Gleam (The Plated Prisoner, #3)

by Raven Kennedy

“But when you did that, you didn’t just open my eyes. You shifted my vision entirely, and now, all I keep seeing is you.”

You’re not the villain in my story.” “I am,” he says without remorse, his sharp jaw tight with tension. “But I’ll be the villain for you. Not to you.”

“I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you, Goldfinch. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”

“Yep. No need to admit when you chose me. I know it was when you were admiring my ass outside.”

His grin widens. “And you’re a gorgeous little liar, but that’s okay,” he says with a shrug. “I’ve made you face your other truths, and I have no doubt I can make you face this one too.” My stomach jumps with a thrill I don’t want to admit. He thinks I’m gorgeous.

“It terrifies you, doesn’t it?” I ask. “Knowing that everything you are, hinges on me.” Something dark flickers across his face. “You speak about my punishment, but how about we consider what you deserve?” I take a step closer to him, leaving just a foot of distance between us. To show him that I’m not afraid. To show him that even though he split me down the middle and stole pieces from my soul, he’ll never win. My golden eyes burn as I look him dead in the eye. “I’m going to leave you, Midas,” I declare ruthlessly, enjoying it when his entire body stiffens. “I’m going to go where you can never find me again. You’ll search the ends of Orea for me. You’ll hear rumors, whispers of where I am, but every single time, I’ll slip through your fingers.” At his sides, his hands tighten into fists, as if he’s already trying to close up the cracks. “I’ll drag you along to every decrepit corner of the world, but you won’t ever find me. You’ll go months, years, decades searching in wild desperation.” Chills scatter over my arms, like the goddesses are listening, a shiver of an omen kissed upon my skin. “Your golden trinkets will dwindle. Your fame will turn to ridicule as your people turn against you. Your betrothed will abandon

you, and the laws of this world will force the crown off your head, and still, you won’t find me. No matter how tirelessly you look. No matter how furious your search. And it will make you go mad.” He can’t even blink, he stares so wildly at me, and I revel in it. “You thought gold and power was your ascension, but it’ll be your downfall. You thought you could hoard me forever, but I’ll disappear right out from under your nose.” That pounding against my ribs hammers louder, shoots sparks off my soul. “You’ll be a laughingstock. Hated. Destitute.” Midas flinches at that word. Physically jerks back, body rocking with the shock of my speech, and my beast and I preen beneath the delivered threat, celebrate the discovery of his worst fear. “You will have no one and nothing to comfort you. You’ll die alone and poor, ruined by your own greed, and it will be exactly what you deserve.”