Page 52 of Falling Princess

He won’t hesitate to kill me in broad daylight.

Down I go, then.I sat on the edge and lowered myself down, trying to find footholds, failing. My gloved hands slipped. I let go, skidding down the rock face with a yelp. My knee scraped painfully against the jagged surface, but apart from landing on my ass, I suffered no further injury. I rolled over, pushed my bag onto my hip and took off running down the hill.

Stupid white coat. It’s as bright as a beacon.

If I were trying to get myself murdered, I couldn’t have chosen a better location than a lightly-trafficked museum and a public garden with few visitors.

Auralia, if you get me out of this mess, I swear I’ll be the most devoted High Priestess you could ever wish for.

Bargaining with deities always works wonders. Especially for atheists.

If I hoped to put distance between me and my pursuer, I am disappointed when I check to see whether he’s still following me. How did he get down so fast? Probably the same way I did. I almost screamed, but managed to turn the burst of adrenaline into a bit more speed. Which was great—until two more Skía slipped out from the trees ahead of me.Fuck.

I am so doomed.

I tried to turn back, slipped on the icy pavement, and landed on my butt again. The impact knocked what little panicked breath I still had right out of me. Maybe I’ll pass out before I can feel them stab me to death. The last thing I saw was the first attacker raising his arm. Dull winter sunlight flashed on steel.

Might hurt a little more to die, but if I’m going down, it’ll be fighting.

I rolled to the side, and he skidded past me. I scrambled up again, my bag forgotten in the snow. I darted toward the nearest tree while fumbling with the buttons of my coat. If I can get rid of it, I stand a better chance of concealment.

I need my bag back, though. My tram ticket is inside. All my money. (Cata’s money, but that isn’t the point.) My phone.

Fuck. Now, what?

Behind me, I heard a wetthudsimultaneous to a harsh, choked cry, followed by the meaty sound of a body falling to the ground.

I turned to gape at the scene before me in astonishment.

The first Skía attacker lay prone on the snow, his throat a gaping hole. Bright red blood soaked the white snowfall.

Standing over the body was Lorcan.

I’ve never been so relieved to see anyone in mylife. Which suddenly stands a much better chance of continuing.

His hood has fallen back. Snowflakes drifted down, dotting his hair like tiny diamonds. Steady blue eyes, as calm as a sea on a bright morning.

He’s a killer. A beautiful, deadly killer. This fact ought to disturb me; it doesn’t. Not remotely. I heard a gasp, and belatedly realized that it came from me. Raina’s knife was theperfectgift. She knows what Lorcan is. They’ve all known, all this time.

Except me. The clues were there, but I chose not to see them. I didn’t want to know.

I closed my eyes and flinched when one of the two remaining attackers feinted and the other lunged, and therefore missed the lightning-quick movements that ended them. I heard it, though. My sense of time is warped; both sped up and slowed down, but it can’t have taken more than sixty seconds. He’s that fast.

“Princess?”

I opened my eyes and meet those fathomless cerulean pools. Concern was written on his face.

“I’m fine,” I said. I am. I’ve never felt safer, or surer of my place in the world.I’m never leaving your side again.I almost said it out loud, biting back the words before they could spill from my lips.

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

He nodded slightly.

“You don’t want to witness this next part.”

I felt my eyes pop so wide they might plop into the snow like two green marbles. “Next part?”

He jerks his head. “The tram back to Cata’s arrives in four minutes. The stop is two blocks that way. I’ll catch up.” Numb, I hesitated. “Princess. Go.”

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