Page 86 of Sands of Atonement

I took a step toward her, and she took one back, hitting the limestone wall behind her. A small flame on the torch was to the left, casting a shadow on her face. The space suddenly felt thicker and warmer than when we were out near the water hole.

“My little warrior,” I spoke low. “Could you possibly be jealous?”

She gave me a mocking look. “Jealous? Of Safina?” She laughed softly and tilted her head as if she had bad news to share with a child. “Casimir was my first and only choice. You were never an option to me. I never even considered you. I would rather be betrothed to Satan himself.”

“You wound me with your words. Truly. I’m hurt. But to answer your question, no, I would never make Safina my wife, even if I could. Even if I wasn’t Atrovian. I wouldn’t touch her in this lifetime or the next. Just like I will never touch you.”

“Are you sure about that?”

I leaned even further, closer to her face. Just to test myself. I was sick like that. “Deathly.”

Her lips curved sinfully as if she were playing with her food. “So with your harem, you haven’t…?”

I tilted my head, slightly amused by this conversation. “Why so curious?”

“I’m not.” She shrugged, but she couldn’t hide the curiosity in her body language. “It’s no surprise, really. You’ve always been such a devout disciple, following the law.”

I saw straight through her, and I shifted on my feet when I placed my hands on both sides of her. “Is that what you want me to tell you?”

“What?” she asked, not backing down from how close I was getting to her.

“That I would be willing to break my laws for you.” Our eyes locked. “Because I would never.”

Her lips parted, and her eyes widened. “I would never suggest such a ridiculous thing.”

“You didn’t have to. I can see it in your eyes, the way your body warms when mine is near.”

“My God. Seems a little obsessive the way you’ve been watching me.”

“Call it whatever you want.” I lifted a shoulder. “Watch how much I care.”

We’d wasted more time than I had. I straightened my spine and pulled her elbow to me as we continued walking to my very important fucking meeting.

We finally made it to the center of the Atrove. I heard my men down in the pit training on Silver Snakes. I could smell the silver blood reeking up to the second level we were on. The sweet tang wafted through the air. We hugged the outer wall as we continued around.

“Is that…?” Eshe whispered to me.

“The silver poison? Yes.”

“Is that why it didn’t work on you?”

“It’s one of the tests to pass in order to become an Atrovian. If you die, well, you didn’t deserve to be part of the Atrove. It’s our last test.” I didn’t know why I was even explaining this to her, but I continued. “You take a little each day, and eventually your body becomes immune to it in larger doses, and most likely, if encountered with that threat, you’ll survive—but not always.”

I heard her mumble something, and it sounded a lot like she was impressed. My lips curved up, and just because I could, I pulled her even closer to me, her body warming me in more ways than I cared to admit.

We turned into another tunnel on the right, and I leaned my lips next to her ear. “Though no one has ever tried to kill me with it like you did.”

Eshe attempted to hide her smile, but I still caught it.

We walked for another minute before we approached the chamber where I was having a meeting. I warned her, “Keep quiet, or you’ll suffer for it.”

“Seems like it’s something you like to do anyway.”

I stopped in my steps before the threshold and flashed her a glare. “Don’t tempt me with a good time. It does please me when you’re suffering.” It was a lie, but she seemed to believe it anyway.

“Well.” She took a step closer to me this time. “Little did you know, I like suffering, so you’re not doing yourself any favors. In fact, I love it.” Her wild gray eyes flickered against the faint glow.

My pants tightened, and I could feel myself swelling. I searched between her eyes. “You’re insane.”