She slugged him in the shoulder before she stood. Her eyes remained unfocused as she descended the dais steps, counting silently.
Realization hit. She was blind, but she was no innocent. She was wily as hell.
“What would you have done if I’d put a blade to her?” Baden demanded.
“He would have done nothing,” she said, answering for the king. “I would have stopped you.”
“She’s one of my best fighters.” How proud Hades sounded now.
People are never what they seem...
A trick. Only a trick.
“Await me in my chambers,” Hades told her.
“Yeah, yeah. I know the drill.”
Baden snarled at her when she passed him. She sensed his ire and flipped him off, unabashed, as she sailed through the door.
Were all the tasks Hades assigned him trivial? Or were they tests? What of Aleksander and the coin?
No, not a test. Baden had scented zero fear from the siren, but Aleksander had projected the emotion from the beginning.
Hades wanted him to do his bidding, never certain of the reason, never knowing what was real and what was fake. Perhaps so Baden would never scheme to keep something or someone for himself.
Well, Baden would treat every task with the utmost importance. He would watch and learn. He would find his moment...find a way to beat Pandora and Hades.
“You’ve made a grave error this day, King.” He spat the title like the curse it was.
“Or have I learned more about you than you were able to learn about me?” Hades smiled at him. “Consider today’s lessons freebies, Red. The next one will cost you dearly.”
* * *
Katarina climbed the balcony wall throughout the night...the morning...cursing the height of the brick that blocked any type of view, hoping to catch the attention of someone else. All the while, she listened for Baden, thinking she’d jump down and dive on the bed when he busted through her blockade. And when he was within reach, she would finally put the nails to good use.
As she straddled the top of the balcony wall for what had to be the thousandth time, a hard hand wrapped her ankle and yanked. She tumbled into an equally hard chest. A hiss sounded—one she recognized—and strong arms caught her.
Baden was here!
He roared like a grizzly bear woken too early from hibernation as he set her away from him. His features tightened with...disgust?
Definitely disgust. It was his favorite reaction to her.
“Going somewhere, nevesta?”
Her blood flash-froze. Keep it together. “Just seeing the sights, kretén.” Asshole.
“There’s that naughty mouth again.” Sunlight stroked him, unconcerned by the danger he presented. Or the darkness inside him.
Could she really blame the sun, though? Baden smelled edible. Like honey-and-cinnamon candles set ablaze in the heart of midnight. Delicious and seductive...wanton.
A killer shouldn’t smell like that.
“Do you need the elixir?” he asked.
“Nie.” Soon he would realize the vial was no longer in his possession.
Strike. Now!
In a lightning-fast motion, she grabbed a nail from her pocket and slammed the tip into his neck. Hissing again, he shoved her away from him. She stumbled backward and hit the balcony doors—the closed balcony doors. They sprang open on impact, and she toppled inside the room, skidding into the wall. Stars glittered in front of her eyes.
“Do not touch me,” he barked. “Ever.”
She was that repulsive to him?
When she caught her breath, she said in a dry tone, “But attempting to injure you is okay?”
He plucked the nail from his skin, not a drop of blood leaking from the wound. Was that a drop of...motor oil? “You tried to fight back the only way you could.” He actually sounded impressed. Then he appeared irritated. “Don’t try again.”
Trembling with a mix of astonishment and fear, she lumbered to her feet. His gaze raked her scanty attire, and he lost his air of enmity. He suddenly appeared appreciative.
Had the heater just switched on? Because perspiration now sheened her skin. “Are you taking me to Alek?”
A blank mask quickly covered his features. “No.”
“But why? It’s a new day. He might have the coin ready for you.” He wouldn’t. He’d have an army ready instead. “Don’t you want your treasure? You’ve worked so hard for it...”
Baden combed a hand through his hair, leaving the strands sticking out in spikes. Could he be any sexier?
Shame on her for noticing!
“I want it,” he said, “but I don’t want Hades to have it. So Aleksander can wait.”
“Hades is—”
“Not a topic up for discussion.”
She motored on, anyway. A distracted Baden was better than a roaring Baden. At first glance, he could pass for calm. Upon closer inspection, she realized his pupils were blown, his eyes wild. The muscles in his arms were clenched, the bands pressing deep into his biceps.
“You work for Hades but you don’t actually like him? Why don’t you present him with your resignation and—”
He crossed his arms over his chest. A warning?
“All right. You win,” she said. “We’ll talk about something else while we have a drink, yes?”
After a moment’s hesitation, he motioned to the bedroom door. A door still blocked by the dresser.
She peered at him in question. “How did you get inside?” A secret passage?
Silent, he stalked past her and shoved the dresser out of the way with a single swipe of his arm. Such strength! Her heart pounded as she entered the hallway and followed the path he’d taken last night, snaking around a corner, stepping into the familiar sitting area.
She stopped at the wet bar, keeping her back to him as she poured two glasses of whiskey...and stealthily withdrew the vial; she emptied the contents into the bottle rather than a glass. There was a good chance Baden would decline any drink she offered him, but an even better chance he would indulge on his own later.
As she drained the contents of one glass, she faced him and held out the second. He shook his head. With a shrug, she drained it, too. The alcohol burned going down but settled like melted honey in her stomach, soon warming her.
“Where
