Some stares came their way, and Scarlen stepped closer to the fence, her hands splayed against the wire. ‘People are watching.’
‘It’s because of the divide.’
She gazed at the fence.
‘Not that one. The north-south divide,’ he added.
‘It never used to be a thing.’
‘Is now. And getting worse.’
‘My closest friends in here are from the north, and they don’t care I’m from the south. So not everyone thinks about the divide.’
‘It’s more the king that we hate, but it still causes problems for southerners.’
She eyed him suspiciously. ‘Seems odd you claimed me.’
‘Told you why.’
‘I know, but?—’
‘There are no buts. Did what I did, that’s it.’ He moved closer to his own fence. ‘You still don’t trust me, do you?’
What was there to trust in life, knowing her father had left her in prison? Trust wasn’t something she was friends with.
‘Why should I trust you?’
Bear remained staring at her for a long moment. ‘Even in our darkest moments, we all need a friend, and sometimes that friend appears from the most unlikely place.’
‘You calling yourself my friend?’
He gave a small shrug. ‘Whatever we are, we’re not enemies.’
Yes, we are.‘You’re interesting, I’ll give you that.’
The side of his mouth twitched. ‘Same might be said of you.’
‘I’m quite boring.’ The princess life she led had no events to attend, no trips to meet and greet her people, no tea with friends, nothing but shelter, restriction, and a promise things would be different when she turned twenty and was unveiled to the kingdom. Was it any wonder she spent time finding escape routes? Why should she wait for that birthday for life to begin? And what life had her father in mind for her? Marriage to some stranger he deemed good enough? The best thing about running away was how free she felt. Even at Horstal, she had air in her lungs.
‘I’m not sure what to make of you, Scars, but one thing’s certain, you’re not boring.’
She quirked her brow. ‘Hmm, took me on to amuse yourself, did you?’ She noticed his chest steadily rise and fall. ‘Whatever your true agenda, you’ve helped me, so thank you.’ Would she have been so polite had he kidnapped her? Would she have figured out each meaning in the slight changes in his facial expressions all within a month then? ‘Perhaps under different circumstances, we’d have …’ She trailed off, not knowing how to end her sentence.
‘We’d probably never have met.’
‘Why did you choose to live your life so dangerously?’ More questions whirled. ‘Why try to kidnap the princess? You could have had a peaceful life.’
He scoffed, brows knitting. ‘You think I chose all this shit?’
‘It’s your crime.’
‘No, Smithson, it’s my punishment.’ And with that, he walked away.
Scarlen watched him join Oxley and Raven, their heads bowed, their words too far away to hear. So much of her wanted to tell him who she was and ask more questions. Let him explain to her face what his intentions had been, as she wanted so badly to know. She wanted desperately to let him know she wasn’t abad person, that he didn’t need to hold hate for the princess, and she had to question why. Why did she care so much what he truly thought of her?
‘He would have killed you,’rang out her father’s voice.‘Taken you north and tortured you first. Shapeshifters are the least trustworthy to walk the land. They’re cunning and cold, vicious, and hungry for royal blood. I saved you from them, Adoria. You’re safe now.’
The two most confusing things were her father leaving her so close to them, and Bear not seeming cunning and cold at all. Something didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t place what it was. For too long her father had messed with her mind, and even away from him, he still had the ability to settle within her head and make her decisions. Well, not this time. She was going to find out more about the Rebels herself. Because just like she was learning new things about the kingdom each day she was locked away, she would discover exactly what the Rebels stood for and if it truly was her blood they craved.
