Total pages in book: 230
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
He was quiet for a moment. “I wanted to see how far you would let it go.”
Heat blasted my cheeks. “Not very far.”
The Prince lifted a brow. “My hand was right above your—”
“I know where your hand was,” I snapped, cutting him off as that heat in my face hit my veins. “Trust me. It’s something I won’t forget.”
“No doubt,” he murmured, his lips curling into a faint smile.
My eyes narrowed. “As in not in a good way.”
“I’m curious,” he replied, watching me through hooded eyes. “If it wasn’t in a good way, why did you allow it?”
I inhaled sharply. “I was pretending to be entranced.”
“Hmm.”
“I was!”
“If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”
I caught his meaning and I was this close to throwing my clutch at him. The dude was insufferable and mainly because he was so freaking right, and I sort of hated him for that. “I have no idea how you knew that was me.”
“I… I just knew,” he said like that was an acceptable answer.
Irritation flared to life and I decided right then and there I could also ask demanding, annoying questions as I dropped my clutch on the table. “So why were you at Flux? A club frequented by your enemy?”
He was dragging his thumb along the rim of his glass. “I was there looking for Tobias, but you already know that.”
“Why were you looking for him?”
“Do you always ask so many questions?”
“You wanted to have this chat,” I reminded him, crossing my arms again. “Why were you looking for him?”
“He knows how to find someone I need to speak with.” His gaze dipped and there was a flash of straight, white teeth as he dragged them along his lower lip. I looked away as he said, “Alas, whatever information he had, he took that back to the Otherworld with him.”
“Can’t say I’m too torn about that.”
“Of course not,” he replied wryly.
“What information do you think he had?” I asked.
“He knows where a certain Ancient is that I would really love to murder.”
My brows lifted at that. “Let me guess, an Ancient that sided with the Queen?”
The Prince nodded.
“Do you happen to know his name?”
A heartbeat passed. “Aric.”
That name rang a bell. “Tobias did mention someone by the name of Aric.”
Everything about The Prince became very still, so much so he could’ve stopped breathing. “Did he now?”
“Yes. Aric was coming to meet Tobias and the other fae. He would’ve been there within an hour.”
“Are you serious?”
I nodded. “That was all they said about him.”
The Prince cursed under his breath. “Perfect.” Lifting the glass, he downed the rest of the Nightshade in one impressive swallow. “I know why you were at Flux and why you were here tonight. I know what Tobias did to you.”
A ripple of shock rolled through me as I stared at him. “You don’t know—”
“I know he was one of the five fae who attacked you and your mother.” Leaning forward, he placed his empty glass on the table. He didn’t settle back, and instead, placed his hands on his knees as he stared up at me. “I know that you’re seeking revenge because of what they did. I know you’re here tonight to see if you can find one of the other fae and I know you put yourself in ridiculously dangerous situations to get that revenge.”
Arms falling to my sides, I took a step toward him and then stopped as my stomach twisted nauseously. “How do you…?” My throat thickened. “How do you know?”
He didn’t answer for a long moment. “Because you are doing the same thing I am, but for different reasons.”
I drew in a stuttering breath as a tremor rolled through my arms.
“I know what it’s like to be consumed with revenge and the need to seek justice against those who have done you wrong so terribly. I understand that. It is why I am searching for Aric. He was once a trusted friend of mine, and I know he is the one who set me up to fall to the Queen’s spell,” he explained, and I felt pressure clamp down on my chest. “I know he’s still alive and he’s here. I will find him and I will kill him for what he has done to me. And if I ever get my hands on the Queen, I will rip her limb from limb.”
That might sound shocking, but I couldn’t fault him for wanting that. Not with what she had done to him—made him do.
“Well,” I said hoarsely, hating the feel of the bitter knot creeping into my throat, “I guess we have that in common.”
“I know what it is like to lie awake all night, consumed with what you could’ve done to change what happened and how you could’ve stopped it.”
“How could you have stopped it though?” I asked, my question genuine. “You were injured in a battle, right? Weakened?”