The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 24

I awoke to the sound of rain drizzling on the deck above, a few droplets dripping through the small crack in the floorboards that made up the ceiling. With a groggy stretch, I blinked myself back into consciousness. My body still felt sore from being torn apart and then stitched back together.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Death Bringer snapped a book shut from behind me.
I jolted upward, a gasp sounding from my lips as I nearly toppled out of the hammock. When I regained my balance, I quickly rushed to my feet and away from him. My back pressed against the wall, my feet firmly planted on the cold floor. My toes curled as I realized I must've removed my boots before I fell asleep. Death Bringer tilted his head, an eyebrow raised as he scanned my face. I was already breathing heavily, my eyes raking over him rapidly.

Darkness snaked its way over the floor and wrapped around my ankles gently, caressing my skin with ease. I startled, jumping away from them.

Death Bringer flinched, "What are you doing? You look like you think I might hurt you."

I sucked in a breath with a shaky laugh, "You beat me to a pulp once."

He looked away instantly, sighing as his shoulders slacked. "Helena... I know an apology will not fix it..."

I cut him off before he could continue, "I don't need an apology. I'm over it."

"Let me offer you a bargain," he flicked a knife from his pocket and angled it toward his palm as he peered over at me.

"What?"

His face was emotionless as he spoke, "I will not touch you unless you ask me to. How does that sound?"

My breathing hitched, "What if I never ask you to?"

"Then I will never touch you."

I clenched my sweating fingers into fists behind my back, desperate to get rid of all of the anxiety harboring in my body. "I'm not one to beg," I managed to say.

His eyes flickered as the corner of his mouth tugged upward slightly. "Do you think I am?"
I felt the tension building, the air between us thick with our scents of intrigue. Desperate to distract myself from the conversation I knew we actually needed to be having, I gave into his flirtatious banter. "I could see you begging."

"Is that what you wish to hear me do, princess? Beg for you?" His voice was laced with a sensual confidence. As if he knew that even if he were the one on his knees, he would still have the power.

It made me want to stab myself in the leg just to get a grip on my self-control. The knife in my pocket felt tempting. "Keep your bargain. I know you won't hurt me again," I tried to change the topic to a more serious tone, desperate to regain control of my wandering mind. His words were too much.
He stared at me for a long moment. "Your heart is going to give out if you don't take a breath."

I felt my cheeks flush, giving in to his suggestion as the oxygen flowed back into my lungs. My heart was beating really fast. I couldn't stop staring at him, couldn't stop searching for his secrets as if they might reveal themselves to me on a silver platter if I just looked hard enough.

"We should talk about what happened in the cave," I blurted.

His shoulders tensed and his expression faltered, "Which part?" He looked haunted.

"Eventually all of it, but at least the truth serum."

He pushed himself to his feet and shook his head, "I can't do this. I'm sorry." He began to rush around the table and toward the door when I flung my hand around his arm, yanking him back in place.

His head twisted toward me quickly, panic coursing around his pupils. "Please..."

"Why? I don't understand. I need to know..." I could hear Death Bringer's heart beating like a drum. "Why are you so worked up about it?"