A Girl Named Calamity (Alyria 1)

“I knew exactly what I was doing.”

I grumbled. I was arguing with a brick wall. “Take me to Undaley. I know you can travel like the Mage. I could be there tonight.”

“No.”

“Why not?

He was quiet, and his eyes didn’t meet mine while he looked at the fire.

“Please tell me you still aren’t planning to make me open the seal,” I groaned.

“What you’ve done changes nothing,” he said.

I wasn’t too concerned. I couldn’t e

ven find the seal like I was supposed to. I doubted I could even open it if he knew where it was.

“You can’t compel me, you can’t use my blood; are you going to torture me then?” I asked.

“That’s an idea. I know I can handle more pain than you.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Torturing you would be torturing myself.”

“Why?”

“Because whatever you feel, I will, too.”

My eyes widened as I looked at him. “Anything?” I asked, appalled.

“Any emotion or pain.”

My thoughts immediately went to the sexual variety.

He laughed. “You’re a virgin for life now, Princess.”

I shook my head. “No . . . you can abstain, but I think I will indulge myself quite often.” Taunting him was high on my list of favorite things to do. So was tempting death’s door.

“You’ve forgotten that I will always be close by. You better not care about the man very much.”

I frowned. “Why?”

The fire crackled between us while I met a serious assassin’s gaze.

“Because he won’t be alive for long.”

Why did I even ask?

I sighed. “Did they teach you to solve all your problems by killing in Titan?”

“Most.”

“I’ve got myself into a bigger mess than before,” I mused.

“You don’t even know the half of it.”

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