sounds wonderful.”
“I’ll let the captain know.” Crytstali turned to go, but Kazia leapt to her feet, grabbing her arm before she made it past the sitting room.
“No, Crystali, no thank you.” Crystali looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “He was on duty last night, correct?” Kazia didn’t know how she knew he was out there. She had always been able to tell when he was close.
“Yes, but he’s specifically said—”
“I know what he said. I just see no reason to wake him when he’s just getting to sleep.” Never mind the fact that she hadn’t been to sleep yet, either. “Benjamin and Heath, or any of the others will do just fine.” Please don’t make me see him again. Not after last night.
Crystali frowned, clearly not loving the fact that she’d been put in such an awkward situation — one she could not win. But she finally nodded. “I’ll let them know you’re ready to go out.”
They went for a long walk. She wore her hood, because the lack of sun made the air chilly. She didn’t talk much, but she did laugh at Benjamin and Heath as they bantered back and forth. Her guards seemed to read her mood and realized she needed the distraction, and they were happy to provide it as they meandered down the path and through the meager village. “There aren’t any fair maidens in this village, your highness.” Benjamin grinned down at her. He was tall, probably as tall as Luke, but younger, closer to her age. She’d played with him and Heath both as children, and they’d both also trained with her growing up. Until she’d been forced to be a proper princess, they’d been the closest things she had to friends.
“I’m ever so sorry. Next time we flee for our lives, I’ll try to choose a destination with at least a handful of eligible maidens to entertain you.” She smiled.
“And a better tavern — one that serves food not made last week,” Heath chimed in.
“Aren’t you being fed well in the barracks?” Kazia frowned. It would be just like Kristina to make Kazia’s troops go hungry. Except for Luke. She takes very good care of Luke.
“Yes, but it’s hard to breath there. It seems like we are under constant surveillance,” Benjamin said and Heath nodded.
“I see. I am sorry that we have to be here. I don’t know when we’ll be allowed to go home.”
“When the assassin is caught and the castle is rebuilt,” Benjamin said firmly.
“And what if we don’t catch him?” Kazia whispered.
“We will.” Heath nodded.
She looked from one to the other. They really believed that. They believed the assassin could be caught. Kazia nibbled her thumbnail while she watched Nakomi race back and forth across the street, smelling all the new smells and chasing small animals, like she thought she was still a puppy and not a terrifying wolf.
“The captain is going to have our hides for letting you leave without him,” Heath said as they left the village and headed into the surrounding forest.
“He needs his rest. And no one said he had to accompany me every time I left the estate.” Kazia snapped a twig from the tree and amused herself by peeling the bark as they walked along.
“Actually…” Benjamin started and he and Heath exchanged a glance.
Kazia stopped. “He didn’t.”
“He did.”
She rolled her eyes and resumed walking. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Does he really think he can protect me any better than anyone else?”
“I think it’s more personal than that.” Heath snickered.
Kazia stopped again, brandishing her stick at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Heath laughed, holding up his hands. “Nothing, your Highness. It’s common knowledge that captain has a sweet spot for you, that’s all.”
Kazia dropped her stick. Scrambling to pick it up, she hoped her blush was hidden in the shadows of her hood. “He certainly does not. He does his job because I am all that’s left for him to protect.”
“If you say so, your
“I’ll let the captain know.” Crytstali turned to go, but Kazia leapt to her feet, grabbing her arm before she made it past the sitting room.
“No, Crystali, no thank you.” Crystali looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “He was on duty last night, correct?” Kazia didn’t know how she knew he was out there. She had always been able to tell when he was close.
“Yes, but he’s specifically said—”
“I know what he said. I just see no reason to wake him when he’s just getting to sleep.” Never mind the fact that she hadn’t been to sleep yet, either. “Benjamin and Heath, or any of the others will do just fine.” Please don’t make me see him again. Not after last night.
Crystali frowned, clearly not loving the fact that she’d been put in such an awkward situation — one she could not win. But she finally nodded. “I’ll let them know you’re ready to go out.”
They went for a long walk. She wore her hood, because the lack of sun made the air chilly. She didn’t talk much, but she did laugh at Benjamin and Heath as they bantered back and forth. Her guards seemed to read her mood and realized she needed the distraction, and they were happy to provide it as they meandered down the path and through the meager village. “There aren’t any fair maidens in this village, your highness.” Benjamin grinned down at her. He was tall, probably as tall as Luke, but younger, closer to her age. She’d played with him and Heath both as children, and they’d both also trained with her growing up. Until she’d been forced to be a proper princess, they’d been the closest things she had to friends.
“I’m ever so sorry. Next time we flee for our lives, I’ll try to choose a destination with at least a handful of eligible maidens to entertain you.” She smiled.
“And a better tavern — one that serves food not made last week,” Heath chimed in.
“Aren’t you being fed well in the barracks?” Kazia frowned. It would be just like Kristina to make Kazia’s troops go hungry. Except for Luke. She takes very good care of Luke.
“Yes, but it’s hard to breath there. It seems like we are under constant surveillance,” Benjamin said and Heath nodded.
“I see. I am sorry that we have to be here. I don’t know when we’ll be allowed to go home.”
“When the assassin is caught and the castle is rebuilt,” Benjamin said firmly.
“And what if we don’t catch him?” Kazia whispered.
“We will.” Heath nodded.
She looked from one to the other. They really believed that. They believed the assassin could be caught. Kazia nibbled her thumbnail while she watched Nakomi race back and forth across the street, smelling all the new smells and chasing small animals, like she thought she was still a puppy and not a terrifying wolf.
“The captain is going to have our hides for letting you leave without him,” Heath said as they left the village and headed into the surrounding forest.
“He needs his rest. And no one said he had to accompany me every time I left the estate.” Kazia snapped a twig from the tree and amused herself by peeling the bark as they walked along.
“Actually…” Benjamin started and he and Heath exchanged a glance.
Kazia stopped. “He didn’t.”
“He did.”
She rolled her eyes and resumed walking. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Does he really think he can protect me any better than anyone else?”
“I think it’s more personal than that.” Heath snickered.
Kazia stopped again, brandishing her stick at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Heath laughed, holding up his hands. “Nothing, your Highness. It’s common knowledge that captain has a sweet spot for you, that’s all.”
Kazia dropped her stick. Scrambling to pick it up, she hoped her blush was hidden in the shadows of her hood. “He certainly does not. He does his job because I am all that’s left for him to protect.”
“If you say so, your
Similar Books
