Page 35 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

He jerks back slightly, surprise and disbelief pulsing across his face. Then he draws his eyebrows down in something that looks remarkably like an embarrassed scowl.

“What amIwearing?” he counters, and then shoots a pointed look down at my silver dress. “What areyouwearing?”

“The clothes provided for me.” Dropping his hand, I instead grip the flowing black fabric that cascades down his back, and pull at it. “Is that a cape?”

His hand shoots down, grabbing mine and forcing it away from his cape before bringing it back into the correct position for the dance. He tightens his grip on me. Both on my hand and my waist.

“Yes, it’s a cape,” he huffs.

“Why are you wearing a cape?”

“To make a statement.”

“A statement? What kind of statement?” I nod towards the massive black wings behind him. “That you’re a moron whodoesn’t realize that your fancy little cape will get all tangled up in your wings the moment you try to fly?”

He yanks me closer.

Air escapes my lungs as my body slams into his muscular chest. I try to pull back while refilling my lungs, but Draven snakes his arm around my waist, holding me firmly pressed against him. His face is so close to mine that I can feel his breath caress my lips.

“Azaroth’s flame,” he curses, but there is a hint of something like amusement in his tone too. His eyes glint as he holds my gaze while speaking almost directly against my lips. “You always act so soft-spoken around everyone else. Who knew that you had such a sharp tongue underneath all that fake submissiveness?”

Heat sears my cheeks, but I’m not sure if it’s from embarrassment or indignation or anger or… something else. Taking my hand from his shoulder, I place it against his firm chest and try to push myself back to create a little more space between us. But his arm remains around my back, holding me tightly against him, while he moves us slowly around in a circle as if it’s part of the dance.

I swallow and try to come up with some kind of cutting reply. But all that makes it out of my mouth is, “How do you know how I always act?”

“You seriously think I didn’t see you with that group over there?” He nods in the direction of the people I tried to make friends with earlier. “How you let them walk all over you.”

“I didn’t let them walk all over me.”

He just arches a pointed brow in response.

I scoff, but I can’t argue further because deep down I know that he’s right.

“And yet with me, you let that sharp tongue of yours come out to play.” He leans impossibly closer and cocks his head. Themove makes him slant his mouth over mine, barely a breath away. “Why is that?”

Lightning skitters across my skin as his breath dances over my lips. My heart flutters in my chest and my veins feel like they’re on fire.

I know that I should probably make up some kind of excuse or lie or say anything that will make him less likely to mess with my chances of winning the Atonement Trials. But I don’t.

“Because I don’t care what you think of me,” I reply. “I don’t care if you hate me. Truth be told, I kind of hate you too.” I stop myself right before I can say,and that’s why I feel so incredibly free when I talk to you. Instead, I finish with, “And that’s why I don’t hold back when I talk to you.”

A soft laugh escapes his chest. It makes his warm breath hit my lips and slide over my cheeks, sending a ripple down my spine.

“I see,” he says.

He relaxes his grip on me, allowing me to draw back slightly again. I try desperately to clear my head as he slides his hands back into the correct position for the dance. My heart thumps in my chest, beating in tune with the swelling music as Draven spins us right into the building climax of the song.

“The cape is a statement,” he says, picking up the threads of the conversation that started this head-spinning confrontation. “My entire outfit is a statement.” He rustles his wings slightly. “I’m showing off my wings in a half-shift so that people will know that I’m more powerful than them. But I’m also wearing a cape which, as you so astutely pointed out, will get caught in my wings if I try to fly right now. And what does that tell people?”

I consider for a second. Then realization hits me.

“That you’re so powerful that you don’t even need your wings to win if someone attacks you,” I finish for him, finally understanding his reasoning.

“Exactly.”

“Huh.” I glance down at his outfit before meeting his gaze again and raising my eyebrows. “Clever.”

He narrows his eyes. “Was that surprise I heard?”

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