Chapter 4
Hannah
My stomach dropped as ice spread through my veins despite the enchanted coat and gloves.
Both Thea and Ashren stiffened, and the torchlight shrank back as if it wanted to be anywhere but in the sight of the bastard king himself.
Slowly, they turned toward King Kairos, and Ashren stepped in front of Thea.
The king filled the archway, his broad shoulders nearly brushing the stone on either side. His dark leathers and armor drank in the light as shadows clung to the hard lines of his body, leaving little to the imagination. His lavender eyes swept over the scene.
His jaw ticked, and every muscle in my body tensed.
I stepped closer to the bars, and my coat brushed the iron. If something was about to go down, I wasn’t going to cower in the back corner like a kicked dog and would use the opportunity to my advantage if possible. My pulse thundered in my ears, but my feet planted themselves.
The king's gaze cut to Thea first. “I recall saying that no one was to speak to the prisoner or approach her cell. Did I misspeak, Thea?” His voice was low and growly.
She dipped her head in a quick, controlled bow. “No, Your Majesty. You were clear.”
“And yet, here you are.” He gestured to the two of them, then his eyes flicked toward me. He took in my coat and gloves. “Equipping her with things I didn’t approve of and conversing with her like she’s not a hostage.”
Thea and Ashren stepped back as he came to a stop in front of my cell just out of touching distance.
Hands folded tightly at her waist, Thea inhaled and straightened. “I determined it would be unwise to let her freeze. A dead person would be of little use to you, sire.”
“Your determination is not wanted.” His words sliced like a hot knife through butter. “Your obedience is required.”
Ashren moved in front of her fully, jaw tight. “I asked Thea to bring the coat when I learned the prisoner’s placement. It seemed more sensible than interrupting your other duties to inquire whether this was your preference or letting her freeze. The blame falls on me.”
“Were you the one who decided to put her here in this cell?” King Kairos demanded.
Ashren’s brow rose, and his head dipped, as if he didn’t want to name someone.
I raised my hand. “I can answer that!” I smiled, wide and smug. I needed to get this king—I wouldn’t think of him as King Kairos anymore. From now on, he was just Kai—closer, and this could be my chance.
His attention swiveled to me, that icy lavender glare as sharp as a blade.
My stomach somersaulted. It had to be from nerves. But there was something about his eyes, and I didn’t know if it was because of the pale lavender or the dark violet ring that surrounded his pupils.
“Why are you lifting your hand and looking at me so foolishly?” King—no, Kai’s face squinched in confusion, but then he shook his head. “Forget the question. Just tell me which of the guards it was, and now.” He shuffled closer.
If they didn’t raise their hands here, how did people ask questions? Another question for another time, without raising my hand. Focus on the goal, Hannah. I almost had him right where I wanted him.
“Someone’s bossy.” I lifted my chin, keeping my gaze on him and trying to take in his weapons with my peripheral vision. But he was too damn tall. I had to find a way to scan him without making him suspicious.
Oh! I could pretend to flirt with him. It worked on guys back home.
I dropped my gaze in a deliberate scan of his body, biting my bottom lip.
He had multiple blades attached to his belt and some attached to one thigh.
Those could be easy enough to grab if I could distract him.
I turned my palms upright as if weighing my options and shrugged.
“In fairness, the guards thought they were following orders. You said to put me where no one else was.” I spread out my arms, my hands touching either side of the cell.
“Clearly, it’s just me back here, so maybe you should’ve been more clear. ”
Thea’s eyes widened, and the corners of her lips twitched upward. She clicked her tongue against the top of her mouth before focusing on Kai. Ashren’s gaze darted between Kai and me as if he were uncertain whether to intervene or simply watch.
“What did you just say?” Kai’s face twisted into anger, and he gripped the bars of the door.
Okay, I might have made him a little too mad. Every instinct screamed at me to flinch back, but I forced myself to remain in place. “That you weren’t clear about what you wanted.”
His nostrils flared. “I am the king and am always clear.” His voice rumbled so deeply that I got goose bumps.
My stomach flipped as the tugging sensation I’d felt earlier filled my chest.
“It is my people’s responsibility to do precisely as I say. The guards should have known that I wouldn’t want you to freeze to death before I retrieve the information I need.” He folded his arms over his chest.
Now was the time to distract him. I tilted my head, letting my hair slide over my shoulder and catch on the fur of the coat. “Hmmm, maybe the guards thought you wanted to torture me and put me on the brink of death.”
His eyes flashed again, and his hand shot through the bars and seized the collar of the coat.
A startled yelp escaped me, and I grabbed his arm with one hand. I would yank off my gloves and stab him in the eyes with my fingernails if he tried to kill me. My heart raced, feeling like it was leaving my body behind.
His knuckles brushed my skin. Then, he hauled me against the bars and lifted me until I stood on my tiptoes. The place where our skin touched buzzed, like uncomfortable static.
His scent of smoke and spice with hints of blood and cypress poured into the cell. “I didn’t ask for your thoughts or opinion, prisoner, so keep your mouth shut.”
I definitely wouldn’t be keeping my mouth closed now.
“Oh, you weren’t speaking to the class?” My rubber-soled shoe tips skidded a little on the stone floor, but I strained to keep myself steady.
I wouldn’t give the sexy villain any more of an ego boost than he’d already had.
He was already too damn arrogant. As the king, he was definitely born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Bastard.
With my free hand, I seized the bars near his side.
I had to change my strategy if I wanted him distracted while I plucked his blade without him noticing.
I smiled brightly. “To be clear, I’m not complaining about you showing off your strength.
Do you do this with all the prisoners, or am I just special? ”
The way his eyes bugged almost had me laughing, but somehow I managed to swallow it. His grip on my coat collar tightened. “You…” A muscle ticked in his jaw.
“Yes?” I curled my fingers along his chest with my left hand while my right edged toward the blade. “I’m listening. Are you saying I am special? I’m flattered.” My fingers wrapped around a blade handle. “I guess I did fall out of the sky through a mirror portal.”
His eyes narrowed, and the muscles in his jaw clenched so tight I thought he might break his own teeth.
My stomach twisted, and that tug in my chest made me want to press closer to him. What the hell was wrong with me? This would be easier if he didn’t have a smoking hot body, sculpted features, and a glare that cut through me.
“Don’t worry, sweetie. I know I’m special. It’s okay to like me.” I winked as I slid one of his daggers from its sheath and tucked my hand back at my side so the coat hid it from sight.
He stared at me as if he didn’t know whether he wanted to kill me or kiss me. The violet ring around his pupils thickened as the pupils also dilated. How were his eyes changing color? That was weird.
Under his stare, my face heated, completely at odds with the cold gnawing at my legs.
His fingers flexed in my collar, tightening enough that the fur brushed my throat.
We were too close. His breath slid over my lips, warm and fresh like cider and honey.
My heart hammered in my chest like it was trying to punch through the narrow space between us.
I should probably de-escalate this situation.
“Careful,” I murmured, keeping my voice light even as nerves snapped inside me. “If you keep looking at me like that, people are going to talk.”
One of his brows kicked up. “About what?”
I let my gaze drop to his mouth for a deliberate second before meeting his eyes again.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe about the terrifying king of whatever this frozen nightmare place is getting handsy with the strange girl from Tennessee.
How you had me dragged down here, pinned me to the bars, and then couldn’t keep your hands off me. ”
His nose wrinkled. “You mistake rage at your insolence for interest.”
“Those aren’t mutually exclusive.” I pressed my fingers against the solid heat of his chest. Muscle shifted under my palm when he sucked in a short breath. Good. It was working. “Besides, if this is you being angry, I don’t want to know what you look like when you’re impressed.”
His gaze trailed from my eyes to my mouth, then lower, to where the coat bunched around my chest where he held it. Heat coiled low in my belly, and I had to stop myself from crossing my legs to keep it under control.
Okay, wow. I’d never reacted to a man this way before. I had to get control over myself before I did something stupid. Although…it’d probably rattle him if I kissed that pulse point on his throat.
No. Stop. That won’t de-escalate things.
But my head leaned forward as if it had a mind of its own.
The damn traitor. I’d never felt this kind of draw to someone before, and there was no doubt that all he wanted to do was kill me.
I had to get him to release me so I could clear my damn head.
“The longer we stay like this, the harder it is to insist I’m nothing, don’t you think? ”
He jerked back as if burned.