Page 94 of The Hunted

“You know who I am,” she said.

It wasn’t a question.

She could see the truth in his eyes.

“You are the hunted,” Eryx told her, shrugging one shoulder. “And so, what good would we be if we didn’t make an effort to learn about our chosen prey?”

“Is that what I am—your prey?”

He didn’t answer.

She really didn’t need him to.

“You don’t know anything about us,” Arelle said softly. “Not what we do or who we love, or even why. All you care about is what we can do for you. You use us, hurt and break us. Don’t pretend like you know things about me or my kind for any other reason than to use it against us when it benefits you.”

Eryx nodded, his lips pursing in a way that hardened his handsome features further. As though he needed to seem more attractive to her than he already was. “You’re not wrong, darling.”

“What is that?”

“Hmm?”

“That thing you called me—the darling.”

Eryx shook his head. “Nothing. And you deflected. Will they come for you?”

“Who?”

“Your people. Someone. Will they come for you, thinking your sister is dead, which leaves only you as the heir to your undersea kingdom? Will they?”

Arelle let out a shuddering breath. The only good thing coming out of this conversation was the fact that the itchiness had lessened. For now.

“Will they?” he asked again.

This time, though, he didn’t stay in the doorway. Instead, he pushed away from the stone wall and crossed the space between them. His bare feet smacked against the damp floor, and before she could even blink, he leaned down over the tub; his face came to a stop only inches away from hers. Like this, she couldn’t look away.

He was too close.

All of him.

She saw all of him.

Dragged in his scent with each breath.

Wished to touch him.

Fuck him for it, too.

“Will they come for you?” he asked.

Arelle wet the line of her lips. “He might.”

“Who? The current king? Someone—”

“The man chosen for me.”

Something dark flashed in Eryx’s eyes. “Chosen. Your mate—isn’t that what it’s called?”

“The one chosen for me.”