Page 13 of Royal Captive
He gave a dark chuckle. “I like you. I hope you’re put to use in the pleasure houses. I would gladly give you enough coins to buy something nice for yourself. You are large and strong like my favorite horse. Think of the children we’d make!”
A loud guffaw of incredulity ripped itself from my throat, the ridiculousness of such a statement overcoming my fear and unease.
What the actualfuck?
I stood as he appraised me up and down, lifting me slightly as though he were testing my weight. This guard was large even for a fae, nothing but coiled muscles and taller than any man I’d seen back home. And he had a beard—the first fae male I’d seen with one. What did that mean? And why was he looking at me like that?
I wasn’t used to having to look up at a man. Hot, achy need warmed at my core and quickly spread outwards through my body. I pushed it away. I was just lonely and hurting from Ellis’s distance and betrayal.
He picked me up again, jolting me from my morose thoughts.
“Put me down! Fuck you!” Feeling slowly filtered back into my limbs as I spasmed wildly, trying to wrench free of him. The guard laughed and let go.
I hit the ground face first, my body unable to move fast enough to get my arms and legs under me. Pain exploded across my head, my nose and mouth smashing first. My teeth cut into my lips, and something crunched.
“Ooh,” the guard remarked, wincing. “I thought you’d catch yourself. Humans are very slow.”
Get up. Get up.
I was wet and couldn’t see. My hands swiped across my eyes and when I opened them, red assaulted me.
Blood. I was bleeding.
I didn’t (couldn’t) protest this time as the guard bent down, sighing heavily. “You did that to yourself, you know.” His tone wasn’t mocking or belligerent, simply resigned. I understood his words, but they were tinged with that lilting, fae accent.
I hated how he was right.
“Here.” He produced a handkerchief from somewhere and pressed it against my face, staunching the flow of blood. “Hold it tightly, now. The bleeding will stop. We’re on our way to the medical ward, anyway.”
He hefted me over his shoulder again, but he was almost gentle with how he settled me against his shoulder, his gait and pace less jolting. My head hurt from my fall, and things were spinning all around me. Nauseated, I closed my eyes and tried not to throw up on him.
Then again … why did I care if I made a mess all over him?
I fell further over his shoulder, indicating more of the fae’s goddamn ramps as our angle changed. His hold on me was secure, but the blood rushing toward my head didn’t help matters.
“Nearly there.”
We passed under an arch, and the air immediately felt cooler. The smell of pungent herbs hit my nose, cloying and biting aggressively.
“MEDIC!”
Pain flashed through my temples as he bellowed over me, flopping me down onto the nearest little bed. The mattress was soft, and far more comfortable than anything I had back home.
Shame I was about to bleed all over its crisp, white sheets.
“Quit stomping around like a barbarian, Shyllon. This isn’t the training grounds!”
A no-nonsense female fae walked from under a second arch, glaring at my guard. Her hair was just as dark, tied up high in a messy bun. Her face appeared cut from stone, all angles andsharp edges out to her pointed ears. Her full lips softened the look, as well as large doe eyes. She took one glance at me, then the guard, and scowled with her hands on her hips.
He made a sound of disbelief in his throat, backing away with his hands held high. “Sorry, didn’t know you were working today. And I didn’t do it! She did it all herself!”
Her silver gaze focused on me. I opened my mouth and immediately tasted blood. I spat it out on instinct, and she tutted.
“Leave us. As usual, I’m left cleaning up your messes.”
My guard waggled his eyebrows and grinned, giving a mock salute. He turned back to me as the healer moved closer, taking in my injuries with an annoyed look. “Hopefully, I’ll see you around. I like you, horsewoman.”
The female fae growled at him, baring her fangs and shooing him away with her hands. The guard only gave what I supposed was a rude gesture back, based on how the female rolled her eyes.
