“Two to three hours, sir. Maybe even four,” the lead guard said. “What do you want to do?”
Stryker took in a deep breath as if trying to steady himself. “We ride to the south. To capture these thieves in the black market they are no doubt going to sellmyjewels in.”
Before anyone could speak Stryker grasped me by the hips and I yelped as he tossed me onto the back of his horse. He came up behind me this time and tore down the mountain like a rabid animal.
I didn’t say a word, the truth was my heart hurt for the Ethereum lord. No wonder he didn’t trust anyone, no wonder I’d become so valuable to him.
The truth witch.
Everyone was trying to take advantage of him, steal from him, plot against him, and why? Because he was rich? That wasn’t fair.
Once we got to the inn we were packed up and ready to go within thirty minutes. Stryker sent a messenger ahead to inform his brother, Adrien, the Ethereum Southern lord, that he would be coming to his lands and why.
I got the impression by the way he spoke to the messenger that he hadn’t talked to his brother in a long time.
Once we were in the carriage, Stryker secured the shackles around our ankles once again. We rode in silence the first few hours, the carriage bouncing wildly as we tried to make good time.
“I don’t blame you,” I said suddenly, and Stryker startled a little as if he’d forgotten I was there. He was staring out the window at the morning sun, lost in thought.
“For what?” There was a vulnerability in his voice, as if he were begging me not to go too deep.
“For who you are. Why you don’t seem to trust easily, how tight your security is.I can’t imagine living with someone always plotting against me in my sleep.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Are you plotting against me in your sleep?”
I smiled. “Maybe at first, not anymore,” I answered truthfully and his face went slack as more of that vulnerability showed itself.
He sighed, staring wistfully off into the mountains and giving me a full view of the scarred lines on the side of his face. Lines that, according to Eli, were given to him by a lover who had betrayed him. In truth, when I looked at his face I hardly noticed them anymore. I didn’t see a scarred man. I only saw Stryker, a devastatingly handsome fae who was starting to inch his way into my heart.
My heartbeat fluttered. This was bad. So bad. How could I save my kingdom if I grew attached to the man I had to kill in order to save it?
The simple answer was that I couldn’t. I couldn’t kill him. Couldn’t save my kingdom.
“I would give it all up to have a normal life,” he said suddenly, and I sat up straighter at that. “The riches, the castle, the lordship.” He flexed his hands. “Even the power.”
My heart shattered in that moment. “Why don’t you?”
He peered at me, shaking his head. “An Ethereum lord is chosen by the magic in our bloodline. It chose me when my predecessor passed. There was no question, no ceremony, no consent. I have black blood, therefore I am destined for this.”
We sat in silence for a moment. Both of us trapped by the weight of our titles and responsibilities.
“I guess I could give you back your dagger and then you’d free me from this life, but the burden would only fall to one of my nephews.”
A single tear slipped down my cheek. I tried to swipe it away quickly, but it was too late. He saw and cocked his head to the side in interest. When our gazes locked, I knew with a certainty that I wasn’t looking into the eyes of a monster, of a dark evil being beyond reach or reason as I had been told, but simply those of a man.
We had been lied to growing up. If everything he said was true, then we had.
“It’s not much different from a Faerie princess. I have no say, I am royal by blood.”
It was true, and yet I loved my people, my palace, my duties.
My people.
“My people are going to die,” I said, because even though it had been at the back of my mind, it was at the forefront now. A few more tears slipped over onto my cheeks. “And there is nothing I can do.” I tried to control my emotions, not wanting Stryker to see me like this.
He watched me like you would watch a cat playing with a ball. Curious as to what I would do next. “My brother and his witc—wife said something about finding another way to help her people,” he said and I perked up at that.
She did? Dawn was looking for another way? Of course she would if she’d fallen in love with the Ethereum Northern lord. She wouldn’t have been able to kill him either. And she wouldn’t just abandon our people. I should have known that.
