Page 46 of Dark Space

‘Willow needs to go home!’ I said, mustering a shadow of Maeve’s imperious command. ‘You stole him to help me, and I’m helped. You need to send him back!’

My Roth crossed his arms. ‘No.’

I crossed mine, mimicking his stance. ‘You have to! You took him from his home, from his family. I understand that you can’t send me back, but you can let Willow go!’

My Roth frowned; I frowned back. ‘He knows too much,’ he said.

‘He knows nothing but this cell!’ I insisted. ‘He knows that Vesper is here, but Vesper reallyisa criminal –’

‘Hey,’ Vesper protested. ‘There hasn’t been a trial yet.’

‘And he knows thatI’mhere, but –’ I steeled myself ‘– I am stating now, for the record, and for Willow to know, that I havechosento be here, and I will not leave.’

‘Youchoseto be here?’ My Roth repeated my obvious lie, his eyes narrowing.

‘Yes.’ I pressed my shaking hands against the glass. ‘I am stating that I am here of my own free will. There. Willow knows that you are holding an intergalactic criminal –’ I waved a hand at Vesper, who wrinkled his nose ‘– and you arehostingme as awilling guest. Let him go home.’

‘A guest,’ my Roth repeated flatly.

‘Aguest,’ I insisted. ‘Anhonouredguest of the Prince.’

My Roth stared at me. ‘I will ask Alcide,’ he said, after a long, tense moment.

I nodded. ‘Good.’

‘Fine,’ he growled, and opaqued the glass.

Willow caught me as I staggered back, then helped me get back into bed, making atskingsound when he saw how my hands were shaking. ‘You didn’t really choose to be here, did you, Anna?’

‘It doesn’t matter. You helped me, and now I’m helping you.’ I scowled. ‘The Prince better pull his head from his royal backside and send you home.’

Willow tucked my blankets around me. ‘Even if he doesn’t, thank you for trying.’

Exhaustion swamped me, my false courage failing. ‘You’ve always got to try,’ I whispered. My eyes fluttered closed, and I knew no more.

I woke some time later to a growl echoing around the cell. Willow was resting his head on my bed, and the Roth Prince was giving us a scowl that had me shivering.

‘Prince,’ I croaked, my voice rasping, my throat raw again. ‘I wish you wouldn’t growl at me.’

As soon as I said it, I knew it wasn’t strictly true. In fact, if I was honest, I rather wished the opposite.

‘I was not growling at you,’ he said.

His voice thrilled through me; my stomach churned with something like excitement at being able to understand him. ‘If you were growling at Willow, then you can turn around and march right back out,’ I snapped, taking in the way he was glaring at the other male.

My Prince stared at me, then rubbed his temples with long, strong fingers. ‘Things were easier when I could not understand you.’

‘Did Tall, Dark, and Looming tell you what I said?’

One auburn brow quirked. ‘He told me.’

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. ‘Let Willow go, and I’ll consider giving you what you want.’

He studied me. ‘You will consider it over dinner.’

I blinked, surprised. ‘Dinner? With you?’

The Prince cocked his head. ‘Is that not an Earth custom?’