Bryn materialized behind him, fully dressed and with not a hair out of place.
“Stay with the prince,” Clement barked. She nodded and moved into position behind him.
Clement grabbed my shoulder, spun me around, and frog-marched me back inside. He waited until we were outside my door before unleashing. “What were you doing?” His eyes blazed. Gone were the small crinkles, the softness, the comfort. For the first time, I saw the true professional.
“I, well...it.”
“You were alone with him.” He lowered his face to mine, his breath hot, voice shaking. “Goddess knows what?—”
“It wasn’t like that. Don’t be?—”
He shook me with a growl of frustration.
“Stop it. Calm down.” I pushed him away, but he held firm.
“You just don’t understand. You don’t listen!” His fingers tightened around my biceps.
“I do listen, I?—”
“If you won’t leave, then at least stay in there with Lilyanna, Tamara. You’ll be safe.” His hands moved to my cheeks. The gesture should have been tender, but his whole body shook. With anger? Fear? Jealousy?
“It’s not safe anywhere here.” I deepened my breathing, forcing my heart to slow.
His thumb stroked along my cheekbone. “I can’t do my job if I’m constantly worrying about you.”
“And I can’t do mine!”
I froze.
He frowned at me. “Your job is in there.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just...I don’t like being cooped up. I only wanted some fresh air.” Would he let it go? He already knew more than he should.
He dropped his hands from my face, running them down my arms, never breaking contact until he gently held my hands in his. “If you wanted fresh air, you should’ve told me. There’s plenty in my room due to the large hole you put in my ceiling.”
My breath whooshed out in a snort of relief. I ducked my head, and he waited until I met his gaze again. “Please behave, Tamara. Just until the wedding is over.”
I nodded. Guilt warred inside me. I’d do anything for this man, and I had no idea when he’d affected me so. When had he lodged himself within my heart?
But we were at odds. If I succeeded, at the very least, he’d be out of a job. Most likely, all the guards would be transported to the South to face trial in front of the queens and be hanged. Then what would I do? Continue onward wrecking people’s lives?
No. I couldn’t think like that. I’d get Lilyanna out, rescue her from this castle, then flee. See how long it took before Siobhan found me.
And Clement? My body sagged. He would have to look after himself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
THE MAGIC TOUCH
The castle lay dormant for the next few days while its occupants scurried about preparing for the wedding.
Despite this, I knew the spirits watched me and the walls breathed my whereabouts to the prince. Every corner I turned, he would be there, grinning like a cat toying with its prey. But I behaved myself, still warring with my guilt over finishing this assignment.
Clement stuck closer to me than to him throughout these meetings, never smiling, never fully relaxing. Dark shadows lingered under his eyes, his skin wan. He never spoke to me, never even tried to get me alone to explain the change in the prince’s behavior.
He never uttered a single warning.
The wedding was fast approaching with barely a week to go, and if I were to believably abduct Lilyanna for the purposes of traveling back to the West to celebrate with her family and return in time for her to get married, we’d have to leave that night.
