Page 79 of Kingdom of Tomorrow
“There was a reason. Viscounts intercepted a message between two Soalians. In it, they discussed recruiting you.Curedwished to discover why.”
Shock punched me. He’d just, like, admitted it, verifying a portion of the Lemon Ade file. My head spun. There was no good reason for Cyrus to cop to this. It gave him no advantage that I could see.
“I see the wheels turning in your head,” he said with a half grin. “You think I plan to win you over and convince you to name names.”
“Do you?” A bitter twinge seeped into my voice.
“That’s merely a bonus. I admit, I’ve been intrigued by you from the start.”
Lie! “On day one, you disdained me.”
“You’ve mistaken interest and a lifetime of distrust for dislike. The moment I saw you, I realized I comprehended everything and nothing. Then you proved to be so much more than I expected. Brave. Kind. Resilient.”
Do not melt. Stay strong!“I wasn’t brave or resilient then.” I wasn’t even sure I qualified for either description now. Though, yes, I had improved by leaps and bounds.
“No matter how many times you fall, you rise. That takes an incredible amount of bravery and resilience.” He sipped from his glass, casual as could be as he battered my defenses. “I admire you.”
That couldn’t be true. It was a ploy, only a ploy. A way to do exactly as intended and win me over. “I don’t know what to say,” I admitted. Had no idea how to advance my own ploy in the face of his.
His gaze intensified, cranking up an invisible dial. Nearly breaking out in a sweat, I shifted in my seat. I’d agreed to share a meal with him to gain information, assuming I could control the tone of theinteraction. A mistake. I’d never dealt with this Cyrus before. The seductive suitor.
“Since Shiloh’s death, I’ve come to accept three vital facts.” Voice as thick and smooth as honey, he said, “You don’t trustCured, and you don’t trust me. But I want you anyway.”
Chapter Twenty
Do you not understand the power you wield?
—The Book of Soal1.1.1.26
I shifted in my seat. Fiddled with my fork. Shook my head. Nothing changed the trumpet blast inside my head.I want you anyway.
I almost believed him. Iyearnedto believe him. But I wasn’t the same gullible girl anymore.
I was a woman determined ... who still didn’t know how to play this. I could pretend to share his interest. Or pretend to pretend. No, wrong move. The situation was already complex. Adding in other intimacies might lead to my downfall. If I’d learned anything from him, it was to know my strengths and weaknesses and work accordingly.
“Let’s be clear. You’re saying you want to date me,” I managed to croak, buying time.
“Yes.” He set his glass aside. “For most of my life, I’ve been focused on preparation to ruleCured, a position I was born for. I know it with every fiber of my being. Then you came along and distracted me.”
“But that’s ridiculous.” Thismustbe some kind of bold new strategy to upend my entire world before he pounced. “I’m no one special.”
His frown contained a gentle rebuke. “Your response is an insult to us both.”
I cringed and tried another route. “You’re seeing Countess Soti’s daughter.”
“I’m not. I dated her casually last year. Now our parents throw us together whenever possible.” Lowering his chin toward his sternum, he reminded me of a predator locking on its prey. “You don’t need to give me excuses or an answer. In fact, I’d like to provide you with a peek behind the curtain first. Grant you access to places necessary to gain the answers you seek. Consider it pre-dating that will lead to real dating.”
He had no idea what answers I truly sought. But dang him, he’d presented me with something I desperately needed. Now, at least, I understood how eager Cyrus was to capture Ember and do whatever else he had planned. There was no other reason to offer me something so valuable.
“You want something in return for this special access, I’m sure,” I stated, tracing a fingertip around the rim of my glass.
“Only your trust.”
I snorted. “My trust doesn’t come easily.” With him, it wouldn’t come at all.
“Believe me, I’m aware,” he replied wryly.
A million thoughts burst through my mind at once, all centered on a “should I / shouldn’t I do this” debate. I mean, yes, I’d planned to use him this way. But now that he’d gift wrapped it with a pretty bow of his own free will, I wasn’t so sure. “Explain how it will work.”
