Chapter 37 #2
He took the goblet from my grasp, and the soft brush of his fingers made my heart pound harder. “I’m honestly surprised you’ve lasted this long and haven’t tried to poison or stab me in the back. There are plenty of knives on the table.”
I sucked in a slow breath, trying to get a hold of myself. “The night is still young. And I’ve been practicing my restraint.”
To be fair, I’d contemplated using my secret passage to sneak out and rummage in the kitchens or infirmary for anything I could use as poison, but the truth was, I couldn’t kill him.
Not only was he the most powerful male I’d ever encountered, but he was also my kin by law and knew about the curse. It was a deeply unfortunate situation.
“You can be so well behaved when you put your mind to it,” the king murmured, his goblet raised to his lips. “Perhaps you deserve a reward.”
“The only things I want are your books and your help.”
He leaned close, his breath heating the curve of my jaw. “Are you sure about that, princess? Because your scent suggests there might be more that you desire.”
I swallowed. “You’re mistaking revulsion for desire.”
“Hmm.” A low rumble escaped his throat. “Do you want to know what I think?”
The caress of his breath became sharper as if he’d moved closer.
“Not really,” I said coolly, hiding the riot of emotions inside.
“I think that underneath that mask of hate you’ve so carefully constructed,” he purred softly, just loud enough so that I could hear. “There’s a rebellious part of you that wants me.”
I glanced over at him, our faces only inches apart. It was a mistake because his lips were so close, I could taste them if I leaned in. “Tell yourself whatever lies you must, but it changes nothing.”
His molten gaze dropped to my mouth. “I’ve called a hunt for the next full moon.”
“You call that a reward?” I frowned. “I’ve been on enough hunts in my life.”
“Not like this one.” His eyes returned to mine, and I swore they were now a warm honey color. “When a hunter’s moon bleeds red, there are creatures that roam the woods which have no fear of the beasts—they’re called the Vaythir.”
My curiosity piqued, and I ground my teeth, hating that I had to take his bait. “What kind of creatures?”
“Wild animals but from the Feylands. They are the only things the beasts fear—apart from me. If cut and enchanted, their horns and tusks will keep the beasts at bay.”
I drew in a shallow breath. This was what I’d come looking for—the first hint at how to keep the beasts away from the Bloodvale. “It works? It’s not just superstition?”
He nodded.
My thoughts recounted the weeks we’d spent on the road. “People in the towns we passed hung charms made from engraved antlers and boar tusks by their doors. Is it the same?”
Valen chuckled and let the empty goblet hang idly between his fingers. “They’re powerless facsimiles of the real thing. Humans could never hope to bring down one of the Vaythir, let alone survive the encounter.”
“Then why don’t you give them the real thing?”
He returned his attention to the dancers. “Because those who live within my lands have no need to fear the beasts, and those who live beyond are not my concern.”
I snorted. “Your cup overflows with compassion, Your Highness.”
Valen shrugged, leaning back. “I’m practical. The tusks only protect their bearer, and the fey creatures are rare beyond measure. Moreover, their hunting is sacred to our kind. It would be profane to kill them to protect a handful of humans.”
Anger pulsed beneath my skin. “Are human lives the only things you don’t value?”
“Some I value more than others.” His gaze burned into me, and the implication in his words sent a traitorous shiver through my body.
“I have no hesitation about killing or torture,” he continued. “But I’m not the indiscriminate murderer you believe me to be. I kill to protect my people and lands and to preserve order—whether it’s humans or immortals, those that violate my laws pay the price equally.”
He envisioned himself as a duty-bound king—it was almost noble the way he spoke. But it was a delusion, was it not? I needed it to be. I couldn’t accept the alternative and still hate him as much as he deserved.
“Maybe you can’t protect a whole town, but saving one life could make a difference,” I said.
“I know,” he said, his eyes studying my face. “That’s why I called the hunt.”
Tightness fluttered beneath my ribs, but I pushed the implication aside. If I could get hold of a tusk and bring it back to the Bloodvale, maybe Ella could find a way to replicate its magic. We could make talismans to hang on the doors of every home and barn.
Smothering my excitement, I turned my gaze back to the dance floor. “I’ll need a set of riding leathers then.”
“As intriguing as that image is, you won’t.”
I stared at him incredulously. “What do you mean?”
The corner of his mouth curved up as if I’d just told an amusing joke. “You’re not coming on the hunt.”
“Of course, I am. I’ve led hunts before. It’s literally what I did at Silverthorn before I broke my leg. I’ve even gone hunting with your—"
“Enough,” he rumbled, silencing the fatal misstep. “You’re not going.”
He returned his attention back to the revel, no longer entertaining my request.
If I wasn’t invited, why had he even mentioned it?
“I’m not going to run, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I said. “I want one of the tusks.”
“Risking your life to protect yourself is a foolish proposition.”
I released a sharp breath. “This is about finding something to protect my sister and our people. I’m not trying to protect myself.”
“That is exactly why I’m not letting you go.”
My chest tightened. Why did he care? Moreover, why did I care that he cared?