Page 119 of Embers of Ruin

“No. I’d like to take my leave, Your Majesty.”

His mouth curves. “Then you are dismissed.” He waves a hand, summoning anyone brave enough to step forward and grab me.

“I’ll leave on my own fucking terms.”

“Your mouth is filthy. Maybe I was wrong in my assessment of you when I gave you the title Lady Tarethyn.”

Oh—we’re throwing sharp jabs now. I excel in this area.

“Thank the gods I didn’t fill my mouth with your cock, then.”

Several sharp inhales break the silence around us. I wait for the rage. For the command to seize me. For his shadows to tear across the space.

Instead—

Thorin smiles.

Not with amusement or anger, but with something far more unsettling—interest. The expression is small, barely there, a slow curve of his mouth that sends a chill crawling down my spine. His silver eyes never leave mine, and somehow that is worse than fury because I know what it means when his gray eyes turn silver. He likes this—or he’s about to unleash hell.

Around us, no one moves. No one dares. The silence grows heavier, more dangerous, as his silver eyes remain fixed on mine.

“Well,” he says at last, his voice as calm as ever, “that was certainly an unexpected answer.”

A nervous laugh starts somewhere behind me, only to die as quickly as it began. No one is foolish enough to join it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Onyx staring between us with open disbelief. Even Mazelle looks momentarily speechless. Cadrin has gone unnaturally still, while Riven's brows have nearly disappeared into his hairline.

No one dares interrupt, or even breathe too loudly.

I straighten my shoulders, refusing to let that smile unravel me because if I'm honest, I’m angry enough to take it out on him in other ways—ways I’d regret. My body might enjoy them, but my brain would never let me live it down.

“Good,” I say evenly. “Now that we’re finished... have an awful, terrible day.”

I turn on my heel and walk away. No one stops me. Not even him.

CHAPTER 25

Islam the door to my chamber hard enough that the frame rattles.

“Have an awful, terrible day… seven hells…” I mutter under my breath as I kick off my boots. “He’s such an arrogant ass.”

The room is quiet again, but my mind isn't. It keeps returning to that smile he gave me after I practically announced the details of whatever the hell exists between us in front of his Captain, Lieutenant, and half the Shadow Guard.

I should be embarrassed. I’m not. Goddess divine, I truly hate him. I might actually mean it this time.

I drag a hand through my hair, undoing the braid I wove this morning. Strands tumble over my shoulders as I pace the length of the room, trying—and failing—to convince myself I came out on top in whatever the hell that was with Thorin in the Sacred Gardens.

He should have been furious. He should have shouted, threatened me, exploded. He should have done something. Instead, he'd smiled as though I'd said something that interested him more than it offended him. The memory is irritating enough that I consider finding him again just to insult him properly this time. I don’t have time to do that because⁠—

A knock sounds at my door.

I stop pacing. For a moment, I simply stare. No one knocks when they’re coming to this room. They usually barge in wherever they want. Another quiet rap echoes through the room.

Before I can ask who it is, familiar shadows slide beneath the crack at the bottom of the door. They don't creep farther inside as they usually would. They linger for only a heartbeat before retreating, as if waiting.

As if asking permission to enter.

I frown. “Go away,” I call out. I hope he listens. “You've irritated me enough for one day.”