Her breath hitched. He stopped before her, a tower of might and menace. His inhalations came a little heavily.
The moisture in her mouth dried. She went still. His irises. They all but crackled with flames. In that moment, she craved so many things. Bad things. His hand, gripping her nape. His breath, fanning her bare skin. His body, pressing against hers.
“What do I get out of this deal?” he demanded.
Oh, no he didn’t. Up went her hackles. “What do you mean, what do you get? You get to live a few more days.”
His pupils expanded and retracted like a pulse before the striations executed a slow spin. “Every day you are free of chains, you will place your palms on my chest of your own volition. For five minutes.”
She...was confused. Of all the things he could have asked for, why this? A brief touch. Why not a kiss? Or sex? “I don’t understand.”
“Your understanding isn’t part of our bargain.”
He was beyond irritating, but he wasn’t wrong. “Fine,” she said with a nod. Because why not? She would’ve ceded much more to get her way. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
He hesitated only a moment before unhooking the chain and removing the shackles with a flick of his wrist. Clasping her hand in his, he hauled her to her feet, then flashed her to the Oath Stone.
Today, thick gray clouds obscured the sun, bathing the land in shadows. Wind raged, whipping tendrils of her hair across her cheeks. A coming rain scented the air and charged the atmosphere, zapping her veins.
“We’ve spoken our promises.” Roux’s stare never wavered from hers as he burned a symbol into the stone with the tip of his finger.
This is actually happening?She had won this round?
He arched a brow, allyour turn. “When you verify your agreement, the deal is sealed.”
“Great. Wonderful. But I have no symbol of my own.” She’d never needed one. Among harpies, a symbol was reserved for Generals.
“Only requires your blood,” he said.
Hey! Was he a littletooeager for this? Was she about to walk straight into a trap? “Imma need you to restate our terms first, bud. Let’s make sure we truly agree.”
He worked his jaw. “Why don’t youtellme the terms?”
Even better. But how to word this, ensuring she earned herself some wiggle room? “I, Blythe the Undoing, vow to stay within eyesight of Roux the Crazed One for the next four days. During that time, I vow to put my hands on him for five minutes a day. I will not kill him until the tournament begins. In return, Roux won’t shackle, chain, or bind me in any way.” Now she arched a brow athim. “Satisfied?”
His attention dropped to her lips. “Not even close. But I agree to your terms, anyway.”
“Then let’s seal the deal.” She swiped the tip of her index finger across one of her fangs. Then, with a grunt, she did it. She pressed the welling red droplet into the symbol.
A current of energy jolted her from the inside, and deep down, she knew. The deal was indeed sealed. For better or worse.
“This is good,” Roux said, almost smiling. Fifty years of tension melted from him, rousing her suspicions all over again. What did he think he’d won with this? “Let us return to the palace.”
“The palace?” Where they must cloister themselves in a bedroom, alone? Blythe lurched back. “You’ve cooped up this freedom-loving harpy long enough. From now on, we’re gonnaPretty Womanthis sitch, Warden. You bought me, so you pay my bills. Congratulations. We’re going shopping.”
12
THE CHALLENGE
Bargain: Day 1
Roux cloaked himself in sheets of the realm’s atmosphere and trailed behind Blythe as she explored the overcrowded markets of Ation City. Booths abounded, vendors selling everything from fruit pies to clothing to well-crafted swords.
As graceful as always, the harpy pilfered a dagger as she walked past a table, and no one noticed. She stole a kabob next, moving faster than a blink, and dined on the meat as she continued. Again, no one noticed her expert level sleight of hand.
“I have gold,” he informed her, slightly bemused. The coins filled a pocket of his pack.
“What does that have to do with anything?” she called without glancing back at him, finishing off her meal and moving on.