Then it hit her. The Shadows must have known he was the only one who could save her, even if it meant he would take her. If he hadn’t removed the ring—if he’d never found her—she would have died. But of course, she’d never show a hint of appreciation to this arrogant, entitled asshole, because it was clear he hadn’t done it out of any shred of kindness in his heart.
"So, I should’ve died simply for wearing it?”
“You should’ve died for stealing it.”
“I didn’t steal that stupid ring.”
"Then how the hell did you get it?" The question flew out of his mouth, rushed, impatient, and flustered. He was desperate…for something.
Caramyn opened her mouth to speak, though she hadn't planned what to say, but before a sound escaped her lips, Nocthar’s warning call screeched through the skies.
An arrow flew swiftly from the right and buried itself into Tyrios' arm. He plucked it out with a groan and drew his sword. The others unhooked their crossbows from their saddlebags and took aim.
"Bandits," Asterious muttered with an eye roll, sounding more annoyed than concerned. "How inconvenient."
Sure enough, shrouded in the evening fog, a small camp lay in the distance through the trees, with tents of hide and cots on the ground. A handful of men clad in pelts and masks, emerged from the mist, as two others peeked out from behind a boulder and fired another arrow. It whizzed past them as the prince ducked. He reached around Caramyn before she could blink, shielding her with his arm.
She noted how he hesitated, as if holding himself back from riding straight into the fray, his horse equally tense, snorting and prancing. Riven rode past them with a pleading look in his eyes. "Get out of here, Asterious. Just protect her and stay back. For all our sakes."
Asterious grimaced and bared his teeth as he swore under his breath. With a nudge of his legs, he sent Alofreise surging forward into a gallop, plowing into one of the bandits on the way and wrapping an arm around her to keep her from falling.
Caramyn clung to the saddle, jostled as wind-stung tears blurred the world around her. She craned her neck around Asterious' shoulder to witness Tyrios and Wryan effortlesslyswiping the rogues down with their swords, and the other two launching arrows with fluid, tireless movements.
"You left your men to fight them alone?" She was still catching her breath as the prince pulled the horse to a halt, but she couldn't help herself or her confusion.
"My priority is to get you away from the danger. You were almost shot. My men know the plan. They can easily handle a few backwoods bandits." Asterious said coldly.
"You have a sword at your hilt, and you didn't even draw it. You're a coward." Caramyn saw how her words made the corner of his mouth twitch. The way his eyes locked onto nothing in the distance and his jaw clenched, as if enduring her words like a pelting hailstorm. "So much for the cruel Prince Asterious, the executioner, the killer, the bloodthirsty, merciless—"
"That's enough." Asterious’ muscles tightened, his arms closing in like a cage as he leaned forward. He hissed the words, the heat of his anger smoldering like hot cinders in his voice against her ear. "You don’t have the slightest idea of what you say. You don’twantto see me bloodthirsty and merciless. And Shattered gods know my men don’t want to see it. I could kill them allandyou as well before you could even think to stop me. And you’re quickly fraying the thin thread that keeps me from doing it."
Caramyn's heart raced. She had never been threatened in this manner. No one had ever been able to put her in this position until now. It was easy to laugh off her fear when she knew she was unbound and free to play the predator. But here in this helpless position, without a weapon, restrained in the grasp of this monstrous man, no matter how much she wanted to deny it, she felt very much like the prey.
The prince’s men came trotting up before long, seemingly unbothered by what had just occurred, as if they had merely just returned from a friendly hunt.
She didn't dare voice her thoughts, but she silently hoped he could feel the way she abhorred his closeness, his vile arrogance and threats. Her burning hatred toward him and her disgust with every part of who he was. But he didn’t seem to notice her any longer as he addressed the others.
"We should pick up the pace through here. It's likely more bandits will be scouting the wall's edges waiting for their next easy target. If we're already moving quickly, they won't have time to attack. No need to draw out this journey with more…interruptions. We need to get back soon as possible." Asterious nodded towards the mountain pass ahead and leaned forward, his voice low enough for only her ears. “And as for you, don’t bother talking to me again unless you’re going to explain yourself.”
Caramyn shuddered, no longer sure of herself and the fate that lay before her, especially as Riven’s words echoed in her head.
Protect her and stay back...for all our sakes...
7
Still Mine
Asterious
Asterious wasn't worried about the bandits. They were mere child’s play to his men. Tyrios and Wryan had been two of the fiercest warriors in his father's army, and Riven and Gariel were lethal spies. They could handle themselves with their eyes closed and one hand behind their backs. But something far more deadly lurked in their midst, and his only option was to protect her—to protect them all from something far more tragic occurring. If that made him look like a coward, so be it.
It didn't matter, he reminded himself. Whatever this woman thought of him was irrelevant. It only mattered that he didn’t let her words seep into his mind, and that he got the truth out of hereventually. But her insults and accusations ignited something in him that he hadn’t felt in a long time. She stirred up unchecked emotion that he thought by now he’d learn to suppress, and her body scraping against him all day didn’t make it any easier. He considered making her ride with Tyrios, but for some damn reason he didn’t like the thought of her being pressed up against him the same way.
There were still a few days left until they reached the old Vaerwynd lands. The second night they made camp and rested, something was particularly intriguing about Caramyn as she sat staring into the dying fire. Gariel kept watch in the distance while the others slept, silent as a statue like always. Asterious found sleep evaded him, and he stood up, walking over to join her. "You should eat that," he gestured to the half-eaten leg of freshly hunted rabbit at her side. "You'll need strength for the rest of the journey."
Caramyn sat with her arms in her lap, hunched over, drawing Asterious' attention to her bound hands. By the fire's dim light, he could see the reddened, irritated flesh around her wrists. "Why do you care?" she mumbled.
“I don’t.” He grunted. "But you're more valuable to me not starved to death."
