Once again, eeriness crawled over her. Suddenly she felt like she wasn’t alone.
TWELVE
He almost had her wherehe wanted...
And yet, Ryder had felt this way before, too. Once he’d lowered his defenses, she’d led him to an abandoned tower and chained him to the wall. What could be worse?
He cringed and rubbed a sore wrist. He didn’t want to imagine that she could think of anything worse. It was hard enough to believe she’d donethisto him.
Talking to her earlier, he wondered if she might have a little remorse for her actions. At times today, she had appeared guilt-stricken, and she certainly had tried to speak kindly to him. Definitely different from yesterday when she had spoken with such malice in her voice.
However, this timewasdifferent. Her expression was different. The way she had looked at him told him that he just might be able to change her mind about keeping him locked up until her wedding.
Frustration shot through him, and he hit his fist into the thin mattress of the cot. He couldn’t let her marry Prince Ormond. Somehow, some way he had to get her to listen to him...to believe him. Ryder wondered if the spell she was under wasn’t as strong this morning, and that was why he had seen the guilt written on her face.
He could only hope.
The echoing screech of the door opening and then footsteps rushing up the stairs made his heart a little lighter. One way or another he would convince her to release him—and most importantly, to not marry Prince Ormond.
When he noticed her carrying a bucket of water and a cup, he sighed disappointedly. He’d hoped to convince her, once she came back empty-handed, that leaving him here without water was going to kill him, and it would be easier to just let him go rather than to try and find a way to bring him some. Apparently that plan hadn’t worked.
“I see you found something for the water.” He pointed to the bucket.
Clarissa held up a cup. “Yes, and something to drink it with.”
“Where did you find them?”
“Believe it or not,” she placed the bucket by the basket of food, “there was an old, abandoned cottage not far from here.”
His luck hadn’t been good lately, that was for sure. “How fortunate for you.”
“And for you.” She smiled. “I’m just relieved I didn’t have to travel very far before I found it.”
Her expression changed, and she absently rubbed her arms. His instinct as a king’s guard—and a friend—kicked in. “What’s wrong? I can see something is bothering you.”
“I don’t rightly know what is wrong.” Slowly she paced in front of him, closer than usual, but still careful to keep out of his reach.
