“I know you’re awake, Rhea,” Kash commented without even turning around.
“How?” I blurted out, blowing my ruse.
“Your breathing changed.”
While I was unconscious, he must have gone out and found more firewood because the pile by the fireplace had grown considerably. At least he hadn’t used more books to feed the flame.
“There’s no way you can hear my breathing from way over there,” I fumed.
“I happen to have exceptional hearing.” He turned, giving me a lingering look before returning to add another log to the fire.
I cursed at him under my breath, and his shoulders stiffened. “I heard that.”
I narrowed my eyes and glared at the back of his head, hoping to bore a hole into it. He turned to the side, and a swoop of his hair fell into his eye.
“Whenever you stare at me, your breathing becomes shallow,” he added.
“Does not,” I said breathlessly.
He turned to me, pushing the stray hair back out of his face. His gaze dropped to my mouth, watching as I unconsciously held my breath. The corner of his mouth rose, and he shook his head. “Does too.”
Inwardly, I seethed, digging my bound hands into the armrests of the chair. Where I had made the previous mistake of tying him around the chest to the back of the chair, which he seemed to have weaseled out of. He had bound each of my wrists separately to the chair’s armrest.
“Let me go,” I demanded.
“Not yet.” Kash stood, easily towering over six feet. He walked over to the window and looked out at the still raging snowstorm.
“What are you going to do with me?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he said simply. “It’s almost morning.” Gray light poured through the panes, illuminating his features. He closed his eyes and raised his face to the light, as if soaking it in. He was doing the very thing I did whenever I had spent too long in the forge or the workroom, working on a spell. “It will be safer if you stay here.”
He then walked out of the room, closing the doors behind him.
“How dare he?” I fumed and struggled against the bindings. The rough rope dug into my skin, chafing them. But I wouldn’t give up. I could try to light my bindings on fire but would more than likely set my whole body ablaze.
Leaning forward, I tried to use my teeth to pull at the knot, but it was under the armrest and at an awkward angle. Shifting my weight, I forgot again about the broken leg, and it teetered over.
“Ack!” I screamed as I fell to the side, my head jostling forward and hitting the floor again.
I was beginning to hate this chair.
The stone floor was cold, colder than I had expected, and as I lay there, the chill seeped into my bones. My teeth chattered as I worked at my wrist. When the chair hit the floor, the right arm broke off, freeing my hand. Quickly, I worked at the knot and freed myself from my bonds.
But now what? Would he have really left the door unlocked?
He did. I pulled it open and stepped out into the hallway and right into Kash’s broad chest.
He grasped my upper arms firmly, but not enough to hurt. “I was going to congratulate you on your escape, but that took longer than expected. We should work on your knot skills.” He released me and turned away, giving me his back, once again proving that he didn’t see me as a threat.
My hands itched to grab another item and conk him over the head, but his apparent disregard of me hurt.
“Just promise you're not going to hit me with a book again,” Kash tossed out over his shoulder.
“Can’t promise that,” I said between clenched teeth. “Your head makes such a nice target.”
Kash chuckled but continued to walk away from me.
He headed into the dining room. I followed like a sulking puppy, watching him warily in case he tried to steal anything. Like I had done the day before, he moved through each of the rooms on the lower level, stopping to take stock of the kitchen.
“There’s no food in here. I checked.”
Ignoring me, Kash stomped around on the floor until he heard a loud creak. He looked up at me and grinned, bouncing up and down on his find. Kneeling, he felt along the floor until he found a hidden ring. He brushed the dust away from the floor, revealing the faint glow of a preservation ward as it brightened and then faded away.
“Jackpot.” Kash pulled the door and looked down into the black pit.
“You’ll need a light,” I admonished as he went down the stone steps and disappeared.
Apparently, he didn’t.
Glancing at the cellar door, I had the briefest thought of locking him in the cellar.
“Don’t even think of shutting me in,” a gruff voice came from below.
“How!” I gasped.
“I just had a feeling.” He laughed.
“You know nothing about me,” I snapped.
Kash appeared seconds later, holding multiple canvas sacks. He dropped each one on the table and opened them. “Look what I found.”
There was flour, sugar, salt. He went back down again and returned with bags of potatoes, apples, and more.
“I have no idea how none of this hasn’t spoiled,” he said and grinned.
I did. All of it stayed perfectly preserved because of a preservation spell guarding the cellar.
Kash tossed me an apple, and my stomach growled in response. “And this will help keep our bellies warm.” He held up a bottle of wine.
Kash made his way around the kitchen, searching through cupboards until he found two not-chipped cups. He popped the cork off the wine and poured some in a cup and handed one to me.
“Truce?” He held the cup in the air. “No more attacking or tying each other up, no matter how fun it may be.” He winked at me. “Just let me stay until the storm passes and I’ll be on my way.”
“How do I know you won’t attack me when my back is turned?”
“If my memory serves”—he tapped his fingers on the table—“you were the one who attacked me.”
“You had a knife.” I pointed to the blade still tucked in his belt.
“Yeah, well, you didn’t see the giant rat I saw earlier.” He held his hands apart to show its size. “It was huge.”
I bit my lip to hide my grin. “I saw it, and you’re right. I’m sorry. I was the one who attacked you first.”
“You’re forgiven.” He took a sip of the wine and I followed suit.
“Where did you get that?” I asked, pointing to the dagger.
“Family heirloom,” he answered as he patted it.
“Really?”
“Yep, can’t get rid of it even if I tried.”
I was tired of his games. He didn’t want to take any of my questions seriously. I left the empty cup on the table and stormed out of the kitchen. Making my way to the main hall, I took the stairs to the second level. I was too exhausted yesterday to explore the house further, but now seemed like the perfect opportunity. Maybe I could find something larger to smash against his skull.
Like a brick.
I didn’t know why I expected to be left alone on my journey, but I heard footsteps follow me. Turning abruptly, I had meant to tell him off, but Kash was right behind me on the step below. When I turned, we were eye level and once again, my breath caught in my chest.