Page 21 of When Ashes Fall

He touched her. He’d fucking touched her!

When this was over, I’d rip Devnair’s spine out through his throat and bash him over the head with it. Until then, I’d play nice with Alwin’s brother-in-law and the rest of the kingdoms.

Grasping Briar’s arm, I steered her away from the hall and toward the road.

“What happened in there?” Briar asked.

“What did you and the elf talk about?” I demanded instead of answering her question.

“What does it matter?”

“Because I asked.”

When my bones cracked, she glanced at my feet and rolled her eyes. “Put your massive toe claws away. After what you did to my earth moss with them, they should remain sheathed.”

I glowered at her; she glowered back. It took some effort, but eventually I restrained the beast enough to retract my claws.

“The elf,” I growled. “What did you two talk about?”

She gnawed on her bottom lip and pondered my question before answering. “He asked how you were treating me here.”

“Why would he care about that?”

Irritation flickered across her face. “Probably because I helped free him from the harem.”

“I freed him from the harem.”

“You were content to leave him there until I insisted you set him free.”

“And you think I would do that for you?”

Color rose in her cheeks. “Of course not. I don’t expect you to do anything for me.”

“Watch your tone, Briar; I can make your time here a whole lot worse.”

She jerked on her arm as she tried to tear it free. Like a fly trying to rip itself free of a spider’s web, she had no chance of escaping. She’d learn who was in charge.

“Go ahead!” she snapped. “You can take everything from me, just as my mother did, but you’ll never break me. If my mother couldn’t, then you certainly won’t.”

I stopped walking and drew her to a halt as I turned her to face me. On her shoulder, the small creature rose and sniffed the air. Its small paws curved against its chest as its nearly black eyes bored into me. When its button nose twitched, its whiskers brushed her cheek.

I could smash that thing with one blow, and it looked as lethal as a kitten, but Petra claimed it was one of the deadliest creatures in the kingdoms. While it couldn’t understand our words, it looked ready to attack.

“What if I take him?” I inquired and pointed at the animal.

Briar jerked at her arm again, but when I wouldn’t free her, she stepped back and turned so the creature was further from me. “You leave Gizzi alone.”

That threat rattled her, but instead of feeling satisfaction, guilt lanced my heart. It wasn’t her fault the elf watched her like she was a tasty morsel he planned to devour. It didn’t help that she also clearly liked the elf.

“Gizzi, is it?” I asked.

The animal scampered over to her other shoulder, closer to me. Its big, deep brown eyes burrowed into me as it rose onto its hind legs again. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it really could understand us. And while that was impossible, it clearly sought to protect her.

“That’s the name I gave him,” Briar said through her gritted teeth.

“Did you know that thing was poisonous when you brought it into my home?”

“No, I’d never heard of a lowleeto before, but Zephyr told me what he was while you were gone.”