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‘I never claimed to be a gentleman.’

Beneath the blow of his Furies-given strength, snow and debris rained down at the mouth of the cave.

Trapping both Thea and the traitor within.

CHAPTER EIGHT

WILDER

In the pitch-black, her dagger was at his throat. In that moment, Wilder knew he must be deeply twisted inside, because his cock twitched at the cold press of her steel.

‘What the fuck have you done?’ Thea hissed, her body flush with his.

Gods, he’d missed the feel of her, the scent of her – like a kiss from the sea, laced with hints of bergamot. In the dark, it was as though she were wrapped around all his senses.

‘Bought myself some time,’ he murmured, only just stopping himself from breathing her in.

Her blade drifted from the soft skin of his neck down his chest, to rest above his armour. He couldn’t see her, could only feel the press of the dagger as he remained still, awaiting her next move. His heart was there, hers for the taking, so why didn’t she claim it?

‘Thea!’ Kipp’s muffled, panicked voice sounded through the debris. ‘Thea, are you in there?’

‘Thea, can you hear us?’ Cal shouted.

‘She’s safe,’ Wilder called back through the wreckage. ‘There was a cave-in.’

‘Should we move the rocks —’

‘No!’ Wilder replied, easing back from Thea’s blade and feeling along the cave wall for the torch he knew was there somewhere. ‘Follow the base of the cliff north with the horses. This is a tunnel, and it comes out on the other side of the mountain. You can meet us there.’

He searched his pockets for his flint. Striking the two pieces together, he lit the torch, light flooding the antechamber, casting a golden glow across Thea.

‘You planned this…’ she said, her dagger dropping to her side.

‘You didn’t give me much choice.’

Her gaze was bright with anger. ‘If you were attempting to win my trust, you just failed.’

‘Uhhh, Thea?’ Kipp called out again. ‘We probably need confirmation that, you know, you’re alive…?’

Wilder didn’t look away from her. ‘I needed you alone for this conversation,’ he told her. ‘Needed you somewhere you couldn’t run away or cut me off. You will hear everything I have to say. As you promised. We’re still heading towards Vios; the meet point is close to where the Wesford Road meets the main trade route of Aveum. And should you still wish it by the end, this detour will not interfere with your quest for vengeance. You have my word.’

‘Your word means nothing to me,’ Thea said, her eyes deadened. ‘Is this a trap? Where you lead me to your shadow masters and hand me over?’

Gods, he hated that he’d made her doubt him so thoroughly, that she truly thought so little of him after all they’d shared. If he could just get her to listen, he could offer to show her the camp, to introduce her to the real shadow-touched folk. He could gether to talk to Anya, to Dratos – and if they couldn’t sway her, then perhaps it was a job for the Shadow Prince himself.

‘It’s not a trap,’ Wilder said quietly, trying to strip the hurt from his voice.

Thea stared him down, hard. There was so much anger there, so much grief. But she seemed to realise she had no choice, and slowly, she sheathed her dagger and cupped her hands around her mouth. ‘I’m alive, Kipp!’ she shouted. ‘See you on the other side.’

A wave of relief flooded through Wilder. He had time, time to explain to her and only her what he’d been through, what had happened a year ago…

She was waiting with a flat expression and motioned for him to lead. ‘You apparently know the way.’

Wilder started down the passageway, torch held high. They walked in silence, Wilder marvelling all the while that after all this time, he was standing beside her once more. Long after the fever from the arrow she’d shot had left him, he’d dreamt of her, every night. Now… it had been a year without her touch, a year without her kiss, her laugh…

Though she vibrated with fury beside him, he wanted her. He would always want her.

And yet, Althea Zoltaire, AltheaEmbervale, had a bigger role to play in the stage the midrealms had set. It was this that forced the words from his mouth when he knew she didn’t want to hear them, knew they caused her pain.