Page 69 of Hell Fae Captive
“I see.” I tucked my hands into my pockets and glanced up at the moon again, the orb always in the sky here, day or night. “I was hoping to spar. But I guess that’ll have to wait.”
Because I wasn’t about to try fighting with Melek.
Not only was he way too powerful, but he was also mated to the literal king of Hell. Only someone with a death wish would touch the famous Hell Fae Prince.
“Maybe the little rebel in your dungeon will spar with you?” he suggested, his multicolored irises twinkling beneath the moonlight. “Of course, she may be too sore for it, what with having to sleep on a ratty rug and all.”
I narrowed my gaze. “Have you been wandering my dungeon?”
He grinned. “Have I?” He shrugged, not bothering to confirm or deny it. But that was answer enough—he’d been playing in the cells.
“Did you do something to Camillia?” I demanded. Because it would be just like Melek to cast some sort of spell to fuck with her in some way. He didn’t view the candidates as potential brides so much as pets to amuse him, and Camillia would absolutely be an ideal prospect for his amusement.
“You’re asking all the wrong questions, Warden.” He cocked his head, his wings disappearing as he turned corporeal once more. “But your concern for her is intriguing. Has thisCamillia,as you call her, caught your fancy?”
“I’m not interested in claiming a bride,” I countered. “That’s why I’m the Warden.”
“But that’s not what I asked at all, is it?” His lips curled into a breathtaking grin, one that belied the sinister energy beneath his skin. This male thrived on tricks and games, something I’d learned early on in our acquaintance when he’d let a series of Nightmare Fae loose from their cells just to see how I would catch them.
So yeah, he knew all about my dungeon.
Which meant he’d very likely been down to see Camillia.
Fuck.
I should have slept down there—if anything, just to ensure she remained untouched.
With a growl, I started in the opposite direction of Az’s home, heading toward the portal in the LethaForest that I could use to wander down into my dungeon.
“Is it customary for Midnight Fae to leave without a proper goodbye?” Melek mused as he fell into step beside me. “Or are we going on an adventure together?”
“I’m going down to my cells to make sure Camillia is still alive.”
“Because you care for her?” he asked.
“Because she’s my charge and under my protection for the moment.”
“Only for the moment?” he pressed.
“Why do you care?” I demanded, whirling on him. “What do you really want to know, Melek?”
“Oh, that list would keep us here for months.” His eyes ran over me in an assessing manner, like he was just seeing me for the first time. Considering the fact that we rarely spoke, maybe this was the first time he’d ever truly noticed my presence. He had this enigmatic air about him that made him hard to read.
Whenever we’d interacted in the past, it’d been some sort of test—like him releasing the Nightmare Fae—but this interaction felt different somehow. More serious.
At least until he asked, “How do you feel about rope?”
My brow furrowed. “Rope?”What the fuck?
“Hmm.” He canted his head again. “As I thought.” He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe I’ll teach you someday. Cami can be our test subject.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Rope,” he replied, giving me a look like that was an obvious response. “Are you listening to me at all, Warden?”
“You’re not making any sense.”
“I’m making perfect sense,” he countered. “You’re just nothearingme.” He sounded almost aggravated by that fact, like I should understand these riddles of his and know exactly what game he intended for us to play next.
