Page 50 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

However, before I can fall backwards down the stairs, a hand shoots out and grabs my arm.

My stomach lurches as Draven yanks me up and then spins me around before shoving me back first against the smooth wall of the stairwell. A second later, his massive wings flare out and curve around us. They block out everything else and hide both of us from view.

Dragging air into my lungs, I try to catch my breath after the almost fall. But the breath is snatched right out of my lungs again as I tilt my head back to meet Draven’s eyes.

Anger and disbelief and confusion pulse across his face as he stares me down.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demands yet again, sounding just as flustered as he looks. “If this is some misguided attempt to seduce me, you’re?—”

“Seduce you?” I interrupt, utterly flabbergasted as I stare back at him. “Why the hell would I try to seduce you?”

“To stop me from trying to get you kicked out of the Atonement Trials.”

A laugh rips from my lungs, and I shake my head at him in disbelief. Then a sly smile blows across my lips as I hold his gaze. “Oh trust me, Shadow of Death, if I was really trying to seduce you, you would know.”

Something almost like heat sears his cheeks for a second, and his gaze drops down my body again for the briefest of moments.

And in that moment, I suddenly remember that I’m still naked. Utterly and completely naked.

I yank my arms back up to cover my breasts and pussy while my cheeks flush a deep shade of red.

Draven snaps his gaze up to my face, and I swear the heat in his cheeks grows worse as well. Then he clears his throat, andthat composed mask full of authority slams back down on his face.

“Well then, if it’s not for my benefit, then what the fuck are you doing naked in the stairwell?” he demands.

I press my arms tighter against my body as embarrassment washes over me. “It’s none of your business.”

“Answer the question.”

“Are you deaf or just stupid? I just said it’s none of your business.”

Lightning flashes in his eyes, and he closes the distance between us in one quick stride. His breath dances over my skin as he growls his next words in my face through clenched teeth.

“Answer the fucking question, Selena. Or I swear to God, I will?—”

“Fine,” I snap, interrupting his annoying threats.

Clenching my jaw, I glare up at him. He just stares me down in silence, daring me to disobey. I force out a frustrated breath.

“I was taking a bath, and someone stole my clothes to mess with me,” I admit.

For a fraction of a second, something, some kind of emotion, flashes across his face. But it’s there and gone again so quickly that I’m starting to doubt that I even saw it at all.

He flexes his right hand and grinds out, “Who?”

I briefly consider ratting Alistair out, but I decide against it. Because the infuriating fire-wielder is right. Stealing my clothes isn’t against the rules, so he won’t be punished for it. And if I tell Draven, and he makes a thing out of it, it will only prove to Alistair that he did manage to get under my skin and mess with my head.

So instead, I reply, “I don’t know.”

Draven forces out a long breath through his nose, as if he is barely managing to restrain himself. He clearly doesn’t believemy lie, because he forces out the same word again between clenched teeth. “Who?”

“I don’t know!” I shoot him a stare full of challenge and incredulity. “If I had seen who took my clothes, I wouldn’t have let them just walk out with them, now would I?”

He draws his dark brows down in something between a frown and a scowl. Then he heaves a deep sigh and unclenches his hand. He doesn’t admit that my logic makes sense, but he takes a step back.

I remain pressed against the wall, my arms covering as much of my body as I can.

For a few seconds, no one says anything.

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