Page 46 of Emylia

“I know,” I snapped. “You already introduced yourself when Josephine was hanging off your arm like some bloodsucking parasite.”

“Oh, I thought you didn’t hear me,” Maalikai said, teasing. “Youdidrefuse to reciprocate with your own name.” He tilted his head, watching me. “This is the part where you’re meant to tell me yours,” he added softly.

Anger surged, flaring hot through my chest. My nostrils flared. “Not going to happen.”

“Why not? So far, you’ve insulted me, accused me... oh, and bet against me.” His grin was all teeth—cocky. Diabolical.

I gasped. “How?—”

He cut me off again. “Why won’t you tell me your name?”

Any time I felt powerless, it showed itself as anger—a subconscious defense mechanism. Sometimes I wished I was more like my mom—kind, graceful, selfless. But no one would ever describe me like that. I was brazen, defiant, audacious. And I could barely contain my wrath on agoodday.

“Better question,” I bit out, “why should I?”

Silence stretched between us. His smile deepened, shifting into something darker—smug, deliberate.

“I’ll make you a deal,” he said finally. “Tell me your name, and I’ll leave you alone.”

A short, sharp laugh burst from me. “No.”

Maalikai shrugged, perfectly unbothered. “Okay. How about this—come with me.”

The laugh that escaped me felt almost... broken.

I felt it growing, and I wondered if I was a little bit deranged from the emotional whiplash of the day. Maybe I’d broken something vital inside myself. Maybe I’d snapped my own emotional spectrum.

Pain flared deep in my side as I doubled over laughing. And even as I gasped for air, something inside me cracked—too raw, too sharp to be just amusement.

Finally, through a breathless whisper, I managed a sentence: “What on the Gods’ earth makes you think I wouldevercome with you?”

Light flickered in his eyes, like scattered stardust, as he searched mine. There was something about him that unnerved me, like he could see through the carefully constructed barricade that protected my heart. The wall I’d built around myself was non-existent with him. It was petrifying to feel so ‘seen’.

“What’s the worst that will happen if you do?” My mouth went dry, my laugh instantly forgotten. “Can you live with the regret of never knowing what may’ve happened if you werebraveenough to come with me?”

For the first time in my life, I didn’t have a single thing to say.

“Or is it that you’re too afraid?” His tone was calm, collected–so at odds with the chaos swirling in my soul.

“Of course I’m not.” I snapped before I could think, already falling into a trap he’d laid without lifting a damn finger.

How did he know the only way to get me to agree was to challenge me?

“What about Josephine? I’m sure she would gladly kill to go with you.” I spat out the snide remark with a coating of venom that felt poisonous.

Maalikai shook his head slowly, his hair grazing the impossible lengths of his eyelashes. “I don’t want her to come with me,” he said, voice quiet but steady. “I wantyou.”

His words froze me. And for a second–I let myself believe them.

But I wasn’t ready to forfeit, not yet. Hesitation rendered me immobile, my teeth dragging across my bottom lip as I deliberated.

“Or,” he added, casual as anything, still holding the bow. “I could play you for it.”

My scathing look should’ve set him on fire. Sadly, it didn’t. Instead, I considered his words.

“What do you mean?” I asked, grudgingly intrigued.

He nodded toward the target. “Whoever gets closest to the bullseye wins. If I win, you come with me. If you win–you never have to talk to me again.” His smile grew. “I might even leave overnight, if I’m feeling generous.”

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