Page 44 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

“Lady?” a gruff, deep voice interjects behind me. I turn quickly, my skirts spinning around my legs, and find someone standing very close to me. Pressing my hand to my chest as if to still my pounding heart, I eye the man who spoke. It’s the tribesman, the one who was watching me during the meal earlier. That tingling sensation returns as soon as our eyes meet.

Not this again,I think to myself as I rub my arms, as if the action will take away the feeling. His eyes lock onto my movements, as if he knows exactly why I’m doing it.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he states, and some might take that for an apology, but from the lilt in his voice I know he finds the fact he took me by surprise amusing.

He’s tall, like the rest of his tribesmen, and his loose linen shirt and the wolf pelt thrown over his shoulder does nothing to hide his muscled physique. His sharp jaw and piercing, dark eyes bore into me, as if he can discover all my secrets with just one look. Dark hair reaches his shoulders, but the right side of his head is shaved and a tattoo marks the skin there, a swirling design the arches around his ear and down his neck. I can see a hint of a tattooed chest from the opening at the top of his shirt. He wouldn’t be considered classically handsome, but his looks are striking, and I can’t deny that there’s a…pull. Not like the one with the elf, but like being around him makes me feel powerful.

Realising how close we are standing to each other, and that I’m staring at him, I take a step back and knock into the table, the plates rattling against one another. Hearing the commotion, Wilson turns around and, realising I hadn’t followed him and Aileen down the table, hurries to my side, his face uncharacteristically serious.

“Is everything okay here?” His voice is polite as he places a hand on my arm. The tribesman follows the movement, narrowing his eyes at the action. I get the feeling Wilson isn’t actually askingme,but I open my mouth to answer anyway.

“Will you dance with me?” The tribesman grinds out, his whole posture stiff and promising violence, but Wilson doesn’t back down. He takes a step closer to me, his gaze still locked on the other imposing man.

“Clarissa,” Wilson murmurs, his hand tightening on my arm, and his voice filled with caution and a warning. If I decide to go with the tribesman then he can’t protect me. I don’t know what type of agreement Arhaven has with the mountain tribe, but it seems fragile. Turning to the mage, I place my free hand on top of the one he has on my arm, squeezing it gently.

“It’s okay, Wilson, I won’t be far.”

He turns to me, his eyes portraying the words he can’t voice.Don’t go, it’s not safe. I can’t protect you. Please.Taking a deep breath, I squeeze his hand again and step toward the tribesman, placing my hand in his outstretched one. Ignoring his smug smile, I glance over my shoulder as we walk away, giving Wilson an apologetic look.

I know I’m safe. I have no evidence to prove this, but something about him tells me that he won’t let anything happen to me. As we step onto the dance floor, he pulls me to a stop.

“Clarissa. Interesting name.” His deep voice makes me shiver. I stiffen slightly at the way he says my forename, like he doesn’t believe me. Clarissa might be a new name for me, but itismy name now. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. He places his hand on my hip and stares down at me as if he’s trying to figure me out. Looking around, I notice people are watching us as we stand in the centre of the room, not dancing, not moving, just…standing. I raise an eyebrow and gesture to the others around us, but he grins at me. It’s not the friendly, jolly type of grin, but one that reminds me of a wolf when it captures its prey. “This was the only way I could get you alone. Idon’tdance, at least not with your kind.”

Blinking, it takes me a moment to process what he just said, then anger and outrage builds as I take a step back from him, not wanting his hands on me.

“My kind?” I spit, shaking my head in disgust at his attitude. If he really knew who—whatI was—he probably wouldn’t even be talking to me. “If we are so abhorrent to you, then why did you seek me out?” My eyes are burning as I stare him down, fists clenched at my sides.

His expression changes, as if he’s seeing me for the first time, and something akin to shock forms on his face. It’s like he’s reassessing me, seeing the fire and anger that burns within me. A knowing smile spreads across his lips and he takes astep closer, putting us within touching distance again. “There’s something different about you,Clarissa.” My heart speeds up, pounding in my chest. “I know you won’t tell me, but Iwillfigure it out.”

Staring up at him, I refuse to let him see my fear. Not fear of him, but fear that he knows more than he should. Knowledge is dangerous. Instead, I make my face a mask of boredom.

“You know my name, are you going to tell me yours?”

He laughs, as if he can see straight through me. “Torsten, but my clan calls me Tor.”

I’m just about to reply when I see movement over his shoulder. Leaning slightly to the side, I spot the youngest prince, with an expression of concern on his face, at the same time I feel a familiar presence at my back. Glancing over my shoulder, I see Grayson and fight the urge to groan.

“Clarissa, are you okay?”

“On first name terms with the prince, I see.”

“What’s going on here?”

They all speak at once, their voices merging so I can’t tell who says what as they glare at each other with me in the middle. With all of them this close, my skin feels like it’s on fire, my breath coming in pants and my body tingling. My vision closes in and I know if I don’t get away, I’m going to pass out. There are too many sensations.

“I need air,” I gasp out, as I push past Tor and Grayson, hurrying to the door. They call after me, my name cutting through the music, and I know everyone is watching me, but I need space. I’m worried someone will follow me, but I see Wilson nod at me before hurrying over to the squabbling trio of guys behind me.

I don’t know what compels me to run to the Queen’s Courtyard, but as soon as I step into the space, the cool night air brushes against my too hot skin, and I feel like I can breatheagain. Uncaring that the stone is freezing and will seep through my dress, or that I might catch a chill out here, I take a seat on one of the benches. I’m lucky the cold doesn’t seem to affect me as much as my fellow Arhaviens.

Leaning back, I look up at the stars above, enjoying the quiet peace, the only sound the gentle trickle of the fountains. When I was a child, I used to believe the stars were far away spirits that looked over us. I used to pray to them, ask for them to rescue me, to save me from my life as a slave. That soon got beaten out of me.

“You made quite a scene when you went running out of the ballroom.”

With a gasp, I jump up from the bench, seeing Crown Prince Rhydian leaning against one of the other fountains. Cheeks flushing, I quickly drop into a curtsy. Why do people keep surprising me today? He must have been moving quietly, as I hadn’t heard anyone enter the courtyard.

“Your Highness, I apologise, I just needed some space.”

He watches me, his body completely still, the only noise between us is the water in the fountains. I don’t know much about this prince, other than he’s been fighting on the front lines, but I’m getting an uneasy feeling around him, like I shouldn’t be out here alone with him.

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