“Of course, there is always my heir.” The high prince sighed. Saga blinked furiously as her heart hacked against her rib cage.
“Father,” interjected Kassandr, before launching into a flurry of Zagadkian too rapid for her to follow.
Saga’s mind raced, her pulse too quick to sustain. A month ago, the thought of marrying Kassandr had been reprehensible. Buteverything had changed. And now that she’d witnessed the Urkans’ wrath firsthand, other things had shifted in her mind. There was so much at stake—the safety of Zagadka, and that of her own realm. This was bigger than her.
She drew a deep breath. Faced the high prince.
“I will do it,” she said, with forced nonchalance. Inside, her heart twisted and flipped and rolled in loops. “My choice is Kassandr.”
Meeting Kassandr’s eye in this moment felt a lot like granting him a victory, and right now, she could not bear to do it. Instead, Saga turned on her foot and strode from the courtyard. After entering the fortress, she sagged against the wall, drawing deep breaths. She waited for the walls to close in on her. Waited for the voices to shout in her mind.Trapped,they’d say.No exit.
But as the minutes slid by, her mind was strangely quiet.
Chapter 51
Kassandr’s beast thrashed restlessly within him, as it had since his father had made his insidious demand of Saga. She had saved their people from the Urkans and had fostered the first step toward peace with the clans beyond the river. As far as Kassandr was concerned, his father ought to be falling at her feet. Giving her anything she demanded.
Instead, he’d strong-armed her into a marriage with Kassandr.
I will never marry you.
Her words burned through his skull, setting fire to his veins. Once he had wanted this—desperately so. He had to admit there was still a part of him willing to have her by whatever means necessary.Perhaps,this part of him said,she will grow to love you.
No,another part of him countered. Not this woman who’d been held captive all her life—who saw marriage as yet another cage.
Now he stalked through the remnants of Kovograd Fortress, his mood darkening with each step. He lost himself to time, but eventually, Kassandr found himself rattling Saga’s locked door. It wasn’t long before Alasa unlocked and cracked the door open, eyes widening before she dipped into a curtsy.
“My lord,” said Alasa, not moving from the doorway to allow Kassandr entry, “she is indisposed at the moment.”
“Who is it?” called Saga from within the room.
“Kassandr,” he replied, trying to keep his voice steady as his beasthowled and scratched, desperate to get to her. “I must speak with you.”
Alasa shook her head, knuckles white where they gripped the doorframe. “You mustn’t. It is improper—”
“Let him in,” said Saga, to Kassandr’s great surprise. Reluctantly, Alasa stepped aside, allowing Kassandr entry. But his feet soon faltered, and he damned near choked on his own tongue.
Steam rose in undulating waves from a large wooden tub set near the hearth. And there, within that tub, sat Saga Volsik. Her bared back faced him, and his eyes hungrily traced the curve of her shoulder, then jumped to a bead of water sliding down her spine. Saga’s hair was still woven into a crown of braids, and it took all of his restraint not to cross the room to her and unbind it.
“You may leave, Alasa,” said Saga. On the surface, she seemed like a woman in control, yet the slight waver in her voice betrayed her.
“My lady—” objected Alasa.
“Do not worry after my virtue, Alasa,” Saga replied, her voice more level now. “He is, after all, my betrothed.”
Kassandr’s beast howled, and his lips curved into a lazy smile. But the circumstances of their engagement surged back to mind, and his smile fell away. Kass was dimly aware of the swish of Alasa’s skirts. Thethunkof the iron latch. But more than anything else, he was aware of the sound of rippling water as Saga moved within the tub.
He cleared his throat. Tried to recall why he’d come.
“I suppose,” said Saga, “you’ve finally caught me unclothed.”
Kassandr made a nonsensical, garbled sound. He shook his head, trying to clear his senses.
“You do not need to marry me,” he finally forced across his lips as his beast snarled and his body tried to hold the words back. “I will give to you the help you ask for. I will go to Íseldur with you, and will bring strong warriors. We will fight with you all the same.”
Her spine grew rigid, and he wanted to drop to his knees behind her. Knead the tension from her shoulders.
“Now youdo notwish to marry me?” she bristled.
