She makes some effort to not let it show how it pleases her that she can read his mind but he cannot read hers easily. He has remarkable power and she has seen so few of his limits. When he had drained himself keeping them both filled with energy after their first hunt, that it had taken some time for him to regenerate after she had bitten off his head, and now with this.
Mazikeen knows they are not true equals, and she delights in the near-endless abilities he seems to be capable of, but it is still enjoyable to discover that she is better at something and that she can have some power over him (even while admitting what he has over her is just as strong).
He doesn’t look at her but her gaze does not stray from him for a moment. Her deep orange eyes trace his face, the strands of his white hair that move just slightly in the night air.
“I don’t know.” She answers honestly, the first time she’s vocalized her uncertainty - first time she’s even let herself think about it. For years she’s clung to her promise with absolute determination. But the initial promise she made means nothing now. It is too late to stop the curse from taking a hold and she does not even really want to limit the chaos it can spread. “I told the other Gale that I would once you became too much. But my definition of that evolves every day. Things that would have churned my stomach then make me purr now.” She finds again and again there is no real limit to what she will not do with him, to what she delights in now. The members of this kingdom are protected by a promise, a deal, but even that could change tomorrow if it were convenient. The only real, true tie she feels anymore is the one to him.
She takes a small step closer. Her instinct is not to touch him unless he touches her first, but she is still fighting how she defaults to his wishes so she brushes a gentle kiss against his cheek because that is what she wants to do. And then she pulls back and continues to speak into the night air, watching as the fiery light from her horns catches once agains on his iridescent coat she is responsible for bringing back.
“I still mean what I said the night you brought Malik back - I do not want to be without you. But if there is a day when I want to kill you, to repay you for when you killed me, it will not be a surprise. I will not be subtle.” And here a dark smile forms - because she doubts she would be capable of being subtle even if she tried and he must know this. Her rage turned explosive too easily.
“You can always know anything I’m thinking - you just have to ask.” It is not the same as being able to see for himself but perhaps this will be enough. “I’ll give you a hint, though. Most of the time I am thinking about you.” These words do not carry the sweetness they might have once, they are low and dark and spoken like the languid caresses she is thinking about.
@Gale