Claus

Thirty-Five

Cassian was in the room when she returned. The moment the door was shut behind her, he stood from where he sat on the bed.

She opened her mouth to speak, and he nodded. Relief flowed through her. He'd passed along the message. If she wasn't able to escape soon, it wouldn't be long before she succumbed to one of Klaus's offers.

"We have to be ready whenever," he said. It could be tonight, or it could be a week from now. Or maybe a month . . .

"Will you be gone by then?"

He frowned. "I told you I wouldn't let you go to the Frozen City. I can't very well do that from Eiraacia."

She scuffed the floor with her shoe. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to avoid it. And you know that you eventually have to become the Tooth Fairy."

Crossing his arms, he let out a snort. "It's a shame fallen teeth disturb me." He tilted his head, his lips inching to the side.

"That's very unfortunate for you."

"It just means I should be delaying the inevitable for as long as possible."

"If you help me with this, the consequences for you are going to get so much worse."

With a shrug, he walked toward her. "If I go head-to-head with Winter now, maybe they won't bother me when I do take my mother's place."

"Cassian?"

He stilled.

"Are we going to talk about yesterday?"

"We both said we fear trusting the other. It's best we both forget what else I said."

"And what you did?"

He flinched. "If I die without an heir, my family's magic dies with me."

"So after you have a kid, then you're okay with dying?" The words were as harsh as her tone.

"I want to trust you, Faryn. You saved my life on that train."

"And you've saved mine."

"And you don't trust me either."

"But I do." The words fell from her lips before she could think of what she was saying, yet somehow deep down, she knew they were true. Maybe this was what those other Elves had felt before meeting their fate at the hands of a Fae. Though she knew if she were in danger, Cassian would do everything he could to get to her. And if she were chained beneath the Frozen City, he wouldn't forget about her. He would try to get her out even knowing it would be all be in vain.

He turned toward the bed. "I wish I could say the same."

Faryn's hands tightened into fists. "You could at least not act afraid of me when I have no weapons, and you're the only one who can control their magic. You"—the word was almost a snarl—"have the upper hand as usual."

In the span of a blink, he faced her, his eyes narrowing. She titled her chin up and matched his glare.

A second later she was pinned to the wall by her wrists. Her eyes widened as she tried pulling free.

Cassian's nostrils flared as he held tight.

"If this is all some demonstration to show me how I actually have the upper hand because my hands are higher than yours, then congratulations, Cassian, you're very clever. Do you want me to say you won or something? Would you like a ribbon?"