Page 14 of Eternal Ruin

A little relaxed, Kidan studied Susenyos. He appeared the same—tall, lean build, frustratingly clear brown skin, and jaws framed by his twists. Eyes the color of coal. He still looked like some lost king, a regal face meant to be captured on canvas. An unfair sort of beauty with too many secrets still.

Fire extended from her feet and licked the bottoms of his shoes, making his lip tug. “Why are you burning, little bird?”

“You made me lose my gun,” she said, hating the way this house betrayed her.

“I’ll get you a new one,” he said dismissively, then smiled. “So when are we killing her?”

“Who?” Kidan blinked.

“Your traitorous sister. Do you want to do the honors or shall I?”

Her jaw dropped for a second. Then a muscle ticked. “We’re not killing her.”

He raised his brows, almost amused. “She threatens your position as heiress, leaves you without reason, and we’re supposed to let her be?”

Kidan opened her mouth and shut it, a wave of pain spreading in her chest. With Susenyos, it was easy to be honest, even if it was dangerous.

“I hate her,” she finally admitted.

His smile broadened. Usually, she found it handsome. Now she wanted to punch him.

“ButI’m not killing my sister.”

A sigh left him, making her bristle.

“You stopped me from killing Samson. He’s our enemy.”

His eyes narrowed at her tone. “I only spared his life because we need the blade artifact. What value does your sister’s life bring?”

Kidan shook her head, unable to comprehend his violent words.

Value.

What value did Kidan’s life bring, then? Was that why he kept her alive? And if she stopped being valuable, what would he do?

He tracked her dark eyes. “What is that look? You’re not judging me again, are you, yené Roana?”

“You don’t want to kill June for me,” she said carefully. “You’re worried she’ll read the house law. Find out it’s about you.”

He matched her gaze with an equal measure of wrath. “I can have more than one reason to kill someone, little bird. I had five for you once.”

Kidan almost smiled but didn’t let him distract her. “If June reads the law, she will tell Samson, right? Don’t tell me that hasn’t crossed your mind.”

There was no trace of a smile now. A shiver went down her spine at the swift coldness creeping over Susenyos’s face.

“I won’t have that.”

“You’re not touching June,” Kidan said slowly, and got off the ground, pulling aside the blanket. “I’ll handle her. I’ll master the house and make her pay.”

Instead of expressing the anger Kidan expected, Susenyos’s gaze traveled down her bare legs, slow and careful like it was an unusual sight. She’d forgotten she was still in shorts and an oversize shirt. Her face warmed as the hallway curled with faint mist. The familiar heady scents of the Bath of Arowa were playing at their shoulders.

Was this her desire or his?

She waited for him to make his usual teasing comment, one that would encourage her to touch him or punch him, but he didn’t. He merely took her in, appearing to enjoy his time like she was a piece of art.

It flushed her skin, to be studied in such a careful way. As if he knew there wasso much more inside her to explore and enjoy. Awful, wicked things. But gentle dreams too. Things she’d never tell a soul, maybe except him. It made her reckless, glimpsing herself through his glinting eyes.

The mist thickened, making her mouth water.