She broke away from the Fürst, ordering him, “Stop. Please.”
Heated tears filled her eyes, as she imagined the way her father would chastise her for such behavior. She’d behaved like a wanton, ignoring every rule that would protect her virtue.
“I want to go back,” she said, not looking at him. She sat up and drew her knees up, burying her face in her skirt to hide her feelings.
“Go, then.” His voice was flat, and she heard the anger within it. “I’ll join you in a few moments.”
She rose to her feet, her body still heated, her breasts tight against her gown. It was hard to catch her breath, though it had nothing to do with exertion…and everything to do with forbidden desires.
Her steps carried her back to the forest’s edge until she realized she’d forgotten the basket. Though she should return for it, she was afraid of coming too close to the Fürst. His body was tight with tension, and no doubt he would bring it for her.
She began running down the hill, and whether she was fleeing from the prince or from her own fears, she didn’t know. The ruined abbey lay just ahead, and the trees blurred as she held on to her skirts.
Her knees buckled with a blast of pain, and she hit the ground hard. Breathless, she tried to get up, only to see a man holding a staff that he’d used to trip her. He grabbed her by the arm, a dark smile upon his face. “You shouldn’t run through the forest alone, Princess. Don’t you know there are wolves that prey upon the weak?” A hard blow struck her skull, and darkness enveloped her.
Karl watched Serena leave, and he resisted the urge to slam his fist into the stone altar. He’d pushed her too soon, once again.But once he’d tasted her mouth, she’d become an irresistible temptation. He’d let her bewitch him, even knowing that it was unwise to touch her.
She didn’t want to wed him; she wanted her freedom. And the only recourse he had left was to convince her that there could be more between them than a political union. He’d meant only to kiss her. But when her hand had come to rest upon his face, he’d been undone by her innocence. No one had ever touched him with affection or paid him any heed. He’d wanted her fingers to be everywhere upon his skin.
You’re unworthy of her, his conscience reminded him.You’re nothing but a bastard trying to take advantage of an innocent girl and her kingdom.
And so, he’d let her go. He’d needed a few moments to gather up his wits and calm the raging lust.
In the distance, the twisting sea echoed his confused thoughts, battering the shore. Karl picked up the basket and walked down the path. He looked for a glimpse of the princess, but there was no sign of her. No doubt she’d hastened back to the abbey, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible. He couldn’t blame her for that.
But when he reached the ruins, she wasn’t there. Not in the hall and not in the kitchen.
“Princess!” he called out. No answer.
His concern tightened when he could no longer find her. Had she run away from him? Didn’t she know of the danger upon the island? The only reason they were safe at Durin’s fortress was because no one knew they were there.
He left the ruins and studied the path. There were footprints in the rain-softened earth, but heavier than Serena’s. A cold fear broke through him when he measured the size of the foot and saw that it was only slightly smaller than his own.
He tracked the prints down the hill, and only at the end of the path did he see Samuel lying unconscious where he’d been struck down. Blood trickled across the man’s temple, and Karl raced to the man’s side, trying to rouse him.
Samuel blinked, groaning as he clutched her head. “He took her, Your Highness. Tried to stop them—but there were half-a-dozen men.”
Karl let out a curse, blaming himself for leaving Serena alone. He’d known it wasn’t safe, and yet, he’d given her a few minutes to herself. That was all his enemy had needed.
But he was going to get her back.
“Who are you?” Serena whispered, clutching her head. There was a rough bandage against it, and the wetness told her that it had been bleeding. Her vision was blurred as she fought to grasp consciousness.
She saw a man who she guessed was in his early forties. His face was thin, and a brown beard obscured his features. She’d never seen him before but wondered if he’d been among the men who had attacked the other night.
“To you, Princess, I’m a nobody.” He sat at a table and poured a drink into a wooden cup. Her eyes took in her surroundings, as she tried to discern where she was and how long she’d been here.
She was in a dwelling smaller than her bedchamber, with only a mattress, a fireplace, and a single table and chair. Her hands were bound behind her back, as were her feet. In the corner stood a taller man, whose face was dirt-streaked, along with his hands. Possibly a farmer.
Serena struggled to remember how they’d brought her here, but after the blow the bearded man had struck to her face, she couldn’t remember much of anything.
A sinking ball of dread formed inside her stomach, but she forced her words to remain calm. “What do you want from me?”
“You’re going home, Princess. Someone want you there badly enough to pay for your safe return. They’re waiting for you across the water.”
Terror clenched inside her. “Who is waiting?” The man’s smile widened as if he’d confirmed her identity. “He paid each of us fifty marks to bring you. I’d give you over to the devil himself for that.”
Likely it was Freiherr Albert von Meinhardt. The Baron would stop at nothing to bring her back, for he craved the king’s favor. She couldn’t stop the unsettled feelings that swelled up inside, drowning out any hope she might have had.
