Vaeren's smile was a slow, beautiful, monstrous thing. The flicker of fear in his eyes was gone, replaced by a renewed, chilling amusement. He saw the shift in her, the terror replaced by a cold, hard fury, and it intrigued him.
"A leash," he repeated, his voice a soft purr. He released her throat, his touch lingering for a heartbeat, a final, proprietary caress. "Perhaps. But even a leashed wolf can be of use. And you, my dear Arin, have a great deal of use left in you."
He took a step back, smoothing the front of his silk tunic as if brushing away an unpleasant piece of dust. "You have lost something of mine. I will have it back. And you have cost me a great deal of trouble. That debt will be repaid."
He turned and walked to the door, the magical ward shimmering out of his way as if in deference to its master. He paused in the doorway, looking back at her over his shoulder, his golden eyes glittering in the dim light.
