“I’m afraid this is only supposed to make a statement and perhaps be a great conversation starter when other politicians are visiting.”
“What statement?”
“He who bears this mace bears great wealth,” Asel says in a deep, mocking tone.
I laugh again and find the courage to raise my eyes. “So you won’t tattle on me?”
“Whatever for?”
“My outburst regarding the mace’s resting place.”
“Not at all. I do find it curious, though, that you would care where the weapon ends up. You were paid regardless, yes?”
“Yes, but…”
Asel takes a step forward, showing he’s truly interested in the answer. “But?”
“I want to make the world a safer place. My weapons are supposed to do that.”
“But not if they’re attached to a wall.”
“Exactly.”
Asel purses his lips together in thought. “If I promise to use it if anyone should break in, will that make you happy?”
“Yes, it would,” I joke back.
“Then I promise,” he says, taking another step forward.
I realize a flurry of things at once. One, I’ve been hunching again, because Asel and I are at eye level. Two, he’s much closer than I originally thought, close enough to touch. And three, what I’d been doing was maybe confused as flirting, when really all I was trying to do was survive a conversation.
He leans forward, his lips puckering.
I step back, rise to my full height. “What are you doing?”
“Making you feel better about the mace.”
Oh no. What do I do? Run for it? Or say something? Which would be less embarrassing at this point?
“No, thank you,” I say, and then I want to slap myself. What a stupid thing to say to someone trying to kiss you. But what else do you say? I haven’t ever had someone try to kiss me before. I haven’t prepared for this kind of confrontation.
“What?” he asks.
I cringe. I probably didn’t make sense the first time. “I don’t need you to make me feel better. I’m just fine.”
“Kiss me anyway,” he whispers in some sort of deep tone that I haven’t heard from him yet. He leans forward once more.
Goddesses. Why is it happening again?
I can’t say No, thank you again.
“I don’t want to,” I say instead. Is that any better? Why is it so hot in here? I feel like I can’t breathe in this dress.
“No one will ever know,” he says, following me across the room as I try to get away from him.
“I’ll know.”
At that, Asel freezes in place. His eyes shrink behind his eyelids as he scrutinizes me. As though he’s looking for just what’s wrong with me.
And I know there’s something wrong with me, but him looking at me like that isn’t helping my state of mind.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asks, confirming my thoughts. “I made you laugh twice.”
“You were counting?” I mean, I was counting, but that’s because no one but Temra ever makes me laugh. And why should those two comments of his go together unless—
Oh.
I see now what all of Asel’s words were meant to do. Not make me feel better at all about the mace but to lead to something that he thought would make his night more enjoyable.
He’s a despicable lady hunter.
The panic recedes, replaced with fury.
“You think saying a few nice words to me earns you a kiss? That’s not how it works.”
He blinks once before standing straighter, trying to match my height, but he still falls inches short. “Most women would kill to get me alone.”
“I very much doubt that. Most women are far too sensible to have such poor taste.”
He scoffs in outrage, dares to step forward. I cross my arms over my chest, hopefully hiding my shaking hands, and letting my biceps bulge with the muscles there.
Thinking better of trying anything, Asel steps around me and all but rushes out of the room.
I’m left alone, the faraway chatter of a hundred people lightly filling my ears. I take a seat in one of the elaborate sofas facing the weapon.
Now that the threat is gone, my thoughts turn back to the conversation. Everything I said. Everything I did. Did I really flex in front of him?
My thoughts tumble out of control, fixating on each mortifying sequence of events, down to the horror of having to stand up for myself.
I’m distracted as another presence fills the room.
A woman enters in an almost lazy manner, a glass of wine held in front of her. She looks once at me and then to the weapon on the wall.