Page 57 of A Lick of Flame

Hamlin grins. It’s working. It’s damn well working. I grit my teeth, praying that he doesn’t buy into it. I’ve never been one for praying, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

“Ummmm…yes, sure. Why not? I could show you around and…um…let you stretch your legs a little.”

“You do know that she plans on seducing you and then overpowering you? Them, too.” I use my head to nod in the direction of the guards surrounding us. “Then she’ll take your keys, free me, and we’ll escape.”

Hamlin’s eyes narrow on me and then on Maya.

I fully expect her to retaliate. To be mad at me for blowing her whole ruse, but she doesn’t. I hate to say it, but her reaction impresses me to my core. It also has me fucking terrified for her.

She starts to laugh. It’s soft and breathless. It’s sexy. She shakes her head, waving her hand like she’s having trouble talking because she found what I said so hilarious. Not just that, it looks like she finds it absurd.

“Ignore him.” She giggles. “He’s upset because he’s in love with me. I’ve had to turn down his advances several times.” She rolls her eyes. “It’s getting embarrassing. He just doesn’t get it.” Maya looks at me. “I’m not interested in a fae, particularly a beastfae. My whole family was murdered by his kind. What am I saying? He’s the king of the beastfae. It doesn’t get much worse than that. So, for the last time, Orion…I’m not interested. You can stop already.” She looks at Hamlin. “All of that aside, how am I going to overpower the likes of you? Have you seen me?” she asks him. “I’m tiny. I mean, look at me and then look at you. Look at all those muscles.” She glances at his chest and arms. “You have several swords strapped to your body, and I’m sure you know how to use every one of them.”

Hamlin sniggers. “I sure do, lovely lady.” Then he laughs harder, looking at me. “Nice try.” He shakes his head. “How the mighty have fallen. There was a time when you could have any woman you wanted, except you didn’t want any of them. Now the tables have turned. You finally found a woman to your liking, and she wants me…wants to spend quality time with me.” He waves a hand up and down his body.

Maya smiles at him sweetly.

“Don’t do this, Maya,” I insist.

“Leave me alone. For the last time, I’m not interested in anything you have to say.” She looks back up at Hamlin. “What do you say?”

Hamlin shrugs. “Sure…why not?” He unlocks the shackles on her ankles. “Dinner will have to wait,” he tells me.

“Maya!” I try again.

“You heard the lady; she wants to spend time with me. Your life as you once knew it is over. I’ll be a rich man tomorrow when we hand you over. What am I saying? We will all be rich. Bard can finally retire.”

“Who is it? Who is paying my bounty?”

“You’re headed for the Ice Court to her…to Snow. I have no idea what she has in store for you, only that I’m glad I’m not you.” He chuckles. “Who would have thought? A king.” He snorts. “You. Bow down to the king,” he tells the guards milling around us. One sniggers.

“Since when do you take on work for the fae?” I snap.

“What is it to you?” he sneers.

I shrug. “Bard always steered clear of doing any kind of work for my people. His stance was always against my kind.”

“Times are tough. There is less and less work coming in for the likes of us that doesn’t involve taking coin from the fae. Where do you think most of the resources are? Not with the humans. We’ve made an exception in your case. It’s not like you’re a human or anything. It’s not like we’re selling out one of our own.”

“Only you are. I rode with you, Hamlin.”

“Dante the human rode with us.”

“I’m still the same person. Can’t you see that?”

“I see a big payday in my future and one less fae to worry about,” he snaps.

“You’re helping Snow by handing me over. I want to put an end to her rule.”

Hamlin puts a hand up. “Tell someone who cares.”

“Maya is human, and yet you plan on handing her over as well,” I growl, unable to keep my anger in check.

It’s Snow. Deep down inside, I knew it was her. She’ll lock me away in the deepest, darkest dungeon, or she’ll outright kill me. I am a threat, one she will neutralize.

“Maybe I’ll keep her.” His eyes track down her form. “It’s mainly you they want.” He finally drags his gaze back to me.

“Keep her?” I growl. “You with one woman?”

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