Page 31 of Promise of Darkness
Asturia’s to the south, where it rarely snows, so I’m not used to such a quiet forest, but I’ve spent years hunting in the mountains. Learning to move quietly can be the only thing that saves your life when your prey is a vicious predator.
Relief floods through me the second I find the mare where I left her. I’m about to put my foot in the stirrup when a voice calls out behind me.
“Did you enjoy your little excursion, Princess?”
Son of a dryad.The mare snorts in alarm and nearly dumps me on my ass. But it’s the prince behind me who causes the most alarm.
Thiago leans against a tree, one hand resting lightly against the hilt of his sword. There’s no hint of emotion in his dark green eyes. I can’t read him at all. But then a faint, mocking smile flickers over his hard mouth, as if he enjoys the sight of my sudden dilemma.
Caught.I have no excuses, and he knows it. I can see it in his eyes. “Actually, yes,” I reply, reaching for the mare again. “Nothing like a brisk ride to shake off the monotony of imprisonment.”
Thiago moves like lightning, his gloved fist curling around my reins. I can’t escape, for he’s blocking me in against the horse.
“You should have told me you wanted to go for a ride,” he murmurs, right behind me.
I glance over my shoulder. “Perhaps I wanted to go alone.”
His eyes darken. “These woods are wild and dangerous. You don’t know the area, and any stray predator could find you out here.”
“Anystray predator? Or any stray Unseelie?”
“Ah. So you did see that.”
He looms closer, and I press my back into the mare, my hand finding my knife. Before I can draw it, his hand slams over mine, trapping us there. “Don’t be stupid, Princess. If you draw that blade, I’ll have to take it off you. And while I might enjoy it, you won’t.”
“Maybe you’re underestimating me.” I’m smaller than he is, but all my life I’ve trained against larger warriors precisely for this reason.
Hone your weaknesses, Mother always told me.And use them to your advantage.
Right now, I have the element of surprise—judging by his smirk—speed, and the fact that if he hurts me, he’ll have to explain himself to the alliance.
In return, he has weight, size, unknown skills, and power beyond imagining. The only way to beat him is to play dirty, and Mother’s court has been an excellent training ground.
I let my dagger go, and Thiago’s shoulders soften.
“Good choice,” he says.
In return, I kick his feet out from under him. I’ve got one foot in the stirrup when he calls out, “Eliara, fly!”
And the mare takes off as if she’s been stung by a whip.
With one foot off the ground, I don’t stand a chance. I land on my backside in the snow as the mare kicks up her heels and vanishes.Mother of Night.Rolling to my hands and knees, I stare after her in disgust. Treacherous beast.
The prince stands, dusting off his hands and flashing a smile at me. “What is it your mother always says? Revenge is the sweetest spice to any dish?”
He’s not angry, but that doesn’t make me any less wary. I clamber upright, sinking in the soft snow. “She also says never trust an Evernight.”
The prince laughs.
“And never make alliances with the Unseelie.”
His laughter dies. “How much did you hear?”
“Enough to know you’re up to no good.”
“Oh, Princess. I’m always up to no good.”
“Enough to know you see me as some sort of means to get your wife back,” I shoot at him.
