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“You ruined my reading time.”

“I had no idea the man was already married. I wasn’t trying to sell you or anything, I swear. I’m not that kind of man.”

I laugh at him, because he can’t hear how ridiculous his words are. “Eryx, that’s exactly what you’re trying to do. You offered me twenty thousand necos to get married. You don’t care who you have to pay to be rid of me. You’re just upset you were mistaken and didn’t find someone who could take me for life.”

I rise, suddenly needing movement, and head for the trail that goes across the grounds and into the neighboring woods.

He follows.

“It’s not like that, and you know it,” he argues. “I’m not like your father. I’m not selling you to the highest bidder. I’m trying to give you a comfortable life with someone you love and enough money to give yourself all the things you could want. After everything you’ve learned about me… I thought you’d be more eager to get off this estate. I’m only thinking of you. Why can’t you see that?”

“You’re not taking into consideration what I want. That’s all that matters, and that’s why you’re exactly like my father.”

“What do you want, then?” he snaps, and nearby birds flutter away from the overhead branches.

“I want my manor back. I want my land back. I want my money back. I want to find out who and what you really are. I want to be safe and comfortable. I want you gone!”

But he can’t give me any of those things. Why should he even want to? He doesn’t care. And he somehow has every right to them.

“You’re not even trying!” he yells back. “You could have all of those things. Just not here on this estate. You could find love and happiness with a young man who will respect and cherish you.”

“I don’t want love and happiness! I want freedom. I want to be left alone. I don’t wantto try. I’ve been trying my whole life to be someone else to give my father what he wanted. To get what I wanted. I’m done. I endured Pholios fortwo months, until death finally claimed him. I’m supposed to be my own woman now, yet I’m somehow beholden toyou. Yousummonedme today. I listened only to protect Damasus from your wrath. You have too much power over the people I care about!”

The surrounding woods go completely quiet after my outburst.

“What… what did you endure?” he asks softly.

“You don’t want to hear about it.”

“Yet I’m asking. I want to understand.”

“Why? What will understanding do? Will you suddenly leave me alone when you hear about how Pholios criticized and yelled at me every day? Will you up my allowance if I tell you how he pawed at me every chance he got? Will you give me back the dukedom if I tell you about the bruises he left? If I make myself pitiable to you, will you suddenly behave like a decent person?”

The longer I talk, the more the shift happens. First, his eyes. Then his ears. Finally, his horns and canines sprout at the wordpawed.

I have the distinct urge to step backward, to give room to the massive form before me, but I hold my ground, determined to cling to my righteous fury.

His voice is deeper than before as he says, “If he weren’t already dead, I’d kill him myself.”

“You can’t just say things like that!”

“Why not.”

“Because they make you sound like you care when you clearly don’t!”

He growls at me, the sound somewhere between human and animal, as though contradicting me with the noise alone.

I reach out, grab one horn, and pull his face down to my eye level. “I do not care what you look like, Eryx Demos. You will not win arguments by shifting in front of me.”

His eyes are trained on my mouth, which is right where I need them, but my traitorous body reacts to that gaze. My breath catches, and my heartbeat gallops as though trying to escape my chest. I feel myself start to move closer, as though he has his own force of gravity and is pulling me in.

I remember all too well how those elongated canines felt against my neck. Now I’m imagining them pulling on my lips.

Reason is a faraway thing, but it seems to push through my traitorous thoughts to reach the forefront of my mind.

It’s too soon to give him what he wants. He needs to be begging for it. Only then will you learn his secrets.

At the last second, I shove his face away from mine.