Page 27 of Vicious Princess (The Trials of Death and Honor #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

S lowly, Daegel turns to face the petite fae. “Leti.”

I don’t miss the way he shifts his body to cover me from her view. Is he trying to shield me to protect me, or is he trying to hide me?

The way she looks up at him through her lashes makes my insides twist. I ball my hands into fists at my sides.

I don’t like the way she looks at him. Not one bit. I don’t have a right to feel this way, though. It’s not like Daegel is mine.

“Long time, no see,” she says. Each word that comes out of her mouth is like the caress of a lover, gliding over my skin even though she isn’t speaking to me. Damn these beautiful fae. “You’ve been hiding in that castle or what?”

“Not hiding, Leti. I have responsibilities in the Order.” Daegel’s voice is level and smooth.

No sign of familiarity or affection. He’s cold as a stone.

Leti doesn’t look at me, but I know she’s talking about me. “Is that one of those responsibilities you’re hiding right there?”

Daegel goes completely still. Her mouth curves even higher. When her gaze shifts to me, my head peeking over Daegel’s shoulder, my insides freeze.

“Come on, little pet. No need to hide from me.” Her smirk turns into a mischievous smile. All sharp white teeth. She raises her hands in mock surrender. “I’m friendly and don’t bite. Pinky promise.”

Despite the fear she instills in me, especially after watching her shoot five innocent fae in the head for entertainment purposes, I step to the side and put some distance between me and Daegel.

I’m not going to hide behind him like a weak, scared human.

Leti’s nostrils flare as she inhales a greedy gulp of air between us. Her pretty nose wrinkles in disdain. “You’re beautiful for an yrathi woman. But the stench of fear is pretty disgusting if you ask me.”

My cheeks are flaming, fists trembling.

To Daegel, she says, “Is that what gets you off these days, sweetheart? You shoulda said so instead of spinning a tale of how we’re too different to make it work.”

So an ex-girlfriend.

“Interesting taste in women you have,” I murmur under my breath.

Of course, the damn fae hears me. Daegel steps in front of me right as Leti’s gaze snaps back to me.

“Watch your tongue, yrathi ,” she says, deadly calm. “Or you might find yourself hanging on that wall behind you in the next round.”

When she notices the bow on my shoulder, her eyes narrow. “Is that…a bow?” She looks at Daegel again. “Is your little human pet an archer?”

I step to the side again. “A Phantom Ranger.”

Her perfectly manicured eyebrows rise all the way to her hairline. “You don’t say.” Her smile turns vicious when she glances at Daegel. “I see you found yourself a mini-me as a replacement.”

I scoff. “You wish. I’m not the one hiding in an underground gambling parlor because I have nowhere else where to put my talents.”

She laughs, the sound like music dancing in the air. “Talents, you say? Why don’t you show me those talents of yours in Ani-ki-ga , huh?”

Before I think better of it, I open my mouth to agree. Thankfully, Daegel cuts in with a harsh “absolutely not.” Swiftly, he turns to me.

I yelp from surprise when he lifts me in his arms and roughly throws me over his shoulder. “Hey!”

“That’s enough,” he says, and we’re charging through the crowd, away from Leti.

“Tell your father I say hi,” she calls after us, “and that he can summon me anytime. Our ties are still strong, even if you and I are over.”

Once we emerge into the dark alley, Daegel sets me down on my feet.

“What the fuck?” I straighten my uniform.

Daegel’s shoulders are tense. He runs his hand through his hair, jaw set tight. And then he walks away.

“Hey! Where are we going?” I try to catch up with Daegel, who marches through the streets of Jaakii with determination, like he’s trying to get away from me as fast as he can.

“Daegel! You’re faster than me, for fuck’s sake!

You brought me here with you, so you better take me back to the academy without getting me in trouble! ”

He halts and whirls on his heel so suddenly, I walk right into his hard chest. His fingers wrap around my arms tightly and push me an inch away.

I look up at him with a frown. “Are you angry at me?”

“Fuck yeah, I’m angry at you. Furious, actually.”

With a scoff, I step away from him and push his hands away from me. “Excuse me? Why on earth are you furious with me ?”

“Because you talk a big game about not being a princess. Yet you sure as fuck act like one.”

I’m so shocked by his words, my jaw drops. I recover quickly, throwing my arms up. “What does that mean?”

Daegel’s nostrils flare, and he steps closer to me. We’re face-to-face. I want to step away, since I’m overwhelmed by his presence and his delicious scent. Instead, I lift my chin and hold my stance.

If he can be angry, so can I.

His chest rises with a deep inhale and then drops when he sighs. “Why on earth would you be so reckless with Leti? You were about to agree to an Ani-ki-ga !”

I snort. “I wasn’t about to let a murderess stand there and continue insulting me!”

Daegel raises his voice. “You must learn to pick your battles, Wildarrow! Leti is extremely dangerous. You might be a Decarios, but she’s a damn fae Decarios—a highly trained one. You could have been hurt!”

I raise my voice at him, too. “Don’t tell me to learn how to pick my battles when you sure as fuck don’t know how to pick girlfriends if that’s your ex!”

Daegel shakes his head. “Yeah, well, she’s an ex for a reason.”

“Clearly, you have a type,” I say. “You really thought it would be a good idea to bring me to watch your ex-girlfriend as an example of a Phantom Ranger?”

“I didn’t know she’d be there. I haven’t seen her in months.”

“Well, it sure as fuck looks like the time apart didn’t change the way she feels about you.”

Daegel quirks an eyebrow. “Is that…jealousy I hear in your voice?”

“You wish,” I snap. “I’m just trying to wrap my mind around the fact you, an Ezkai, dated someone like her?—”

A dangerous, hot, and badass Phantom Ranger. I don’t finish the sentence, of course. I don’t have a right to feel jealous. Not after I shut him down when he tried to connect.

“Well, what can I say? I’m full of surprises,” he deadpans.

I roll my eyes. “I’m ready to go back to the barracks.”

“No. You’re not,” he says. I cock my head to the side. “Come on. Did you think this was it? You need to train while the night is still young.”