Chapter Thirty
Miriam
The map looked like somebody had played darts with pins, choosing the spots at random. My eyes darted around so fast it nearly gave me whiplash, eventually making me cast a questioning look Michael’s way. He pretended not to notice.
‘What the hell am I looking at?’ I asked him, my tone slightly raised as he watched me analyse somebody’s artistic chaos with satisfaction.
Leaning over the wall that the map was displayed on, he attempted to look thoroughly unimpressed. ‘What’s confusing you, dear?’
‘First of all, I could make you die in your sleep. You know that, right?’
‘But you won’t,’ he said quickly, pretending to snarl.
He was right. Even when the idea almost made me salivate. I shouldn’t have had that taste of his blood either. ‘You’re awfully sure of yourself.’
‘Ask me how I know you won’t,’ he demanded, protruding his chin like the fact I hadn’t lost control over my power and made him piss himself in fear was related to anything other than my stellar discipline.
Arrogant. Narcissistic. And delusional. ‘Do indulge my morbid curiosity, oh handsome prince.’
Leaning down, something in his eyes told me this conversation was meant to bring me to the edge of losing my cool.
‘I like the way you think, darkling.’ He chuckled, licking his lips before the low tone of his voice shocked me more than his next words. ‘You won’t kill me because you would miss me.’
A laugh threatened to break free, but I kept my face serious and my posture straight. ‘Please... That’s what you think?’
He winked, standing too close. ‘That’s what I know, babes.’
I craved his fear. The thought of his petrified whimpers was so tempting that adrenaline surged through me, setting a faint tremor beneath my skin.
‘Babe?’ I snorted. ‘Were you dropped on your head as one by any chance?’
Getting closer to my ear, he whispered, ‘Tell me, precious. Do you get off by resisting me? Don’t get me wrong, I like the game; I just can’t wait for when you eventually beg me for more.’
Something about him intrigued me. Whether he was dumb, suicidal or a moron, the way he was so bold with me wasn’t what I was used to. ‘The only thing I’ll be begging for is time alone after working with you.’
‘I twist your panties in a bunch that bad?’
I cracked my knuckles, looking deep into his stormy eyes. ‘You’re like an annoying splinter stuck in my finger. The more I try to dig you out, the deeper you bury yourself until I finally rip you out and crush you.’
‘Was that an invitation to embed myself in you, Miriam? I like how forward you are.’ His arms crossed over the back of his head. ‘I know some species of spiders tend to tear off their mate’s heads after the deed. I’d rather keep mine, if you don’t mind.’
‘Ava said there is a third brother,’ I whined, crossing my arms. ‘I think I would rather work with him.’
‘The third brother is probably doing to his mate what you’re dreaming I would do to you,’ Michael said, finally tearing his eyes away and focusing on the map. ‘Let’s go there,’ he said, pointing to a spot in the south.
I analysed his stance some more, in case I needed to teach him a lesson. It was difficult to assess how strong a fae really was without combat, but I thought I had a general idea.
‘Anything I need to be aware of?’ I asked analysing the place.
‘Just don’t land us in lava. Takes a while to recover from burns that deep,’ he complained, quickly tapping his foot, and I winced.
Jumping to unknown places was dangerous on the best of terms, and this sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. ‘Lava? How am I to know where the lava is? It’s not like I have a magic ball to see—’
‘Relax yourself, darling,’ he said surprisingly calm. ‘We can take a portal to the nearest town and take a car from there. It won’t be that long of a drive anyway.’
Did he just grow a brain? ‘Okay.’
‘Okay.’ Michael tore himself off the wall. ‘Move those pretty legs and follow me then.’
There was something uniquely wrong with him. And I’ve never craved bloodshed this strongly before. ‘I will murder you in your sleep.’
Turning back, he stared into my eyes with his head shifting to the side. ‘I hope that’s a metaphor for a good time.’
My lips curved up as I tried to look as menacing as possible. ‘Oh, it will be for me.’
‘I aim to please, grey.’
My watch showed just after twelve a.m., which meant we had been driving for four hours now. At some point, it had to stop. Didn’t these things run out of fuel?
I sat in the warm seat, shifting nervously. There weren’t many vehicles on the Isles. Sitting in one felt like being trapped in a metal coffin.
Every now and again we passed an oncoming vehicle, and every single time panic froze my eyes shut.
How easily they could crush into us. And the road on the edge of the cliff nearly gave me a heart attack.
Thank Gods I could jump back home if things went south.
Whether I saved him with me remained to be seen.
Michael stopped his humming to look over me. ‘Do you have worms?’
My mouth slackened. ‘I beg you pardon?’
‘Last time my niece was this restless, she had some form of butt worms she caught in school. The whole court needed to medicate. Keep these away from me,’ he mocked an outrage and I stared at him in utter disbelief.
Butt worms.
Did I hear him right, or did I hallucinate this?
‘I’m sorry—what did you just say to me?’
His eyebrow rose. ‘At least if I catch your parasites, let it be through… a fun way.’
‘Oh, I’ll show you fun when we get out of this tin,’ I seethed, staring him down.
Face distorted in a serious scowl, Michael’s hand shot out against his chest as he wheezed, ‘Don’t insult Betty. She has feelings.’
I stared him down. ‘Your car has a name?’
‘And my heart too so watch it, princess of dark and fury.’
‘I have a feeling you secretly have a death wish, boy.’ My teeth flashed in a calculated smile that promised danger. The shadows that desperately wanted out pooled in my eyes as I observed him.
It was a self-defence trick meant to creep strangers out. Made dark fae look dangerous even when we had no plan of attacking. I awaited his reaction on the edge of my seat.
‘I like your red eyes more,’ he said, shrugging. ‘These make you look too normal.’
The man’s brain was a mystery. Did he even have any? ‘Eyes black as coal with swirling darkness make me look normal?’
He nodded and clicked his tongue as if it were me that annoyed him.
‘Just drive.’ The ashy hills stretched for an eternity. ‘But hang on, didn’t you say it’d be a short drive?’
Once more he took his eyes off the road to stare at me. Fool. I could jump, he would die. ‘Why do I sense that you dislike Betty?’
‘Why do I sense that you’re winding me up on purpose?’
He shot me an exaggerated smirk. ‘Is it working, darkling?’
‘Are you like this with everyone, or is this special treatment reserved only for me?’
‘Why?’ Michael smiled. ‘Are you jealous?’
I massaged my temples before releasing a couple of calming breaths. Patience wasn’t a virtue I ever thought I lacked; he was proving me wrong. ‘Listen to me, boy. I am an engaged woman. Your insinuations are inappropriate.’
‘Engaged, huh? That’s funny.’
‘What’s so funny about it?’ My words rang out more hostile than I intended.
‘Nothing other than the fact you don’t even smell like him.’ Michael’s fingers curled around the steering wheel. ‘Do you even spend any time together? I mean, you smell more like me than your fiancé, that should show you—’
‘Show me what exactly?’ I snapped. ‘And why do you think you get to have an opinion about my love life?’
‘Didn’t you say it yourself that it’s a marriage of convenience? Doesn’t seem like either of you is harbouring much love for one another.’
Not this again.
‘You all lack the capacity to understand that people have goals that differ from your own.' I looked away while my cheeks burned. ‘Just because I want a simple life, it doesn’t make it any less valuable than what you all have planned.’
‘I never said that, Miriam,’ he said, his eyes darting to me, but I ignored him. ‘I like the idea of a simple life too.’
‘Then I don’t understand why you keep belittling my choices.’
His voice a little hoarser, he looked nervous as he explained, ‘Because you’re sacrificing everything good in life for a chance at something that should come naturally with the right partner.’
It seemed I kept having the same conversation over and over with different people. ‘What exactly am I sacrificing?’
‘Love. Companionship. Surely, you have considered it once or twice.’
For a fleeting moment, I hesitated.
‘Love?’ I chuckled until my throat itched. ‘Love’s good in books. It’s a concept we’ve manufactured to make ourselves feel better about our most primal needs.’
The prince appeared to flinch. ‘That’s just sad. You don’t really think that.’
People’s response to my cynical approach was almost funny to watch. Usually. The dejection in his eyes made me regret sharing my opinion. ‘It’s the truth.’
‘Love isn’t the fairytale you read about, but it’s real.' He stood firm in his beliefs.
‘And how would you know? You’re not mated nor married.’
‘Because I’ve seen it in my parents, my brother, and his mate. Between River and Ava too, even though their situation is more complex,’ he explained, certain of his beliefs.
My heart rate slowed as I forced myself to calm down. ‘Are your parents mates?’
‘Yes,’ he said quickly, his eyes glinting with something akin to hope.
‘Then every single couple you mentioned is genetically predisposed to accept the other.’ My hands fidgeted as he looked at me with those expressive eyes. ‘All of them are mates. Do you not see the fault in your logic? It’s not love; it’s the Gods pushing them together.’
‘So being mates restricts you from love? Is that what you’re saying?’ he asked, sounding exasperated.
‘No. I’m saying real love is rare. And that things become so muddled between mates it’s hard to tell whether it’s the mate bond keeping them together or love.’
Michael shook his head. ‘One day you’ll see you’re wrong. I just hope it’s before you get married.’