It’s a tempting thought. It’s the perfect time of day, since Henri and his followers never leave the manor during the day. They’re nocturnal beings. I can use the sun to cloak me until I get far enough away. The real danger wouldn’t come until nightfall.
A light breeze picks up my curls and caresses my face. There’s promise in the air, and for the first time in a while, I feel hope along with my fear. I can do this.
“Oi! Cornelius, look at what I’ve found!”
All my plans are dashed at the familiar voice. I freeze in place.
“Why, it’s Lord Henri’s pet, all alone,” the one called Cornelius replies.
Dread icing my veins, I turn around to find two very unwanted faces. Cornelius, a mountain of a man with fierce green eyes and shaggy hair, walks toward me with his shoulders back and his chest inflated. The man beside him is Keagan, one of Henri’s guards, known for his quick feet and vulgar mouth. I’ve had the misfortune of seeing him often, usually when Henri felt it necessary to post a guard at my door while he slept.
“What a pretty little doll she is,” Keagan purrs. His heated gaze travels the length of my body, and he reaches out a hand toward my face. I quickly swat it away, my stomach roiling at the thought of him touching me. In a blur of color, he moves to my other side, his breath on my shoulder as he sniffs me like a dog might, smelling sharply of drink.
Uneasiness worming through me, I cross my arms over my chest and step away from him. But that only makes me collide with something else solid. Gasping, I whirl around to see Cornelius leering down at me.
“Is this what you normally see while doing rounds, Keagan?” he asks. “If so, I would’ve taken Lysander’s position on guard a long time ago.”
Mustering up all the fake courage I have left, I glare at them. They’re staring at me like predators, but I don’t want to show them any kind of fear. Even if my frantic heartbeat is giving me away.
“Henri gave me permission to be here,” I say. Despite my best efforts, my voice still quivers.
“I’m sure he did,” Keagan drawls, his Irish accent making him seem sweeter than his expression portrays. “And on such a beautiful morning, too.”
Taking a step closer, Cornelius tries to reach out his meaty fingers this time, and I twist to avoid him, snarling. “Leave me alone! I have permission to be here.”
“Come on, sweetness. We won’t hurt you.” Keagan grins.
“She smells so sweet, Keagan,” Cornelius whispers, as if I’m not standing right here. His eyes darken. “Can I—”
Keagan hisses. “I told you, I get first taste.”
So much for not hurting me.
I never want to use Henri to my advantage, but in this case, he just may save me. “But Henri said—”
“Henri isn’t here right now, is he?” Keagan snaps back, and flashes pointed teeth at me.
I shiver.
“I’ll make sure to tell him of this,” I say through clenched teeth. “He’ll kill you for it.”
Keagan meets his friend’s eye, and a wave of hesitation passes over them.
“You know it’s true,” I go on, feeding into their doubt. “I’m meant to be his, after all.”
That last part nearly made me sick to say, but if it’d get them to leave me alone, I’d scream Henri’s name from the top of my lungs.
“We’ll make it quick,” Keagan says, his eyes flashing black. He snatches my upper arm and pulls me to him. Digging my nails into his flesh, I do all I can to loosen his hold while yanking back. He tightens his grip.
“It’s almost dawn!” I keep fighting against him. “Shouldn’t you be hiding in a shadow somewhere?”
Cornelius growls, grabbing hold of my other arm and wrenching my body to his. Being much stronger than Keagan, I bounce off his broad chest, pain lancing through my shoulder.
“I like it when they scream,” he says.
I press my lips together to not give him the satisfaction.
“What’s going on here?” A new voice rings out from behind us.
