𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕎𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕙 (Book 2)

Fifty-Eight

Time slowed and curled around me as though I was its master. Whisps and tendrils of midnight smoke surrounded my vision, but all I could see was my target. All I had eyes for was anger.

    Rhysand stood in that time warping voice. I watched as his grin vanished faster than lightning. As he saw the sharp iron nails along my palms and the fangs in my mouth like the vampires I'd heard in stories growing up.

    His eyes were lit with a wicked sense of something akin to wonder as I winnowed in front of him and tackled him into the snow.

    I panted, sprawled on top of Rhys in the snow as my iron-tipped hands clutched his neck. Rhys was laughing beneath me, "Never." I growled, anger flowing through my veins as though it were a part of me, "Never, use me as bait again."

    He stopped laughing.

    I pushed harder on his neck as he sunk deeper into the snow, "You said I could be a weapon—then let me do that. Don't use me like a pawn. The exact thing that had been done to me before. And if being one is a part of my work for you. Then I'm done." I leaned closer, "Done, Rhysand."

    Despite the cold of the snow, his body was warm beneath me. Close. We were much too close.

    His eyes shone with regret for a moment before it was covered up. Washed away as he forced his features into something else. "Fari enough," he said.

    I shoved away from him. Retracting the nails that had strengthened my fingertips. Though I'd investigate that more later.

    Rhys stood from the ground, coming up a safe distance from me, knowing I was mad and was already thinking about sending him onto his ass again. "Do it again. Show me how you did it."

    I shook my head, scoffing breathily as I turned to face him again, "You have a lot of nerve, Rhys. Asking for things right now." I balled my hands into fists as I turned away. "Take me back to the chateau," I said.

    His face turned grave, "I'm sorry." he said, holding out a hand. An offer. Forgiveness.

He'd used me. Just like the Flame had. Just like Tamlin had.

    It would take more than just two words to cover up that mark.

    I loosed a breath, "Why does the king want me?" I questioned quietly but not softly.

    Darkness flickered around us, the only sign of the temper Rhysand had once again leashed. "That's what I'm going to find out."

    You stopped fighting.

    "I'm sorry," he said again, his hand still outstretched, "Let's eat breakfast, then go home." And so when Rhys spirited us back to my family's home. I simply walked away. Not looking back as I bottled away my emotions and my betrayals.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A/N: Short lil sad chapter. Rhys was so wrong for this in the books ngl.