Page 25 of The Stolen Throne

There’s a flutter in my chest at his words. Because this time, they don’t sound hateful. They weren’t filled with his normal venom. The way he spoke almost felt… affectionate?

15

After my night with Kas, I need some time with my sunshine man. Is it weird I think of him as my ray of sunshine even though he’s a villain? He’s the oddest villain I’d ever met. He seems more the hero type rather than the villain, in my opinion.

I hear my nickname shouted behind me, making me jump. “Snow bunny!”

Peering over my shoulder, I find a blood-soaked Ash. My mouth gapes and I shout, “Why the fuck are you covered in blood!?”

He glances down at himself before looking back up to meet my gaze, a huge grin still in place. “Don’t worry; it’s not mine.”

“I wasn’t worried until you said that!” I grumble.

He glances back down at himself with a furrowed brow. “Although, I suppose some of it could be mine.” He shrugs.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I huff out, “There is so much there to unpack, but let’s start with why you are covered in blood?”

He’s chipper as he answers, “Torture, of course.”

Arching a brow, I ask, “You or a prisoner?”

With a dramatic eye roll, he replies, “The prisoner, of course.” Then he opens his arms out wide, flinging crimson blood on the pearl white walls. “Hug?”

I shake my head vehemently. “No. Don’t you dare come close to me.”

He arches a brow. “It’s just blood.”

“It’s some random person’s blood!” I screech.

“Maybe a bit of mine as well,” he tries to reason as if that would change my mind.

I narrow my eyes. “My answer is still the same.”

His gaze turns mischievous, and he asks, “Would you run?”

Confused by his question, I ask, “Why would I need to run?”

He lowers his arms and takes a step toward me. “Would you run?”

I point a finger at him, waggling it as I take a step back. “Don’t you dare!”

Another step forward. “Oh, I dare, Little Snow Bunny.”

With another step back, I say, “You will ruin my dress!”

He chuckles. “So… you’re only worried about ruining your dress?”

Growling, I take another step back. “That’s not what I meant. You just killed some random person! They could have been innocent.”

“Is that what you are worried about? That I killed someone innocent?” He takes another step forward as he asks, “Would it ease your morals, if I said that the man I helped torture killed his entire family?”

I gasp as we continue this game of predator and prey. Alternating steps back and forward as we speak. “Why would he do that?”

He shrugs. “Why does anyone do anything in this kingdom?” He looks over my body before his eyes flash black for a moment. “I must say after a kill, my darkness is hard to control.”

“What are you saying?”

He groans as he licks his lips. “I remember how delicious your tears tasted, Little Snow Bunny.” He closes his eyes as if in ecstasy as he adds, “And your blood tasted even better.”

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