“Can you walk? Obviously, you’ve been bed bound for a few days, but can you try? I really don’t want to carry you out of here.”
Her mouth fell open. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Better start moving.” His grin was feral.
Hazel stared at him, unmoving. When Slaide sighed and moved toward her, she scrambled, attempting to get out of bed. Her erratic movements disturbed the cat, who yowled angrily at them both before hopping down from the bed and fleeing to a dark corner.
Once again, the pain in her ribs seared up her side. Her impossibly stiff joints protested and she winced.Suck it up unless you want this monster touching you.She slid forward, her feet touching the floor, and she braced herself as she shifted her weight onto her body.
And promptly fell to the cold, stone floor.
Slaide, to his credit—and Hazel’s surprise—was immediately at her side. His face darkened as he looked her over, as though he was seeing how battered she was for the first time. Her infirmary-issued white tunic was askew, revealing the many hues of bruising covering her legs and arms. As he took in her injuries, something in the way he looked at her changed. At last, he met her eyes.
“Who did this to you?” The words were more growled than spoken.
She was startled at his change in demeanor, but as she thought about the actual question, she grew angry.
“You want to know who did this? Your people. Or at the very least, the people you work with. Work for. I don’t know.The knights in their shiny armor? Yeah, them. Knocked an old woman unconscious and didthisto me when I tried to protect her.” She gestured to the length of her body.
Slaide tensed. She could see the anger in his eyes, in the way his expression changed. Perhaps she’d made a mistake speaking up, talking to him in such a way. Maybe this is how she would meet her end, escaping the clutches of one monster only to land in the lap of another.
He reached for her, and she cowered, closing her eyes. But the blow never came.
When she opened her eyes, Slaide was offering his hand, not reaching to strike her. Tentatively, she accepted it. His hand closed around hers, and it was surprisingly gentle. But when she attempted to pull herself up, her body faltered, and she collapsed.
Slaide caught her, bringing them face to face. There was that strange heat again warming her cheeks. This time, he looked away first, but not before conflict flashed across his features.
He stood, letting go of her hand. She watched him as he looked around the room, clearly thinking hard about something, the muscles in his jawline fluttering. Before her was a man fighting a very difficult internal battle, one Hazel wanted no part in.
She rolled to her knees, assuming it was now up to her alone to get to her feet. As she pressed her hands into the floor and attempted to raise her body, she found herself enveloped in muscular arms and hoisted—with overwhelming ease—into the air.
Hazel yelped. “Oof! Put me down! I don’t need to be carried, and especially not like some fainting maiden!”
He looked down at her, and a coy smile spread across his face. “As you wish,” he spoke as he pretended to drop her.
Hazel shrieked, expecting to crash to the floor. And then, much to her embarrassment, she realized he was still holding her. She let out a disgruntledhmphand folded her arms.Sadistic asshole.
“That was childish.”
“No more childish than you refusing help.”
“Is that what this is?”
He crossed his distractingly muscular arms. “Well, let’s see. You are very much in pain and cannot stand, much less walk. The guest rooms in this castle are alongway from here, and we’ll be taking many stairs. But please, by all means, I’ll even race you there. But what we will not do is dawdle here any longer. I’m on a tight schedule as it is.”
“I just don’t understand why you’re helping me. You’re…”
“Not the helping type? Trust me, I’ve been waiting to come to my senses this entire time. But for the record, I’m nothelpingyou. I’m helpingme.Something about you has everyone in this castle up in arms, and that brings me joy. I thrive in chaos.”
I was thinking more along the lines of a witch hunter who should probably have seen me executed by now, but sure.She simply said, “Charming.”
“I try my best, sweets.” He tossed her a sultry wink.
That gods-damned nickname again.Hazel curled a lip in disgust. “Well, what are you waiting for? I reallydoneed a bath. Let’s go.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Then, Slaide flung her over his shoulder like a rag doll, earning himself more than an earful of insults and expletives as he opened the infirmary door to the hallway beyond.
