Page 25 of Grim and Oro
How could I have wanted someone like that? Even momentarily? Even by enchantment?
She begins to undo her dress, and that want roars to the surface like a cruel joke. Before she can pull it off, I reveal myself.
A flash of surprise. But not fear. Not really.
She should be more afraid of me.
The fact that she isn’t makes me hate her more.
She grabs a dagger hidden beneath her vanity, shifting from fool to warrior fast enough to make me certain I shouldn’t underestimate her. She has been trained for this.
Her dress is hanging off her shoulder. I try not to notice. “Hello, Hearteater.” I say the word with disgust. Her kind are monsters. If her aim was better, her blade would have pierced my heart.
Would she have eaten it?
Would she have enjoyed it?
She won’t stab me again. In a flash, I’m right in front of her, fingers wrapped around hers, to wrench the dagger from her hand. She tries to wrestle away, so I press her against the wall, just like I did before, under very different circumstances.
Before, I wanted to have her in every way I could.
Now, I want to kill her.
I twist her own blade to her throat.
She winces, but I won’t fall for her tricks. Not again.
“You cursed hearteater,” I spit at her, digging the dagger into her neck. “Dare to come tomyrealm, disguised, to assassinate me.” Blood puddles.Good. She made me bleed. She deserves nothing less.
Suddenly, my leg is on fire.
The witch stabbed me again. I roar, andfine—now she’ll have my power. It wraps around her like a vise. She chokes, clutching at her throat as I move her up the glass wall.
“Was this your plan to keep me from the Centennial? To try to break the curses? Did you mean to make a fool of me? Who are youworking with?” The questions rush out of me. Ones I’ve asked myself for several days, days of watching her sleep, days of increasing madness.
She glares at me, and I bare my teeth at her. How dare she look so defiant? Does she not see my power? Does she have any idea what I’m capable of?
Still, she isn’t afraid.
No. The only emotion I feel is smoldering annoyance.
She isannoyed at me. I realize then that she must be irritated because I’m asking her questions and not letting her answer.
Fine.
She drops to the floor and gasps. She coughs, for several moments. Is she trying to make me pity her? She grabs her dagger and scuttles to the corner of her room.
She’s looking at me like I’m a monster.Good. I am one.
But so is she.
I glare at her. She thinks she’s so much better than me, doesn’t she? She thinks I’m the only beast here? “Do I need to remind you that youstabbedme?” I tear my shirt up to reveal the jagged scar where her blade pierced my skin.
She has the nerve to feel sinking regret.
Does she know I can sense emotions? Is she that good of an actress?
Does she think I’m a fool? Does she think I believe her?
