Page 58 of Their Witch Bride

Prince Drogo’s anger is more under control now as he speaks. “All I’m saying is that maybe she’s trying to gain our loyalties by staging all of this. We can’t be fools just because she has a pretty face.”

Pretty face? He thinks I’m pretty? That so shouldn’t be what I’m taking from this horrible situation.

“Princess Tara,” Prince Arlys says softly. “Is there anything you have to say?”

It’s disappointing because I can see it in his face. He’s not sure about me either. “I didn’t even know bear shifters were a real thing until this moment. I was trying to figure out how the hell a bear got through a second story window. Believe me or not, but I have better things to do than argue with people who will never trust me, no matter what I say.” I grab the sheet off my bed, wiping the blood off of my arms and face, then wince when I reach my neck.

Fuck. That hurts more than I thought it would.

Arlys touches my hand. “Wait, that doesn’t look good,” he tells me, then he yells into the hall for a servant. Taking the sheet from me, he gently wipes away more blood from my throat and shoulders and inspects the slash marks on my chest without touching them. “I thought this was his blood…”

I wince. As the adrenaline fades, the pain really kicks in. “It’s not all that bad.” Right?

When the servant comes, he turns to her. “Bring medical supplies. I know the healer is delivering a babe in town, but see if she can make it here. And have someone come clean this up.”

The servant nods and scurries out.

Prince Arlys returns his attention to me. He takes the hand I held the sword in, and he wipes it off. He’s gentle and focused, moving slowly so as to not hurt me. I hiss in pain when he shifts my forearm and my chest feels like it’s being pulled. His eyes widen, and he stares into my eyes, assessing my pain.

I gaze back at him, trying to be strong. “It’s fine.”

“Is it?” he asks softly. He continues, slower and even more gentle this time.

When the servant returns with the supplies, Prince Arlys takes them from her. He continues tending to my wounds, but this time with a cleaning solution. A cleaning solution that burns like hell.

The pain makes me stiffen, and, again, Prince Arlys pauses. “Does that hurt?”

“No,” I grind out through my teeth.

“It’s okay for it to hurt. Even the bravest warriors hurt.”

I think of when my mom punished me. I was always punished harder if I reacted. “It’s like a butterfly’s kiss. It’s nothing at all.”

He huffs out a gentle laugh and takes even more care while tending to my wounds.

Prince Drogo and Rinan look on quietly. The room is a mess. There’s a dead bear shifter on the floor, but all eyes are locked on me like cleaning my wounds is the most fascinating thing in the world.

“I’ve never seen a witch fight like you did. No witch I’ve ever met has wielded a sword in battle, or a throwing star,” Prince Rinan says softly.

The pain multiplies as Prince Arlys works.

I wince and clench my teeth as I reply. “I’ve always been a fan of weapons over magic.” Weapons are much more reliable, for me at least, than magic.

He surveys me with surprise, and I completely understand. Most witches in my coven are completely dependent on their magic. I can’t do that, but I can depend on how well I’ve learned to use my daggers and swords, and it saved me and Prince Rinan today.

“You fought well.” Arlys pauses his movements and watches me for a spell. “You saved Prince Rinan’s life. We owe you for that.” There’s sincerity and admiration in his gaze, and it makes me feel exposed and vulnerable.

“If she wasn’t here, Rinan’s life wouldn’t have been in danger to begin with,” Prince Drogo mutters.

Prince Arlys leaves my side and stands nose to nose with Drogo. “Shut the hell up,” he growls.

A tense silence takes over the room. I feel awkward and uncomfortable. As frustrating as these three are sometimes, I don’t want to see them fighting. Especially not over me.

Prince Drogo doesn’t lower his head or his gaze, but he says, “Understood. For now.”

The air returns to the room, and Prince Arlys returns to tending my wounds.

Prince Rinan stiffens. “Wait, if healing is that easy, Princess Tara should be able to heal King Talon!”

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