Page 19 of Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

“You mean broke.”

“Hush, I’m begging you.” Genuine fear lightened the other man’s eyes, telling Ronan everything he needed to know about his new friend’s current financial situation.

“Oh no,” Ronan said, sensing the trap a mile away. He wanted nothing to do with it. He had more than enough trouble of his own.

Sebastian gripped his shirt, stopping him before he could stand and walk away. “Please, Ronan. I beg of you. As a man of honor. I will repay my debt, if not in coin, then in deed. Let me work it off.”

Crossing his arms, Ronan drawled, “And how do you propose to do that?”

“I could be your valet.”

“I have no need of a valet.”

“Your guide, then? You are new to town. Surely that will be of use to you?”

“You are as much a foreigner here as I am.”

“True, but I know my way about the city and have contacts that could prove useful. I also have a place where you can sleep tonight or for as long as you need.”

He knew he was seven shades of a fool for trusting the adulterous gambler—two activities centered heavily around deceit—but Bast did raise an excellent point. Ronan would absolutely benefit from a guide. Though to be fair, it was the offer of a room that truly swayed him, even if it came equipped with a degenerate for a roommate. At least there would be one less thing for him to worry about until he located Reyna and determined his next steps.

Groaning, he squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Fine. Lead the way.”

“You won’t regret this.”

“I already do.”

CHAPTER6

SHADOW

The sun sank into the ocean the same way humans wake, little by little and all at once. With every fiery sliver that disappeared into the navy depths, her grip tightened on the balcony’s railing until her knuckles were bleached and her fingers cramped.

You’re running out of time.

And right on the heels of that thought came a flood of guilt. Just as it always did.

Shadow bit back a growl of frustration. Every day that passed allowed the invisible noose to tighten further around her neck. Erebos wanted an answer.

Tonight.

A vehement ‘No!’ bled across her mind, but she silenced it. As much as the word begged to be freed, she knew she couldn’t give it wings.

Not without dire consequence.

She had no excuse. None. Well, none that she could voice.

Shadow simply had no ambition to be the High Lord’s wife. She enjoyed the relative freedom of her current position too much. For all that she was chained to the man, she could mostly come and go as she pleased. She spent as much time alone as she did at his side, if not more. If—when—she became his wife, all that would go away. Any autonomy she had over her own destiny would be a thing of the past the second the vows were spoken.

So really, he could have been any man, and her answer would be the same.

But Erebos wasn’t just any man. In so many ways, he was her savior. Taking her out of the gutter, giving her life meaning. He was wonderful. Handsome. Brave. Unfailingly selfless. Everything she was not.

Any other woman would be in absolute rapture to find out he wanted her as his bride. They likely stayed up at night praying for that very thing, hoping he’d spot them in a crowd and be consumed by his need for them. But not her. For all that she could admit to his desirability—at least in theory—she didn’t yearn to be his. Not inthatway. Shadow didn’t think she was capable of loving anybody in a romantic capacity. She’d never been in a position to try.

Raised on the streets, she’d grown too reliant on herself to fully let anyone else in. Partnerships required trust, and she didn’t trust anybody. Not after what she’d seen. It’s what made her so good at her job.

An assassin could hardly be a bleeding heart.

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