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I slipped my hands under his jacket, up to his shoulders, his neck, his chin.

I could see it in his eyes, the change. Lanson no longer looked at me like I was his entire world, like I was his to save. He looked at me as if he saw the truth in me; as if he noticed the darkness that always loomed over my head.

He looked at me like I was a broken, shattered mess.

Finally, he saw therealme.

We were too busy with ourselves to notice anybody else entering the courtyard, anybody approaching, anybody watching.

Until a slow clap from behind me made me jump.

I pulled away from Lanson and spun, finding Espek watching us in amusement.

“How cute,” he hissed. “Though, I think you owe me something.”

“Excuse me?” I hissed.

Espek stumbled forward, clearly drunk. Clearly angry.

“Get behind me,” Lanson ordered.

I ignored him and hiked up my dress, pulling my blade from my thigh.

Espek looked at it before peering back at me. “So that’s how you killed Ryder, then? Stabbed him to death with that toy right there? All but ripping him to shreds?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Lanson stiffened beside me.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, rat. They found his body, and you’re the only one stupid enough to kill him. You owe me a life.”

My first instinct was to step in front of Lanson.

But Espek’s eyes didn’t move from me. Not for a second. He pulled his own blade from its sheath and took a bold step in my direction.

“Run, Huntyr,” Lanson pleaded from behind me. “He’s going to kill you!”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I growled. I became vaguely aware of Lanson backing up behind me.

He wanted to run.

I wanted to fight.

“Stupid, stupid girl,” Espek snarled. “You thought you could get away with it? You and your pet wolf?”

“Like I said, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“She didn’t kill anybody!” Lanson added from behind me. “Just leave her alone!”

Espek looked at him as if just realizing he was here. “You really believe that?” he asked Lanson with a scoff. “Maybe you should ask your little girlfriend about Ryder’s body. He wasn’t just ravaged by animals, you know. He was stabbed repeatedly before his body was left to rot.”

My blood froze. I wanted to deny it. Hells, I wanted to. But something primal deep within me told me not to back down, not to let him win.

“Huntyr?” Lanson asked. “What is he talking about?”

Anticipation dripped in the air. I knew a fight was coming. I had killed Espek’s friend, and he knew it from the start.

“It had to be done,” I sneered, taking half a step closer to Espek. “He killed Maekus, and he was going to kill me.”