Page 66 of Hearts on Fire
My face heated. Was the scent that obvious?
“Give me your promise that I won’t get hurt,” I retorted.
He made a face. “I’d rather not. What if you trip on the way and twist your ankle? I don’t want to die a horrible death over you being clumsy.”
I widened my stance, rooted in place. “I’m not going anywhere without a promise from you.”
He huffed in irritation but didn’t leave me.
“I’ll tell you what.” He came closer, peering straight into my eyes. “IpromiseI have no intentions of harming you tonight.”
A swirl of air rose from him to me. It curled around us, shimmering in the light of his lantern. I felt a faint breeze against my skin. He had given me a promise, sealed by magic.
Only how much was his promise really worth?
He said he had no intentions to hurt me. That didn’t guarantee Iwouldn’tget hurt or that he wouldn’t get the intentions later.
He obviously was aware his promise wasn’t that reassuring because he kept talking, trying to convince me.
“Look at it this way, Amber. I didn’t invite you to come here. You and your…” He twirled his hand over Elex. “…um,gargoyledropped by on your own. You have no clothes. Very little food by the looks of it.” He scowled at my deflated satchel. “I am in the position to help you.IfI feel so inclined.”
I wasn’t opposed to having a conversation with him. I was burning with curiosity to find out more about this man who lived in a mountain and didn’t turn to stone at night like everyone else did in this kingdom. Also, getting help would be nice. Unless this was a trap, of course.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Voron,” he answered promptly.
Giving him a warning stare, I crouched by Elex’s head. He looked so peaceful and relaxed under the arch of his wings. But that was the reflection of how he had fallen asleep, not of what he might be feeling right now. I was sure he was awake and fully conscious inside his stone. He was probably freaking out about me leaving with someone I’d just met.
I stroked the stone waves of Elex’s hair.
“This is Voron, my love. He is…” I glanced up at the man with the lantern. “What are you?”
He pointed a finger up at the ceiling of the cave, but I had a feeling he meant much higher than that. Higher than the mountain. “I’m a sky fae.”
“Sky fae? Really?” I gawked at him, now fully understandinghisshock at seeingme. “I’ve never met one of you before.”
My desire to speak to him grew.
“Just give me a minute.” I turned to Elex again. “Voron is a sky fae who lives in the Desolate Peak. If I’m not back by sunrise, find him and kill him, would you, darling?”
I moved my eyes back to Voron, making sure he’d heard every word. He arched an eyebrow, looking either impressed or amused.
I picked up my quiver with arrows. My bow remained back on the mountain where I’d dropped it. But at this distance, I didn’t need a bow to jam an arrow into Voron’s neck if I had to. Then I shoved my feet into my boots and stood tall to face the sky fae.
“Did you hear what I said to Elex? If something happens to me, he’ll make you pay.”
“Elex?” A flash of interest burned brighter in his eyes. He bent over, bringing the lantern closer to the stone face of my resting gargoyle. “LordElex? The king’s favorite?”
Dammit. I cursed myself for letting the name slip. Voron might live here, but he clearly wasn’t entirely isolated from the court life.
“Have you been to the Bozyr Peak?” I asked.
“No. But I try to stay informed.”
“How?”
“I have my sources,” he replied evasively, then straightened and headed to the tunnel again. “Are you coming now that my life has been sufficiently threatened?”