Leo chuckled. “Glad to see you, too, Rodrigo.”
They piled in the back seat and Leo directed the driver toward Noctis Mountain, where their target awaited. He fielded a thousand questions from his assistant along the way, all of which he answered with a dimpled grin. Finally, the cat gave up with a sigh and turned to Eina.
“I do hope you are careful, my lady. He may look innocent, but this vampire knows how to find trouble.”
Leo let out a bark of laughter. “Rod, you’re talking to the woman who kidnapped me and held me captive to further her colony’s political goals.”
Eina’s cheeks burned red and she threw him a dirty look, tinged with humor. “You forgot to mention how I first saved you from spending an eternity on the bottom of the ocean floor with nothing but cement boots for company.”
“That you did.” He felt fondness well up inside him for the woman as he tried not to smile. “But at least Rodrigo knows you can take care of yourself.”
“Yes.” She stared at him and her expression melted into something soft. “Yes, I can.”
Rodrigo made a noise of disgust and jumped on the center console, stalking into the front passenger seat. “I know I’m not able to make an official diagnosis, but you both are mad.”
Eina leaned in close to Leo, her hair falling across his arm. The muscles in his abdomen tightened at the close contact. She smelled like salt water and lilies. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take a taste of those pink lips and run his hands over her shiny black hair.
“I don’t think your cat likes me very much,” she whispered.
He laughed nervously, hoping mermaids didn’t know how to read minds. “Rodrigo takes a while to warm up. The fact that he didn’t hiss and scratch at you is a majorly good sign.”
“Don’t listen to a word he says.” The cat glared at him from the front seat. “I’m not a heathen. And my lady, any woman who can withstand Prince Leo’s charms is fine in my book.”
She gave him a grateful smile, but her face turned the brightest shade of pink. She glanced at Leo and quickly turned away to stare out the window.
The dark Monstranian mountain was within sight. A few more minutes and they were at the base where a thick, mossy forest awaited. It was exactly the kind of place Prince Leo would’ve liked to avoid. No fun to be had here. But he was on a mission and both his brother and the woman sitting next to him were counting on him.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked her as they hopped out of the car. He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and she’d put on the boots. “Last chance to back out.”
“I’m in.” She glanced at the forest and grimaced. “But it would be nice if you filled me in on the details.”
He looked off into the distance with a solemn expression, his eyes narrowing. “My brother’s been working on a treaty with the ogres for centuries. My little poker habit seems to have put a kink in the plans. We’re here to finalize the deal.”
Eina gaped at him and grabbed his arm. His skin burned under her touch. “Weren’t those the ogres that dropped you to the bottom of the sea?”
Rubbing a hand on his chest, he winced. “Yes, unfortunately. But if we’re lucky, they won’t even know we’re here. We get in, request a meeting with their leader, you sweet-talk him, and boom, we’re done.”
A voice inside his head said a little prayer that everything really would be that easy. But if anything about the last few days had become clear, it was that his luck had just about dried up.
He only hoped that he wouldn’t drag Eina down with him
Chapter Eleven
Eina nervously chewed on her bottom lip and followed Leo into the forest. His plan of having her sweet talk the very creatures that dumped him in the sea wasn’t giving her much hope.
“Why exactly am I supposed to be the one who sweet-talks them?” she asked, jogging to keep up with his quick pace. He looked good in his jeans and t-shirt, but she had to admit, she missed the cut-off tux and white button up shirt. “I think we can both agree you’re the one with all the charm.”
He stopped walking and she nearly ran into him.
“Charm isn’t everything.” He frowned and rubbed a hand over his head. “The ogres will see right through me. What they need is someone to trust. Someone pure of heart and intention. That’s you, Eina. This is the first step to you changing the world.”
She ducked her head as blood flooded her cheeks. Even after all the horrible things she’d done the last few days, Leo thought of her as pure of intention. It was a strange feeling. She didn’t feel like she lived up to the notion, but a huge part of her wanted to try.
She’d do it, for him.
“Why do they live in Monstrana if they haven’t signed a treaty?” she asked as he continued their hike deeper into the forest. The slight tilt to the ground told her they were starting to ascend the mountain, but it was impossible to see above the thick forestry.
“The ogres erected a camp upon Noctis Mountain many years ago,” he replied. “My grandfather looked the other way, hoping that in time they’d agree to become one with Monstrana. But that never happened.”