to turn you in.”
Emerald flared as my eyes locked on his. “You’re not?”
“No fucking way. Where would be the fun in that?”
Okay then. Screw him. I was so out.
I turned on my heel and managed half a step before he stopped me.
“I’m Maalikai.” It took me a moment to steady my breathing before I dared to meet his eyes.
Debilitating. One look, and I was intoxicated.
As much as I already despised him, my body betrayed me—caving at the sound of his voice.
“I know,” I snapped. “You already introduced yourself when Josephine was hanging off your arm like some bloodsucking parasite.”
“Oh, I thought you didn’t hear me,” Maalikai said, teasing. “You did refuse to reciprocate with your own name.” He tilted his head, watching me. “This is the part where you’re meant to tell me yours,” he added softly.
Anger surged, flaring hot through my chest. My nostrils flared. “Not going to happen.”
“Why not? So far, you’ve insulted me, accused me... oh, and bet against me.” His grin was all teeth—cocky. Diabolical.
I gasped. “How?—”
He cut me off again. “Why won’t you tell me your name?”
Any time I felt powerless, it showed itself as anger—a subconscious defense mechanism. Sometimes I wished I was more like my mom—kind, graceful, selfless. But no one would ever describe me like that. I was brazen, defiant, audacious. And I could barely contain my wrath on a good day.
“Better question,” I bit out, “why should I?”
Silence stretched between us. His smile deepened, shifting into something darker—smug, deliberate.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said finally. “Tell me your name, and I’ll leave you alone.”
A short, sharp laugh burst from me. “No.”
Maalikai shrugged, perfectly unbothered. “Okay. How about this—come with me.”
The laugh that escaped me felt almost... broken.
I felt it growing, and I wondered if I was a little bit deranged from the emotional whiplash of the day. Maybe I’d broken something vital inside myself. Maybe I’d snapped my own emotional spectrum.
Pain flared deep in my side as I doubled over laughing. And even as I gasped for air, something inside me cracked—too raw, too sharp to be just amusement.
Finally, through a breathless whisper, I managed a sentence: “What on the Gods’ earth makes you think I would ever come with you?”
Light flickered in his eyes, like scattered stardust, as he searched mine. There was something about him that unnerved me, like he could see through the carefully constructed barricade that protected my heart. The wall I’d built around myself was non-existent with him. It was petrifying to feel so ‘seen’.
“What’s the worst that will happen if you do?” My mouth went dry, my laugh instantly forgotten. “Can you live with the regret of never knowing what may’ve happened if you were brave enough to come with me?”
For the first time in my life, I didn’t have a single thing to say.
“Or is it that you’re too afraid?” His tone was calm, collected–so at odds with the chaos swirling in my soul.
“Of course I’m not.” I snapped before I could think, already falling into a trap he’d laid without lifting a damn finger.
How did he know the only way to get me to agree was to challenge me?
“What about Josephine? I’m sure she would gladly kill to go with you.” I spat out the snide remark with a coating of venom that felt poisonous.
Maalikai shook his head slowly, his hair grazing the impossible lengths of his eyelashes. “I don’t want her to come with me,” he said, voice quiet but steady. “I want you .”
His words froze me. And for a second–I let myself believe them.
But I wasn’t ready to forfeit, not yet. Hesitation rendered me immobile, my teeth dragging across my bottom lip as I deliberated.
“Or,” he added, casual as anything, still holding the bow. “I could play you for it.”
My scathing look should’ve set him on fire. Sadly, it didn’t. Instead, I considered his words.
“What do you mean?” I asked, grudgingly intrigued.
He nodded toward the target. “Whoever gets closest to the bullseye wins. If I win, you come with me. If you win–you never have to talk to me again.” His smile grew. “I might even leave overnight, if I’m feeling generous.”
I clenched my jaw. “Fine,” I practically spat the words of my defeat. “You win. I’ll play along.”
With the cockiness of a God, he flashed me an outrageously fiendish smile. “Excellent.”
I took a step forward–then froze. In my haste, I’d forgotten that I didn’t have a bow. Mine was broken. And his? Completely unusable to me.
Did I just lose this bet by default?
I whipped around in outrage, fixing him with lethal eyes. “Cheater! I don’t have anything to shoot with!”
Maalikai raised his brows and calmly reached for the outer sides of his thighs, producing two wickedly beautiful daggers. “How do you feel about throwing knives?”
My fingers curled around the hilt of one. Warm leather. Perfect weight. It felt good.
Too good.
“This’ll do.”
As my grip tightened, I realized–with grim satisfaction–that this would be the second law I’d broken in less than half an hour. And Maalikai, of course, was my witness yet again .
Without hesitation, I turned and hurled the blade at the target. It sliced through the air and slammed into the leather, embedding in the bright red center–or maybe just a hair to the right.
Maalikai’s eyes snapped to mine, disbelief flickering through those impossibly blue hues.
“You better pray to Noctharis that you’re good.” I said, smirking without apology.
He took his eyes off me for a fraction of a second, flinging his own blade at the target. I heard a dull thud , followed by a sharper sound–metal against metal. I spun, heart pounding so hard it echoed in my bones.
His dagger sat neatly next to mine, not even a breath of air between them, skewering the dead center of the target.
Crap.
“I’m not good, I’m the best. No prayer needed.” He cocked that insatiably seductive eyebrow at me.
Screw him.
What was I supposed to do now?
I lost fair and square, and I wasn’t one to back out of a deal. I would just have to suck it up and spend the afternoon with him.
Besides, seeing him better me in a knife-throwing contest was undeniably sexy.
Growling in defeat, I turned to him, my arms snaking across my chest. “So, are you going to tell me where we’re going? Or if you plan to murder me?”
“Nope.” He popped the ‘p’ for emphasis. He turned, expecting me to follow and started walking the opposite direction of Ophelia.
“Seriously?”
He looked over his shoulder, his eyes stealing my gaze and holding it prisoner. His smile came slowly–like a secret slipping through a crack in stone–one I was starting to suspect he only revealed around me.
It was unexpected. Out of character. Almost dangerous. Yet it was too beautiful not to claim a part of my soul, willingly or not.
I looked away before it could unravel me anymore than it already had. Or before the guilt could consume me.
“Seriously.” One word from that torturous mouth of his.
I scoffed. “So, I’m just supposed to follow you blindly to Gods’ knows where with no logical reason why? That sounds pretty stupid to me.” I threw out my arms in exasperation.
Maalikai stopped just long enough to pick up his discarded quiver, securing it on his back.
“I’ll make you a deal. Let go of your trust issues for one afternoon. Trust me, and I promise you won’t regret it.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “That sounds idiotic.”
Maalikai winked. He actually winked at me. “No, it sounds like an adventure.”
I swallowed hard as I fought the effect his words were having on me.
Without judgment, Maalikai extended his hand, an offer of truce. “The question is, are you brave enough to go on this adventure with me?”
My heart ricocheted. What would it mean if I took Maalikai’s hand? What would it mean if I allowed myself to trust him?
Against my better judgment, I faltered, giving in. Hesitantly, I reached forward, the tips of my fingers brushing against his. A cold gulp of air punched into my chest.
It was only one afternoon.
What was the worst that could happen?
Completely giving into temptation, I embraced the warmth of Maalikai’s hand, my fingers gliding between his until they could go no further. Until his hand imprisoned mine. And what a glorious prison it was.
Maalikai lifted his head, a high-pitched whistle breaking through the silence. Two seconds later, the sound of hooves spraying up the loamy earth broke the silence.
What in Nexus?
I spun on the spot, my eyes catching a blur of black; a beautiful contrast to the splashed speckles of flowers, littering the field. A gasp escaped me as I looked at the stallion, taking several steps forward; almost all of my chaotic emotions momentarily forgotten.
A halo graced the tip of the stallion’s head in an unearthly glow as the sun began to wane in the sky; the dying sunlight caught its thick, glossy coat, making it shine in absolute splendor. It was the most magnificent creature I’d ever seen.
The sight of Maalikai standing beside his jet-black horse sucked all the air from my lungs. They looked carved from the same shadow–sleek, powerful, untouchable. His silhouette, all sharp lines and stillness, mirrored the creature’s grace with eerie precision.
Hesitantly, I reached out to the magnificent beast, letting my fingers trail along the curve of its back. The muscle beneath its coat twitched at my touch, but it didn’t pull away.
“He’s beautiful.” I breathed, surprised by the softness in my voice–by how easily the truth had escaped.
The honesty startled me. And worse–I caught Maalikai watching me. Not just looking, watching . Like I’d cracked open and he could see straight through the fracture.
No.
Absolutely not.
I snatched my hand back like I’d been burned and took a step away.
The chill in my voice was sharp enough to maim. “Don’t look at me like that. I said your horse was pretty, not you.”
A flicker passed through his expression–amusement, maybe. Or disappointment. I didn’t care.
At least that’s what I told myself as I crossed my arms.
“And for your information,” I added, tone flat, arms still folded tight across my chest, “I’m not impressed by brooding men and pretty horses. Whatever this is–whatever game you think you’re playing–it’s not working. Not even a little.”
I met his gaze, daring him to look at me like he meant it. Like he believed he could ruin me.
His smile came slow. Infuriating. The kind of smirk you wanted to wipe off someone’s face with your fist.
“I wasn’t trying to impress you,” he said, voice smooth–like silk dragged over steel. “And just so we’re clear–this isn’t a game.”
He stepped closer, not touching me, but close enough that I could feel the air shift between us. His gaze locked onto mine, steady and unflinching, like he was memorizing every crack in my armor.
“I don’t want part of you,” he murmured. “I want all of you–the rage, the bite, the pieces you keep buried.” The breath caught in my throat, but he didn’t stop. “And I will unravel you. Every last knot you’ve twisted around yourself. Not to break you…” He leaned in just slightly, voice a thread of heat and shadow. “…but to show you what it feels like to be seen–and still wanted.”
I didn’t have words.
Not a single damn one.
I just stared at him like I couldn’t breathe.
Maalikai ignored my inability to respond, and beamed with pride. “This is Jet.”
I turned back to Jet as he nuzzled my hand, looking for food. Laughter filled the air as he tickled my fingers.
“Oh, she does laugh,” Maalikai quipped from beside me.
I didn’t dignify that with a response
Distance evaporated in mere seconds, as Maalikai leaned forward until a thin layer of air was the only thing separating us. Taking a deep breath, I tried and failed to steady the nervous energy squirming through my veins.
A rare smile curved Maalikai’s lips, softening his otherwise stormy features. I was not prepared for the profound effect it had on me. Despite the nervous butterflies dancing in the pit of my stomach, I managed a reasonable smile, or I hoped I did—at this point, it was hard to tell. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I looked like a demented water nymph.
“Are you ready?” he asked, standing too close to allow me to think properly.
“For what?”
“For an adventure.”
It hadn’t occurred to me that he wanted to take me out of Ophelia.
“Maalikai—”
His name barely escaped my lips before he cut me off, “Please.”
Fixing me with the full depth of his impossible-to-refuse eyes, I visibly caved.
Damn him.
“I can bring Stormfire; I just have to get her saddled.”
I managed to take a few steps towards the stables before he grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. Our fingers intertwined as he pulled me to him, his body flush with mine, warmth radiating from him, caressing my body in the most intimate way. I almost protested. Almost. But it felt… amazing.
Slowly, he shook his head, his eyes burning into mine, rendering me immobile. “We don’t have time; if we don’t hurry, it’ll get too dark.”
“For what?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see, but we must hurry.” Urgency crept into his voice as if each second lost was crucial.
A sigh escaped me, but my curiosity only intensified. What was it about him that made me feel so alive? Whatever it was also clearly clouded my judgment.
Not trusting my voice, I gave him a quick, sharp nod. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way, I had stopped fighting him.
His features softened in relief. “That’s my good girl.”
I shot him a look that could rival the death in Ezekiel’s eyes. “I’d watch that fucking mouth of yours, I have no issue plunging one of your daggers straight through your pretty little eyes.”
An intoxicating smile curled across his lips, slow and shameless. “Why am I not surprised… and did you just say I have pretty eyes?”
“Gods, are you trying to seduce me or stroke your own ego?”
His gaze dropped to my lips, then back to my eyes–smouldering with the kind of confidence that should’ve been illegal. “Why not both?”
I arched a brow, crossing my arms like armor. “Because you don’t have a chance with me. You never will.” My voice trembled like even I didn’t believe the lie.
And truthfully, I didn’t.
Maalikai stepped closer, voice dipping low enough to make the air tremble. “Then it’s a good thing I like impossible odds.” His smirk could’ve started a war. “Challenge accepted.”