“Thank the gods,” Briar said, running his hand over the top of my head. “You’re safe.”
“Hey, Doc.” I smiled at him through the small gap between our knights’ bodies.
Callum stood shorter than Maddox but still had several inches on me. Tall enough I couldn’t see over his shoulder. The two of them then stepped farther apart, allowing Briar to step forward and take me into his arms.
“Oh, love.” He kissed my temple. “When Rowan returned from Prince Cedric’s study and told us what transpired, I’d never felt more afraid. I feared we’d never…” He shook his head, letting the unfinished sentence hang between us.
But I understood. I had felt the same. Afraid I’d never hold my men again. Never see them smile or hear their laughter. Terrified that my days with them had come to an end.
I buried my face into his shirt, feeling like I was about to break. “I wanna go home.”
“I know, love,” Briar gently said, petting the back of my hair. “As do I.”
“But we can’t.” Something sharp sliced across my heartstrings. “Can we?”
“No.”
Even when upset, I always tried so hard to keep a brave face. Tears might fall, but I fought them every step of the way, not wanting to worry anyone. But as Briar held me, my walls came down—shattered. I cried like I never had. We couldn’t return to the same life we’d had only a day earlier.
Nothing would ever be the same.
The others closed in around us. Maddox kissed my nape while Lake nuzzled my hair. Callum rested his head on mine. Rowan squeezed in between me and Lake, and my cries worsened when seeing our wolf softly nuzzle Rowan’s red hair just like he’d done to mine.
“We need to keep moving,” Maddox said. “News of your escape is sure to have spread by now. They’ll be sending patrols to search for you.”
“Where are we supposed to go?” I asked between sniffles.
“I know of a place,” Lake said. “My father’s cottage.”
Maddox nodded. “We can stay there for the night and then figure out our next move come morning.”
“Leaving Bremloc soon would be for the best,” Briar answered. “With Cedric pulling the strings, his word is law. No one will ever believe your innocence as long as he claims otherwise. Not the council nor anyone else.”
Pressure built in my chest. “I can’t let you throw everything away for me. What about your clinic? Thane and Herbert?”
“I taught Thane well.” Briar offered me a somewhat sad smile. “He’s more than ready to take charge. You are my priority, love. Keeping you safe.”
I drew back and turned to Maddox and Callum. “What about the Second Order? I don’t want you abandoning your knights because of me.”
“Worry not of the Second Order, Thorn Prince,” a familiar voice chimed in. Duke?
Men then approached. Ones I saw as the older brothers I’d never had but always wanted.
“Duke,” I said, voice wobbling. “Baden and Quincy. You’re all here.”
“Aye.” Quincy smiled, causing the jagged scar cutting across his face to wrinkle. “Like we’d be anywhere else when our little lad is in trouble.”
Baden nodded. “I, for one, refuse to follow the commands of a tyrant. Cedric will never have my loyalty. But you, my prince?” He bowed his head. “Always.”
“Your… prince?” Something quaked in my core.
The knights exchanged glances before dropping to one knee, heads lowered. Shock had me staring like a deer caught in headlights.
“I…” My throat squeezed. “I don’t understand what’s…”
“Blame Captain Glutton for that one,” Rowan said, toying with the dagger he’d unsheathed from his hip. “He told them everything.”
“Because I trust them with my life,” Maddox responded, his gaze finding mine in the shadows of the forest. “More importantly, I trust them with yours.”
