Page 22 of A Thieving Curse

“And what…” She swallowed hard. “What would you expect from me?”

He frowned and looked straight ahead again. “I’d expect you to call me Alexander. And not brandish knives in my direction.”

“Nothing else?” she asked weakly, dreading the answer.

“What else would there be?” His tail twitched sharply. “I guess I could demand you call me Your Highness or my lord, but that would get tiring. Everyone calls me Alex.”

She eyed him, surprised by the humble response, but still angry. “You would really rather I died than marry your cousin?”

He snarled but didn’t turn. “I don’twantyou to die. If I did, I would’ve let you run into the heart of the mountain and never looked back. I wouldn’t be wasting my breath warning you not to leave. I’d let you go to the palace; let Henry do whatever he wanted with you. If you think Henry wouldn’t kill you without a thought if it served him, you know nothing of him. And forgive me if I don’t want my cousin getting anything else that—” He growled.

“That what?”That belongs to you? I don’t belong to you.She shook, and the candle sputtered. A lip of stone caught the edge of her boot. As she fell onto her hands and knees, the flame winked out. The pewter base clattered to the ground and rolled away, and the knife flew from her hand, lost in the dark.

The monster harrumphed. Raelyn sat up and winced. Her knees ached, and she’d scraped some skin off her right palm. Fresh pain jolted her ankle. Awhooshaccompanied a small burst of flame, momentarily illuminating the tunnel. She shied away, but the dragon-man simply picked up the candle, broken off the base, and breathed fire across the wick. The flames from his mouth died, and the burning wick provided a much dimmer light.

“Anything else that my uncle stole,” he murmured as he offered his hand. “Or that he could destroy.”

Raelyn wobbled but stood on her own, wishing she hadn’t lost the knife. Perhaps she should have tried to stab him in the back when she had the chance. His lips curled down as he withdrew his hand.

“You’re bleeding.” He pointed at her palm.

It wasn’t much, but a drop of blood edged toward her fingers. She pressed her stinging palm against the bodice of her dress. “I’m fine.”

He grunted and continued down the tunnel. After a few minutes, he stopped at a fork. “So. Am I leading you out of the cave or to your room?”

Raelyn wavered. At least for now she was alive, which gave her family more time to find her. And the best way to remain alive at the moment was accepting the monster’s offer. “My room. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stay forever,” she added quickly. She thought about what he’d said aboutothersgoing down to town. Maybe she could follow them. Find someone to help her.

“You can stay here, safe, and be allowed to roam freely on one condition.” The monster turned and his red eyes bored into hers. Fear snaked down her spine, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. Her mind jumped to horrible possibilities, and her stomach threatened to push up her supper. “Look me in the eye and say my name.”

8

“WHAT?” RAELYN GLANCED up but was distracted by the scales peeking out of the dragon-man’s hairline.

“Look me in the eye.” His rich voice made her skin tingle. “Address me like a man, not a monster.”

But you’re more monster than man.And why would he ask that? Would it enchant her?

“I’m asking you to be polite, Princess.”

She didn’t know what would happen if she refused. Maybe he’d change his mind again and throw her out, let her get eaten. Or maybe he’d lose his temper and roast her alive.

Raelyn forced herself to meet his eyes. The flame of the candle gave his irises flecks of orange. “Alexander.”

She held her breath. Nothing changed.He’s only a monster; no sorcerous power.Her shoulders sagged with relief.

The beast named Alexander exhaled through his nose, and she smelled a hint of smoke. “I’ll take it. Come on.” He took the tunnel to the left.

Raelyn followed, watching the floor in front of her and avoiding his disconcerting tail and wings. He opened the door to her room and stepped aside so she could enter.

“Here.” He handed her the candle, which was scarcely bigger than her fist now.

She took it carefully with her uninjured hand and noticed that wax had dried in trails over his fingers. He peeled it away as he walked past her into the room. She hadn’t expected him to enter, and she watched him nervously, the candle dripping onto the ground. He arranged pieces of wood in the fireplace, then crouched and breathed fire onto the stack. Once the fire got going, he stood.

“Princess.” The dragon-man inclined his head and headed out. He paused in the doorway and tapped the stone with the claw of his first finger. “I’ll ask Meredith to bring water for your hand.” He closed the door. She didn’t hear it lock.

Meredith?So there was a woman. Maybe this Meredith would be more sympathetic to her plight. If not her, maybe one of the others who used the dining chairs.

The candle burned closer to Raelyn’s fingers, so she blew it out and placed it on the little table, then tried the door. It swung open to empty darkness. It was reassuring he hadn’t locked it; an acknowledgment he was telling the truth. Even if they both knew a choice between dying or staying in the cave wasn’t much of a choice.

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