by Quinn Loftis
I continued to stare at her, knowing she could feel my eyes boring into her.
Finally, she turned around, holding her head high. She wore her responsibility like a heavy cloak and it showed in the weariness etched on her face. “If you are still standing there instead of doing my bidding because of the dress, then rest assured I will not be wearing it. Now please leave so that I may change.”
I turned to go, making sure to keep the smile to myself. As I reached the door I heard her say, “I am not changing for you. I am changing to preserve my dignity. You were simply the vessel that was used to help me see that.”
“Whatever you need to tell yourself, Princess,” I said as I looked over my shoulder and winked at her. I saw her reach for a hair brush and pull her arm back to throw it. I quickly stepped out and heard a thunk against the door only made me want to laugh more.
The grin was quickly wiped from my face as I nearly bumped into Cathal.
“Well?” he growled. “Why the hell were you in there so long?”
“We were discussing the logistics of her safety today as you both move about the grounds,” I answered smoothly. “She asked me to inform you that she will meet you in the dining hall momentarily.”
I glanced over the king’s shoulder to see Brant nearly doubled over in silent laughter. When Cathal turned abruptly, my second-in-command straightened faster than a flying arrow and wiped the humor from his face. We watched as Cathal practically shook with anger at having been rebuffed by Allete.
“I don’t take orders from you,” he growled, attempting to take a step around me and push through the door.
“Stop,” I said simply. I did not move, and I did not raise my voice, but the king froze in his tracks. “I am not ordering you. But you will honor the queen’s wishes.”
He turned and stared at me; I could practically hear his teeth grinding together. I could see the man weighing his options. He was incensed that neither I nor Allete were bending to his wishes. At the same time, it was clear that he didn’t want to cause an altercation with Allete’s guard while trying to force his way into her bedroom. I held his gaze without blinking, ready to react in an instant if I needed to. Without taking my eyes off Cathal, I could feel Brant tensing himself to act as well. After several long moments, he took a step backward.
“Albric will hear of this,” he spat, turning on his heel and stomping loudly away.
“That is a dangerous one,” Brant muttered.
I nodded. “He is the type of man who is always just on the edge of violence. Instead of trying to avoid it, he is eagerly waiting for an opportunity to partake in a fight, but only when he knows he has the upper hand.” I knew his type, and it made me sick to think of Allete married to a man like that.
The door opened behind me, and I stepped to the side, turning to face the ladies emerging. My eyes immediately sought out Allete. I nearly sighed when I saw she had changed into a dress with a bodice that came up over her collar bone. The more skin that was covered, the happier I would be.
Her eyes met mine briefly, and her skin took on the lovely flush I was beginning to thoroughly enjoy. Dayna grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her forward. I did not miss the wink she shot Brant. I made a cutting motion across my neck. He knew exactly what I meant. Pursue her and die. But it would not be by my hand. I imagine King Albric would not be too keen on his youngest daughter becoming entangled with a guard. And he would probably be even angrier if the guard turned out to be a Viking warrior in disguise.
We took our spots on either side of the women, keeping in step with them. My eyes repeatedly landed on Allete, but I continued to scan everything around us. After the short amount of time I had spent with her, I knew she would be perfect for my clan because of the fire that burned within her. I was no longer protecting just the Princess of England; I was protecting my future bride. I conveniently ignored the fact that she was currently betrothed to another and that I was going to have to endure their fruitless courtship. Instead, I focused on the future encounters and banter that I would share with Allete, thanks to my proximity to her as her guard. It had been a while since I’d truly enjoyed something. Getting under the princess’s skin was something I enjoyed.
She was nothing like I imagined. The spoiled image I had built up in my head was the furthest thing from who she truly was. I could tell that she was a good person, and my heart broke when I remembered how she had described her situation with Cathal—a young, innocent girl willing to marry a stranger because her father had said she must. She held herself regally, but in no way did she appear to be looking down on those around her. Allete was a girl on the verge of becoming an incredible woman, and if she married Cathal, he would tear her down, piece by beautiful piece.
By the gods, I was not about to let that happen. Even if she were not meant to be mine, I could not let a woman be wed to that poor excuse for a man.
“I am glad to see you could finally join us.” Cathal’s voice, both his words and the vehemence in which he said them, grabbed my attention.
“Do forgive me, my lord,” Allete said sweetly. “I did not sleep well last night, which caused me some lethargy this morn.”
When Allete reached the chair where she was to sit, Cathal did not stand to help her with the chair. Allete simply stood there, smiling at everyone.
Cheeky female, I thought.
I stepped forward and pulled the chair back so she could step around it and then pushed it forward as she sat down. She glanced back at me, surprise filling her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said.
I bowed. “My lady.”
The next words out of Cathal’s mouth made it perfectly clear that I was going to have to remind myself all day long of all the reasons I could not kill the King of Tara.
The king leaned over to Allete in the pretense of whispering, but speaking in a normal voice. “I thought I instructed you to wear the dresses I brought you. I prefer to be able to enjoy the sight of the body that will soon belong to me.”
She looked up into his eyes and blinked innocently. “This is one of the dresses you brought me. But it is still hard to let go of my things, so I had it altered a bit.”
It was then I noticed the dress was the same one she had been wearing when I had been in her room. She had simply added some fabric to the top of it. I chuckled and shook my head slightly. Yes, she was perfect for Clan Hakon. She was perfect for me.
“I have never been both so utterly frustrated by a human being, yet so attracted to him at the same time. After spending only half an hour with Torben, my new mysterious guard, already he is all I can think about. Well, I will have to nip that in the bud quickly. Even if it were possible to be with someone of his station, which it is not, he would drive me to jump off a cliff within hours of beginning our courtship.”
* * *
~Diary of Princess Allete Auvray
While staring out at the bright flowers and rich foliage, I contemplated all the ways I could kill myself in the garden as I stood next to Cathal. This place had always been a sight that inspired joy and happiness, but all I could think about was whether we had any plants containing deadly thorns. That was something I needed to speak to the gardener about. Surely, having a supply of deadly plants on hand would be quite useful. Not only for the poisoning of a high-ranking dignitary, but, perhaps more importantly, for use by forlorn princesses who need to put themselves out of their misery.
“What sorts of plants do you have in your gardens?” I found myself asking the king.
Cathal looked down at me as if I were a child who had just asked an ignorant question. But he answered nonetheless. “I prefer exotic, unusual plants.”
My brow rose. “Really?” I turned my body slightly so I was facing him. “What kind, exactly?”
“Flowers from all over the world. Vines the size of a man’s leg, flowers as bright as the sun, and a few deadly bushes, of course.”
“Deadly?”
He chuckled, and it was not a hap
py sound. It sent chills down my back.
“As I said, I like unusual plants.”
“Are those the plants you used to kill your previous wives?” Dayna’s voice carried from several feet away.
My jaw clenched as I turned toward my sister. I was too afraid to look at Cathal’s reaction. I shot daggers at Torben and Brant, as if it was their fault that Dayna could not keep her mouth closed at the proper times.
“You are one of Allete’s sisters?” Cathal asked casually.
“I am. We have actually already met.”
“Well, I am sure you understand why I would have forgotten you. Standing next to your stunning sister would cause anyone to become insignificant.”
My head whipped around so fast that I nearly lost my balance. A warm hand caught my elbow helping me right myself, and I knew it was Torben. He did not move back again but lingered only a few feet from me.
“I do not like you saying such things to my sister, my lord,” I said as respectfully as I could at that moment.
“Then your sister should learn her place and keep her mouth shut.” The cold, calculating look in his eyes caused me to take a step back.
“I think it is time for lunch,” I said, choosing to ignore his harsh comment. I turned to go but was stopped by Cathal’s rough hand on my arm as he jerked me back to stand beside him.
“You are my betrothed; you will walk with me. Your pet guard dog can give us some space.”
My body was stiff as a rod as I walked beside him. His hand remained on my arm, and it took every ounce of self-control I possessed not to jerk it from him. I did not want him touching me. I did not even want to breathe the same air as the vile man beside me. I was beginning to believe that perhaps he had not killed his wives after all. Maybe they had taken their own lives.
A week had passed since my first full day spent with Cathal, and each day he had grown more and more aggressive. There had been several times during this week that I noticed Brant holding Torben back when Cathal had grabbed me roughly or snapped at me. The way Torben watched me, the way his barely contained anger stayed just on the surface, was peculiar. He was not like any guard I had ever had. Sure, they had protected me, but none of them looked at me the way Torben did. He watched me as if my life was the only thing that mattered to him. I had to continually remind myself that I could not be with him. Even if I were not already betrothed to Cathal, my father would never allow me to marry a guard.
By the eighth night of the courtship, I felt I could bear Cathal no longer. My body was shaking with rage by the time he left me at my chambers after the evening meal. Surprisingly, he had behaved himself at dinner, no doubt putting on an act for my parents. But as soon as we were out of their presence, the demon was back.
His words echoed in my mind as I closed the door.
“Until I break you, and I will break you, I will have to settle for enjoying your beauty and form. If you are not willing to respond to my words, then you will respond to my touch.”
He grabbed my arms, and when Torben and Brant went to intercept him, two of Cathal’s own men stepped from the shadows, cutting them off. His hold was tight, no doubt leaving bruises on my arms.
“All day I have asked you to do things, and you have repeatedly ignored me. Every time you disobey me, there will be consequences.”
I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he darted forward and bit me hard on my shoulder. I gasped and tried to step away, but his grasp was as strong as iron bindings. I could hear Torben behind me attempting to get to me, snarling and cursing at the guards who would not move. Cathal’s teeth sank in deeper until I felt the trickle of blood down my arm. When he finally pulled away, his eyes were gleaming with madness.
“You are mine. I will mark you all over your luscious body until you understand that.” He turned on his heel and walked away, as if he had not just gnawed on me like a dog with a bone.
His men waited until he was out of sight before they left. It was when they turned that I saw they had pulled their short swords on Torben and Brant. My eyes widened when I looked down at Torben’s abdomen and saw blood seeping through his uniform. I immediately felt my magic growing inside of me—the need to heal overpowering my self-preservation.
I looked up at him and pleaded with my eyes as I spoke. “Please, do not tell anyone about this. Pretend it was a dream if you must. You.” I pointed to Brant. “Make sure no one sees this.”
I lifted Torben’s jerkin and placed my hand over the wound.
Torben hissed and spoke through clenched teeth. “If I was going to have a dream about you, Princess, I would not be injured, and you would have considerably less clothing on.”
I pressed a little harder than necessary and took satisfaction in his grunt of pain. Then I pushed the outside world away and focused my energy on the wound. The chant rose in my mind, and I spoke it without thought.
* * *
“Wounded flesh, damaged skin,
Feel my power, let me in.
Let my light heal you,
My energy fill you.
Veins that carry life,
Rejoin the cut,
Relieve the pain and the strife.”
* * *
I felt the healing power flowing into Torben, but that was not all I felt. There, just beyond the wound, was a chord—gold and thick. It seemed to be reaching for my magic, coaxing my power to itself. I felt myself wanting to respond, and I did. But the minute my light touched the chord, an overwhelming emotion assailed me. I pulled my hand away as if I had been burned. I looked up at Torben. Being so close to him only emphasized how much larger than me he was. My eyes were wide, and my mouth probably looked as though it was going to drop to the floor.
I pulled my hand from under his shirt and stepped back. My eyes never left his. After a few moments, the shock from the golden chord left me, and I looked around. It was then that I realized that neither Torben nor Brant seemed amazed about what I had done. In fact, it was almost as if they had been aware that I had such a power.
I took another step back when Torben made a move to close the distance between us. Brant placed his hand on Torben’s arm.
“Let her be,” the large man told his friend.
Torben’s eyes bore into mine as he spoke. “That piece of vermin bit her. At least let me make sure it has stopped bleeding.”
While I said nothing, I secretly wanted Torben to touch me. I wanted him to ensure that I was safe and well. I wanted him to hold me and tell me everything would be okay. I wanted him to shelter me from the storm I had found myself in. And for that reason, I turned and rushed into my room, slamming the door behind me and jamming the lock into place.
I slid down to the floor, my back pressed firmly against the wood. I heard Torben speak through the door.
“Allete, you have healed me. Now I must do what I can for you. Please let me tend to your shoulder.” His worried voice wrapped around me and eased a little of the fear I was feeling.
“Please.” My voice cracked, and I tried again. “Please, just get Lidia. She will tend to me.”
I heard his growl and then muffled words. It was no surprise to me when I heard his voice again. “I sent Brant to find her. Can I get you anything? Can I help in any way?”
An insane thought came to me, and I had to bite down on my tongue before I blurted out that he could help by killing my fiancé. Madness, I thought to myself. If Torben killed Cathal, and I was pretty sure he would if I only asked, then he would be hanged for murder. I would never let someone die for me. Certainly Cathal’s death did not bother me in the least, but the thought of Torben dead almost caused me to retch.
I shook my head and rubbed the tears from my face. It was okay for me to care for Torben because he cared for me. I cared for my friends among the castle staff. That was all this was. I loved Lidia, and I cared deeply for other workers that I had come to know. Torben was irritating, but it was apparent he was a man of good character, and that was why I was attracted to h
im. Hell, anyone looked better than Cathal at this point.
“If you will not let me in, will you at least talk to me, so that I can know you are okay?” The anguish in his voice nearly broke my heart.
“What is there to say?” I asked as I bit my lip, hoping that my tears would not be evident in the sound of my voice.
I heard Torben curse. Apparently, I could not disguise my pain as well as I had hoped.
“What is your favorite color?” he asked.
I frowned. I had just been bitten by a mad man. I had healed a stab wound. I had discovered … something, some kind of magical connection between Torben and me, and now he was asking me what my favorite color was? Perhaps I hadn’t fully healed him, and he was now going into shock?
“Silver,” I said instinctively, trying to pretend I wasn’t elated just hearing him speak.
“What is your favorite time of day?”
I furrowed my brow as I considered his question. “Do people really have a favorite time of day?”
“I do, or at least I believe I will,” he answered.
“What do you mean?”
“Morning.” His deep voice rumbled. “Morning will be my favorite time of day because one day I will have a woman to wake up beside me to share the sunrise. I picture her in my mind, as I open my eyes to see her form lying beside me, her hair all a mess as the morning light streams across her face and down her body. I will run my fingertips across her cheek down to her full lips, feeling the silky skin that is mine alone. The warmth of our bodies will keep me in bed too long, but I will not care because as long as she is beside me every morning, I can face anything.”
Whoa. I sat with my back leaned up against the door, mere feet from a man who could feel so deeply, who could treasure the gift of a good wife. Just when the tears had stopped, they began again, but I kept them quiet this time. What he had said was beautiful. It was what I wanted as well but would never have. My mind could not help but imagine the things Torben had described, putting myself in the place of the woman in his bed. What would it be like to wake up to the warmth of his large body pressed against mine? Would my heart be able to withstand the overwhelming emotions that would flow through me when he touched my lips?