Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)(71)

This girl was a snake. And he wouldn’t underestimate her again.

Jonas twisted his ankle on the uneven ground as he raced after her. Pain and fury stormed through him. If she’d just knocked out her brains so they oozed onto the stone, a weathered sculpture that he now saw was in the shape of a wheel, he would be happy to stand here and rejoice. Instead, he waited and tested his bad ankle. At least it wasn’t broken.

As he stared down at her, impatience turned his entire body tense and jittery. “Wake up.”

She stayed still.

He studied her face. He couldn’t deny that she was lovely . . . maybe even the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. But the most beautiful girl could still be deceptive and evil.

“Wake up,” he demanded. “Now.”

He nudged her with the tip of his boot but received no response.

Jonas swore loudly and crouched down at her side, jabbing the dagger blade-side down into the dirt next to her so he could have both hands free. Then he felt at her throat for a pulse.

There was one.

“Too bad,” he breathed, although part of him was deeply relieved. He studied her face, pushing the silky hair back from it. She was tiny, a foot shorter than him and at least seventy pounds lighter. Her pale lavender dress was made from the finest silk—he’d never seen anything like it before. She wore tiny blue sapphires in her pierced ears and a green stone ring on her finger, but that was the sum total of her jewelry. Smart, since any flashier jewelry to go along with her fine clothes would have undoubtedly made her more of a target for thieves. Her face was free of the paint Laelia wore, but her cheeks were still bright and sun-kissed and her lips the color of roses. Unconscious, she didn’t seem nearly the cold, manipulative, rich bitch he’d fully decided she was.

Finally her eyelashes fluttered open.

“It’s about time, your highness. Did you have a nice nap?”

Then Jonas jerked back, startled, as the sharp tip of his dagger pressed up against his chin.

“Get away from me,” the princess snarled.

He didn’t need to be told twice. He carefully shifted back from her, surprised that she’d managed to pull the weapon out of the ground without him noticing. Just as he’d begun to think she was harmless and vulnerable, the beautiful snake had managed to sharpen her fangs. She got up awkwardly, keeping the dagger trained on him, and retreated to the other side of the stone wheel that she’d fallen over.

He eyed her warily. “So now you have my dagger.”

“I have Aron’s dagger.”

“Finders keepers. He left in stuck in my brother’s throat.”

The hardness in her eyes softened and they grew shiny with tears.

He scoffed. “You can’t think I honestly believe you feel bad about that.”

“Of course I do!” Her voice broke.

“Your Lord Aron killed him without a second thought. Despite this, you’ve still agreed to marry him, haven’t you?”

When she laughed, it was a sound removed from humor. “I loathe Aron. Our engagement was not my choice.”

“Interesting.”

The hardness returned to her gaze. “Is it?”

“You have to marry someone you loathe. That makes me happy.”

“So glad my misfortune could help brighten your day.” She glared at him. “In any case, I have the knife now. If you come anywhere near me, I’ll be sure it finds your heart.”

He nodded gravely. “You do have my weapon. Very dangerous now, aren’t you? I suppose I should be frightened.”

She glared at him crouched six feet away from her, the knife clutched tightly between her fingers.“Tell me more about this war against Auranos you mentioned. What is your goal?”

“To take your precious land and split it evenly between Paelsia and Limeros. You have too much and we have nothing, and it’s all because of policies your greedy country enacted a century ago. So we’ll take what you have and make it ours.”

“It won’t happen. My father will never back down.”

“Which is why it’s excellent to have his sparkling jewel of a daughter as a bargaining chip. I’m going with Chief Basilius myself for a meeting with your father. We’ll see what he has to say. But perhaps the king doesn’t mind losing one daughter when he already has another who is his official heir. Princess Emilia could have been a better choice—but she’s not in Paelsia. I’m still curious, your highness. Why are you here?”

“None of your business,” the princess hissed.

His brows drew together. “Did I hear you ask your friend to continue searching for a Watcher? What kind of nonsense was that?”

Something dark and unpleasant flashed across her beautiful face. “None of your business,” she said again, then added, “savage.”

Jonas ignored his frustration and held out his hand to her. “Give that dagger to me before you cut yourself.”

She jabbed the weapon in his direction. “I’m not planning to cut myself. But I’m planning to cut you if you come any closer.”

The girl’s tongue was a thousand times more dangerous than any weapon in her possession. He’d be surprised if she’d ever held one before. Still, he watched her carefully. As much as he despised her, the view was quite lovely.