Page 67 of A Taste of Torment
I grunt.
“But really, what can I help with? I’m terrible with potions, but if you tell me what to do…”
“Can you just separate the salamander skins?” I ask, nodding to the jar of slimy skins.
He grimaces, and I quirk a brow.
“Don’t tell me the prince of the Under World is squeamish.”
He glares. “It’s not the kind of thing I’m usually expected to do.”
“Too important to get your hands dirty, got it.”
He grunts and begins sorting skins without another word.
“Thank you,” I mutter softly.
“Anything for you, sunshine.”
I finish up my work quickly and let the few ingredients simmer in the cauldron for the night. I’ll have to be up early in the morning to add a few more and check to make sure the temperature in the room is right. This potion requires a low temperature. Luckily, it’s not below freezing, but it’s still chilly enough that my nose is red and cold by the time I move away from it.
Even despite the frigid temperature, the spell is already steaming.
“It will be okay for the night?” he asks as I pull my gloves off and shelve the unused ingredients.
“Yeah, I’ll be back in the morning to check on it.”
“I can join you,” he offers. “If you want.”
I raise my brows. “You enjoy watching me make potions?”
“I enjoy being around you. And I don’t like leaving you alone. You’re relatively safe in Minor Hall, and you have friends to keep an eye out for you. But down here, you’re likely to face Superior or Elite students while alone. I don’t like it.”
I pause, hands resting on a small vial of sea salt. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“If we weren’t pretending to date…” I pause, measuring my words carefully.
He waits while I work through my thoughts.
“This protective stuff,” I finally continue. “Is it just to guard your reputation?”
I honestly expect him to say yes. Well, I expect a longer answer that eventually equates to yes. I understand the need to hold back any threats to his power by showcasing his dominance. He may be magically strong, but he’d be torn down quickly if he didn’t have enough backbone. Allowing anyone to harm what belongs to him—whether he actually cares or not—is dangerous.
What I don’t expect is for him to stop what he’s doing and step in close to me. My heart thuds loudly as his dark eyes capture mine. “Publicly break up with me tonight if you want to see how I’d react tomorrow should anyone threaten you. Harm you. Speak against you.” His voice becomes increasingly angered. “I would burn this school down if anyone were to harm you, girlfriend or not. You don’t have to reciprocate any of those feelings for me to care.”
My cheeks heat.
“The only thing I value over your well-being, Candice, is your free will.”
I frown. One, what does that mean? Two, what about his kingdom?
He leans in so close I can feel his breath heating my cheeks and smelling of mint and darkness.
“What does that mean?” I whisper. He’s so close I swear he might kiss me, and that thought sends my heart racing even faster.
It wouldn’t make any sense. There are no witnesses.
