Felix’s smile disappeared, and he stroked her cheek. “My dear, why doesn’t your voice sound encouraging?”
“Because I’m scared to death.” She kept her voice low.
“Not to worry.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I shall be right beside you all the—”
Something whooshed through the air and thudded against something hard. Felix’s eyes widened for a moment before confusion crossed his handsome features. Closing his eyes, he stumbled away from her a few steps as he reached behind his neck. It was then when she noticed an arrow-shaped object protruding from his neck.
“Felix!” she screamed and grasped his arm.
Flinching, he pulled the small six-inch pointy stick out of his skin and brought it around to look at it.
“The dart!” Her voice shook more from the fear coating his eyes than anything. She’d been forewarned, and yet... it still happened. Why hadn’t she been more cautious? She’d even warned Felix, hadn’t she?
The other men rushed to his side, muttering words in a different language. So much had happened in the past few days that fright consumed her very being.
Felix brought the arrow to his nose and sniffed. A curse ripped from his mouth. “It’s a poisonous dart.”
Tears stung her eyes. She knew it. “How... who...” She glanced around them. “Who did this?”
“Someone who wants me dead,” Felix said.
Fear paralyzed her for a brief moment. She couldn’t move and she couldn’t speak. Even her mind stopped working. The only sound she heard was the dread in his voice when he’d saidpoison.
“But it’s all right, my love.” He tried to smile even though his lips were trembling. “We shall be at your father’s within an hour. I’m certain he has a physician that can help me. He’ll have an antidote, I’m certain of it.” He closed his eyes and swayed. The men nearby grabbed his arms to keep him standing.
“Felix!” she cried out again. She cupped his face, shaking it until he looked at her. “Donotclose your eyes again. Do you hear me?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Yaas, ma’am.”
His voice was slightly slurred, which worried her more. She looked at Pete. “What is going to happen to him?”
Pete hefted Felix’s arm around his neck as he helped to hold up the bigger man. “This kind of poison takes time to pass through the body. It makes one feel dizzy, feverish, and nearly unable to move.”
Her heart cried out, and her mind screamed at her to take charge. “Then let’s get moving quickly. My father will help.” She slipped beside Felix and draped his other arm around her shoulders. “Men, let’s move out. Now!”
Felix’s head fell to the side as he stared at her with glassy eyes. A lazy grin stretched across his face. “Yaas-sir, cap’n.” Then he chuckled softly.
Although his slurred speech was comical, this wasn’t the time to laugh. Later they’d find this humorous... once he was well and had the poison out of his body.
He leaned his head against her. His eyelids drooped as he stared at her. “K’trina, yer so purdy. I luv it when ya take charge.” He chuckled.
If she didn’t know better, she would think he was intoxicated. This was the kind of man she was used to being around. She could handle men who were foxed, even though it was difficult. “Felix, concentrate on moving your feet. We cannot move them for you.”
“Yaas-sir, cap’n.” He swung his head toward Pete. “Isn’t she adorable?”
Pete tried to smile at Felix, but Katrina could see the fear in his eyes, too. “That she is, Knightly.”
Felix’s head lulled back toward hers. “An ya smell so wun-erful.” He groaned softly. “I’m so tired.”
“Felix Knightly!” she snapped and did her best to bring him alert. “Donotfall asleep on me. Do you understand?”
“Yaas, m’dear,” he mumbled.
The other men kept looking back at Felix and shaking their heads, while frowning. Her heart wrenched. She didn’t come this far to lose Felix now. Yet, she didn’t know how long it would take for the poison to kill him.
Silently, she prayed.Lord, don’t take him from me!
