Their Fireheart

Chapter Twenty Six

I snorted. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that was your end goal all along."

"Why not?" He challenged. "You would have been dead on that riverbank without me. I saved you. More than that, I gave you freedom - gave you strength and skills, gave you the ability to end men like that General out there in just a few blows."

"That General just so happens to be my cousin, you know." I commented mildly.

"And who would you have become if you'd been raised under his care - some quaking, pampered princess, scared of her own shadow?" He shook his head, lip curled in disgust. "I made you into someone to be feared, and all I get for it is your contempt."

"What a tragedy it must be to be you," I mused dryly.

Now who was playing the victim?

"Oh, I'll be just fine - even if you refuse to put a halt to your little schemes that attempt to fuck with me," He said, adding slyly, "What else do you have in store for me, your royal highness? Perhaps I ought to save you the trouble and tell you how else you can continue to be a thorn in my side."

Gods, but he was an obnoxious bastard.

I ran a single finger down the arm of the chair, not rising to the bait.

"While that would be convenient, I prefer to do my own scheming, thank you," I flashed him an empty smile. "Besides, you of all people should know your debt isn't anywhere close to being paid."

Arobynn pressed a hand to his chest in mock affront. "Debt? For what, exactly? For -"

I cut him off before more honeyed lies could pour from his lips. "Spare me the paltry excuses, I'm in no mood to humor your madness."

His lips flattened into a thin line, displeasure flashing in those slate-gray eyes.

Too bad. I knew exactly what would have spilled from them had I allowed him to continue.

Truth and lies, lies and truth, just like he'd always taught me. Enough of both to keep your opponent perpetually off-balance as they tried to make sense of the nonsensical. But I had no interest in playing the confused and conflicted protegee, falling for Arobynn's poisoned words once again.

"Fine," He ground out, pausing to decide on the best avenue of approach.

I drummed my fingers against the arm of the chair, watching him, wondering what tactic he would try next - which manipulation he thought would sway me now, after I'd called him out on his lies and treachery.

"Fine, I won't try to convince you of the altruism of my past actions." He released a long-suffering sigh, as though I was still an unruly teenager he thought was being unreasonable.

I nearly snorted at the sheer gall of him. Only the King of Assassins would find my resentment towards his role in torturing then butchering my lover and setting up my subsequent entrapment and imprisonment tedious.

"Tell me what I need to do to make you understand that I stand with you," He pleaded, bracing his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward, eyes intent on mine. "Do you even know why I had you capture that demon? So that we could attain its knowledge, learn what he knows that can help us take down the king, the two of us. Together - you and I can bring him down together, the monster whose actions drove you to that icy riverbank in the first place."

It was clever - placing the blame for all I'd endured so squarely on the shoulders of another, particularly when that individual was already my enemy - I'd give him that. Clever, but not unexpected.