All's Fair in Revenge

Chapter 31: Temper

Upon returning to the castle and with little time to change and prepare for the ball that evening, I made to get as far from the prince as possible. His hot, moist lips lingered on my breath, and I wished to scrub it clean. But first, I had something address.

Free of prying eyes, I stalked up to Thorne and wrapped my fingers around the collar of his armor and yanked him down a dim hall only the servants used.

"How dare you," I said, the sound all scream but with the volume of a whisper. "You lied to me!"

Thorne pried my fingers, one-by-one, from his onyx plate. "I did not lie. I cannot lie."

"You made a promise to help."

"And I did." Thorne readjusted his breastplate from where I had yanked.

"Then why is my dagger..." With slight paranoia, I peered down both sides of the hall then pulled my weapon from his waist, "sitting in your belt and not in his spleen?"

His finger jutted into my collarbone as he said, "Because you were being impulsive and looking for death."

"Did I ask for your assistance," I snapped.

"Yes, you did. When you forced me to make a promise under duress. So, you can't die before I fulfill that promise, or I, too, will die as it will become a lie. And I have far too many enemies to kill before I'll let that happen."

I had forgotten about the Druvix superstition. My pursed lips quivered under the tension of his righteousness. "Well, it must be fucking nice to be right all the time." I slapped his hand away and started down the hall.

"Good Eyr, you have a temper," he said in hushed tones as he caught up with me. "Do you ever tire of being angry constantly?"

I glanced sideways at him. "Anger is all I have left." The words left me before I could reign them and yet it was the most honest thing I'd said in a long time. The weight of it, hanging in the air between us, suffocated me enough to avoid it entirely. "You don't get to criticize my plans, all right?"

He placed a firm had on my shoulder. "I can and will when there are children present, Hana. You almost traumatized an entire generation with one stupid decision."

That stopped me. I stepped back. "What?"

"You heard me," he said with a knowing glare that crinkled one eye.

The anger bubbling inside me like a volcano ready to erupt emptied. "Fucking Helheim."

"Is that the Kelvian word for thank you?"

I shoved him. "Shut up."

"Violent, too." Thorne ran a hand through his hair, wild with sweat from his helm. It rolled like a wave over his forehead, and I had the strongest urge to sift through it with my fingers. I cleared my throat instead. "I'm still waiting," he said, leaning, his foot flat against the wall. He crossed his arms. He wanted an apology.

"And you'll continue to wait for all eternity. I have nothing to be sorry for."

"Come on," he pushed off the stone, closing the space between us. There was something sweet in his sweat, something that made my stomach hunger, "Do I not deserve a little gratitude?"

"Can you even spell gratitude?"

"G-r-a— "

"All right, I get it. You can spell," I interrupted, yet I couldn't hide the faint whisper of a smile hoping to push through the exasperation. "I can't believe I almost killed a man in front of an audience of children." I pinched my brow, the almost images flooding my brain all the same as if I'd followed through anyways.

"But you didn't."

"Only because you stopped me," I reminded him.

"Only because I stopped you, first. Maybe you would've stopped yourself if I hadn't."

I rolled my eyes up to him. "I needn't saving, you know."

"Everyone does at some time or another. Today was your turn."

I leaned into him, my head tilting. "And you? Who saves you?"

"No one." His wide tongue ran over his chapped lips. "Yet."

And because the string between became too taut to bare, I stepped back and said, "There's something deeply wrong with you."

"Why? Because I care about people?"

"No, because you care about these people. These humans. They treat you worse than their cattle, yet you protect them."

"Not all of them treat me poorly." He frowned. "And I've been through worse." Memories passed over Thorne in a brief wash, but my questions died on my lips. He didn't owe me any answers.

For both our sakes, I said, "Have you seen Sira Alona?" I peered down the hall. "She keeps disappearing."

Before I'd even finished speaking, his essence morphed into that of a soldier on alert. "Not since the ceremony," he said with a furrowed brow. "Does this happen often?"

Over the last few days, the Second Guard had scarcely shown herself. I'd assumed she learned to hide better. Maybe not. "No," I answered though for I didn't want to get her in trouble with the Druvix.

He scrutinized my lie, perhaps even saw through it. "Unacceptable, allow me escort you to your room in her stead."

"I think I'll be fine in the two-minute walk to my quarters, Thorne."

"I'm sure you will." He nodded but followed close as I made for the stairs. "But all the same."