Page 132 of Blackheart

“Youactlike a lowborn brat, and you’re gullible. I hope you realize that.”

He walked towards a street of houses. Once again, theaudacitywas appalling. I’d spent years locked away because of people's fear of me, just to have him mock me to my face as if I were harmless.

“What do you mean?”

He ripped a shirt off a clothesline, then continued down the street.

“I meant what I said.”

“I’m not gullible.”

He scoffed and grinned. “Yeah, that’s why you’re not in your little seat at the theater next to the Oathkeeper. Instead, you’re chasing me down the street.”

Payn was the one confused. I was out here to kill him, not chase him. “I’m not letting you go.”

He stopped, giving me an incredulous glare. “I think it’s clear my proposal is no longer on the table.”

“I’m not letting youlive, dumbass.”

He crossed his arms, amused. “And how exactly, are you going to kill me?”

However I needed to.

I mimicked the motions people had used during the midwinter games, bringing my hands together to form a black and violet ball of my own Nature. It was working, although my hold on the floating sphere of venom was somewhat unsteady, and was more egg-shaped.

“Elora… that’s enough.”

My arms were shaking just controlling the weight of the ball, but dammit, I was going to figure out how to throw it. I tried raising my arms above my head to fling it, but they gave out, splashing the poison all over the ground, barely missing my own head. I cursed and started again.

I rapidly formed another misshapen orb, sweat beading down my forehead.

He pulled a small glass vial out of his pocket and took a sip of blood.

Maybe he was intimidated and needed to fuel up for a fight. Perhaps he wasn’t so invincible after all.

The orb wobbled dangerously. I had a clear shot at his head.

Payn vanished for all of a second before he was breathing down the back of my neck. “I said, that’s enough.”

I screamed, twisting and splashing the venom straight into his face. Black ink stained his pristine hair, dripping from his forehead and chin.

His nostrils flared, red eyes glowing with a promise of violence. I brought my hands together again, ready to form another ball, when he wrapped both of his arms around me, holding me up to face him. His breath was nearly as unsteady as mine as a streak of black ran down his cheek.

“I didn’t come here to fight you.”

“Then why did you come?”

As I tried to thrash out of his hold, he held on tighter, commanding me to meet his eyes.

“I’ve been fighting wars for the past ten summers. My youth was sacrificed to conquer Lestivia and other western isles. We both only have so many of our good years left. If you and your brother surrender Castivian now, my father and I can handle Delaina and the Drakers. War can be avoided. We don’t need to waste years and bloodshed.”

I cackled. Bloodshed? As if he didn’t havevialsof blood in his pockets. He was delusional if he thought Xavian, or anyone in their right mind, would hand over a kingdom to Saffron the Blood Bather.

“The people of Castivian prefer their blood in their own bodies. Are you truly heartless? You’ve already ruined thousandsof lives in Lestivia. You need to do it in all three kingdoms on this side of the world?”

His eyes narrowed. “You don’t know me.”

“And I don’t plan to,” I hissed, bringing my teeth to his neck, biting down hard.