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It doesn’t work on him.

Dear God.

“Shame your wiles don’t affect me.” He reads my face. “Don’t fret, enchantress. Iamtempted.”

“Why did you wake them?” I ask as my skin dims.

“Why did I wake them? That’s your most pressing question? Don’t you want to know why I kidnapped them in the first place? Or why I put the women in caskets and the men in trees?”

Of course I do.

He takes a seat next to me, and it takes a great amount of willpower to not recoil at his nearness.

The Thief sighs. “Because I wanted to.”

He leans in. “I put the men in trees because, as the Green Man, I could. I took the women savagely and caged them like I have been caged.” I can feel the sick heat of his anger and his excitement as he talks. “I hid the men and showcased the women,” he continues, “and oh how I enjoyed watching all those fairies fear the unknown. It’s been so long since any of them felt true fear, but now they do.

“So,” he says, facing me more fully, “is that what you wanted to hear?”

Yes. No.

All these years I’ve spent hunting criminals, and the worst ones give these kinds of answers. They committed atrocities because they wanted to. Because they could.

But even as the Thief of Souls gives me this glimpse into his mind, he manages to evade the answer that I really wanted to hear. I want to know what his plans are, not how his sick mind works.

“Enough about me,” he says softly. “I know, enchantress, that if you’re scared or excited enough, your baser nature will expose itself.” He reaches out and strokes my cheek with the back of his knuckle.

I flinch at his touch, my nostrils flaring. I should be sprinting far away from the Thief, but my muscles are locked up. I couldn’t move if I tried.

“The question is,” his hand slides to my lower jaw and he drags my face to meet his, “which route do I explore—your passion or your fear?”

His eyes dip to my lips. God save me, I might as well be back in the Fauna Kingdom’s prison because right now I’m staring at Karnon. It’s a different body, but the same eyes.

My breath hitches at the reminder, and a few seconds later my skin illuminates as the siren unfurls, stretching out beneath my flesh like a stiff muscle.

A fierce fury rises in me, eclipsing my fear.

This barbarian thinks to intimidate us? Scare us?

I grab his wrist and pull it away, leaning into his space. “Whatever you think to do to me, Idareyou to try.” I take my other hand and press it to his chest, tapping a clawed finger against him. “But you should know that, if given the chance, I will gut you and make a necklace of your innards.”

Not going to lie, my siren is a real piece of work. But it’s times like this that I appreciate her particular brand of crazy.

The Thief smiles at me, looking like his interest’s been piqued. “I do hope you make good on your threat. I’d hate to see all this vehemence go to waste.” He moves in closer, our faces inches apart.

His breath fans against my cheek. “Find me, Callypso. I’m eagerly awaiting our reunion.”

“Cherub—”

My body startles, roused from sleep by Des’s voice. My eyes sweep over our campsite.

Swear the Thief was here just a second ago.

His presence was so vivid that my mind isn’t convinced I dreamed him up.

But then I’m distracted by Des’s warm body and his penetrating stare.

“Everything alright, Callie?”