yesterday that females wear dresses here,” I spat at him irritably.
“I did, and today I didn’t tell you any differently. I only said you didn’t have to wear it. You could’ve very well gone out in your robe or, better yet, nothing.”
“You’re a pig.” I swatted at him angrily, but he caught my hand before it even got close to him.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he tsked, tugging me so close to him I could feel his breath on my face. “What did I tell you about hitting? Don’t you remember?”
“Don’t you remember being set on fire yesterday?” I answered back sweetly, making sure to smile innocently at him.
He stared down at me, his eyes blazing as he studied my face. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought a smile twitched on his lips for a moment.
“Today will be different,” he stated evenly, not letting my hand go. “Much different.”
“If you say so.” I shrugged at him like I wasn’t worried. That was a lie. Tarek terrified me. He seemed to be filled with aggression and a desire to prove something. A dangerous combination as far as I was concerned.
He dropped my hand and shook his head at me.
“Come, Princess. Stop trying to kill time.”
“Excuse me,” I shouted, catching up to him as he stalked away. “I wasn’t trying to kill time.”
“Then stop trying to flatter me with those big, green eyes of yours,” he said, descending the stairs.
“Oh, you have some nerve,” I hissed at him.
“I do, and you’re getting on it,” he replied easily, still striding quickly through the palace as I tried to keep up.
“What’s your deal? Seriously?”
“Seriously?” He stopped abruptly and swiveled to face me. My breath hitched in my chest as he drew nearer to me, his eyes flashing. “Seriously, you already know my problem, and it isn’t really my problem, after all. It’s your problem. Your inability to focus. To succeed. To be humble and learn. Your problem directly affects me and the people of Dar’ish, of Winterset. If you fail us, we die. I don’t like leaving the odds of my survival in the hands of a child.”
I stepped back like he’d slapped me and wiped at my eyes as they threatened to spill the hot tears that flooded them.
“Your tears do nothing on the battlefield,” Tarek whispered, his body dangerously close to my own. He leaned down and brushed a tear away from my cheek roughly, his gaze sweeping my face. “Your blood will do more. Blood is for the battlefield. Tears are for after, and you haven’t earned the right to them just yet. Don’t let me see you shed them again. And that includes every time you think of your Mortae. He doesn’t deserve your tears. You both made choices, and now you must accept the consequences. Do you understand?”
“Go to hell,” I choked out, pushing against him.
He didn’t budge. Instead, he grasped my hands in his and wrenched me so close to him our bodies finally touched.
“Do you not see where we are?” he murmured, his breath tickling my face. “This is hell, and it’s not a very fun place. If you don’t like it, change it. You’re the only one who can.”
He dropped my hands quickly and strolled away from me without a backwards glance. I stood rooted to my spot, wishing like hell I’d succeeded in making that portal.
Chapter 15
“No. No. No,” Tarek shouted irritably at me as I failed for the hundredth time to parry his sword attack. “Come on. If this wasn’t training, you’d be dead by now.”
“Sorry,” I grumbled, picking up the heavy sword. “Maybe a sword isn’t my weapon.”
“I’ve yet to find anything that is,” Tarek snapped, waiting for me to take my stance again. I’d already failed with the bow.
“Then maybe it’s not my fault. Maybe it’s my instructor’s fault,” I shouted back at him.
Tarek charged at me again, and I dodged out of his way as he whirled around me. I grunted as I tried to attack back, my feet doing the best dance I could around his expert moves. We continued for hours after, exchanging increasingly angrier and more irritated banter until finally Tarek tossed his sword to the ground and stormed away from me in disgust.
I sighed and flopped onto the dirt, hating everything that was Tarek.
“You look parched,” Rowan’s voice cut through my bitter thoughts. He sat down next to me and thrust out a leather water flask.
“Thanks,” I breathed out, snatching it from him. I drank it down quickly