Page 61 of Of Rime and Ruin (Sirens of Adria #2)

Chapter fifty-eight

Nahla

The clawbeast ignores me, squatting at the mouth of her cave without a backward glance. She stiffens into a watchful stance and surveys the darkened tunnel beyond. Her tail is the only part of her that moves, flicking back and forth.

Shock tingles through my body as I process the turn of events. I’m still here, heart beating, mind reeling, watching her as if through someone else’s eyes. When I asked the clawbeast not to eat me, I didn’t expect her to listen. Now I don’t know what to do.

Try to escape? Too difficult. She blocks most of the entrance with her body, leaving minimal room for me to slip through.

Call for reinforcements? I could sing. Summon a nearby animal to create a distraction. And then what? Hope she eats them, giving me enough time to get away? The beast is clearly not hungry.

Kiss her ass? That might work. Every lonely girl has a praise kink.

I reach for her mind, brushing the periphery of her psyche, as I sample her emotions: annoyance reigns, tinged with impatience, boredom, and anticipation. She’s waiting for something to happen, something she’s wanted for a long time.

Gently, I slip beneath her defenses and project my Voice: Hey, pretty girl.

The clawbeast snorts, whipping her head to glare at me. Her eyes burn hot, and annoyance flares in her mind.

Shh, shh, it’s okay. I lift my hands in surrender. I just wanted to say how lovely you look today. Has anyone told you what beautiful eyes you have?

She cocks her head. Her lips curl in a snarl as she blinks—long, white eyelashes, like Aethan’s. Beautiful.

Aethan. I swallow against a knot in my throat, trying to ignore the sharp pang. But I can’t. I close my eyes, and his face fills my mind, crowding out all other thoughts. Blue eyes, glinting with mischief. That cocky, lopsided smile. His jaw flexing irritably.

I fucked up.

I feel the spiral coming, the dark emotions threatening to suck me under. My heart beats faster. My chest tightens. A prickle forms in my throat.

What was I doing? I should focus on my task. Come up with better compliments. Operation Kiss Ass is slipping. I’m failing.

The clawbeast launches from her post. Her hand wraps around my throat, and she slams me into the wall, our faces mere inches apart. Nostrils flaring. Eyes blazing. Her thoughts swirl with exuberance and intrigue. Curiosity.

My body tenses. She doesn’t eat me. Just crouches, holding me in place. Waiting. Wanting more.

More what?

What do you want from me? I press.

Her eyes widen as she stares at me expectantly. More .

So helpful. She’s like Aethan when I first met his Beast form, simple thoughts trapped in a complex sea of emotions.

She tightens her grip. More!

Aethan? I cock my eyebrow, and she nods. You like him, too, eh? I project my memory of Aethan’s handsome face for the clawbeast to see.

Her tail slaps the floor. Her smile spreads, revealing pointed teeth as satisfaction colors her mind. Fucking figures. What’s not to like about him?

More , she rasps, fingers tightening around my throat. My gills flutter feebly beneath her grip, fighting to draw oxygen. I gasp, vision speckling.

If this keeps her from eating me, so fucking be it. Okay, but let go of me first.

She loosens her grip, and my gills flutter freely. Oxygen rushes in.

Thank you. I wait for her to release me, but she maintains her hold. Rough fingers brush the skin of my throat. Her brow furrows, and impatience washes through our connection.

I roll my eyes and sigh. All the way, please. You can do it, pretty girl. Then I’ll show you some more.

I will not be her bitch.

She lets out a low whine but complies, dropping her hand. More , she echoes.

Fine.

I skip through my memories of him—running past the intimate moments—and settle on my favorite: our second night on the Frosted Plains.

He has me pinned in the snow, and he’s leaning in for a kiss.

His eyelids droop, half-closed with lust. He never sees it coming—my snowball, smacking into his face.

Slush slides down his cheek. Snow clumps in his eyelashes and hair, and he shakes his head to clear it. Got him.

The clawbeast chortles, glee sparking through her mind. More!

I show her Aethan in the throne room, a devilish grin on his face. He kisses my hand, pulls me into his arms, and twirls me around our private dance floor. My dress wraps around my legs as I pirouette and glitter flies.

The clawbeast startles. Snorts. Hot bubbles wash over my face as she leans closer, eyes wide. Again.

How long are we going to play this game? I sigh, flicking to another memory. She growls, the sound rippling out in warning.

No , she says. Again.

Clenching my teeth, I rewind and replay our ballroom scene, slower this time. I show her the violinist. The crystal chandelier. The soft weave of his tuxedo, resting beneath my cheek. Feeling his hands as they trail down my dress, lifting me, carrying me to the throne—

I cut it off there, and she rumbles her disappointment. Look, I’m not going to show you that part. That’s private.

She rolls her eyes and pushes away from me, returning to her perch at the mouth of her cave. With restless energy, she paces back and forth, tail lashing, claws grating against the rock. What the hell is her problem?

Fine. Be that way. I didn’t want to be friends with you, anyway.

I sigh, settling against the cave floor once again.

Cold seeps from the rock into my scales, and I shift into a more comfortable position.

I can’t stay here forever, playing memory-dealer for a clawbeast. I need to get out of here.

Find Aethan and tell him I’m sorry. Before the beast decides she’s hungry enough to end me.

I track her restless movements, praying for an opening. If I could squeeze through while she’s on the other side, maybe I can make it. Maybe I can fit.

Quietly, I glide on my stomach toward her, keeping out of her peripheral vision. My hands grasp the rocky floor, pulling me along. She turns, angling right. My opening appears.

But before I can launch, the clawbeast freezes. Her head snaps up. She faces the darkness and opens her mouth, arching her tongue as she inhales. Checking for scent?

Her mind sparks with eagerness. The thing she’s been waiting for is close, now. She can smell it. Cool peppermint, like falling snow.

My heart drops into my stomach. I’d recognize that scent anywhere, as I’m sure he’d recognize mine.

As I watch the clawbeast crouch on all fours, her haunches lifting in readiness to spring, everything clicks: I’m not her meal.

I’m the bait.

She’s waiting for Aethan to rescue me, and I have to warn him before it’s too late. When she glances to the right, I take my chance.

With a hard kick of my tail, I glide through the gap between her body and the wall. My stomach grazes the jagged rock. A few scales tear free, trickling blood. She snorts, a growl reverberating through the water, and her claws descend.

In a final burst of speed, I evade her grasp, barreling into the labyrinthine cave beyond. The clawbeast roars, but I don’t look back. I swim into the darkness, weaving out the way we came.

I’m coming home, Aethan, and I’m going to fix everything.