SELIN'S POV.
I took a deep breath and straightened my dress…or, well, the overly fancy thing the maids had left me to wear. The fabric shimmered faintly when I moved. It was the softest thing I'd ever felt and also completely impractical for someone who had spent most of her life chasing goats away from her vegetable patch.
The breakfast I'd just finished still lingered in my thoughts, warm bread, spiced meat, fruit so sweet it made my teeth ache. I hadn't eaten that well in my entire life.
So, really, I was in a good mood. Maybe even brave enough to explore a bit.
"I'm not lost," I told myself as I walked down a long hallway filled with paintings of grim-looking men and wolves. "I'm just…mildly misdirected."
I paused at a tall window that overlooked the mountains. The castle was perched so high that the clouds brushed against the balcony rails. It was breathtaking, and unsettling. Below, the forest stretched endlessly. For a moment, I wondered if the "king" ever actually left this place or just sat in his dark throne room glaring at people for fun.
"You're not supposed to be wandering around."
The deep voice came from behind me. I jumped, spinning around so fast I nearly tripped over my skirt.
He stood there…the man himself. The King. The one everyone else bowed to and whispered about.
He was wearing black again, of course, because apparently color wasn't allowed in his world. His hair looked darker in the morning light, his silver eyes sharp enough to cut through stone.
"Oh," I said brilliantly. "You again."
His brow twitched. "You say that as if it's an inconvenience."
"Well, it is a little unfair," I said, folding my arms. "You appear out of nowhere, all tall and brooding, and scare the life out of people. You should at least wear bells or something."
The corner of his mouth moved just slightly, like he was fighting a smirk. "Bells."
"Yes. Or announce yourself before speaking. You could've given me a heart attack."
"If a simple voice frightens you," he said, stepping closer, "you won't last a day in this castle."
I took a step back instinctively, though I tried to look confident. "I'll last just fine. I've survived worse."
"I doubt that."
"Wow. Confidence booster, thank you."
He sighed softly, rubbing his temple as if I were already exhausting him. "You shouldn't be wandering alone. My people are not used to seeing humans here."
There it was. Addressing me as 'humans' again. "I got bored," I said simply. "You don't exactly have a tour guide service."
"You're here because you begged to come," he reminded me. "Not to sightsee."
"Right, because nothing says 'welcome' like locking me in a room."
His eyes flicked to me again, sharp, and plain.
Then, for reasons I still don't understand, I smiled at him and said, "You really should try smiling more. You'd look less terrifying."
He blinked. "Excuse me?"
I grinned wider. "There! That tone…see, you can sound human."
He exhaled slowly, like he was counting down the seconds before losing patience. "Do all humans talk this much?"
"Only the interesting ones."
He took another step closer. I noticed that even though he moved with complete control, he kept a careful distance. Like an invisible wall existed between us.
"Stop walking backward," he said.
"Stop walking forward." I retorted.
A faint sound, almost amusement, escaped him. "Do you make a habit of disobeying kings?"
"Only the dramatic ones," I said sweetly.
That was probably the wrong thing to say, because he suddenly closed the gap between us. My back hit the wall before I could blink, and he leaned in, not touching me, but close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from him. His hands were braced behind his back, as if holding himself in check.
"Tell me, human," he said, voice low, "why are you so eager to test me?"
My throat went dry. "I'm not testing anything. I was just—uh—commenting."
He tilted his head, silver eyes narrowing slightly. "Commenting," he repeated. "And what would you have done if I hadn't stopped?"
My mouth moved before my brain caught up. "I'd probably poke you to see if you're real."
His expression darkened, then shifted, slowly, into something that looked suspiciously like amusement. "Is that what you're trying to do now? Touch me?"
I froze. "What? No!"
He leaned in just a little more, and my heart decided to start hammering. "Are you sure?" His tone was dangerous now, but teasing, almost lazy. "Because if you are, you should know…most people don't survive that kind of curiosity."
I blinked up at him, completely lost. "Survive? What does that even mean?"
He smiled, but not kindly. "Are you trying to go to bed with me, little human?"
My entire face went up in flames. "WHAT—no! No, no, no, absolutely not! I was just—oh my gods—why would you even—!"
He chuckled, low and quiet, and I realized with horror that he was enjoying my embarrassment. The sound of his laughter was infuriatingly unfair. It was rich and deep, the kind that made my stomach flip for all the wrong reasons.
"Relax," he murmured. "You're too easy to provoke."
"Well, maybe don't say insane things like that!"
He shifted closer again, his voice dropping lower. "Then don't keep trying to touch me."
"I wasn't trying to touch you!" I said.
He raised a single brow, clearly not believing me.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest. He was standing so close now that the edge of his coat brushed my arm. His scent…cool and clean, like rain and steel, filled the space between us.
"Why do you keep your hands behind you like that?" I asked suddenly. "Afraid of catching human germs?"
His jaw tightened. "You ask too many questions."
"It's called conversation."
"It's called pestering." He replied.
"Same thing," I said with a shrug. "You don't have to act like I'm diseased."
His eyes flashed. "Maybe you should believe that I'm the one who's dangerous."
That shut me up. For a second, the air felt electric. His gaze lingered on me—my face, my throat, my hands, and something unspoken passed between us. Then, just as quickly, he stepped back, breaking whatever strange current had formed.
"Stay inside these chambers," he said, voice clipped again. "If you want to live comfortably here, don't test my patience."
I frowned. "You really need to work on your people skills."
He gave a humorless smile. "And you need to work on your survival instincts."
Then he turned and walked away, the echo of his boots fading into the corridor.
When he was gone, I pressed my back against the wall, trying to steady my breathing. My skin still tingled where the air had warmed between us. What on earth was that? One second he was terrifying, the next…almost human. Almost.
I shook my head.
"Great," I muttered. "I'm officially losing my mind."
Still, I couldn't help the grin that tugged at my lips. Whatever that man was hiding, it was big. And I was going to figure it out.