Page 141 of Enchanted Heir
He put his hand on my cheek. “It wouldn’t be the first time, Jorah. I’ll be fine.”
He turned to reach for the handle on the door to the carriage, but I pulled him back. “Don’t do this, Krew. We can all go.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to, but I have to, love. If all of us go, I’ll be so worried about you that I’ll likely get us all killed.” He crushed his lips into mine. “I’ll come back to you, Jorah. Promise.”
And then he was gone and out of the carriage. I tried to follow, but Owen reached out an arm to block me. “We have to help him, Owen,” I demanded as we felt a burst of magic that rocked the carriage, knocking us back into the seats.
The driver whistled and the horses were back in motion, speeding toward the wall at a much faster pace. The creek of their harnesses and the pounding of their hooves just as fast as the beating of my heart.
We’d just left Krew in Nerede. Alone. Against twenty or more disloyal.
CHAPTER35
“We have to go back!”
Owen shook his head. “We can’t, but if we get to the wall quickly, we can send some of the Enchanted working on the wall to help Krew.”
That was better than nothing, but still. “So get me through the wall and then go back with them, Owen.”
“I can’t,” he said, his green eyes drilling into mine. “I made him a promise. To protect you and get you back to the castle. So that’s exactly what I will do.”
I let out a frustrated breath, tears falling down my face. “But you also told me we’d figure out a way to keep Krew alive. That includes right now, Owen!”
Owen, now sitting next to me, put an arm around me gently. “You do know he has done this dozens of times, right? He’s going to be okay, Jorah.”
“No, I don’t know that.” I wiped at my eyes, though it felt useless. “What I do know is that there has been an influx in disloyal recruitment and unrest in Nerede like never before. They didn’t stop our carriage for a chitchat, Owen. They were either after him or me. He may have just played right into their plans.”
Owen let out a long sigh. “I know. And I don’t like it either, for the record. But Krew is very strong right now, Jorah. He probably could have knocked them all out in one burst of magic had he wanted to.”
I shook my head. This was a nightmare. I was supposed to just ride back to the castle and wait for him to get back in one piece?
I tried to take a deep breath as another wave of worry hit me. First and foremost, I was worried about Krew taking on all those men alone. But the chances were good I also knew some of those Nerede men. They were my people. And I didn’t want them to all die for one poor choice. Particularly if the choice had been to try to kidnap me back from the castle.
What a mess.
The good news was we were mere miles to the wall. Owen told the driver to stop once our carriage was on the Rallis side of the wall. As soon as we were, Owen got out and yelled some basic instructions.
By the time our carriage lurched forward again, there were four Enchanted on horses heading back through the open wall toward Krew.
He had help on the way. The question was: was it fast enough?
* * *
I had never experienced a longercarriage ride. The trip through Rallis felt like a water faucet stuck on a drip. I wanted to be back at the castle already so Owen could turn around and leave to help.
“Breathe,” Owen reminded me.
My tears were now gone, but the worry stuck in the pit of my stomach was not.
“He will likely be just behind us,” Owen offered. “Shouldn’t take long at all.”
I didn’t believe him. Knowing Krew, he tried to reason with the men. Likely got a few to stand down or leave before help arrived. Even if the standdown had been peaceful, it was still going to take a while.
“I’m considering swinging through Emric’s estate and sending him to Krew,” Owen said on a sigh.
“You could leave me there and go back for Krew?” I offered.
Owen shook his head. “Nope. Not letting you out of my sight, honey. I’m more afraid of him than I am of you, sorry.”
