Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
E leksi stalked about his property, disabling the traps and deadfalls protecting it.
The house was semi-underground, built into the side of a remote hill with a rocky overhang, deep in the forest. Since he constructed it for function rather than aesthetics, he’d never considered that it resembled a den or a lair more than a house. The thin windows were only wide enough for arrows and sunlight to pass through, and the black granite fa?ade was concealed by moss and creeping vines.
Was Neve afraid to stay with him? Perhaps he should’ve made other arrangements, even if they were riskier, for the sake of her comfort. In their rush to leave Klatos, he’d thought purely in terms of survival.
While he was glad to have a secure location to offer her, bringing her into his space also made him feel like he was putting himself on display. Knowing she could sense his emotions had been confronting enough—although not entirely in a bad way. He was just so used to silencing his feelings, swallowing his fears, deadening his desires.
But with Neve, he had nowhere to hide. Could she feel his growing attraction to her? Did she find it off-putting?
Aside from his physical desire, he’d told her about his past. It surprised him how easily he found it to confide in her—the words flowed from him. He sensed innately that she understood everything he said.
Although, perhaps that was wishful thinking. After all, he’d murdered his own father, and Neve had never known hers. She probably thought he was vile.
Dwelling on his fascination with Neve was a poor idea. Better to concentrate instead on keeping her alive. If only she didn’t make him want to buckle at the knees whenever she smiled.
“Come inside,” he said when he returned to the oak tree, where she waited with the horses.
She smirked. “I’m all safe from a good, old-fashioned impaling?”
“Aye.”
“Pity,” she murmured as she dismounted.
When she landed, she flashed her impish smile, dimples appearing on either side of her rose-petal mouth. Eleksi’s pulse throbbed. Was she flirting with him? Gods. He could keep his distance from her as long as she didn’t flirt with him.
Did she realize how little encouragement he’d require to claim her? She couldn’t have, or she wouldn’t flash her dimples at him like that. She’d run scared.
He unsaddled the horses before leading Neve to the vine-covered trapdoor that served as the main entrance to his home. To her credit, she didn’t respond with fear or surprise when he held the trapdoor open and invited her inside.
“I can see why this is such a good hideout,” she said as she climbed into the dark recesses of his home.
He went to argue with her—insist it wasn’t a hideout—but now, seeing the place through her eyes, he conceded that she had a point.
She clasped her hands in front of her and started looking around.
The interior was several degrees cooler than outside, due to the black granite floors and walls and ceiling.
“If you’ll stay here for a moment, I’ll light the place,” he said.
The dwelling had no dividing walls, except for the partitioned washroom, and he lit the candles in the brackets around the perimeter. Trying to preempt her reaction, he noted the animal skins on the bed and in front of the hearth, and the extensive collection of knives on display. A crossbow hung above his bed.
He winced. His home made him seem like a lunatic. Perhaps he’d have time to stash the crossbow, at least.
“Oh, I adore your hideout,” said Neve, walking up beside him before he could conceal anything.
Her lilting voice bounced off the black stone, like music.
Eleksi eyed her. “You do?”
She tilted her head back as she walked around the space, touching his books and dark wooden furniture. “It’s heavenly.”
“You’re making fun of me again.” He folded his arms.
She pressed her palms to the granite wall. “No, I’m not. I love this place because it’s peaceful. Granite is powerful. It blocks stray energy that might interfere with the mind. Your home is a mage’s dream.”
“Oh. Right.” His shoulders loosened. “I didn’t realize, about the granite. I do agree it’s peaceful, though. That’s why I chose it.”
She removed her cloak and slung it on the table. Then she shook free her lustrous onyx hair while he watched her, transfixed. He tore his gaze from her and went to a cupboard.
“There’s a bathtub in the washroom, if you’d like to bathe. I know I would.” He handed a towel to her. “After you, of course.”
She inclined her head. “I would like to bathe.”
The moment she disappeared behind the washroom curtain, he dashed around the room to tidy up and make sure nothing too strange was left out. When he’d last departed, he certainly hadn’t intended on returning with company.
He hesitated at the bed, deciding whether he should hide the crossbow. But she’d already seen it. If he moved it now, he’d only call further attention to the weapon.
“Eleksi?”
Her musical voice rang from the washroom. He crossed the room to the curtain.
“Yes?”
“I don’t suppose you have anything I can wear? Anything will do. My dress hasn’t been washed since . . . well, it’s been a while. I’d prefer not to put it back on.”
Blood rushed to his groin as he contemplated that Neve was naked on the other side of the flimsy curtain.
“I’ll find something,” he said. “It won’t be to your usual taste, though.”
“That’s alright.”
His clothes were far too big for her. He ended up settling on a black silk shirt with a collar that buttoned up, so that she might at least feel covered. The hem of the shirt would almost reach her knees.
“Here you go,” he said, passing it through the curtain. “I’ll wash your dress for you when you’re finished in there.”
When Neve exited the washroom, her hair was damp and his shirt hung loose around her shapely thighs. “I could’ve stayed in there all day,” she said. “I drained the water from the tub for you.”
He nodded, thinking he would’ve quite liked it if she hadn’t drained the water.
“I brought out food and drink, on the table,” he replied, keeping his expression carefully neutral. She was a guest in his home and he mustn’t make her feel uncomfortable. “Please help yourself.”
“Thank you, Eleksi.” Her dark eyes became serious. “For everything.”
“I did try to kill you.”
Husky laughter erupted from her throat, the sound making his heart twist and his blood course. “That’s true. I’ll have to think of more ways you can repay me.”
She winked.
Before he ruined everything—including her—Eleksi slunk into the washroom.
There he bathed and shaved, and then washed Neve’s dress and hung it to dry. He slicked back his damp hair and put on fresh black trews and a shirt. When he returned to the living area, Neve stood at the bookcase, perusing his tomes. She didn’t look up until he drew level with her.
“Gods, I didn’t hear you,” she said with a start. “The way you move truly is like magic.”
If only he had been born with magic—his life would’ve been far different.
He gave a conciliatory shrug. “It’s just instinct, and training.”
“While you were bathing, I was thinking.” She steepled her fingers and looked up at him through her thick, inky eyelashes. “Will you teach me?”
“To . . . be an assassin?”
She closed the distance between them, standing within arm’s reach. Her cheeks were still flushed from the heat of the bath, and damp strands of hair clung to her slender neck. He longed to push the strands out of the way and press his lips to her pulse.
“To be stealthy,” she clarified. “It would be advantageous if I could conceal myself without using magic. I could conserve my energy.” Her eyes swept up and down his body. “And you move so elegantly.”
With superhuman effort, he steered the conversation away from where he wanted it to go. From a dangerous, sensual place.
“Of course, I’ll teach you. But you are already the definition of elegance.”
She bit her plump bottom lip, making his desire surge. “Thank you. I mean, I’m grateful you’ll teach me.”
Eleksi spread his hands, flexing his long fingers. “Alright. I suppose the key is awareness. Awareness of your surroundings, of other people. But most of all, your body. The only real way to become more stealthy is by practice.”
“Right. How do I do that?”
He looked around the den for inspiration. Of all the training methods he’d endured on his path to becoming a Spider King, he would never use most of them on Neve. They were too savage.
“I have an idea,” he said, twitching a black bolt of fabric from the table. He used it to polish blades, but it was clean. “Close your eyes.”
He tied the fabric over her eyes, then stood directly before her.
“Can you feel me?” he asked, standing stationary. “Can you sense my energy, I mean? I’m not trying to be evasive right now.”
“That's what I don’t understand, though. How do you try to evade? How do you make your energy disappear?”
His brow furrowed as he tried to find the words. He’d never had to explain his innate abilities before. “I pretend I don’t exist. I quiet my mind and withdraw into myself. I become like a ghost. Or a shadow. But if someone is aware enough of their surroundings, they’ll see me, or hear me.”
She nodded slowly. “I think I can sense your energy. Although, you just spoke, revealing your position to me, so perhaps I only imagine I can sense you.”
As he took a long step to one side, he assumed the demeanor of an assassin. This involved a mostly instinctive slowing of his breathing, lightness of movement, and being acutely aware of the exact placement of every part of his body.
“Oh,” she murmured. “Now you truly have disappeared. I could swear I’m alone in this room.”
After seeming to make a decision, she groped to the opposite side of where he stood.
“You are using too much intellect,” he said softly. “Where does your instinct tell you I am?”
At the sound of his voice, she whipped around to face him. He moved again, standing directly behind her. She bowed her head in concentration. The scent of cinnamon rose from her shiny black hair and he grinned. Toying with her was fun. If that made him evil, so be it.
“It’s no use,” she said with a growl of frustration. “I feel like you’ve vanished entirely. You aren’t way over in the kitchen, are you? Am I making a complete fool of myself?” She paused, blindly turning her head back and forth. “Eleksi?”
Keeping his footfalls silent, he walked in front of her, so close their bodies almost touched. Could she feel the heat from his body? Surely, she could. His blood pulsed hot and fast.
He dropped his protective barrier and allowed himself to relax. Immediately, her posture straightened, like a fox scenting a rabbit.
“I can feel you,” she breathed. “Where are you?”
He reached out, stopping just short of cradling her heart-shaped face. His silver spider ring gleamed in the low light, making it appear alive.
The sensation of her warm breath on his hand set his skin alight. He clenched his jaw, barely resisting the urge to trail his fingertips over her narrow chin, down her neck, and come to rest on the creamy skin of her décolletage.
“You’re afraid,” he said, suddenly seeing her very clearly. “You’re afraid of who you really are. You’re afraid of your darkness.” A muscle in her forehead twitched as she registered his words. “But your darkness is beautiful. I know, because I’ve experienced it. You are exactly the way you are supposed to be, Neve.”
Her cherry lips trembled and for a moment, he thought he’d upset her.
Then, pouncing as quick as a cat, she clamped her hand around his raised wrist with absolute precision.
With a victorious smile, she tugged down the fabric and cast it aside. “Got you!”
“Yes, little witch. I believe you do.”