Chapter 10 #2
“There’s nothing to understand,” he counters. “You paid me for a service and I’m doing my part, so just drop it and come on. We need to make it over the bridge before nightfall.”
“I don’t know if I can do this.” My mouth goes so dry that when I swallow, the spit goes down rough. “There are already people coming after you, and if more people see you fighting like that, they’ll come for you, too. Do you know how much the queen pays in bounty for people like you?”
“I don’t care.” He mounts the horse, facing forward. “Get on.”
“No. Are you out of your mind?” I protest. “I’m not going anywhere with you! I’ll just have to find another way.” I twist around, ready to storm back to Meriva and forget all about this murderous man. Being around him any longer will get me killed.
“You either get on, or your sister dies,” he says matter-of-factly.
I freeze in my tracks. “There is no one else out there with skills like mine who will agree to help you. You’ll never make it through The Shallows alone, and without a prosperity stone, you will never break that curse.
You go back now, and you might as well start picking out flowers for her grave. ”
Balling my fists, I twist around as tears well in my eyes. “Fuck you!”
I can’t believe it, but the asshole actually smirks. I want to slap it right off his face.
“You’re acting like I can’t go back and report you to the queen right now,” I shoot at him.
The smirk vanishes. With a growl, he’s off the horse and standing in front of me, towering above like a ruthless giant.
Seething, he grips my face between his thumb and forefinger.
His hold isn’t tight, but it’s firm, like he wants to make sure I look nowhere else but at him.
He breathes as hard as a bull, his amber gaze penetrating mine.
“You could report me, but you won’t,” he rasps.
“I just saved your life and am risking everything so I can help you get across the fucking world to reach a place hardly any man has survived.” His grip tightens a bit more, his face mere inches from mine.
My heart bangs chaotically in my rib cage.
“You turn me in, and you’ll never see your sister again.
Do you understand that? Without my help, your sister will die. ”
I’m fuming now, my fists clenching tighter.
“Shove those fears aside, Quinlocke, because this is happening whether you like it or not.” He studies my eyes, my nose, my mouth, his breath grazing my skin as my breathing shallows.
“I don’t take you for a quitter, so I expect you to follow rule number two and get your ass on that horse before Seferin destroys everything you have left. ”
My fists slowly stop clenching with the sudden realization of how much truth rings in his words about Seferin and with how close we are. My chest brushes against him. His presence is powerful, and his fingers on my face make me hyperaware of that. I stupidly look from his eyes to his mouth.
He does the same.
But just as quickly, he releases my face and steps back. I jerk myself away from him and widen the distance between us by stepping back, too. Jaw ticking, he awaits my next move, his irises sparking with warning.
I have two options to choose between.
Option one: report him to the queen, possibly get paid a shit ton of coins, but lose my sister in the process or…
Option two: swallow my good morals, suck it up, stick with him, and save my sister’s life.
I chew on my bottom lip so hard I can feel my teeth piercing the flesh inside of it. I taste blood as I adjust the strap of my rucksack.
I hate admitting it, but he’s right. I’m not a damn quitter. But I’m also not delusional enough to think sticking with a killer like him is even remotely okay. This goes against everything I stand for. I can be killed just for associating with him.
But this is about more than me and my perception of right and wrong. It’s about my sister’s very survival. I can’t make it to Elphar alone, and if I fail, my only remaining family will die.
I stare at the tree line as the horse huffs next to me. The urge to climb on, dig my heels in, and gallop away hits hard, but I push it down. I’m not a coward, but I am scared. This isn’t a case of choosing the lesser of two evils. It’s knowingly choosing the greater evil for the greater good.
I shoot a glance at Thane, who is scanning for danger while impatiently waiting for my decision.
It’s decided. From this point forward, there’s no turning back. I’m going to save Analla or die trying. And my best hope—no, my only hope is this man. So I climb onto the horse’s back and stiffen my spine as I accept my fate.
Thane evidently senses my resolve because he mounts the horse and sits behind me, his broad chest grazing my back. He lets out a deep sigh and chills run over the nape of my neck. Goose bumps prickle my skin, despite my fury.
Why in the shadows is my body reacting to him? I hate him for what just happened. Hate him for leaving me no choice. Damn it, I hated him from the moment he uttered “fuck off” to me.
Yet, with his chest against my back, his warm thighs wrapped around mine, and his arms reaching past me to control the reins, my heart can’t help but beat a little faster.
Some part of me deep down is intrigued by this man—has been since I first laid eyes on him…and that does not sit well with me one bit.