“Depends on how many others the game master has wronged. Could be five, or twenty. Or just down to two or three, by now.”
“What happens to the players who don’t solve their clues?”
“Their fate is decided by the game master. He can choose to let them leave peacefully, or he can kill them. Their lives are his from the moment they sign the blood oath.”
Camilla’s breath hitched. He finally dropped his attention to her. She was biting her lip, her expression pinched. He wanted to smooth the line between her brows but didn’t. No good would come from such tenderness.
“What if they don’t sign a blood oath? At the start?”
She looked worried, but he wasn’t sure why.
“As far as I know, everyone who plays has signed the oath. It’s what allows the game master to enforce the rules.”
“What do you think we’re looking for next?” she asked, rolling back over to look up at the ceiling now. “The riddle didn’t give us a real clue.”
He liked that she considered them a team.
Too much.
“My brother is quite the collector, and House Sloth is filled with books and artifacts. I imagine we’ll find the next clue in one of his libraries. We’ll just have to look for something that doesn’t belong.”
She rolled over to face him again, her expression wary.
“And this game master… I’ve heard the Fae play games. The Unseelie King in particular.”
Clever woman.
He debated indulging her again but couldn’t see the harm in admitting she was correct.
“They do. Lennox, the Unseelie King, is the game master.”
Camilla grew silent. He wondered what stories she’d heard of the Unseelie King. Wondered if she knew just how dangerous he was when he wanted something.
Envy suddenly did not want her getting tangled up in all that. “Sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
Camilla had spun over to lie on her other side, and now she went still. He’d tried to respect her boundaries, ignoring his eagerness to spy on her feelings in this close space, but he couldn’t help himself—he opened that channel between them again, and clearly detected her irritation.
“You must be surrounded by demons who kiss your royal ass often,” she said suddenly, and he flinched. “Not everyone enjoys being ordered around.”
Gods’ bones. The woman drove him mad. Perhaps it was time to return the favor again, have a bit of fun before the search was back on.
“Normally, they’re kissing my cock.” Envy smiled as her jealousy swept through the cabin. “And they enjoy it very much when I order them around.”
She kept her back to him, pretending he no longer existed.
Her jealousy gave him something to focus on, something to enjoy. He didn’t like being back in this space, not after all that had happened. He couldn’t help but taunt her a little, to remind himself how different this situation was.
“In fact, I give all sorts of orders,” he said, shifting to stare at the ceiling, hands behind his head. “Some you might recall. Take off your clothes. Lie down. Spread your thighs.” He paused, and then said slowly, “Come for me.”
She swallowed audibly, her energy now tinged with arousal. Envy knew she was recalling that recent night in vivid detail.
“A good lover gives me orders too, pet. Would you like some examples?”
She cursed over her shoulder, telling him exactly where he could go. He rolled to the side again, facing her back, and dropped his voice into a seductive growl.
“Fuck me harder, deeper, faster.
“I am completely uninterested in your conquests, Your Highness.”
“Mm.” He knew that was true without using his senses. But he also knew she perversely enjoyed thinking about him doing each of those things to her.
Realizing that he himself was more affected than he’d intended, he allowed silence to fall between them once more, trying to ignore the warm curve of her backside just inches away.
At first, he sensed her disappointment—she
He waited until she’d been asleep for some time before stealing another glimpse. She lay curled on her side, the cloak tucked up firmly beneath her pointed chin.
Sleep didn’t come for Envy; he doubted it would, and anyway, he’d prefer to stay alert. Few creatures in this forest would dare intrude upon him, but still, the game was afoot. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she suddenly rolled back over, toward him, slowly clutching at the cloak, as if trying not to tumble into a dream.
Silver hair fanned around her in a halo, giving her the look of an angel.
Her lashes were long and dark, resting in little half-moons on her golden cheeks.
She looked peaceful, completely at ease. Like the male next to her was some kind of knight, and not a wicked prince.
