The woman hadn’t harmed me, and she certainly didn’t deserve to die because of my curiosity. “I’m not telling.”
“I can think of a few delightful ways to change your mind.” His fingers stroked the curtain’s tassels. Back and forth. Slow and lazy. Toying with them the way he toyed with me.
I shifted closer to the door, putting as much distance between us as the cramped space would allow. “You said you’d leave me be. You promised.”
“Did I?” His lazy glance swung my way, all hooded blue eyes and sardonic smile. “I recall swearing on my mother’s life to stay away from yoursister. Not from you.”
Had he made that distinction? I’d been so flustered I couldn’t remember.
“But I should probably warn you that I despise my mother.” Propping his chin on his fist, he stretched his black boots toward the far wall. “Now, let’s try this again. Who gave you my name?”
The smell of cinnamon grew stronger, dancing on my tongue. I shook my head, trying desperately not to inhale. “I’m . . . not . . . telling . . . you.”
“All right then.” A curved knife appeared in his other hand, silver blade glinting as he tapped it against his thigh. “A different question. Why were you inquiring after me?”
I bit my lip.
He wouldn’t use the blade on me.
He wouldn’t dare.
“This was a gift from my father.” He held the dagger so I could see my wide eyes reflected in the blade. “I like to keep it very sharp. Can you imagine what it would do to your throat?” He pressed the tip to his finger. A bead of dark blood welled from the wound.
“Killing humans is illegal.” Not that the law would do much good if I was dead.
All he did was smile.
I darted a glance to the window. We were in the forest now, trees whizzing past. With Rían so close, I wouldn’t be able to scream before he cut me.
The answer to his question was simple enough. Certainly not worth being killed over. “I cannot get you out of my head,” I confessed, blushing all the way to my toes. It sounded so silly and childish when I said it aloud. Though the dark desire coursing through my blood was anything but.
He inhaled slow and deep, his chest rising and falling. “What did you plan on doing with the information you gleaned?”
Do with it? What could I possibly do with a name? “Nothing. I just wanted to know who you were. I swear it.”
He eased forward, leaning his elbows on his knees as he searched my eyes. When he inhaled, I held my breath.
The moment the dagger vanished, I collapsed against the tufted cushions.
Bloody hell.
Rían caught one of my loose golden curls, wrapping it around his finger. “I’m afraid I must beg another favor.”
Another favor.
My lips began to tingle. “Are you going to stab me if I don’t kiss you?”
He dropped the curl and pushed back against the curtains. “I don’t want a feckin’ kiss. I want you to break my curse.”
I blinked at him, disappointment replacing desire in my stomach. “Very funny.”
One dark eyebrow arched toward his hairline.
Oh. He was serious.
How did he expect me to save him from a curse? I couldn’t even save myself from my father’s archaic demands. I had no magic, no wealth of my own, and no strength to speak of. “I don’t know the first thing about curses—or how to break them. You’ll have to find someone else.”
The thin golden ring around his pupils widened when his eyes narrowed. “I don’t want anyone else. It has to be you.”