Corbin silently stared Haldrick down until the guard quailed and looked away. He continued, “On the night the curse was cast, my brothers and I had played a particularly cruel prank on the queen, filling her room with geese and other water fowl while she was at dinner. There is no defense for what we did; it was unfeeling and spiteful, and it caused irreparable damage not only to the room itself, but also to Her Majesty’s personal belongings, some of which were quite precious to her.” He took a deep breath, and his next words were directed straight at Lindy. “We may never be able to repair the damage that was done, but I want to acknowledge publicly that I share the blame, and I apologize for my part in it.”
“So do I.”
“Me, too.”
One by one, the princes rose, adding their voices to their brother’s. Lindy’s eyes filled with tears in spite of her intention to remain strong, and they spilled down her cheeks as she mouthed a trembling, “Thank you.”
The atmosphere in the room had shifted to an undecided tension. Haldrick sliced his hand through the air, as if he could somehow cut it. “This whole display is an orchestration! She’s cursed their minds just as she cursed their bodies. The evidence is clear, and the investigatorshave found her guilty. She will be burned at the stake at noon. Guards?—”
A great crash echoed through the room and women screamed as the heavy, gilded doors were thrown open with such force that they bounced off the walls. A deep, angry voice followed, sending Lindy’s heart galloping in her chest at the same time as it sent some of the audience members to their knees in a frightened faint. It bellowed, “I demand payment!”
Haldrick turned pale as a sheet, and Lindy turned slowly on her heel to see Atlas striding into the room with a dark and deadly expression on his face. She had become so accustomed to his size that she forgot just how big and intimidating he was. The crowd parted like water as he passed through them. He gave her no more than a passing glance as he stopped in front of her, as if she were of no more consequence to him than anyone else in the room.
Her heart tripped over itself, cracking open a sliver as it fell.
Atlas leveled the full force of his angry scowl on Haldrick, who tried to step back and put distance between himself and the giant, only to be stopped by the throne. “Your prince stole something from me.”
“I–I’m terribly sorry.”
“I want it back.”
“Want what back?”
“What he stole. He took my goose.”
“I’m s–sure, I’m sure we have any number of geese you can t–take with you. Back. To where you camefrom.” Haldrick shrank into himself, his former bravado completely vanished.
“I don’t want those.” Atlas leaned down, invading the guard’s space. “I wantmygoose. Give it to me.”
“I don’t have it! For all I know, it’s already been eaten.”
Atlas growled. “Then I demand some other form of payment.” He made a show of looking him up and down. “I’ve eaten worse. You’ll do.” He grabbed Haldrick by the shoulder, eliciting a terrified squeak from the man.
“I’m–I’m just the guard. The princes!” Haldrick gasped like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline. “The princes are the ones who can settle payment.”
Atlas looked down at him, curling a lip in disgust. “You’re not in charge? Why are you here?” He threw him away with enough force to send him tumbling into the front row of the crowd.
Well done, Atlas.
The giant stalked over to the princes, towering over Corbin as he repeated his demands.
Corbin’s gaze flicked to hers. “If it’s payment you want, you can take the woman. She seems to have some skill in the area of…bird transformations.” His voice wobbled, and though his face wore an expression of terror, Lindy could see the laughter in his eyes.
He planned this. Haldrick was right. Itisall orchestrated…just orchestrated to get him out of the way and me out of the castle.
Atlas turned slowly on his heel, as if only justbecoming aware of her presence. His footfalls echoed through the room, and he seemed to move in slow motion as he crossed the short space between them. He didn’t stop until there were only a few inches separating them, and she had to tilt her head way back to see his face. His look was smoldering, heating her from toes to the top of her head, and filled with emotions and promises so deep she couldn’t even begin to unpack them. “I accept.”
In one swift motion, he scooped an arm under her knees and tossed her over his shoulder before turning and striding from the room. The crowd, frightened and awestruck, once again parted before him. He walked quickly, eating up the distance in long, purposeful strides, and keeping silent the entire time. He didn’t stop until they passed through the city gate. Even then, it was only to adjust her position, transferring her from his shoulder to a bridal hold, before he veered sharply off the road and entered the forest.
He halted under the safety of the trees, breathing heavily. His hands shook as he tightened his arms around her, dropping his forehead onto hers.
“Atlas?” she whispered hesitantly.
“I take it back,” he muttered, his words muffled by her hair. “I will respect your wishes unless they are ridiculouslyfoolish, in which case I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Lindy let out a long, shaking breath. Her body was responding to all of the pent-up stress and anxiety of the morning. “You came back.”
“Of course I came back. I promised to keep you alive, didn’t I?”
