A groan left her throat and she allowed her eyes to close again. “Another Prince. Gods save me from all the Princes.”
“You are not happy to see a Prince, Mistress Rae?”
“The last one was not particularly charming,” she said. Then it struck her. “You don’t have brother or a cousin, do you?”
“I have no family,” he said.
“The shape of your eyes is the same,” she said.
“Who?”
“Endreas. The one who I saw with Lavana. Her Prince.”
“I don’t know who Endreas is, but until recently, I was supposed to be Lavana’s Prince.”
“Well, it looks like she’s found one she likes better.”
“Good,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let her claim me.”
“No?”
“No. I’m not going to be claimed by any Rae. So before I save your life, we should have that clear. I am not a commodity that can be owned or sold or taken.”
“A liberated Pixie Prince.” She smiled, as much as she could, which wasn’t much. “No wonder you’re locked up in here.”
“If I heal you, if we manage to escape, then you must swear that you will not attempt to...”
“Seduce you? Capture you and throw in my dungeon until you submit to me?” She wanted to laugh, but didn’t have the energy for it. “Gods, I’m tired.”
“Swear you will never try to claim me and I will heal you, and then we can both escape this cesspit.”
“I swear,” she said.
“That was quick.”
“Someone has a high opinion of himself.”
“Every Rae wants a Prince.”
“And every Prince wants a Rae,” she retorted. “Or maybe there are exceptions.”
He huffed. “You must move closer. The iron will prevent me from healing you completely, and I am weak, but I should be able to stop you from dying.”
“I can’t move,” she said.
“If you want to live, you must. Just lift your arm above your head, and I should be able to reach your hand.”
Both of her arms were limp as dead snakes. She shut her eyes.
Move, damn it.
Inch by aching inch, her arm slid across the floor and upwards.
“You have to straighten it out,” he said.
“I’m trying.” Pain tore through her as she pushed her arm straight and even managed to scoot her body closer. Blackness cut across her vision. And then his hand closed around hers.
She flew, soaring out of her pain and high above it. Strength surged through her, firming the flaccid muscles, lighting up her sluggish mind, purging even the iron weakness, so much that her stomach actually growled with hunger.
