Page 50 of Ember and Eclipse
The man was a fool. He didn’t even realize he was practically shouting that he wanted to own her.
“Let me go, then I’ll believe you.”
He shook his head, stepping closer and reaching for her face without hesitation. She backed away instinctively, but the chair stopped her.
Her eyes went to his waist, but he had no weapons on him that she could see. His fingers brushed her cheek, and she flinched. Despite stepping back forcibly enough to move the chair, he stepped into her anyway, one hand wrapping around her waist.
He was alwaystaking.
She thought she might vomit. If her magic wouldn’t respond to her, that would be an acceptable replacement.
“Please, Rel. After everything we’ve been through. I know I wasn’t always a good man, but let me prove to you I have changed.”
He was only slightly taller than her, but his nearness was overwhelming, his presence suffocating. His smell caused a visceral reaction—her chest tightening, her stomach roiling.
He removed his hand from her face and reached inside his coat pocket to pull out a small box.
Rel took a gasping breath in, trying to push air into her cramping lungs. But Asear didn’t notice or didn’t care about her discomfort over his presence.
“Marry me, be my queen. We could rule together. With my armies and your magic, we could conquer nations, the world even.” He opened the box, and she recognized the ring that was inside. It had belonged to the Imperatoress.
Her lips parted as she stared at it. Had he not married? He had always been adamant about maintaining his bachelor lifestyle before, but she assumed now that he was the Imperator, he’d have married for sure.
Unless he’d been waiting forher.
He somehow took her reaction as a hopeful sign, setting the box aside and placing his hand on her face again.
“Marry you?”
He nodded and pressed her into him, bringing his mouth down over hers.
She had kissed him before, of course. But the last time was before he had ever harmed her. His lips were slightly moist, and he swiftly forced his tongue into her mouth. But for a split second, she could only think about the hunter who had kissed her before betraying her.
And something about that jarred her into action. When Asear moved his tongue around her mouth and then out, leaving his bottom lip between hers, she leaned into him.
She swiped her tongue across his lip. He moaned into her mouth, clutching at her as if they were two lovers who had been forcibly separated. Perhaps she should have prayed to Athena for wisdom before acting, but there was no time. Sending a silent prayer to Ares with a promise of an offering instead, she bit down on Asear’s bottom lip.
Blood gushed in her mouth. Hot and metallic—tasting like vengeance.
He pushed her away, and she went sprawling onto the floor. As she spat out the piece of his flesh she took with her, crimson spilled over her lips and down her chin.
Cursing, he grabbed a cloth napkin and covered his face. Guards poured in, hauling her up, not even letting her feet touch the ground. She fought, managing to kick one of them between the legs, and as he dropped her arm, she clawed at the eyes of the second guard. Before her nails finished scraping down the man’s face, she was grabbed again. With all her limbs restrained, she was carried out of the room.
Even so, she grinned as she passed by the bleeding Imperator.
Chapter XXIX
Light,obtrusiveandoverlybright, woke her. Her first thoughts were of the witch hunter. Had he let her sleep past sunrise, then? But the question was answered like an arrow shot through the dark. She wasn’t with him anymore. He had successfully turned her over and undoubtedly had his bounty in hand already.
The orange light spilling into the room was from a sunrise she didn’t care to see. They had tied her to the frame of the bed with witchsilver. The wire-like binding had already cut and marked her wrists and forearms.
When she licked her dry lips, the metallic taste brought back her last memories. She needed water and to wash the blood away.
Before she could wonder when she could do so, the door opened. Two guards and Calliope strode in.
“You’re a fright,” the lady’s maid said without preamble, her hands fisted on her hips as if to scold her.
The guards made to come further into the room, no doubt to force her up, but Calliope motioned for them to stop. “You do your duty, big boys, and I’ll do mine.” She made quick work of freeing her from the coils of witchsilver.
