Page 12 of Oath of Rebellion

Scarlet held her dagger in one hand, her brow raised as she said, "Don't you think it's time?"

He sighed, turning to stare down at the gorgeous princess. She looked so innocent in her sleep.

"I've never felt the urge before. You know that."

He'd gone into the taverns outside the forest a few times. He'd even gone to a brothel twice, but none of the ladies or men had given him even an urge.

Not until the princess had looked up at him with that calm, happy smile in the midst of chaos. Not since she'd sat on his dick in the saddle and asked him how well he used his knife.

His lips twitched. She was feisty and a breath of fresh air. He'd expected the princess to be stuck up and arrogant.

But she was more of a go with the flow kind of girl. It seemed like nothing bothered her. Not the carriage ride, not the threat of death from the forest.

She was a puzzle to unravel, and he loved puzzles.

Scarlet cleared her throat. "But you feel the urge with her? Is that why your tail popped up and you formed a wall of trees around the two of you?"

He rubbed a hand down his face then both hands over the scales behind his temples. He scratched them, the motion bringing some relief. The movement dislodged his hood, and he raked a hand over his pointed, scaly horns, smoothing down the single thick brown braid, hair only growing straight back from his temples and down the back of his head.

Scarlet used to make fun of him for having a mane like a horse, which was why he always wore his hood anywhere he went. He wasn't even sure how many of the Robins had ever seen his uncovered head.

He glanced down at the beautiful princess as she slept peacefully. There was no way someone as beautiful as her would go for someone as hideous as him. They weren't even sure what species he was, for drake's sake.

He shook his head slowly and sighed. "Fat load of good it does me."

He turned and strode back down the stairs, Scarlet's stare weighed on his shoulders as she followed him.

"I think you should woo her. Everyone knows she's promiscuous, much to the king's horror. You might have a chance to get laid after all."

Olive's head popped around the edge of the kitchen as they reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyebrows raised. "What's this?"

Knox took a deep breath and closed his eyes as a wave of frustration made him scratch at the scales on his head again.

"It's nothing," he said, striding to the hearth and glancing around. He quickly found the bowls on the sideboard and scooped up a generous portion from the pot over the fire.

He sank into the overstuffed chair again, hoping to smell her scent once more. It was like jasmine and honeysuckle and something else.

He growled, not finding it, and began to eat.

Scarlet filled her own bowl as Olive sat in her chair directly in front of the fire.

"Knox wants to fuck the princess," Scarlet said bluntly.

Olive's brows rose but it was another gasp from down the hall that drew his gaze. The princess' maid stood at the door to the washroom, her hand clutching her neck as she stared in horror at Knox' head.

His fingers itched to pull his hood up, but he lifted his head instead, not looking away.

The maid blinked and frowned, storming toward him even as she shook in fear. "You will do no such thing," she said, waving her finger at him before dancing behind the other two women's chairs.

Olive waved to the sideboard. "Helga, there are bowls just there if you're hungry. Meet my godson, Knox, and my granddaughter, Scarlet. They're the ones who brought you both safely through the forest."

Helga eyed him and widened her feet. "You will not lay even a finger on the princess, do you hear? The king would kill me if anything happened to her."

Knox nodded slowly and turned his eyes back to the food, his cheeks burning in shame at being caught with his hood down. Her words were only slightly annoying compared to that.

He knew she spoke truth. The king had found out Eirwyn had been visiting the tavern in Demerel and had tried to burn it down. The tavern owner had put the fire out, but it wasn't the first time he'd tried to burn something down in his anger.

Scarlet snorted. "If Knox was going to fuck her, he already would've. So there's nothing to worry about."

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