She wasn’t ready to die.
Thinking that Ryker would kill her in the dungeon or in a cold, dark place where death reigned was one thing.
But this…
There was a cruelty to dying in a serene location like this, and she didn’t want any part of it.
Ryker opened her door, and Brynleigh stared up at him. He seemed so much bigger, with her inside the car and him looming over her. It was like he was a giant, and she was an ant.
Squishable. Breakable. Easy to kill.
Frigid fear coursed through her, and she gripped the leather seat. Her newfound will to live froze her in place.
She met his gaze and blurted, “Please don’t do this.”
Begging for her life was fucking ironic, considering that she always hated when her marks whined when she came to kill them, but she couldn’t stop the words from leaving her lips.
Ryker had been reaching into the car, but he froze. “What?”
She searched his gaze beseechingly. Her heart thundered, and though part of her knew this was useless, she had to try.
“Please don’t kill me,” she breathed.
She couldn’t even believe the words were coming out of her mouth since she’d been ready to die minutes ago, but she’d been wrong.
The will to live lent her strength, and she repeated her request.
Ryker’s brown eyes widened, and surprise flashed through them. He stumbled back, shaking his head.
Slowly, Brynleigh unfolded her limbs, the movements stiff and unnatural, and got out of the car. She only took one step towards the fae captain because his face hardened, and something harsh flickered through his eyes.
“I want to live,” she said.
Brynleigh reached for Ryker but paused before she could touch him.
The moon cast a silver glow on her raw, red wrists. Her skin was torn and destroyed from the prohiberis, a reminder of what she’d suffered.
“I know I deserve to die, and you’d be well within your rights to take my life, but… please,” she whispered. “Don’t do it.”
The last words were little more than air as they slipped past her lips. It took all her strength and willpower to say them. And now…
It was up to him.
Brynleigh’s plea hung between them, growing heavier with each passing second.
Her legs knocked together, tears streamed down her cheeks, and her head felt far too light, but she didn’t dare move.
His chest heaved. He didn’t say anything.
Seconds became minutes.
“Please,” she murmured. “If you cared about me at all?—”
“Of course, I cared about you!” Ryker yelled, his eyes flashing as water streamed from his hands.
It was only for a moment, but the loss of control was telling.
The water vanished, but the tang of magic remained in the air. The temperature dropped, and power radiated from the fae captain.