Page 111 of A Thieving Curse

“Your Grace.” The man’s voice made Raelyn jump. The guard who had feigned sleep stood nearby. “The watch is changing soon. You should go. I don’t want to see someone tortured for no reason, especially not a prince. But I don’t know if the others will feel the same.”

Raelyn hated to leave Alex, but she couldn’t see him harmed again. She kissed him and stood, inclining her head to the knight. “Thank you.” With a last look at Alex, she stole around the dark camp, back to Gareth’s side.

37

SLEEP CAME SLOWLY, and when Raelyn finally drifted off, she slept fitfully. Shouting woke her. She opened her eyes to Gareth’s chest over her face.

“You touch her over my dead body!”

Gareth’s body moved away from shielding her as Tristan’s men yanked him up. The sky was pale blue, the sun still low on the horizon. Tristan’s face appeared above her.

“Morning, beautiful.” He grabbed the crook of her elbow and hauled her to her feet. “Time to go. Would you rather ride with me or walk with the prisoners?”

Raelyn blinked at him, struggling to wake up. Her bound wrists ached, and her mouth was parched. Ride…withTristan? She didn’t want to walk the whole way back, but she wanted to ride with him even less. She squinted at the sunlight reflecting off his breastplate, her mind moving as quickly and clearly as mud.

“Nothing to say? Very well, I rescind my offer of a choice.”At least I won’t have to ride with him. “Kendricks.”

Raelyn looked up at the sound of hoofbeats. One of Tristan’s men led a horse over and stopped the brown steed next to Tristan.Oh.No.Her stomach twisted as Tristan grabbed her waist. She tried to pull away, but he lifted her into the saddle as easily as if she were a child. He mounted behind her.

“Some gentleman you are,” Alex ground out.

Raelyn’s head snapped in the direction of his voice. Alex stood with Gareth and the others. Jasper held onto Alex’s bicep, supporting him. Both Gareth’s and Alexander’s hands were still bound behind their backs. Meredith and Peter held hands as men tied ropes around their necks and knotted them together. A soldier looped a rope around Gareth’s neck, and Raelyn gasped.

“What are you doing?” She moved to dismount, but Tristan put his arm across her waist, trapping her.

“Making sure they can’t run,” he said simply.

The soldier linked Gareth between Peter and Jasper, while another guard took the rope trailing from Jasper’s neck and fastened it around Alex’s. Alex scowled at the man but didn’t protest.

Tristan kicked his horse forward. As they rode to the front of the forming caravan, he said, “I saw you hurrying back to your brother in the middle of the night. The monster’s guard said you didn’t go near him. Is that true?”

“I had to relieve myself,” she lied. “I didn’t go near theprince.”

“I know you didn’t come near me. I asked if you went near Tallon.”

She snorted. “Denying it doesn’t make him not a prince.”

“Denying you went near him won’t save him if you’re lying.”

“I’m not.” She hoped he didn’t catch the tremor in her voice.

Tristan reined in his horse and looked back, waiting for his men to finish falling in. Raelyn searched the group for Gareth and Alexander but couldn’t see them clearly.

“All right,” Tristan said at last. “I’m choosing to believe you, my lady.” He leaned to the side and gently turned her face toward him. She averted her gaze from the searching intensity of his eyes. “But you need to forget him.”

He brushed a quick kiss against her mouth. She shivered, his lips as welcome on her skin as a centipede. He sighed. “You’re going to have to get used to that.”

“Unless Alex is crowned.” The words spilled out before she could stop them.

Tristan’s countenance darkened. “Horns are the only crown that monster will ever wear.” He settled back behind her. “Move out!”

As the company passed them, she finally spied Alex, Gareth, and the others. Alex stumbled, but the guards urged them to go faster. Alex’s shoulder bumped into Jasper, and Jasper steadied him. Her heart stung.Oh, Alex.I’m sorry.

Tristan chuckled, the sound harsh. “Look at the beast struggle to be a man.”

Raelyn swallowed back her angry retort. Alex’s foot plunged into a recess in the ground and he tripped. Unable to use his hands to steady himself, he fell to his knees, yanking Jasper and Gareth down with him. The others stumbled. Raelyn bit her tongue as Peter and Meredith helped Jasper and Alex stand. Alex’s face was red and pinched with concentration as they moved forward again.

“Maybe I should force him to balance on a log,” Tristan said. “That should prove amusing.”

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