Page 68 of How Does It Feel?

Mendax’s gaze burned like fire as he took in the gentle grip the other man kept on my elbow.

“I was only helping the beauti—”

Andrey dropped to the floor with a sickening thud. The crowd gasped as his face rolled to the side, his eyes empty and void of any life.

My eyes shot to the man hovering over me. Mendax was idly wiping a dagger on a black silk square from his pocket.

“You killed him!” I yelled, unable to believe what had just happened.

I hadn’t even seen him pull the dagger out!

He looked up nonchalantly. “He was touching you.”

“Son!” The queen shouted in alarm from across the shadowy ballroom.

“He . . . just . . . he helped me up after your guard made me fall!” I stared in bewilderment at the scene before me.

Not a second passed before he turned and slammed the freshly cleaned dagger into the unsuspecting guard behind me, and he fell to the ground, dead in a heap next to the other man’s body. He hadn’t even known what had happened.

“What the—” I struggled.

He grabbed my arm with his gloved hand and leaned in to brush against my ear.

“I’ve recently decided I don’t like others touching my things, touching what’s mine.” His deep voice was barely above a whisper as he continued to clean the dagger and sheath it at his side.

He grabbed my leash and guided me to the center of the room, and I had to step over the two bodies that lay limply on the floor. I noticed he had stabbed the guard in the chest, but the winged man he stabbed just below where his left wing connected with his body. The wound seeped thick black blood.

The queen bristled at the edge, trying to get her son’s attention, but even she didn’t dare enter his space unseen after his recent wrath.

“Creatures of the Unseelie court.” Prince Mendax addressed the crowd like a king among men.

Where was the king? Was there no king? Why did Mendax not take the crown as king, then? I stood behind him in the center of the ballroom staring at the dark marble floor, afraid to peer into the eyes of all the evil that watched me.

“I’m certain by now you’ve all heard the humans sent an assassin that has failed to do as so many of you have.” His voice was even as he looked around the room. “Failed in killing me.” His eyes fell upon mine with heat. As he removed his gloves, his face was stern, but his eyes seemed to be in a silent war of their own. “But I have failed equally.” He held out his hand, and the smoke that clamped around my throat fell from my neck into his hand in a smooth wispy movement.

Instantly my hands flew to the raw skin of my neck.

“Three times I have tried to kill the human, and three times she has lived.” His voice boomed, echoing off the distant walls and staircases as the crowd listened in silence.

Hundreds of hungry-looking Fae stood frozen, hanging on the prince’s every word.

“Callie Peterson of the human realm, as Prince of the Unseelie court, I offer you a deal.”

My attention snapped to his. What was he doing?

“What?” I asked unsteadily. Surely I couldn’t trust him no matter what temptation he offered.

“I am a man of my word. I promised entertainment to my mother and people of this court.”

Cold fear crawled like a spider up my spine.

“As a human, you shouldn’t be nearly so hard to kill. Against my better judgment, I am quite preoccupied with you.”

The blood drained from my face as I felt it too go cold. I was going to faint.

Nearly faltering, I accidentally leaned into Mendax, steadying myself with his forearm.

He paused his speech to snap his eyes at where I touched his arm.