Chapter 51: Why You Kissed Me

                                    

                                          
I frowned. "Why me? I'm not the highest ranked or the most qualified."
"Our former rankings hold little value now, and in terms of qualifications, I believe you have the highest kill count of anyone here."
Rapchuk bristled. "I've killed three Demons. How many has Remgar killed?"
When I didn't immediately respond, Fraschkit fielded the question. "He killed several before we found him and his father outside the palace. And Kardki tells me he took out at least a few Demons at the rebel base when Borgal betrayed us, and more when he rescued the Guardians from the dungeon."
When she listed the fights like that, it did sound like a lot, but her words made me more uncomfortable than proud. The kills didn't feel like something to brag about, especially not with my hand still resting on a Demon's thigh—a Demon she had carefully omitted from the accounts of my kills. Isalio had spared me at the base, Isalio had set me free at the palace, and I had rescued Isalio from the dungeon.
"I just had more chances to kill," I said.
"And more chances to die. Remgar, a Guardian is lucky to defeat one Demon and live to tell about it. You must have killed at least a dozen. We need those odds to defeat the palace."
Manikbar hummed. "Sounds impressive, certainly...yet despite so many opportunities, he never managed to kill the High Prince."
"Remgar has persuaded this Demon to cooperate." She spoke of Isalio as though he were not mere feet from her. "I know we'd all love to see the High Prince dead, after all he's done, but he currently has more value alive. While we train, I will ask the Guardians posted outside to take the Demon back to his cell until we have further use for him."
Isalio's leg tensed beneath my hand, and I fought the urge to offer him a verbal assurance or reach for his fingers once more. Instead, I addressed Fraschkit in the most neutral tone I could manage. "The Demon has cooperated fully today, and he is still cuffed. Why does he need to be locked away underground?"
"Leave it," Isalio whispered. "It doesn't matter."
"No." I didn't bother to lower my voice. "It matters that we treat prisoners with respect after they comply with our demands."
Rapchuk snorted. "You think the Demons treat prisoners with respect?"
I considered telling them about how Isalio had given me as much respect as he could in the Demon palace, but that whole situation was too complicated, so I settled on a different argument. "Is that our standard for how prisoners should be treated? We aspire to be like the Demons?"
Rapchuk's knuckles cracked, and Manikbar guffawed, but neither answered. Isalio pushed my hands off his leg, his eyes fixed on the table in front of him and jaw shut so tight I could hear his teeth grinding.
"Then where do you think the Demon should be, Remgar?" said Fraschkit. "You think he should join our training?"
"He can help us train—if he wants to," I said carefully, willing Isalio to meet my gaze.
Without looking at me, he huffed a laugh. "If I want? I haven't wanted anything since before I summoned the Morgabeast."
There was a barb in that statement, and it hooked right into my gut. He hadn't wanted anything?
"But you..." I bit my tongue to prevent myself from saying something I shouldn't.
You kissed me.
Of course, I knew why he had kissed me the first time: he had been attempting to manipulate my emotions, and he had succeeded. But the second time, the all-powerful prince had abandoned all logical thinking in the heat of the moment, all because he wanted me...right? Or had he only gone through with the kiss to force me to carry out my agreement with the General? He had told me I had appealed to him, and that it was hard for him to hold back, yet his actions always seemed perfectly controlled. Was he always ruled by a hidden agenda?