Page 17 of Cage of Darkness
“I can’t believe how awfulI was to you.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And now we’reengaged.” He kissed her again. “And you’re going to be my wife.” Asmile spread across his face, erasing the worry lines and lightingup his eyes.
Hope swelled in her chest.She shoved it down, stifling it. “Ifwe make it out of this messalive.” She didn’t want to think of a future that may never come tofruition. And, quite frankly, it felt a little selfish to thinkabout what she wanted. She was the princess of Emperion and wouldrule it one day. Her first duty was to the people of herkingdom.
He squeezed her hand again. “I promisethat, no matter what, you will make it out alive.”
She noticed that hesaidyouandnotwe. Before shecould question him, he stood and retreated to his own cot, leavingher cold and alone.
Allyssa promised herself right thenand there that she would never lose sight of the fact that herpeople came first.
Chapter Seven
“Wake up,” Somabarked.
Allyssa peeled her eyelids open. Asoldier hovered above her. She flew upright, and he grabbed herarm, dragging her off the cot. Another soldier did the same toOdar.
“What’s going on?” shedemanded, her voice still gravely from sleep.
Soma stood near the tent’s exit. “Notalking.” He wore a thick wool cape, which concealed his tunicbearing the royal family’s crest. His eyes were pulled tight, andhis good hand rested on the hilt of his sword. “If either of you somuch as blinks from here to the horses, you’ll wish you were dead.”He reached up and pulled his hood on, hiding his face in shadow.“Let’s go.” He exited the tent.
The soldier shoved Allyssa forward,and she moved to the exit, glancing over her shoulder at Odar. Hefollowed close behind, his face not giving anything away. Shestepped outside. Cold air whipped around her body. The sun had notyet risen, and a thick fog blanketed the tents in the dull gray ofdawn.
Allyssa followed Soma through thesilent camp, her boots softly crunching on the dirt. She almostasked when the men rose to do practice drills, but rememberedSoma’s threat and refrained from speaking.
A man stepped around thecorner of a tent, blocking their path. Soma continued, as if theman wasn’t there. Just before they collided, the man stepped aside.He towered over the assassin and weighed twice as much. “What areyou doing,Prince?” the man asked, his voice deep and throaty. He said thewordprincewith ahint of disgust. Tattoos covered the side of his face—black swirlsending in knife points. They reminded her of Darmik’s tattoos onhis lower neck and chest.
“None of your business,Brookfel,” Soma replied.
Brookfel smiled, scanningAllyssa and Odar before returning his focus to Soma. “It may notbemybusiness,but it certainly is Prince Kerdan’s. As a captain of this army, heoutranks you. Now, tell me what you’re doing here.” He folded hisarms across his beefy chest and took a step closer to theassassin.
Soma shifted his weight, a small bladeclutched in his hand. “I’m returning home. Since I was in thevicinity, I decided to sleep here for the night. That is all.” Heresumed walking.
Odar headed after Soma, his guardclose behind. Allyssa hesitated. Would this man, Brookfel, helpher? She glanced up and found him watching her. She went to take astep toward him, but Odar cleared his throat, gaining herattention. He waved her over, and she hurried to catch up withhim.
“Brookfel is a member ofPrince Kerdan’s elite squad,” Odar whispered. “If he knew youridentity, you’d be gutted and sent back to your parents inpieces.”
She shuddered. “And here I thoughtSoma was the bad one.”
“The assassin is deadlylike a poisonous snake. On the other hand, Prince Kerdan and hismen are vicious like a pack of hungry wolves that will tear youapart.”
At the edge of the military base, aman stood holding three horses. Behind him, half a dozen soldierswere mounted and ready to ride. The assassin climbed on one of thehorses. “Hurry,” he barked. She glanced back, not seeing anysoldiers roaming about the camp.
The man escorting Allyssa grabbed heraround the waist, lifting her onto a horse. He secured her handstogether with rope, then handed the reins to one of the mountedsoldiers. She fought the urge to scream. Being on a horse was thelast thing she wanted to do right now. Odar was similarly situated,a different soldier holding the reins of his horse. Prince Somaraised his arm, and everyone began to move out.
“Why the additional men?”Allyssa asked. Maybe the assassin wouldn’t paralyze them sincethere were so many soldiers.
Soma shot her a dark look. “Now thatwe are in Russek, stealth is no longer necessary.”
She snorted. If stealth was no longernecessary, then why did they just sneak out of the camp?
“The king is due to arrivehere tomorrow,” one of the soldiers stated. “Are you sure you don’twant to wait for your stepfather?”
Allyssa noted the lack of title. Ifone of her own soldiers spoke to her in such a way, she’d reprimandhim immediately. Soma slowed his horse, coming alongside thesoldier. “What’s your name?”
“Vladek.”
In one swift motion, Soma grabbedVladek’s hand, slicing off his ring finger. Vladek screamed, andSoma pulled him so they were face to face. “Let this be a reminder.Do not question me. Ever.” He released Vladek and nudged his horsefaster. The soldiers did the same, trying to keep up with theassassin. Allyssa glanced behind her. The tents were already smalldots on the horizon. Perhaps she should have taken her chances withBrookfel.
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