Page 25 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

“I’m not scared of you.”

“I’ve never wanted you to be.”

I stepped a little further back and stopped when he tilted his head to the side in warning. He was going to hold to his promise. And I really wouldn’t like it. Not when I lacked the energy to fight him back.

“Don’t loom over me.”

I could see his eyes glitter even in the darkness. “Loom?”

In a flash, he faded right in front of me, a piece of my hair between his fingers, the scent of eucalyptus overwhelming me with all sorts of memories. “I really was hoping the fringe was a phase. Hoping you’d grown out of it.”

“Don’t mock me.”

He leaned forward, close to my face, his eyes closing as he took a deep inhale. “Mock? Why would I mock you, Your Majesty?”

I snatched my hair out of his grip. “Don’t patronise me.”

His hand shot to my face, cupping my jaw and titling my face up to his. “Ask me, Thora. Ask about what you want to know. I’ve never hid a thing from you. Ask me. Don’t be angry at me. You can’t be angry at me. You out of all cannot be angry at me.”

“I am not angry.”

“When you lie like this,” he started, stepping even close to me, my chest brushing against his. “It makes it more fun.”

“Don’t make me hurt you, Malik.”

“Please do,” he crooned, tipping his head forward until his nose brushed against mine.

My eyes drew shut when my treacherous heart started reminding me how much it still cared for him. “Malik—”

“Do it, Rora. You want to be angry at me? Do it properly.” His hand lowered from my jaw to my neck, his fingers brushing my pulse. “Come on, sweetheart, no one better than you knows how to hurt me. So hurt me. Otherwise I won’t know to stay away.”

He knew—he knew I couldn’t.

His hand slipped away from me and he backed away, starting to take off his jacket and dropping to the sofa he used to sleep on ten years ago.

“What are you doing?”

Putting an arm under his head, he closed his eyes and yawned. “I can’t sleep. You can’t sleep. Let’s commiserate how we used to.”

“I can sleep just fine, and we aren’t—”

“We aren’t what? Friends?” He chuckled, closing his eyes again. “I have no interest in being your friend again, Thora.”

“Then what do you want? Is this fun for you?”

“Yes.”

“Get out.”

“Lay down. Or I’m going to do it for you.”

Humour was gone from his voice. And I knew right then that he was no longer playing with me. After considering my chances, I ran out towards Rain’s room, his laughter following me all the way down the corridor and even after I’d closed the door behind me.

Rain stirred. “Auntie?”

“Auntie is scared,” I whispered, panting as I stepped towards her bed.

She pulled her covers to the side. “Nothing gets under the blanket. Hide under mine.”