Page 100 of Kingdom of Faewood

The second male sighed and grabbed a hold of my uninjured wrist just as more voices came from farther away in this monstrous castle. “I’ll take it from here. I’ll bring her to the Master of Arms. He’ll know what to do with her.”

Panic nearly closed my throat, but I managed to beg, “No,please. Let me go.”

“None of that. Thieves are always punished. Come with me.”

“But I didn’t steal anything! Please!”

But he dragged me down the hall, and my hope of escape was fading as fast as my vision. He pulled me around the corner, and a sharp intake of breath met my ears.

“What in the realm?” a male growled.

I gazed up at a male dressed in black slacks and a cobalt sweater. Black shoes covered his feet, and two guards marched behind him. One was tall, brawny, and had auburn hair, the other a flaming redhead. None of them wore masks.

And all three of their eyes widened.

My stomach bottomed out as I stared up at Jax.

I knew it was him. I would know those eyes anywhere.

Dazzling blue irises, which were a mixture of swirling azure and navy, filled with shock. My attention traveled swiftly over the rest of him. A strong nose, defined lips, a ruggedly handsome masculine face. Stars and galaxy, he was...beautiful.

The two guards behind him—no doubt Phillen and Lars—wore the same uniforms they’d been in the other day, that I now realized were probably what all royal guards wore at Stonewild’s palace.

Slack-jawed, they stared at me, and I had a feeling they felt as flabbergasted as I did.

“I apologize, Prince Adarian.” The servant bowed.

Oh Gods, he’s the prince.

The wildling’s hold on me tightened, forcing me to stay in place despite my pathetic attempts at inching away. His rough treatment made a shock of pain zing up my arm, and I cried out again.

Jax snarled at the servant, and he made a move toward him, but at the last moment he pulled himself up short.

“I found this female running through the halls stealing rulibs,” the wildling added. “I’m not sure how she got in, but I’ll take her to the Master of Arms to be dealt with.”

Dizziness made my vision swim. The pain was so blinding now that I was close topassing out.

“Did you harm her?” Jax’s nostrils flared, his aura beginning to pulse.

The servant gasped. “Of course not, Your Highness. I found her in this state.”

“Release her,” Jax snapped.

The wildling’s fingers immediately relaxed. “I’m sorry, my prince.” The wildling bowed again and stepped away from me. “I was simply detaining her.”

“This female is my guest,” Jax replied, his tone sharp. The Dark Raider, or rather Prince Adarian, or Jax, or whatever other name he went by, assessed me again. His gaze shot to my injury, his eyes hard, and the intensity of his aura made me want to flinch.

The servant’s eyes popped wide. “Oh, my prince, I do sincerely apologize. I didn’t realize she was authorized to be here. Please, Your Highness, accept my apol?—”

Jax waved his hand. “It’s fine. I brought her here the other day, but given the emergent meeting that came up that required all of us to leave quite suddenly, I wasn’t able to tell her I would be gone. No matter. I’ll take her from here.” Ice filled his eyes, his expression so cold I shivered.

The servant inclined his head and scurried off, rounding the corner and disappearing back into the monstrous palace.

I struggled for words, struggled to comprehend what I’d just uncovered.

Jax signaled Phillen with a twitch of his fingers. “Nellip, find an empty chamber. Now.”

Nellip?

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