A Dawn of Onyx (The Sacred Stones, #1)(67)

He was saying the right things. All the things I had told myself a thousand times. That Nora had tried to walk me through, or my mother when I was young. But it made no difference now. My chest felt like it was caving in on itself. My whole body shook with adrenaline and my thoughts swam. I had to get out of here.

Now, now, now.

“I can’t stay in here,” I took in another huge gulp of air.

“Try to sit back,” he said. I scrambled up and pushed myself against the wall, eyes squeezed shut.

“Good. Slow breaths now. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

This room had plenty of air. I was not going to be stuck forever. I squeezed Kane’s hand and fought the urge to breathe in by the mouthful.

“What a grip. Your training with Dagan must be going well.”

I nodded, eyes still screwed closed. “I’m so strong, I could strangle you.”

Kane chuckled and the sound relaxed me more.

“You are strong. You’re doing great.” The words of encouragement brought tears to my eyes. “Tell me how you’d strangle me.”

“What?” I said, my eyes snapping to his.

“You heard me. I want to know—help prepare me for the attack.”

I knew what he was doing. But I needed the diversion terribly.

“I’d make Griffin laugh. Shock alone would be enough to distract you. Then I’d squeeze the life out of your thick neck.”

Kane laughed hard—his addicting, hearty laugh.

I wanted to chew on it. Stuff it into my mouth so nobody else could have it.

“Keep going, this is my new favorite pastime. Death by bird.”

I screwed my eyes shut and leaned back once more.

Breathe in, breathe out.

“Well, you’d be dead then. So I’d take over the Onyx Kingdom and rule with Barney at my side.”

At his wheeze, I peered one eye open. Tears had gathered in the corners of his eyes. My lips perked up too. His laugh was contagious.

One more slow inhale, and finally, the adrenaline abated. I was still on edge, but my heart rate had slowed and I could swallow again. I blew out a breath.

“Thank you.”

He smiled that crooked smile at me, wiping tears from his eyes.

“No, thank you.” Slowly he rubbed circles along my palm with his thumb. The sensation was meant to calm me, but I only felt liquid heat course through my veins from the slight contact. I pulled my hand from his.

“Don’t worry, bird. We won’t be in here long. They’ll be looking for us. Someone has to notice the king is missing eventually.”

Resting my forehead on up-tucked knees, I shuddered out an exhale. I heard him stand and peered up to see Kane chugging from a birchwine bottle. The long column of his throat glistened with sweat in the dim cellar lighting as he drank. He took a final swig and pointed the bottle in my direction.

“Can I offer you a drink?”

“You really can’t get that door open?”

He took a seat next to me, passing the wine. A flicker of worry passed over his expression, there and gone in an instant. “I’m afraid not.”

The liquid was bitter and heavy on my tongue. I drank and drank, hoping the spirit would relieve even a little of the tension coiled in my body. The guilt that had crept in once again for having fun with him. Even if I was trying to suppress sheer, unrelenting panic.

“All right, that’s enough,” Kane motioned for the wine. I continued to sip until it was empty. I was going to need all the help I could get, stuck in here with him.

“Let’s try another form of distraction,” Kane said, prying the bottle from my hands.

My body quickly felt the effects of the spirit, loosening and thrumming with a subtle buzz. I looked over at Kane, for what felt like the first time since we were trapped in here. His dark hair was pushed out of his face, damp from sweat and possibly spilled wine. His crown was slightly askew. Before I knew what I was doing, I reached up and carefully set it straight on his head. His remarkable quicksilver eyes studied my face. I drew my hand back and let it fall lifelessly into my lap.

“Want to lecture me on all I don’t understand about the continent and how pathetic I am?”

“Don’t sell yourself so short, bird. I’m never trying to insult you. You have no idea how exceptional I think you are.”

I snorted. “What a line. Trust me, there’s nothing special about me.”

He cleared his throat and looked up at the ceiling as if he were asking some unknown entity to grant him strength. He, too, must have been miserable about our predicament.

“What did you actually have in mind? For a distraction?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. What do you and your pretty redhead friend do for fun?”

A genuine laugh burst out of me, and I wasn’t even sure why. I reached for a second bottle above my head and yanked it open.

“What is so funny?” Kane asked. “Besides you guzzling through the castle’s most expensive wine as if it were water.”

I laughed harder and took another mouthful. “I don’t know,” I giggled. “I think it’s funny that you don’t know how to have fun.”

Kane looked at me in pretend outrage. It was painfully adorable. “Using my pond confession against me, it seems. I used to have loads of fun. I was sort of known for it, actually.”