Chapter Seventeen Riela #2
steps foot outside; he sends minions in his place.” I opened my mouth to ask the obvious follow-up question, but Garrick shook
his head again. “His castle is too fortified. He can’t reach me here, and I can’t reach him there.”
I mulled that over while I finished my dinner. Garrick seemed to be the better choice, but would that change once he had access
to Lohka again? The old tales had nothing good to say about the King of Roses or the King of Stone, but I’d rather side with the monster I knew—especially when he’d treated me better than I’d expected.
And while some of the poems in the book my mother had left me mentioned rock or stone, they mostly were about strength or
stubbornness—none of them were as negative as the poem about roses. It was a tenuous thread, but one I wasn’t entirely ready
to dismiss.
“Do you want help?” I asked. “I mean, I can’t exactly go stab the Blood King in the heart, but I could help you research.
If I truly can’t leave the forest, then I’ll need something to do, and I’m already supposed to be killing the monster in the
woods.”
When Garrick didn’t immediately respond, I swallowed and added, “Or maybe I could lure King Roseguard out.” Bitter fear coated my tongue, but I’d expected to die in the woods. If I could take a true monster with me, maybe it would be worth it.
“No,” Garrick bit out. His hands fisted on the table, and his eyes pinned me in place. “Swear to me that you won’t attempt
it.”
“No.” I held up a hand to forestall the argument I could see brewing in his expression. “I won’t try it without help—that
would be pointless. But if the opportunity presents itself and you think we have a good chance of victory, I’ll do it.”
“Do not test me on this, Riela,” he growled.
The way his voice wrapped around my name tugged at something low in my belly, but I merely raised my eyebrows. “Perhaps you shouldn’t test me, Garrick.”
Moonlight magic spilled from him and a predatory smile curled across his lips. The dishes disappeared, leaving a bare table
between us. The narrow expanse of wood was not nearly enough protection.
“What will you do about it, little mage?” he taunted.
His magic coiled around me, wild and thrilling. My magic rose to match it, and I leaned forward with a tiny, reckless smile.
“Whatever I want.”
His grin was a slow, wicked invitation to sin. “And what do you want?”
That low question paired with the smoldering heat in his eyes was nearly enough to derail my thoughts. But if I gave in on
this, then he’d feel like he could order me around, and I refused to go down that path, Etheri king or no.
I reached across the table and stroked my fingers over the back of his hand. He went still, his entire focus on me. It was
a heady feeling, part danger, part desire.
Before I could lose my nerve, I lifted my other hand and summoned a thick slice of chocolate cake. I nearly forgot the plate,
but a last-second addition saved me from the embarrassment of having to eat it off the table.
It was infuriatingly easy, but when I lifted my fingers from his skin and tried again, nothing happened. The castle and I were going to have a very stern talk after this.
I slid the plate toward me, and Garrick’s brow furrowed. He blinked, then his expression went worryingly flat. His magic disappeared,
leaving me feeling faintly bereft.
Anxious nerves fluttered in my stomach, drawing tighter with each passing second. I cut a bite of the cake. The fork trembled
in my hand, and the delicious frosting tasted like ash on my tongue.
Still Garrick didn’t speak.
I ate another bite, eyes on the table and insouciant mask paper-thin. Every sense was focused on Garrick’s reaction. If he
refused to let this tiny rebellion stand, then I was no safer here than I would be in the forest.
Garrick reached out and dragged the plate to the middle of the table. A fork appeared in his hand with a soft thrum of magic.
“Since my castle’s magic made this cake, it’s only fair that you share,” he murmured.
I risked a glance at him, but he didn’t seem angry. If anything, he seemed quietly amused. I wasn’t entirely sure that was better, but some of my tension unknotted.
“I can make you your own piece,” I offered, extending my hand.
He slid his palm into mine and a little jolt of sensation darted up my arm. I ignored it, and focused on creating another
slice of cake—on a plate.
Once I’d accomplished it, I started to pull my hand back, but Garrick wrapped his fingers around my wrist. “You really don’t
know how you’re doing that, do you?” he mused softly.
“Did you think I was lying?”
Shadows darkened his face and he released my hand. “Everyone lies.” He picked up his fork and sliced another bite from my
piece of cake.
Without thinking, I playfully smacked his hand. “Eat your own!”
He stilled, fork in the air, and I realized what I’d done. Once again, he didn’t look angry so much as surprised. How long
had it been since someone had dared to play with the Silver King? Had anyone ever?
My heart twisted. I leaned forward, taking advantage of his stillness, and ate the bite straight from his fork. His expression
didn’t change.
Didn’t Etheri play? I tilted my head as I tried to remember the myths and legends I’d heard. Most were dire warnings, but
there were one or two where a brave human had earned a boon for inviting an Etheri to chase them. I didn’t love a chase, but
I was excellent at hiding. Perhaps that would be close enough.
Before I could overthink it, I grabbed both plates and climbed to my feet with a teasing smile. “Thanks for the cake!”
Garrick was watching me with a frown, so I stopped halfway to the door to ensure he knew I was playing. “Though, I suppose I could share—if you can find me and catch me before I eat it all.” I grinned at him, but his frown deepened, and my nerves
failed. Maybe some Etheri played, but it certainly seemed like he did not, and hot humiliation climbed my cheeks.
I held out his plate and moved back toward the table. “Sorry, never mind. It was a silly idea. Here’s your cake. Or I can
make you a new piece, if you’d like.”
He sat unmoving, his burning gaze locked onto me, so I carefully slid the plate onto the edge of the table and backed away.
Something about his stillness put my instincts on alert.
“Well, um . . .” I chuckled nervously while backing toward the doorway. “Thanks for dinner. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I was nearly to the exit when his voice stopped me. “Riela.” It sounded like my name had been dragged from him against his
will, but it still shivered over my skin like phantom fingers.
I froze. “Yes?”
Garrick’s knuckles whitened where they gripped the edge of the tabletop. His eyes glowed silver, and his expression took on a wild edge that warned of danger.
I stopped breathing as his smile grew feral, then my brain shut down and I bolted.