Page 21 of A Thieving Curse

“Now you’re threatening me?” She clutched the knife tighter. “If I’m a guest, I’m leaving.”

He snarled, his lips pulling back to reveal his fangs. “Fine.” His voice deepened, becoming coarse. “You’re my prisoner, not my guest.”

Prisoner. Locked doors.

She fled through the arched doorway, grimacing as her ankle pinched.

“You’ll be eaten alive!”

At that moment, she felt she’d rather face the manticore than be a demon’s prisoner. She hurried through the cave on her painful ankle, shielding the candle’s sputtering flame with her hand. A stickiness indicated the bite marks were bleeding again, but she didn’t dare stop as she picked tunnels to turn down at random. She’d find a way out. She had to.

Monster’s bride.Never.

A leathery snap drew her attention over her shoulder. The dragon-man sped after her, hovering over the ground as his wings flapped.

“Wait! You’re not even going the right way.” His voice had smoothed again, the growl gone. “Look out!”

Raelyn whipped her head back around and stopped before colliding with a stalagmite. She caught herself on the damp stone. The monster landed with a flutter behind her.

“You’re headed deeper into the mountain,” he said tersely. “Go far enough, and you’ll run into things more frightening than me. Things thatwilleat you.”

She hesitated.He might be lying.

“Come on.” His footsteps headed back down the tunnel. “I’ll show you the way out.”

She turned as he walked away. His long wings partly unfolded as he adjusted them, and she caught a glimpse of holes in his shirt where the wings sprouted from his back. His tail twitched leisurely with each step, and his arms swayed at his sides.

“Coming?” he called.

Raelyn’s posture fell. She didn’t have much choice. Her ankle was in agony, and if he was telling the truth, continuing was futile. If he was lying, who knew what he had planned. She pushed the thought away.Please actually lead me out of here.

Clutching the knife, she walked behind him and to the side, wary of his wings and tail. As the candle melted, she kept tilting it so hot wax wouldn’t run down her hand.

“I don’t suppose you will tell me which direction to go to find the pass?” Raelyn asked timidly.

He grunted. “I can do that. But you won’t survive. There are worse things than wolves on these mountains.” He didn’t break step as he spoke. “I won’t rescue you again.”

Again.“Why did you the first time?”

The dragon-man shrugged. “I was nearby. What was I supposed to do? Leave you to get torn apart?”

“But you’ll let me get torn apart now?”

He stopped and faced her. Her heart clenched as she backed away and raised the knife. “I can’t follow you. I won’t be there to hear your screams. You want to leave the safety of the cave, fine.” His eyes narrowed at the knife. “Be stupid. Run off to your death if that’s so much better than being around amonster.” He turned on his heel, his tail snapping behind him.

Raelyn stood frozen in place. Wax dripped onto her fingers and she inhaled sharply and flicked it off, tilting the candle to spill excess wax on the cave floor.

“Certain death is this way, Princess.”

A rock settled in her stomach as she trudged after him, favoring her wounded ankle. She couldn’t stay, a prisoner of a dragon-man who claimed she should be betrothed tohim,while her family was…who knew where. What would happen if they delayed looking for her, and King Henry believed they had broken the treaty? The thought chilled her.

But if she tried to make it to the pass or the palace by herself, she would likely either get lost and starve to death or get eaten by whatever monstrosities stalked the Forbidden Mountains. If by some miracle she made it out of the mountains, she would have several days of walking ahead of her, risking being waylaid by bandits or worse. She was wounded, alone, armed with a steak knife, and had no idea how to scavenge for food. Certain death seemed correct, and her death helped no one.

The mountains kept her trapped as effectively as a locked door, and she suspected the monster knew that. She took a deep breath and steeled herself.

“What am I supposed to do if I stay?”

He slowed. “Whatever you want, within reason. I have a small library. By small, I mean…I have ten books. The others sometimes go down into town; they can bring things back if there is any money left over. You could help with whatever tasks you choose.” His right wing rustled as it moved aside to glance over his shoulder. “Assuming you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, Princess.”

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