Page 19 of Blood and Fate

“Believe what you want, Princess.” He sounded annoyed. “But you know I’m right. Now, I’ll untie you, if you promise not to try to kill me.”

She narrowed her gaze on him. “I won’t try,“ she said, emphasizing the last word to get her point across.

The corner of his mouth quirked up. “It’ll be hard to kill me without a weapon.”

She slid her eyes from him to the bow across the tent. He followed her gaze before returning his amused expression back to her.

“If you were to get to it, you certainly wouldn’t have time to kill me at this range with a bow.”

She lifted her brows. “I bet the arrows would work fine.”

A small amused laugh puffed from him. “Fair enough. Well then, it’s your call, Princess. What’ll it be? Freedom or murder?”

Freedom, indeed. As if just because he untied her it would mean she was free. But her wrists ached as well as her shoulders.

She met his gaze. “Untie me. I promise not to kill you... yet.”

His shoulders shook with a chuckle as his head swayed from side to side. He moved behind her, still not touching her, as he cut the ropes. The fibers snapped and the pain in her arms was immediate as they protested the new direction she was trying to make them move.

Kais backed away and sat on the bed behind him, resting a forearm on one black clad leg and a palm on the other. “Take it easy. It’s going to be a minute before that doesn’t hurt.”

She ignored him as she stretched her arms, working through the pain. “Now what?”

He studied her for a moment before leaning back. “Now it seems as though I’ve had a hostage delivered to me on a silver platter.”

The rhythm of her heart picked up its pace as they held each other’s gaze. Of course he would use her as a hostage. She was wildly valuable. But what would he do to her in the meantime? Fear crawled up her spine and she fought desperately to keep her expression controlled.

Kais’ eyes scanned her face, her whole body, his brow taking on a crease. He lowered his chin, as though to level their gazes.

“Fear not, Princess. That’s not who I am. Now,” he repeated. “I’m going to take you back to your father and his precious advisor.”

Her head snapped to him. He wasn’t going to keep her as a hostage? He would deliver her home? Then a rogue thought pushed its way in: maybe she didn’t have to go back. Maybe, if he truly was going to take her home, she could convince him to take her somewhere else. The thought was momentary and fleeting. She had to go back; she was the Princess, the heir to the throne. And anyway, did she really believe Kais? Did she really expect that he was just going to return her? No ransom demand or anything? She narrowed her eyes at him.

“But,” Kais continued, as though he hadn’t seen her skeptical look, “I do need to make a stop first. I’m already behind, and taking you back now would take too long.”

Was she in a hurry to get home or did she want more time away? But would away with Kais and his men be worse than being home with Henrik? Henrik was only one person.

“And how long will that take?”

He moved his hands, threading his fingers together between his thighs. “A week or two.”

She released a breath, the conflict of emotions in her mind muddling her thoughts. “Two weeks?”

Would they use her until she was dead and dump a corpse on her father’s step? Or nearly dead? Would her father send men to find her? Would Henrik come? The thought brought a lump to her throat and she swallowed it down.

Kais didn’t speak, only studied her and she wondered at what sort of things were playing across her face.

“I’ve had a tent prepared for you.”

Her mouth opened. Alone in a tent in the middle of a camp of enemy men?

“You’ll be safe, you have no need to fear.”

Sure, no need to fear anyone but him. If he gave the order to keep their hands off, his men might obey, but that didn’t mean he would do the same. He had seemed eager to touch her when he had been at the castle.

She did her best to steady her voice, hoping it wouldn’t shake. “And where is this tent, then? Next door to yours?”

The look he gave her might have been comical if it hadn’t come across so serious. He muttered something about never getting any sleep below his breath, and a chill ran over her. He didn’t think he could control himself? Great.

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