Page 52 of The Rebel and the Rose
‘Cards. Twenty-one. Saint or sinner. Go fish. Can you play?’
Narrowing his eyes, he said, ‘Obviously.’
‘Good.’ Ransom called to Caruso. ‘Versini and I are going to swap places for the next leg. Reckons himself a card shark. Feel free to take all the coin he’s made trying to put us out of business.’
Caruso’s teeth gleamed. ‘Finally. New blood.’
‘I’m getting snacks first,’ said Nadia, heading across the now deserted square. ‘I need a bucket of caramel fudge to take the edge off this shitshow.’
Ransom was about to help Seraphine to her feet when Versini jostled in front of him. They bent their heads together, exchanging a short, furious conversation on their way back to the carriages.
‘Promise me,’ said the Shadowsmith, pulling away.
‘I know,’ she said, shooing him.
She marched towards the first carriage, tossing a challenging look over her shoulder. ‘I want to play cards too, Dagger.’
‘You’ll have to wait,’ said Ransom, stalking after her. ‘You and I are going to play a different game, spitfire.’
Her brows shot up. ‘What kind of game?’
‘Truth or dare.’
Chapter 13Seraphine
‘Make yourself comfortable,’ said the Dagger, seating himself across from her. ‘But do try not to set anything on fire.’
She glared at him. ‘Don’t tempt me.’
‘Iliveto tempt you, spitfire.’
So he had chosen flirting. Fine. It was better than an interrogation. Sera didn’t know how to explain what had just happened in the square. Only that her anger had got the better of her. Again.
Think less, Fontaine had advised her.
This wasexactlywhat happened when Sera surrendered all rational thought for raw feeling. That door inside her flew open and all that magic came barrelling out, white hot and lethal. The sight of Ribauld whaling on Theo had kindled aquick and violent panic that had made thinking impossible. Before she knew it, she was swinging from him like a spider monkey. When the heat rushed her, she couldn’t stop it, couldn’t wrench herself away quick enough.
Still, she didn’t fully regret it. Theo’s neck had beeninchesfrom Ribauld’s sword and if her recent kidnapping had taught her anything, it was how impulsive the king’s soldiers were.
Of course Ransom had witnessed the whole thing.
He watched her intently now, his silver eyes gleaming in the dimness. He seemed even taller in here, those broad shoulders commanding half the carriage bench. Shadows darted across his olive skin as the rest of his Shade leisurely worked its way through him. Head canted as he studied her, he absently licked the scar on his bottom lip, and, Saints help her, it made her blood heat.
Here he sat like a dark god looming over his prey.
With the curtains drawn and the wheels moving swiftly beneath them, the carriage felt too small, the air between them too close. Under her finely woven cardigan – a parting gift from the royal house of Rayere – Sera’s skin grew clammy. She raked the stray strands back from her face, resisting the urge to fan herself.
‘Too hot, Seraphine?’
‘Usually.’
‘Do you often catch fire?’
She pressed her lips together, diverting her gaze to the threading on her sleeve.
Don’t say a word about your magic, Theo had warned her back at the marketplace. He works for the king. He’ll only use it against you.
The silence lingered, the Dagger’s gaze like a brand on her forehead.
