Page 18 of A Shattered Kingdom of Steel

My eyes flash open, my hand automatically reaching under my thin, feather-filled pillow for a dagger that isn’t there.

Kneeling by my bedroll, Asheros’s gaze follows my hand. When I turn up empty, his focus slides back to my own. “I hate to cut your beauty sleep short,” he says, still eyeing me carefully, “but alas, you can’t sleep forever.”

I’m too focused on wondering what’s going on to acknowledge his remark.

“What’s happening?” I ask, my tone wary.

“Nothing,” he says smoothly. “We’re leaving.” He arches a brow, a playful lilt to his voice. “Or did you think we’d be camping in this forest forever?”

“Leaving?” Suspicion sets in, unease gripping my throat. All the unknowns set me on high alert. “Leaving for where?”

His expression softens. As if to ease the tension gathering in my shoulders, he places a palm on my upper arm. “Somewhere you’ll be more comfortable. No harm will come to you there, Bladesinger. You have my word.”

“Why should I believe you?” I hiss, recoiling from his touch. “You’re the one holding me against my will with a troilite cuff on my wrist. How do I know you’re not lying to get me to cooperate?”

Asheros’s crystal eyes flare like I’ve offended him somehow. “I may be many things, Bladesinger, but I am a male of my word. When I tell you you’re safe, I mean it. Regardless of the circumstances.”

I struggle to reconcile Asheros’s actions with his words. He’s my kidnapper, but he speaks freely with me as if I’m a traveling companion and not his prisoner. He ordered the ambush that killed my guards, but he tells me that I’m safe with him. He’s my fated, but he wants me to believe that my death won’t be at his hands.

How can all of these things be true?

Hardening my jaw, I turn my face from his.

Asheros stands, hand outstretched. I stare at it for a moment, debating whether to accept his help. In the end, I take his hand and allow him to pull me to my feet. We stride to the tent’s entrance. Asheros holds up the flap, a hand to the small of my back guiding me through. Then he emerges after me, letting the tent’s opening close when he does.

Outside, I see that Savell and Ronan’s tent is already deconstructed, and Kheldryn and Gryska are nearly finished taking down theirs.

“All set?” Savell asks Asheros, rubbing his palms together.

“Yes.” Asheros nods.

Savell dips his head in response, and then motions to the tent. Ronan receives his message, and heads to the opposite end of the tent from Savell.

Once her and Gryska’s tent is secured to one of the horses, Kheldryn pours a bucket of water over the still-glowing embers that once made up the campfire.

“Come,” Asheros says, leading me to the horses secured to a tree trunk.

“What about the others?” I ask. “They’re still packing.”

“They’ll be finished momentarily,” Asheros says casually. “They won’t be far behind us.”

Narrowing my eyes, I hold his stare. He wants us—specifically me—to keep moving. He must know something he isn’t sharing. And if he wants us to keep moving, then I’ll want to do everything in my power to stall.

“Are you sure?” I ask. “What if we get separated?”

Asheros mirrors my expression. “I wouldn’t worry about that. They can handle themselves.” He takes a step forward, tilting his head down to look into my eyes. His own go dark, gleaming with challenge. “Nervous about being alone with me, Bladesinger?”

“You wish,” I counter, hardening my expression.

“That’s what I thought,” Asheros says. I can’t help but feel like whatever this is between us, he’s won this round.

I glower at him, making no effort to hide my disdain.

Patting one of the horses, he grins in return. The horse’s coat is a shiny, mahogany color, with a thick, beautiful mane.

I grip the saddle and hoist myself up. The troilite makes it more difficult than it should be. After detaching the reins from the tree trunk, Asheros swiftly lifts himself up onto the horse’s back. Settling into place behind me, he takes the reins, both of his arms extended around me.

“I can ride perfectly well on my own,” I tell him, a bitter edge to my tone.

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