“Precisely.”
“Well, then, no. You fooled me.”
“Ah. So that must’ve been after I…” Another royal shake. “Forget it. I think I answered my own question.”
He might’ve. That sure as hell doesn’t help me.
I stop walking. We’ve covered enough ground that I feel confident taking a few minutes to hash this out. Honestly, he should’ve been expecting me to pull something like this eventually. Unlike the bull the redcap tried to sell, I’m not tame. The worst thing anyone could call me is a people pleaser, but I’ve had that tricked out of me since I’ve been in Faerie.
“You what, Rys?” I dare.
If I thought he would back down, I’m sorely mistaken. He doesn’t even blink before he turns so he’s standing directly in front of me and says calmly, “I claimed you.”
Oh, wow. Again with the “mine” bullshit. Ha! As if that really meant anything after he finished.
“No you didn’t,” I shoot back.
Rys raises his eyebrows. Instead of answering me, though, he simply reaches under his cloak. This time, when he pulls his hand back out again, he’s holding one of the pretty pink apples.
My mouth immediately waters.
I catch it when he tosses it at me, but I don’t eat it. Not until I know what this means. “What’s this?”
“For you. I wasn’t sure if they would’ve fed you. I wasn’t sure I’d get to you in time, either. I was hopeful. Eat the apple.” His golden eyes flash, darkening to molten lava as he glances down at my hands. “If anything it should help heal those cuts on your wrists.”
“You really came all this way to…” I don’t want to say “buy me” since that sounds fucking awful. So I settle on, “save me?”
“Of course. I promised you that I would never let you be hurt.”
“But Siúcra—”
Rys's expression grows dark. “I haven’t done anything to prove that my sacrifice was in vain. Siúcra let me find you. I won’t question it any further than that. I suggest you do the same.”
Ah. There’s the Rys I remember. What a fancy way of telling me to shut up.
“Rys—”
“Later.”
It’s always later with him. Only I know better now. With Rys, later isn’t guaranteed.
I’m just about to tell him that when I hear something rustling behind me. I feel so vulnerable without my cloak. I’ve grown used to it and, now that I’ve left it behind me with the redcap and his goons, there’s nothing to hide me out in the shadows.
“Easy, my darling,” Rys soothes. “It’s just Saxon.”
Spinning around, I see that he’s right. Slipping out from the shadows surrounding us, I see the familiar Seelie guard.
Ugh. Where’s a rock when a girl needs one? I’d like to bean him right in his perfect, perfect face. Hmm. I weigh my apple against my palm. Would the cramps be worth it? You know. They might.
Oh, and he can tell exactly what I’m thinking about doing, too. Thanks to the golden glow coming off of his bronzed skin, I get a good look at the expression on his face. Unless I’m imagining it, he actually looks remorseful.
I’m… probably imagining it.
“Elle. I’m glad to see that Rys managed to save you from the market.”
“Yeah,” I say flatly. “Thanks.”
“Leannán. Would you excuse us for a moment?”