Page 47 of A Thieving Curse

She was about to say that was all, but instead blurted out, “Have you told me everything about why you’re keeping me here?”

“Yes.” He kicked at the ground. “Mostly.”

“Wh…what?”

“Yes, I think it would be unjust for you to marry Tristan while I hide in a cave and Henry sits on my father’s throne. Yes, I believe you’d be in danger in Henry’s court, and I’m afraid of Henry finding out about me and my family. But since I promised the complete truth…” He met her eyes, then looked away, his cheeks tinged with red. “I’m jealous. It’s harder when—when I think you’re beautiful.”

Blood drained from her face. She took another step back, and a twig snapped.

He faced her, alarm in his eyes. “I don’t want you to think I want to…to marry you or anything. Not that I activelydon’twant that, I’m not averse or something—I…” He groaned. “You’re so…small and gentle. When you’re not angry or afraid, you have a sweet side. The side that cares about your family, that listens and apologizes. And even when you were terrified, you were clever enough to try to reason and bargain with me. And when you laugh…” He smiled. “You’re too good for my cousin and uncle. Maybe Henry has changed, or I’m wrong about him. But in his story, in his world, I’m the villain.” He lowered his head. “I can’t stand the thought of you believing him.”

Everything he’d told her jumbled together inside her head, making her dizzy.Small and gentle…sweet side…clever…beautiful.Raelyn felt hot and twitchy, so she focused on the last thing he said. “I wouldn’t believe him.”

“You did before.” He looked up, his face pained. “Eventually, you’d only remember the dragon. The horned creature with red eyes who…” He shook his head. “I keep hoping I can convince you I’m not a monster. I feel like Ineedto, even though I don’t know exactly why it’s so important.” He sighed and turned away. “It’s getting late. Meredith will be irritated if we’re late for supper.”

Alexander walked faster, and she struggled to match his long strides. The lengthening shadows obscured the forest floor. Roots and stones protruding from the short spring grass kept trying to trip her, and she practically had to jog to keep up, which her hurt ankle protested. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Can we slow down a little?”

“It’s getting dark—” He looked back and frowned. “Don’t walk much, Princess?”

“Walk? Your steps are like two of mine!” Raelyn was breathing too hard to even scowl. “And my ankle still hurts. Are we close at least?”

“Nearly there. Sorry, I’ll slow down.” Alexander stopped and smirked as he waited for her to catch up. “Shorty.”

“Sofriendlyof you.”

He winked. “At least I’m not talking about eating you.”

“And yet, you are.” She huffed and strode past him, ignoring the smarting in her ankle. She hated his teasing and his silky voice and his laugh. And his cocky, human, cute smirk.Wait, cute? No.She concentrated on the ground, watching out for anything that could trip her.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know. Getting a head start on your stupid legs.”

He walked up next to her. “We need to turn toward the right.”

“Great.” She angled right.

Alexander matched her pace. His closeness irritated her. He leaned out of the way of a low branch, and his wing brushed against her back. She yelped before she could stop herself. He grimaced.

She ran her fingers over her braid. “I’m sorry.” She shrank away. “It surprised me. I didn’t… I’m sorry.” She looked away from his glowing eyes.

“You keep looking at me like I’m going to attack you.”

“It’s just something Jasper said.” She continued to nervously stroke her hair. “About your anger making the dragon harder to control. I don’t know when you might…lose control.”

“I…I’m sorry.” He made that strange strangled sound, like he was trying to say something and couldn’t. “Infernal, ridiculous, unfair, torturous,” he muttered under his breath.

“Your curse?” Raelyn guessed.

He nodded. “It makes me work to stay as a human. When my emotions are high, mostly and especially anger, my body wants to shift. And dragons aren’t…particularly peaceful. The more dragon I become, the more emotional and violent I get. The more emotional I am, the more dragon I become. My emotions and the dragon feed on each other. And on me.”

He looked tired. She couldn’t imagine what that felt like, or the constant fight he must be in to keep his anger in check when he had so much to be angry about.

“If I choose to shift, it’s a little easier to fight the violent urges. But if my emotions get away from me, I sometimes do things I regret. Even in human form. Like pushing you.” Alexander halted abruptly and looked at her. “But never kill. Or even seriously injure. I’ve broken…many things.” He ducked his head. “I did hurt Meredith when I was ten.”

She stopped, horrified. Meredith? Meredith, who said Alexander was like family? Who claimed he didn’t scare her? She loved him after he’d hurt her?

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