When the compartment door slid open, she tried not to flinch. A delicate cloud of masculine aftershave tickled her nostrils, and a deep rumbling voice caressed her ears. “Do you mind if I join you?”
She recognized Kellan’s voice and her eyes flew open. Panic saturated her brain, but she managed to reply, “Of course not.”
Her first impulse was to bolt past him and disembark before the train began rolling again but she hesitated. Why should she run when he could not possibly recognize her in her current magical disguise? No, it was better to stay where she was to avoid raising any suspicion. Besides which, since he was not in uniform, he couldn’t be on duty. Logic kept her in her seat, but her heart continued to race. Why was Kellan Stratford, of all people, on this train?
The Ranger slid a rain-moistened leather duster into the overhead rack. “It’s wet out there.” He sank into the seat opposite her.
Alice smiled. “I can see that.”
As the train lurched forward, Alice turned her face toward the window so she could stare at the Ranger’s reflection in the glass. What was that harness he wore around his shoulders?
“My name is Kellan.”
Alice was forced to meet his gaze. “Henrietta.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Henrietta.” He smiled. “Are you heading to Merrapenya?”
She nodded. “You?”
“Mmm hmm.”
Her eyes flickered toward the door. Maybe Kellan would fall asleep, and she could slip out past and find a seat in another compartment.
“Train’s full, can you believe it?” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t think so many people would be traveling to Merrapenya this late at night.” His gray eyes seemed to see right through her.
She lowered her gaze to her lap. “Summer travelers, I imagine.”
“That must be it.” He gestured toward to the folded newspaper on the seat beside her. “May I borrow that?”
“Keep it if you like.” She handed it to him. “I’m finished.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
As the handsome Ranger skimmed the paper, she was tempted to drop her disguise and ask for his help. In the next breath, however, she came to her senses. Until she reached safety, she must remain vigilant. She ought to think about something other than his good looks. Something ugly.
That much was easy.
Alice gazed at her own reflection in the window. She’d disguised herself as an older woman with frizzy mushroom-colored hair, wrinkled skin, and a bulbous nose. The spell was strong enough to last for days and not even Villify would have known her.
The newspaper rustled as Kellan refolded it. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you if you enchant your face it might get stuck that way?” He regarded her with amusement.
“What?”
“You heard me, Princess.”
She had no choice now but to defend herself with magic. A sharp wave of debilitating magic should have made Kellan lose consciousness, but the hex seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.
“What’s wrong?” The corners of his mouth turned up. “You seem shocked.”
“You should have passed out!”
He tapped his fancy wristwatch. “Wizard shield. You won’t be able to perform any magic on me while I’m wearing it.”
“You’re no ordinary Ranger.” Her eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”
Kellan flashed her a badge and his identification. “Ranger Kellan Stratford, Wizard Hunter, First Class.”
“Wizard Hunter?” Alice gave him a stony stare. “There’s no such thing. You’re joking.”
“Most assuredly not. Alessandra Holland, you’re under arrest for crimes against the king.”
“The king is my father, if you haven’t figured that out yet.” With defiance oozing from every pore, she folded her arms across her chest. “How did you find me?”
“Trade secret.”
As he returned the badge to a small pocket in his harness, he wore a pleasant smile. She quelled the temptation to slap the smirk from his face and decided to negotiate instead.
Alice leaned forward. “Ranger Stratford, you don’t know all the facts. Somebody killed my mother and Pompano can’t be trusted to investigate. I suspect my life is in danger as well.”
“I’ll make sure you reach Briarwood Castle safely.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re mistaken if you think I’m going to cooperate.”
“Actually, I know you don’t intend to cooperate.”
He leaned forward in a disarming and oddly seductive fashion before snapping a bracelet onto her wrist. Her disguise spell evaporated in an instant and her normal appearance was restored.
“What did you just do to me?” Although Alice attempted to dislodge the bracelet, it had melded to her skin seamlessly. “What is this thing?”
“It’s a disrupter that prevents you from working magic.”
She gasped. “Permanently?”
“Of course not. Once you’ve been delivered to His Majesty, I will remove it unless he requests otherwise.”
“How dare you!”
As she shot to her feet, Kellan did the same. “Sit down, Princess. If you don’t, I’ll be forced to use physical restraints.”
Fear gripped her by the throat. Quite clearly, the man was used to getting his way and she’d seen his skills as a Ranger for herself. The look in his eyes and the set of his square jaw precluded bargaining or bribery. Nevertheless, he was a gentleman, and she wasn’t completely out of ammunition.
Her shoulders sagged, her eyes filled with tears, and her lips trembled. “All right, you win. But it’s a shame.”
He gave her a puzzled glance. “What’s a shame?”
“That I have to do this.”
Her fist sank into Kellan’s solar plexus with the energy of a cornered animal. She followed the strike by driving a knee up into his groin. As the Ranger bent double, she finished him off with a sharp elbow to the back of his neck. Propelled by adrenaline, she hauled open the compartment door and darted toward the back of the train.
Her eyes scanned the corridor as she sprinted along, searching for a place to hide. The Ranger had been correct—every compartment was full. With no place left to run, Alice slid the last door open and stepped out onto a small platform, slick with rain. The darkness made it impossible to guarantee a soft landing but if she allowed Kellan to return her to the castle, the result would be far worse. Knees flexed, she prepared to jump…but suddenly a muscular arm encircled her waist and held her fast.
“Are you crazy?” Kellan shouted. “There’s nothing but rocks and gravel out there. You’ll be cut to pieces!”
She flailed, desperate for escape. “That doesn’t matter! Let me go!”
Genuine tears of frustration stung Alice’s eyelids as Kellan hauled her back into the train. The Ranger gripped her elbow so tightly she winced from the pain.
“You’re hurting me!”
“Good. Maybe you’ll behave as a result.”
Kellan dragged Alice back up the corridor, pushed her into their compartment and released his hold. “If you even think about escaping again, I’ve got a pair of manacles you can wear for the return journey.” All semblance of kindness had disappeared from his tone. “I’m licensed to make our time together extremely unpleasant if necessary.”
Alice rubbed her arm where he’d gripped it. “Do they pay you extra for cruelty?”
His expression resembled steel. “It comes free with the job.”
She flopped down into her seat, crossed her arms, and stared at a fixed point straight in front of her. Unfortunately, Kellan chose to sit in her line of sight. He rubbed the back of his neck, where the point of her elbow had made contact.
“Where did you learn to fight like that?”
Her lips tightened. “Finishing school.”
Kellan shook his head. “I wouldn’t be making light of this. You just assaulted a Ranger and resisted arrest.”
“Take it up with King Justin.”
“I w
ill.”
The two glared at one another for a long while.
“I’ve never been arrested before,” she said finally. “How does this work?”
“What do you mean?”
She shrugged. “What if I have to heed nature’s call or I get hungry or something?”
“I’ll deal with that when it happens. Besides which, we’re disembarking at the next stop.”
She shifted in her seat until she was facing away from him as much as possible. “Do you have a warrant for my arrest, by the way? How do I know you aren’t working for the Shadow Realm?”
Kellan produced a folded square of paper from another pocket in his harness, unfolded it, and gave it to her. “Satisfied?”
Her eyes flew across the page, taking in the words. The warrant was signed by her father, stamped with the royal seal, and appeared to be genuine. She crumpled the document into a ball and tossed it at Kellan’s face, but he caught it with one hand without so much as blinking.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Something awful must have happened to make you so bitter toward wizards.”
“Who says I’m bitter toward wizards?”
“You hunt wizards down and take away their power. Deep down, that must give you a great deal of pleasure.”
“As I told you before, the disrupter isn’t permanent. Being a Wizard Hunter has nothing to do with revenge and everything to do with law enforcement.”
“So, you’re bitter toward women then.”
Kellan’s eyes narrowed. “That’s none of your business.”
Her cheekbones became heated, and her gaze shifted to the floor. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
The ensuing silence was only broken by the low thrum of the train’s wheels passing over the tracks.
Kellan studied her. “Was Helene really murdered?”
Alice shook her head. “I don’t have any proof of it, but she is missing. The story about a sabbatical is just to cover the truth.”
“Is that why you ran away?”
“Not exactly.” Her eyes locked with his. “I don’t want to participate in the Promenade.”
Kellan looked at her askance. “I thought most women rather enjoyed the spectacle of eligible suitors vying for their favors.”
“Not in my case. It’s just a show to amuse the masses.”
“Young ladies don’t throw themselves off trains to escape the social event of the year, Alessandra Holland.”
Alice gave him a searching glance. Of all the people she’d met since leaving Squirrel Flats, this man was the only one she’d met who seemed to have no hidden agenda. The enmity between him and Blade spoke in his favor and, oddly enough, the fact that he’d managed to capture her made him worthy of her respect.
“Until a few days ago, I didn’t know my father was King Justin. I was brought to Colossus under false pretenses. When I arrived, I was finally told that my mother was missing and likely dead. The entire time, I was spied on and lied to at every turn by employees of the Minfo.” She shook her head. “Wouldn’t you try to escape?”
“Why didn’t you speak to your father instead of sneaking off?”
“I can’t get a meeting with him.” She frowned. “How did you find me when I took such care to alter my appearance?”
“Any bit of magic a wizard performs, however slight, leaves a unique energy signature that can be measured.” He patted a piece of equipment tucked into his harness. “My tracking device detected an anomaly in a painting of your mother. Pompano confirmed it was a portal.”
“The portal is my mother’s magic.” She produced the worry stone. “Perhaps you were tracking the Key?”
“Perhaps.”
“How did you get through the portal without it?”
“I didn’t have to get through. King Justin knew the portal led to the mausoleum. Once I picked up the energy signature there, the rest of the chase was up to me.”
“That tracking device…is that the locator my mother helped you develop?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “And she mentored me as I developed the disrupter.”
“Which is made out of Helenium.” Alice sat back in her seat. “In a strange way, my own mother led to my arrest.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re safe.”
The loudspeaker on the wall announced the next stop and Kellan produced a pair of handcuffs.
“Oh…don’t.” She gulped. “You don’t have to use those.”
A look of genuine regret passed over his face. “It’s regulation.” He changed seats until they were sitting side-by-side and closed one of the cuffs around her wrist. “Does that pinch?”
She frowned. “Do you care?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” Kellan attached the other handcuff onto his own wrist. “Despite what you might think, I don’t enjoy inflicting pain.”
As she remembered the gentle way that he had carried her the day before, she knew he was telling the truth.
She wiggled her wrists. “I’ve never had a young man give me jewelry before.”
“Oh, yes, that’s right.” Kellan gave her a crooked grin. “Been cloistered away at that ladies’ finishing school for the last few years.”
“I wasn’t joking about the finishing school, by the way. It’s the best one in Vanguard.”
A sigh escaped her lips as she anticipated what awaited her at the castle. Don’t think about that. Think about something nice. She closed her eyes and spent the next few minutes enjoying Kellan’s fragrance. As the train swayed around a curve, his knee touched hers ever so gently. The slight contact sent a wave of pleasure rippling down her spine and she couldn’t stifle a giggle.
The Ranger made a sound of frustration. “You’re under arrest, Princess. Aren’t you taking this seriously?”
Her eyes opened. “Of course I am, but I’m pretending that I’m just an ordinary girl, sitting next to a handsome stranger on a train, wishing I knew him better.”
Kellan flushed and shifted his gaze toward the window. They pulled into the station shortly thereafter and when the Ranger stood, she was obliged to move with him.
He collected his coat with one hand. “Where are your bags?”
“It’s just that backpack.” She nodded toward the shelf. “We fugitives travel light.”
Kellan pulled the bag down but when he stepped toward the door, she stood fast.
“Hang on a moment.” She took a deep breath. “This will sound strange but would…would you kiss me?”
His eyes widened. “What?”
“I know it’s out of the ordinary, but this might be my last chance to kiss a man of my own choosing.”
The Ranger swallowed hard. “I appreciate your dilemma, but I’d have to be out of my mind to kiss you. It’s a breach of ethics.”
Alice’s laugh was mirthless. “I’m not asking you to breach my ethics. I’m just asking you for one kiss.”
“Fine.” He bent to brush his lips against her hair. “Now let’s go.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.” She stepped closer. “Kiss me for real and you have my word I won’t try to escape from you ever again.”
“I could be stripped of rank and court-martialed.”
Alice turned the lights off in the compartment, throwing it into almost complete darkness. “No one will ever know.”
Kellan stood frozen for a few heartbeats before his lips found hers. To her disappointment, the kiss was awkward and hurried—at first. After a long moment, however, he drew Alice against him with his free arm and kissed her with such tender gentleness, her entire body trembled. Afterwards he stepped back and snapped the light on. His color was high, but his demeanor was instantly authoritative and gruff.
“The car is waiting, Princess.”
Chapter Ten
Perfect
Kellan forced his senses to remain razor-sharp as he led Alice from the train. She might be his prisoner, but she was also a princess and he would remain alert to any threats to her safety. To spare her
feelings, he draped his duster over the handcuffs to conceal them from prying eyes. As they crossed the platform, he continued to hold her hand and she made no attempt to pull away. Although he kept his expression carefully neutral, he was bewildered and confused. Kellan Stratford, an elite Ranger of the Royal Special Forces, had turned to mush over a fugitive wizard. Worse, he’d actually kissed the girl. He wished an enchantment was to blame, but he knew better. Truth be told, he’d been aching to kiss the princess from the moment he’d met her.
But why?
Alessandra Holland was beautiful, to be sure, but it was far more than her appearance that drew him to her. Intelligence and innocence radiated from the girl, even when she’d been cloaked in a ridiculous magical disguise. She was deceptively strong, yet vulnerable at the same time. On some level, she reminded him of the good within himself. Indeed, she’d awakened a protective instinct that transcended his usual professionalism. Of course, since she’d been promised to another man, none of that mattered in the least.
They crossed through the depot, which was sparsely occupied that late at night, and out the entrance. Although the walkway was sheltered by a canopy, cold driving rain splashed onto their legs and blew sideways into their faces. Kellan suspected Alice was miserable but a stretch Pomparriage was waiting for them curbside with twin flags of Colossus mounted on either side of the headlamps.
As they approached, the rear passenger door opened, and Blade stepped out. The man reeked of superiority, from the lift of his sandy eyebrow to the crisp lace peeking out from underneath his linen cuffs. He must have been using a shield spell because his blond hair and elegant suit remained impervious to the rain.
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