Chapter 8

“I wish I did not have to be here with you! How I hate all of these!” she exclaimed.

He looked at her and shook his head. “You make a fool of yourself by talking too much on what you ought to lay to rest, Antonia. I am not happy about this arrangement, but since it makes no sense that I should continue to talk about it, I have decided not to—and that means you should not talk about it too!”

“I do not make a fool of myself. I will not have you say such words to me.”

“Ah, Antonia. What would you do to me? Is there perhaps a way you can hurt me?” he asked.

He had walked up to her, and she did not realize it until he was standing so close to her. His steady breathing tickled her face, and her feet turned to pudding as she stood there. Had he enchanted her?

She tried to take a step back, but his hand snaked out and held her by the waist.

“Where do you think you are going?” he asked her.

She shuddered. “I am not going anywhere. I only want to step