So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)

“Oh, no!” A horrible thought crossed her mind. “Ye’re planning to send me to that monster, aren’t you? So ye can get yer pile of gold. How could you?” She raised a fist to hit him, but he caught her by the wrist.

A vision flashed through her mind, the image of a baby in a crib, but in her distress, she pushed it aside. “Let me go!”

He tightened his grip. “I will protect you.”

She blinked. “What?”

“You want control of your own destiny. I will protect that.”

Her jaw dropped. “Th-then ye’re not planning to send me to my brother?”

“Only if you want to go.” He released her wrist and motioned toward the table. “Let’s go over your options.”

“What? Are ye saying ye’re willing to give up on my ransom?”

He sat at the table and gave her a wry smile. “I have other ways of stealing Gunther’s gold.”

Her heart softened. “Thank you.” He was her tall and handsome stranger, after all. As she sat beside him, she realized the Game of Stones could have only referred to Rupert. He’d come into her life, not to kidnap her from her brother, but to rescue her.

She took a deep breath. “I would like to go to Ebton Palace to live with my sister, Luciana. She could pay—”

“I don’t want Eberoni gold.”

“Only Gunther’s?” When he nodded, she wondered once again what sort of grudge he had against her brother.

Rupert tapped a finger on the paper. “Gunther needs you. Or rather, he needs your womb.”

She grimaced. “Disgusting pig.”

“After a fiery battle with a Norveshki dragon, Gunther is no longer able to father children. You are his only hope of having an heir from his own bloodline. That means he will be desperate to get you in his court and under his power. Desperate enough that he could attack Eberon and—”

“Luciana could be in danger?” Brigitta sat back in her chair. She couldn’t cause any harm to come to her sister or Leo or the baby.

“If the two countries go to war, there will be many lives lost—”

“Fine.” Brigitta jumped to her feet and paced across the room. “Then I won’t go there. I’ll go back to the Isle of Moon.”

“Gunther could attack the convent—”

“Fine!” She couldn’t endanger any of the sisters. “Is there any safe place I can go?”

Rupert shrugged. “You would probably be safe with Gunther. After all, he needs you healthy.”

She scoffed. “Are ye serious?”

“You would have pretty gowns and balls to attend. Doesn’t every girl want to be a princess?”

She grabbed a pillow off the bed and clobbered him upside the head.

“Hey!” He gave her an indignant look. “That wasn’t very princess-like.”

She lifted the pillow again, ready to strike, but his smile stopped her. With a groan, she tossed the pillow back on the bed. “Should I hide somewhere? Change my name? Wear a disguise like yerself?”

His mouth twitched. “Do you want to be a lady pirate?”

With a huff, she crossed her arms. “I know nothing of the sea.”

He shifted on the chair, his smile fading. “There is a place that only I and my most trusted crew members know about.”

“Really?” She sat beside him. “Where?”

He tapped his fingers on the table. “The location is a secret.”

She snorted. “Of course.”

“It’s a small island we’ve been going to for about five years now. Some of the men took their wives there and built homes, so we now have a small village. A few farms, a miller, a bakery, a smithy.”

“What do ye call it?”

He shrugged. “I never named it, but the others call it Rupert’s Island.”

She stood and wandered across the room. “Ye’re willing to take me there?”

“I will do whichever option you want.”

“Thank you.” With a quick breath, she made her decision. “It would be safer for everyone if I hide on yer island.”

“Very well.” He stood. “We’ll set sail at dawn.”

She nodded. So she would hide. Was that taking the coward’s way out? But what choice did she really have?

“Good night, then.”

Tears burned her eyes. When would she ever see her sisters again? “Is there a way to let my sisters know where I am? And that I’m all right?”

A pained look crossed his face. “It would be best for you to simply disappear. No one can know where you are. And I can never let anyone know where the island is. Not even you.”

She blinked away tears. She was banishing herself from the rest of the world, going to an island that would eventually feel like a prison. But it was the only way to protect her sisters and the nuns who had raised her. “How long will I have to stay there?”

“You will not be safe until Gunther dies.”

Her breath caught. “Th-that could be years.”

In the dim light, Rupert’s face grew harsh. “Trust me. It will not be long now.”

Her heart grew still. “What are ye planning to do?”

He turned toward the door. “Good night.”

“Wait!” She ran toward him. “I know ye have a grudge against him. And ye like to steal his gold. But … please don’t…”

He gave her a stern look. “Are you sympathetic to your brother?”

“No! He’s a monster.”

Rupert turned back to the door. “Then you need not be concerned.”

“My concern is for you.” She grabbed his arm and was instantly flooded with a wave of rage. Fury. “It is one thing for you to be a thief, but please don’t be something worse. Even if he deserves to be murdered, please don’t … don’t do this to yerself. Ye’re a man of honor!”

He stiffened, staring at her with a stunned look.

“Rupert—”

“No. I will have my revenge, and even you will not stop me.” He left, closing the door in her face.





Chapter Fourteen

The next morning, a scream woke Brigitta from a fitful slumber. She jumped out of bed and ran to the door just as she heard Sister Fallyn shriek again.

“Brigitta!”

She dashed into the passageway. “I’m here!”

Sister Fallyn whirled around, her face stricken with panic. “Oh!” She stumbled, colliding with the wall. “Oh, dear goddesses, ye scared me to death.”

“I’m fine.” Brigitta patted her on the back.

Footsteps pounded on the nearby stairs as Rupert raced down them. He halted with a jerk when he saw them.

Brigitta’s heart squeezed at the frantic look on his face. He must have heard the scream. “I’m fine,” she repeated.

Sister Fallyn slumped against the wall as if she was too weak from shock to support herself. “I woke up and ye were gone. Where were you?”

Brigitta glanced over the nun’s shoulder to see Rupert watching them. He was wearing a scarf on his head again, but no hat or mask. He now had boots on his feet, and somehow he’d managed to button his shirt. That was a shame.

What was she thinking? Her cheeks grew warm. “I was sleeping next door.”

“Ye should have woken me! I would have gladly given you the bed.” Sister Fallyn pressed a hand to her chest. “Dear goddesses, I thought someone had dragged ye off to ravish you!”

Brigitta’s face blazed with more heat. Should she tell the nun that a potential ravisher was standing right behind them? She glanced at him once again.