Page 33 of Thane's Demon
“I know many languages,” he replied, not with arrogance but more matter-of-factly.
“So, you know what my name means in more than just two languages then, and no doubt picked the two nicer translations.”
He smirked at this, and my god, he nearly took my breath away, making me wonder what a full-blown smile would do to me… Most likely, it would reduce me to a puddle on the floor.
“In Italian, it means wing or to go forward, and in Spanish, it means at that hour.”
I laughed.
“I think I prefer dreamer, as that’s what my mother always said I was, making me wonder if that’s why she named me… Like she knew I would be this way,” I told him, for once speaking of her with ease instead of sadness. I also appreciated the way he didn’t pry or press for more.
Instead, his gaze softened in a way that felt warm and startlingly gentle.
“Your mother chose well,” he said, the sincerity so unexpected it almost unbalanced me. I looked away, swallowing the emotion rising too quickly. Before the moment could deepen further, he shifted slightly forward, his attention sharpening.
“How long have you been here?” he asked.
I traced a finger along the rim of my cup, suddenly very aware of the weight of his stare.
“Too long,”I whispered. His eyes narrowed at that, as if my answer wasn’t enough.
“How old are you?” he asked with a slight frown, as if it had only just occurred to him to ask.
“Nineteen.”
He scoffed quietly, leaning back in his chair with a dismissive sound that pricked my pride.
“Too young?” My brows shot up.
“Too young for what?” His lips twitched, not quite a smile, not quite annoyance. “For me?”
My breath hitched at that, but his comment only made me bristle more.
“And you? How old are you?”
His answer came without hesitation.
“Older than you.”
I let out a frustrated breath, pushing my bowl aside slightly.
“You don’t really answer anything directly, do you?”
He tilted his head slightly, as though the accusation amused him.
“And you ask too much.”
I laughed at that and pointed out, “Says the man who is asking most of the questions.” Unsurprisingly, he had no reply, making me brave enough to continue. “You expect answers from me but refuse to give any in return.”
He hummed and asked, “Your point being?”
“It doesn’t seem very fair now, does it?”
“That depends on your definition of fair, as sometimes knowing too much can be dangerous,” he replied, making me sigh.
“Is that why you refuse to tell me about yourself, because you think it will be dangerous?”
“Perhaps, but as to who it will be more dangerous for is what I’m still trying to figure out,” he replied, making me smirk this time.
