LITMIR.BIZ

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me. But you must get us to Partheney as soon as possible. My brother will be beside himself. He’ll have men searching door-to-door in the city. There’s no telling what he might do.”

      That stuck me as doubtful. Brothers did not go to such lengths to retrieve their sisters.

      “Who were those men, Princess?” Reynaud asked. “How did you come to be here?”

      She winced, as if remembering. “I…I was alone in the stable yesterday, and one of them grabbed me. He put a bag over my head, and then I was pushed into the back of a wagon and felt myself being covered. I was afraid…but not overly. Our guards search any wagons passing through the castle gates, so I didn’t believe the men would get me out.”

      Reynaud stepped closer. “But they did get you out. How?”

      She shivered. “The guards at the gate did not search the wagon, and let it pass.”

      At this, I couldn’t help a stab of pity. Though her story made little sense, women of our class relied upon our guards. I could not imagine my father’s men allowing captors in tattered clothing to roll me out the gates of the keep.

      “Did they say what they wanted?” Reynaud asked. “Ransom?”

      “Not ransom. They said they were taking me north, to the kingdom of Samourè, to marry Prince Amandine.”

      That made no sense at all. Ruffians did not kidnap princesses and carry them across the border to be married…unless perhaps Prince Amandine wished to marry the girl and had failed in his own negotiations. But how did that explain why the guards allowed Ashton’s captors out the gates without searching their wagon?

      Reaching out, she grasped my hand again. “I am grateful to you for saving me, but please, we must hurry. The king will be distraught.”

      * * * *

      The rest of the morning passed swiftly.

      Though I’d never met a princess, Ashton behaved nothing as I would have imagined. Neither proud nor haughty—nor regal—she remained quiet much of the journey and deferred to Captain Reynaud in all things.

      By mathematical accounting, she must be at least nineteen, a little older than me, but she seemed younger, almost childlike, and I couldn’t help wondering why. Still, in the grand scheme, I didn’t give her much thought. Though she’d stated I would be her “sister,” this meant little. Again…she would soon be married off, and I would probably see her perhaps a few times over the course of the rest of our lives—if that. To me, she would be nothing.

      We stopped for a simple lunch, and she thanked the captain for the apple and the biscuit he brought her. Upon seeing the protective and pitying expression on his face, I wavered in my opinion of her. He looked as if he wanted to strip off his cloak and wrap it around her like a blanket. Perhaps she was not such a fool. I’d met women who possessed the gift of making all men want to lay down their lives. Such women disgusted me. I could never simper and say “thank you” so prettily to win the heart of a man. These guards protected me because they were paid and because they were loyal to my family.

      This was the only acceptable arrangement.

      After lunch, we rode a few more hours, and then I saw Ashton shift uncomfortably in her saddle. She appeared nervous. “We’ll see the city just over that rise,” she said.

      Why would she be nervous?

      After glancing once at me, she urged her horse over to the captain’s and began to speak softly. I wanted to hear what they were saying and followed after.

      We reached the top of the rise.

      Looking down, I took in a sharp breath. The city of Partheney waited below. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight.

      The city stretched for leagues, but it spread out around a hill, and at the top of the hill stood an enormous eight-towered castle. Much of Partheney itself had no walls, as it had grown outward over the centuries. One section of the city—near the center—was walled, and there was a second wall around the castle itself. Not far west of the city, the ocean spread to the horizon. I had never seen the sea.

      Captain Reynaud appeared to be weighing a decision.

      “What’s wrong?” I asked.

      He looked back at me. “Since the princess was abducted, anyone seen with her might be taken for the culprits. Riding all the way through the city for the castle could be risky.”

      Well, we couldn’t sit out here forever. “What do you suggest?”

      Turning his torso to look back, he called out, “Rufus!”

      A stocky young guard nudged his horse into a trot and came to join us.

      “Go down into the city, and go to the guards up at the castle gate. Tell them what’s happened, that we’ve recovered the princess and have them send us an escort.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      The guardsman was off like a shot, cantering down toward the city. Again, I was grateful for Reynaud’s steady head. His precaution was wise. Or…had this been Ashton’s idea?

      We waited.

      I expected our escort from the castle to take a while, but in a surprisingly short time, fifteen horses came galloping out of the main entrance to the city, nearly flying up the road toward us. As they grew nearer, I could see that except for one man, they all wore chain armor and tabards of light blue and yellow—the king’s colors.

      The leader wore a sleeveless tunic. His hair was dark. He rode like a demon, pushing his horse to its limits.

      Ashton’s nervousness increased to open anxiety.

      “My brother,” she said.

      A jolt ran through me. That was the king? He’d come out himself and was riding in the lead?

      Quickly, Ashton dismounted and ran a few steps ahead. When she turned back, her face shone with open fear.

      “Everyone, please. Get off your horses and kneel down. Don’t touch the hilts of your swords for any reason.” With obvious regret, she looked to me. “You too, my lady. Get down and kneel. Please. Can’t you see the state he’s in?”

      This plea startled Reynaud, but the group of riders was almost upon us, and the man in front had increased his lead.

      “Everyone down!” Reynaud ordered. “On one knee!”

      The men obeyed instantly. A moment later, Reynaud was at my side, reaching up. I was attempting to understand this chain of events. Even a woman of my status would curtsey to a king, but the thought of having to grovel on the ground was unthinkable. Still, my instincts told me to follow Ashton’s plea, and I let Reynaud lift me off my horse.

      Then I knelt, but I kept my head up, watching.

      Ashton stood well in front of us, on her feet, waiting. The king jerked the reins of his frothing horse, and as it skidded, he jumped to the ground before it had fully stopped. I took in the sight of him. No one had warned me he was handsome, well formed and muscular. His hair was thick and dark brown and hung in waves just past his collar.

      His body was in motion the instant his feet hit the ground. He ran to Ashton and scooped her up in his arms, gripping her so tightly to his chest I feared he might hurt her. His dark eyes were wild as he began striding back to his horse. There was nothing she could have done to stop him, but I saw her whispering rapidly in his ear. I assumed she was confirming our messenger’s story, telling him my identity and explaining that my guards had saved her. I expected him to stop and turn and come back to both greet and thank me. He did neither.

      Instead, he lifted her to the front of his saddle and jumped up behind her, gripping her again as if his life depended on it. She was still whispering quick words. Her hands were on his chest, and she appeared to be trying to get him to stop. I saw her mouth the word “please” several times.

      The

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