Page 23 of Quest for her Knights
When we enter the room Ranger says will be mine, I smile at the cuteness of it. It’s obviously much smaller and simpler than my room at the castle, but it looks just like something from medieval times.
“Arrow and I will be in the room on that side of you,” Ranger says, pointing to my left. “And Blaze and Draven will be in that room.” He points to the other side. “If you need to leave your room for any reason, knock on one of our doors and we’ll escort you to the washroom or wherever you need to go.”
“You’re going to escort me to the bathroom down the hall?” We had passed what must be the shared bathroom when we got to the second floor. “What if I need to pee in the middle of the night?”
“No exceptions, Princess.”
“Fine, sir, whatever you say,” I reply with an eye roll.
Arrow and Blaze set my trunk against the wall as Draven checks the room for threats, even looking under the bed.
“Is it all clear of boogeymen, Draven?” I ask, trying to hold in my smile.
“Boogeymen?” he repeats with a frown.
“Yeah, you know, monsters under the bed?”
He just grunts at me and walks out of the room.
“Was it something I said?” I ask, looking to Arrow for an answer.
He shakes his head and laughs. “He’s fine. Why don’t we head downstairs for some dinner before we retire for the evening?”
“Yeah, I’m starving,” I say happily.
“Why didn’t you say something? We could have given you something sooner,” Blaze says with a frown as we start heading toward the lower level where the tavern is located.
“I’m not about to stick my head out of the carriage to yell that I’m hungry,” I tell him with a small laugh.
“Why not? You should,” Arrow says from my other side.
Walking between these two giant men sets my skin on fire. The stairs aren’t that wide, and our arms keep brushing as we descend. Of course, my clumsy body chooses that moment to forget how to walk, and my heel catches on a step, causing me to fly forward with a cry.
Four arms wrap around me, stopping me from falling any further. Slowly, Arrow and Blaze set me back on my feet.
“You okay, Princess?” Arrow asks, still holding me.
“Yeah, thanks for the save, you two,” I say, turning to both men. They pull their arms back and simultaneously each take one of my hands.
I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling. I can’t help it, holding their hands feels like the most natural thing in the world and sends warm tingles through my body. I know they’re only doing it to make sure I don’t fall, but a small part of me hopesthey’re also doing it because they like to touch me as much as I like to touch them.
When we reach the ground floor, Ranger all but pushes them off of me, forcing me to walk on my own as he guides us into the tavern and finds us a large booth in the corner.
Blaze orders our food at the bar, and it doesn’t take long before we’re served a meal of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, and peas.
“Wow, this is really good,” I tell them after tasting everything. I take a drink of my water to wash it down as the men all eat in silence.
“So, what’s our plan for tomorrow?” I ask, trying to make conversation.
“It’s going to take us about five days to reach Carlington. That’s where you’ll meet the first set of lords, the Carmichaels.”
“Five days?” I ask in shock.
Ranger nods as I take another bite of food.
The thought of meeting other men gives me a weird mix of excitement and dread. “Have you met them before? Do you know what they’re like?” I ask, hoping they can alleviate some of my worry.
“There are four brothers,” Blaze tells me. “They’ve been to Silverthorn a few times. I don't know them personally, but I have met them. They’re quiet and mostly keep to themselves, but from my interactions, they seem kind.”
