Page 20 of Caged By Dance and Desire

“Lady?”

I jumped, whirled, and smacked into a wide chest. Mathen grabbed my upper arms, steadying me.

“Where am I?” I asked, my voice barely calm enough not to be hysterical. . .though hysterical was about how I felt.

I’d fallen asleep in Andrei’s arms—probably. That was the last thing I remembered. I hadn’t slept last night, and his heat had soothed me in the coach. I must have been more tired than I’d realized, unless he had some Faeish way to make a human pass out.

Belatedly, I realized I was barefoot. I’d panicked, still on the edge of sleep, and ran instead of stopping to think.

Mathen glanced over my shoulder. I twisted. The Legolas template who’d been with Andrei approached from across the courtyard. They’d changed out of the jade-green armor and were in casual wear; sleeveless tunics, loose pants. Legolas’ a brilliant blue, Mathen in russet to match his eyes.

“Lady Hasannah,” the blond said and halted a few feet in front of me.

“I’m not a lady,” I said.

He smiled though his eyes remained grave, studying me. “Are you hungry?”

“I want to go home. Where is—where is. . .Lord Andrei?”

“He was called away.”

I relaxed. “Perfect. I mean. . .never mind.”

I pulled away from Mathen, putting several feet of distance between myself and the men. They watched, hawk-eyed and deceptively relaxed, Legolas with his arms crossed, Mathen’s head cocked.

“I’m going to go home now. Um, thank you.” But Mathen was standing in the living room threshold.

Legolas sighed, lowering his arms to his sides. “Why don’t we go make something to eat? We didn’t expect you to sleep this long.”

“No!” I cleared my throat. “Thank you for, uh, your hospitality, but I want to go home.”

Legolas curled a lip at me as if he thought I was funny.

Mathen sighed. “Lady, our Lord requested you remain in our care until he returns.”

“I’m a prisoner?”

“A guest,” Legolas said smoothly. “A hungry guest.”

“If I try to leave, are you going to stop me?”

They said nothing.

I wrapped my arms around myself, blinking. “Why? What did I do?”

Mathen turned to Legolas and spoke sharply in Cassanian. Legolas retorted, then sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

“I told him she’s awake,” he said, “he’ll come as soon as he can.”

Legolas strode towards me and took my upper arm, gently tugging me past Mathen. I inhaled, angry, and jerked away from him. His hand tightened.

“I’m not in the mood for a romp,” he warned. “We’ll make dinner and eat and when Andrei is home, he’ll explain your new living situation.”

I had brothers. I let my body go limp. He cursed, halting. It was either that or dislocate my shoulder dragging me.

“Gently,” Mathen snapped. “Let her go.”

“If she runs, you get to chase her down.”

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