A Girl in Black and White (Alyria 2)

Roldan’s gaze swept the room, and when his eyes reached the window seat, I had already fast-traveled behind him. His shoulders tensed, having felt the shift in the air.

Lovely shoulders though, I noticed. My gaze was right between his shoulder-blades, and the hard lines of muscle were impressive. Must have come from all those stabbing motions as he killed innocent girls.

He noticed where I stood, but gave it a second before he turned around, his heavy gaze focusing on me. My appearance was normal, but the dark was unleashed inside me, rubbing against the sides of my chest, seeking a way out.

“Welcome to the Royal Affair. Are you here for our special?”

I wouldn’t show it, but internally a little tremor ran through me. I could almost feel a twinge of pain in my stomach as if reliving the moment, his cold eyes looking back at me. Blood dripping to the sand. So much of it. My lungs tightened.

“And what is this special?”

I was sucked back into the foyer, my lungs filling with air once again. I lifted a shoulder. “It wouldn’t be all that special if I told you, would it? I shall just have to show you.”

I didn’t know if he heard what I said, or he at least didn’t care, because he never responded. His eyes were searching me meticulously as if to find a flaw that would prove I was only a figment of his imagination.

When his gaze came back up to my face, I smiled. “What can I say? I’m hard to kill.”

I didn’t know where half the words I said found the thoughts to even conjure them, but at that point, I was glad for it—because I wasn’t as blasé about this situation as I seemed. My heart was fluttering at an uneven pace, and I could only hope he couldn’t hear it.

“You smell different.” The words were accusing, but the amusing and strange statement released the heavy weight on my chest.

I walked around him into the main room. “It’s common courtesy not to sniff the host, Roldan.”

“It’s common courtesy to stay dead once you’ve been killed, Calamity,” he replied, following me deeper into the room.

“Touché.” Arriving at the small end table, I turned and lifted a brow, silently asking if he’d like a drink.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, in an unsure way, but then nodded. I poured him spicea, Symbia’s traditional wine, only momentarily wishing I could poison him. It didn’t say in exact words that was frowned upon for a hostess to do in the Ladies Book of Etiquette.

He grabbed his cup from my outstretched hand as I poured my own, and took a seat on the chaise. I eyed him over my glass. He looked ridiculous on that dainty red chaise. He didn’t seem to care. He only stretched out, spread his legs, and leaned back against the seat.

The quiet tick of the clock somehow made the silence in the room much louder as I realized he wasn’t going to say anything yet, that he only planned to stare at me. I imagined this was a form of Titan intimidation. He’d come into my house and somehow taken over the place like he owned it. The realization sent that darkness heating, growing, and bending inside me.

“So, for what do I have the honor of my murderer’s visit?” I asked, sitting on the chaise across from him.

“Murdered implies dead. You are not.”

“I was,” I corrected. “And it was most uncomfortable.”

He watched me for a moment, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.

“Why are you here, Roldan? Let me guess: you’re upset about your ship? I did donate your silver to charity, you know. Or, your brother cried his woes to you that I wouldn’t leave the city and he sent you to kill me again? Please tell me he cried.”

His lips flattened as if he was troubled I’d even mention something such as a Titan crying. “I’m not even going to acknowledge that last part. As for your guesses, no. Neither.”

I bit my lip in thought. “I have a theory that after all that time of watching me, stalking me, you’ve realized that you are in love with me. Though, if that’s the reason you’re here, you’ll just have to get over it, just as I’ve told Archer.”

He paused, his eyes narrowing at his cousin’s name.

/> “He’s alive, isn’t he?” I asked with feigned concern. Oh, the Titan was alive, all right. I’d seen him the night before at the docks as I walked dripping wet from the beach to home. I could have fast-traveled, but there was something about this Shadowed side of me, that made even a walk so much more entertaining than usual.

We sat there, staring at each other for a moment. He never responded, but I thought if he even knew what I was talking about, then that was family business and I wasn’t invited.

I lifted a brow. “You don’t have uncontrollable amorous feelings for me, then?”

His face was stoic, apparently not even going to say he wouldn’t entertain that idea—he just wouldn’t.

I sighed. “Then my last thought is that you’re here to beg for my forgiveness to evade the fiery flames.”