Page 96 of Mirror of Malice
“Okay, Lilypad.” He lifted the rope. “I’m going to throw this to you. You’ll need to catch it and swing to me.”
I swallowed a few times, then nodded.
He swung the rope to me, and the wind blew it sideways. I reached for it, but it was just out of my grasp. Then another blast of wind hit, pushing me backward. The rope swung by my head, and I took the opportunity to snatch it.
“There you go,” Penn said. “Now you’re going to push off the rock using as much force as you can to swing to me, okay?”
I really didn’t want to do this, but no way in hell was I going to miss finding that weapon.
“You can do this,” Penn said, and he meant it. He really believed in me.
My heart thudded as I basked in his praise, then remembered it was all fake.
I gripped the rope tight and used my feet to push myself from the rock. I instantly regretted my decision. The strong winds whipped me this way and that, in every direction except the one I wanted to go. Penn reached his hands out, trying to grab the rope, but he was too far away. I was going to drop straight into the sea—and straight to my death.
I held onto that rope, remembering Hammer’s words.
Keep yer core tight and lock those hands together.
At this point, there was nothing I could do but hold on. I heard Penn shouting over the roar of the ocean but couldn’t hear the words coming from his mouth.
I gritted my teeth as the rope swung me back toward the rock, sticking out my feet and pushing with all my might in the opposite direction. It didn’t do much, but it was enough. My body flew toward the ship, close enough that Penn could grab it and pull it toward him. I fell into his arms, and he cradled me to his chest, both of us breathing heavily.
“Are you alright?” he whispered into my hair.
“Yes.” I pushed myself out of his arms. “Now let’s find that weapon.”
Hours later,we sat back in our room in silence, both of us tired, hungry, wet—and weaponless. We’d searched every part of that ship, the weapon nowhere in sight. Then we’d taken the long walk back to the castle in complete silence.
I took off my boots, massaging my sore feet.
“Listen, Lilypad,” Penn started, but I held up my hand.
“It’s fine. I had one job to do. Get information from Gabrielle, and I failed at it.”
Anger rose to the surface, and my hands curled into tight fists, nails digging into my palms. I jumped to my feet, pacing as Penn watched me from his seat on the couch.
“If we don’t get that weapon, we don’t destroy the mirror. If we don’t destroy the mirror, we can’t ensure my stepmotherwon’t stop searching for it, that she won’t get it back and continue her reign of terror. I’m so tired, Penn.”
He slowly stood. “I know, but we’re going to find it.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I always get what I want.” His eyes blazed, and heat rippled through my body.
“Stop it,” I said quietly, anger once again flashing, but this time for a different reason.
“Stop what?” Penn took another step closer, his voice low.
I gestured to him. “That. Whatever you’re doing. The games you’re playing. I’m sick of it, so just stop. Please.”
The words had flown out of my mouth before I could stop them, but regret instantly surfaced. Penn’s entire posture changed, the playful predatoriness disappearing, replaced by confusion.
“Games?” he said.
“The flirting,” I said, exasperated. “The suggestive comments, the looks, the touches. I can’t do it anymore. I don’t want to play. I understand we have to put on a show, like you so aptly reminded me last night after our kiss on the balcony. But in private, when we’re alone, just stop.”
“That’s what you want?” he asked, voice curious now.
