“We are on the brink of attacking Emperion,” the king said. “I promised you the Emperion throne, and you shall have it. As for the princess, Kerdan will have her.”
“I did not send my only son into enemy territory to capture her so your son could have a plaything.”
The king leaned toward her. “Why exactly did you send Soma after her?”
Jana flinched. “For you, darling.” She tried to smile, the act futile.
“Yet when I do as I please, you protest.” His eyes narrowed.
“Forgive me. I have overstepped my place. Do as you wish, even if it offends me.”
“Son,” the king said, “Princess Allyssa is yours. But keep a leash on her. She is still a prisoner.”
“Understood.” Kerdan reached out and snatched her wrist. “I’ve had a long day. It’s time I bathe and find some pleasure.” He looked at the queen. “It’s a shame when things don’t go as planned, isn’t it? Do not mess with me again. If you do, I will destroy you. And that goes for your lapdog, too.”
“Do not speak to me in such a vulgar manner,” Jana scoffed.
Kerdan turned and yanked Allyssa along behind him.
“Now, now,” the king said. “He is my son, heir, and a captain in my army. Some leeway must be given.”
Kerdan shoved the side door open and flung Allyssa into a dark corridor.
Chapter Thirteen
Prince Kerdan’s fingers dug into Allyssa’s wrist as he hauled her through the gloomy hallway. Everything had happened so fast that she didn’t fully comprehend the sudden turn of events. She should protest and fight back; however, it was as if her mind floated in a foggy bubble.
Soma stepped into the hallway ten feet ahead of them, blocking the way, shadows flickering across his angular face.
Kerdan stopped, his grip tightening on her wrist. She let out a small cry of pain; the fog hovering in her mind vanished. “What do you want?” he demanded.
“What do you plan to do with her?” Soma asked.
“That is none of your business.” Kerdan pulled her closer to him, angling his body between her and Soma as if trying to shield her from the assassin.
“You should know what you’re dealing with.” Soma didn’t attempt to come any closer.
“I can handle her.” Kerdan’s grip remained firm on her wrist.
“She managed to escape from me once. Despite how scrawny she looks, she is dangerous. After all, she is my cousin.”
Allyssa opened her mouth to argue, but Kerdan squeezed her wrist. She shut her mouth, remaining silent.
“My father isn’t here, so I don’t have to tolerate you. Get out of my sight.” He hadn’t once turned his back on Soma. Even though he spoke to him in a degrading manner, he had to respect his skill in the art of killing.
Soma shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Slinking back into the shadows, he disappeared.
“Hurry.” Kerdan resumed his brisk pace down the empty hallway.
“You’re hurting me.”
He lessened his grip. Excellent. Making a mental note of the doorways and corridors, she drew a map in her head of her escape route. Steeling her resolve, she kicked Kerdan’s knee while grabbing his thumb on her wrist, bending it backward. He grunted from the well-placed kick and released her. She turned and ran as fast as she could.
And found herself flat on her stomach, her back protesting in pain from Kerdan’s knee digging into it. “Get off me,” she growled.
He stood, pulling her to her feet. “I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t tried.” He resumed walking, dragging her alongside him.
They climbed several flights of stairs and traveled along hallway after hallway, not passing another person. Did anyone actually live or work here?
“My room is on the top floor of the northern tower. The royal family resides in the eastern tower, while the people who remain at court live in the south wing.”
“Why aren’t you with your family?” A question more to fill the silence than for curiosity’s sake. Each step led her closer to her fate. What did Kerdan plan to do with her? She shivered, bile rising in the back of her throat, unable to even think of what lay ahead. One thing she knew for certain was that under no circumstance would she allow him to violate her body.
He lowered his voice. “Besides the king, the rest of them aren’t my family.” He stopped before a large arched door, unlocking it. “And Soma has already tried to assassinate me once.” He led her inside the dark room, the door slamming shut.
She froze, unable to see her own hand in front of her face. There was a shuffling sound, and then gray light burst into the room as Kerdan tied the curtains back, dust motes floating in the air. He lumbered over to the empty fireplace, knelt, and placed several logs inside, lighting the kindling. The fire gradually took, removing the dreary feel from the room.
Dark wood paneling covered the walls and ceiling. A four-post bed was centered on one wall, a desk and chair along another. Situated before the hearth were two chairs and a couch. A door, presumably to a dressing closet, was to the right. A few worn rugs were strewn throughout, softening the cold, stone flooring. No books, no paintings, no weapons.
Kerdan stood and turned to face her, his hands on his hips. Still dressed in his armor, he seemed out of place in the rather ordinary bedchamber. “You need to bathe.” His rough voice reverberated in the room.
Allyssa gulped. “I’ll kill myself before I let you touch me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I have never forced myself on a woman before. I am a prince and captain for my father’s army. I can have anyone I want.”
“Except me.”
Kerdan folded his arms, studying her. “Who said I wanted you that way?”
She didn’t know how to respond. What other reason could there possibly be?
“You’ve been in the dungeon for weeks. You’re filthy and you smell.” He pointed to one of the empty walls. “I have a bathing room through there.” He pressed between two of the wood panels, and a hidden door swung open. He stepped inside. A moment later, a soft glow came from the room. “I don’t have any maids who tend to me here,” he called out. “So you’re on your own.” He exited the bathing room and gestured for her to enter.
She didn’t move. When he took a step toward her, she stiffened, and he retreated a step. “I brought you here to ensure your safety,” he said gently. “I don’t trust my stepmother and fear she may order your death without my father’s permission.”
“Why do you care?” Her mind reeled with possibilities, each too far-fetched to be feasible.
“I hate my stepmother. Since she wants you dead, I want you alive.”
So now not only was she trapped in the political turmoil between Emperion and Russek, but she was also caught in this family’s discord. Allyssa started pacing, and the prince’s eyes narrowed infinitesimally. There was more to the situation than he let on. “What aren’t you telling me?”
A true smile lit up his harsh face. “I’ve been traveling for days. If you’re not going to wash up, I am.”