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“There are matters at play far beyond your understanding, Aria. The Dark King has responsibilities. You, with your mortal fragility, are a complication he doesn’t need.”
“I’m not as fragile as you think,” I snapped back. “And maybe the king sees something in me that you don’t.”
Mais laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. “You’re naive. The king’s heart is bound to this realm, to the power it grants him.”
“Maybe there’s more to him than just the ruler of Helheim. Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think,” I retorted, my fists clenched at my sides.
“And you do? You, who have been here for mere days? The king is what this realm has made him,” she said, her face twisting with contempt.
“Perhaps,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides. “But I’ve seen glimpses of something else in him. Something human.”
Her eyes flared with anger, and she took another step closer, her scarred face inches from mine. “You think you’re special, don’t you? That you can waltz into his life and make everything better?You’re a fool, Aria. The king’s mercy only extends so far. Cross him, and you’ll see just how human he can be.”
“I’m not afraid of him,” I said, my voice low and fierce. “And I’m not afraid of you.”
Her lips curled into a sneer. “You should be. You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
“I know enough,” I replied. “Enough to see that you’re threatened by me.”
Her eyes flashed, and for a moment, I thought she might strike me. But then she stepped back, her expression cold and calculating.
“Threatened? No, Aria. I pity you. You’re nothing but a pawn in a game far beyond your understanding. And when you fall, it will be because you overestimated your worth.”
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. “We’ll see about that.”
Mais shook her head, a look of weary disdain on her face. “You’re walking a dangerous path. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the library, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air.
I stared down at the book. With a hard swallow, I curled my arms around it and disappeared back into the secret passage. I made my way back to the king’s bedroom.
To my surprise, he was sitting in the leather armchair beside the window, waiting for me.
“My king,” I whispered hoarsely, shocked.
“I’m glad to see you’re referring to me properly now,” he grinned, and I glared in his direction.
Maybe I was wrong about his humanity after all.
CHAPTER 13
Helheim
The Dark King
My sweet, naive little thief.
She was beautiful even as she glared back at me, I couldn’t deny that. Her golden eyes met mine with a fiery passion and I found that I couldn’t look away. I looked deeper, seeing flecks of metallic bronze and silver within those soulful irises and I licked my lips, cocking my head to the side.
Her stance was one of raw defiance, but I had seen her face when she’d first laid eyes on me. It had been soft, almost like she had been happy to see me.
That was a development, certainly.
My gaze traveled over her delicate features: her high cheekbones, her full lips, and the cascade of dark hair that framed her face. She was a contradiction, a blend of strength and vulnerability, and it intrigued me more than I cared to admit.
I wanted to punish her for her insolence, to remind her of her place in my realm, yet there was a strange desire to take her into my arms and protect her from the same darkness I commanded. It was maddening, this war between the beast within me and the flicker of humanity that she seemed to ignite.
The draw between us was getting stronger. With each passing day, it was growing harder to ignore.
I couldn’t let her get to me. I wouldn’t allow it. I didn’t care about the fact that she was my mate.
