Taveon wasn’t certain that visiting Bree was a very good idea, but he found himself standing outside her cell all the same. She was sleeping, a peaceful expression painted across her pixie features. Like this, he couldn’t help but notice how striking she was. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place, when he’d first spotted her in Norah’s castle. Her long hair had been wild and free over her dainty shoulders, and those fierce blue eyes of hers had pierced his soul.

He’d been quite taken by her beauty, even if she had once been human.

But then she’d stabbed him, dashing away whatever softness he felt in his heart.

She rolled over and blinked up at him, sitting up with a stiff straight spine when she saw who it was. “What are you doing here creepily lurking outside of my cell while I’m sleeping?”

Irritation flickered through him. “I am not creepily watching you sleep, as you so politely describe it.”

She scowled. “I’m not trying to be polite. You scared the shit out of me. Of course, that’s probably what you were trying to do since I didn’t dance to exhaustion like you wanted me to. Or did the shot in the chest make up for it?”

Taveon narrowed his eyes. Why oh why did she have to be so vexing?

He had come down here to apologize. First for inflicting the punishment, then for allowing her to be in a position of danger. He did not know who had shot that bow and arrow, but he intended to find out. In the meantime, he knew Bree needed to be kept safe and hidden, which meant she must stay in the dungeon cell, protected at all times by armed guards.

But there was another thing he needed to keep her safe from—the Court. If they knew he cared about what happened to her, then the threat against her life would only increase. What happened in the Great Hall would happen again. And again. And again. Until he was forced to bury her corpse. And there was only so long this dungeon and the guards could keep her safe.

So, he would lie.

“I just came to see if you liked the little gift I sent to you today.” He flashed her a strained, false smile. “The arrow? That was mine. From my guard, as ordered by me. Your true punishment. Do not attack me again, Bree Paine. Or else next time, that arrow will be aimed at your heart.”

He didn’t wait around to see what Bree’s reaction would be to his words. He couldn’t bear to see the look in her eyes. Yes, she hated him, but Taveon was all too aware that this would be the final nail in the coffin. Her hatred would become permanent. Whatever hope he’d had that things could one day be different would end in this instant.

She would think him a monster. And maybe he was.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You really had that arrow shot?” Bree yelled at his retreating back. Taveon stiffened but didn’t slow down. “Stop right now and explain yourself to me. If you leave now, I’ll only think the worst.”

Taveon did not stop, even though he yearned to turn back and tell her the truth. But he couldn’t. Letting her believe he was a monster was the only way to keep her safe.