“I know enough.”
“No, you don’t. What happened to your brother was a tragedy. I don’t defend what Aron did because he was wrong. And I was wrong not to stop it when I had the chance. I was horrified about what happened that day. So you can hate me all you want, but I swear to the goddess that if you harm Nic, I will kill you myself.”
In that moment, she meant every word. Every weak, meaningless, and laughable word. Still, Jonas stared at her as if he’d never expected her to say such a thing.
“Shocking,” he said. “Maybe there’s more to you than beauty and a shallow personality.”
“Don’t you dare insult her,” Nic snapped.
Jonas rolled his eyes. “Looks like you have at least one admirer among us. This one would give his life for you, wouldn’t he? Wouldn’t you, Nic? Would you die for the princess?”
Nic swallowed hard, but his eyes held steadily onto Cleo’s face. “I would.”
Oh, goddess, this was all too much. She couldn’t stand by and watch Nic die at the hands of this disgusting boy. “And I’d die for him too,” she said firmly. “So take that ridiculous dagger and point it in my direction instead.”
Jonas turned his narrowed gaze fully on her. “I can make you a deal to spare your dearly devoted friend’s life. Are you willing to bargain with me?”
She glared at this boy, one she both feared and loathed. There was only one answer that could give Nic the chance to get away. “Yes.”
“The deal is this: you will come with me of your own free will. You won’t try to escape. You won’t give me any problems.” He cocked his head. “And I let your boyfriend here run away with his head still attached to his skinny body.”
“No, Cleo,” Nic snarled. “Don’t do this.”
She kept her chin raised and didn’t look away from Jonas’s searing glare. “You want me to trust that you won’t kill me? To agree to go with you even though I don’t know where you’ll take me? I’ve heard what happens to girls who are kidnapped by savages.”
He laughed. “Is that really what you think of me? A savage? How Auranian of you. I could just kill him, you know. I’m bargaining with you because I’m no savage. Unlike you and your friend who killed my brother.”
If she went with Jonas, she was putting her fate in the hands of a boy who hated her and blamed her for his brother’s death. But if she said no or tried to run away, she had no doubt this heathen would kill Nic. She couldn’t live with herself if she let that happen.
“Fine. I’ll go with you,” she finally said. “Now take that blade away from his throat or you’ll be very, very sorry, you scum-sucking son of a pig.”
It was a meaningless threat at best. However, if she got the chance to get that dagger away from him, she wouldn’t hesitate to thrust it deeply into his throat. “Understood, princess.” He eased the blade away from Nic’s neck.
“Cleo, what are you doing?” Nic’s words was panicked. “You can’t agree to this.”
What she despaired about wasn’t that she’d fallen into the clutches of a savage boy who was willing to kill without a second thought. It was that her search for her sister’s cure was now at a dead end.
“Keep searching for the Watcher,” she urged. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Don’t worry about you? For this moment forward all I’ll do is worry about you.”
“Jonas said he wouldn’t kill me.”
“And you believed him?” Nic’s expression twisted with agony. Normally Nic was the one with a smile and a joke and very rarely serious. But he was now.
She had to believe him. She had no choice. “Go. And don’t try to follow us.”
Jonas took her by her upper arm and yanked her with him along the dirt road, back in the direction they’d taken from the village, still muddy from last night’s rainstorm. He cast a dark look over his shoulder toward Nic. “Follow us and the deal’s off. I’ll keep the princess and I’ll kill you. Now run along home where it’s safe.”
Nic stood there in silent fury, his fists clenched at his sides as Jonas dragged Cleo away. His face was now as red as his hair. She looked back over her shoulder at him as long as she could until he was only a speck in the distance.
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded.
“Shut up.”
She hissed out a breath. “Nic’s not around for you to threaten anymore.”
“So now you’re going to give me a hard time? I don’t suggest it, princess. You won’t like the result.”
“I’m surprised you’d even bother to use my royal title. It’s obvious you don’t respect it.”
“What would you prefer I call you? Cleo?”
She looked at him with disgust. “Only my friends call me that.”
He scowled at her. “Then I’ll definitely never call you that. No, I like princess. Or, maybe, ‘your highness.’ It reminds me how high and mighty you consider yourself when faced with a lowly savage like me.”
“That term seemed to bother you. Why? Are you afraid it’s true? Or do you consider yourself more refined that that?”
“How about you shut up like I asked you to earlier? Or I can gag you if you’d prefer.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Where are you taking me?”
He groaned. “And it begins again. The princess has a big mouth.”
Her thoughts raced. “You’re going to use me to extort money from my father. Aren’t you?”
“Not exactly. A war is brewing, princess. Did you know that?”
She gasped. “War?”
“Between Limeros, Paelsia, and your precious, glittering Auranos. Two against one, which are odds I can support. I believe it’s possible your delicate presence in my land will help end things quickly and without bloodshed.”
Cleo reeled from this possibility. She’d known there was unrest—but war? “As if you’d care about something like that. I’d think someone like you would relish any chance to spill blood.”
“I don’t really care what you think.”
“You would use me against my father? Hold me hostage? You make me sick.”
His grip on her tightened painfully. “Your silence is worth any price to me right now. So be quiet or I’d be happy to cut out your tongue, your highness.”
Cleo stopped talking. She went quiet and still, as docile as she was capable of being, and he continued to lead her along the road. Past the village, it turned into a smaller muddy path. A brown rabbit darted in front of them and into a meadow with tall grass—surprisingly green for this otherwise faded, dreary landscape. She didn’t ask any more questions. She knew he wouldn’t answer them. And she didn’t want to risk losing her tongue.
Finally, fooled by her suddenly calm demeanor, Jonas let go of her arm long enough to wipe the back of his hand across his forehead.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she bolted away from him, feet quick as the rabbit’s as she left the path and burst into wide, grassy meadow. If she could reach the forest on the other side, she might be able to hide until nightfall. Then she’d find her way back to the harbor. And escape.
But before she made it to the tree line, Jonas caught up to her. He grabbed hold of the back of her dress, pulling her to a rough stop in the tall grass. It was abrupt enough that she stumbled, fell, and slammed her head against a chunk of stone protruding from the earth.
Darkness fell all around her.
• • •
Princesses, in Jonas’s opinion, should be meek, polite, and easy to manage. So far, Princess Cleiona Bellos had been none of the above. Even the chief’s daughter Laelia, who spent much of her time either dancing erotically or playing with her snakes, was the more sweet and gentle by far.
This girl was a snake. And he wouldn’t underestimate her again.
Jonas twisted his an
kle on the uneven ground as he raced after her. Pain and fury stormed through him. If she’d just knocked out her brains so they oozed onto the stone, a weathered sculpture that he now saw was in the shape of a wheel, he would be happy to stand here and rejoice. Instead, he waited and tested his bad ankle. At least it wasn’t broken.
As he stared down at her, impatience turned his entire body tense and jittery. “Wake up.”
She stayed still.
He studied her face. He couldn’t deny that she was lovely . . . maybe even the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. But the most beautiful girl could still be deceptive and evil.
“Wake up,” he demanded. “Now.”
He nudged her with the tip of his boot but received no response.
Jonas swore loudly and crouched down at her side, jabbing the dagger blade-side down into the dirt next to her so he could have both hands free. Then he felt at her throat for a pulse.
There was one.
“Too bad,” he breathed, although part of him was deeply relieved. He studied her face, pushing the silky hair back from it. She was tiny, a foot shorter than him and at least seventy pounds lighter. Her pale lavender dress was made from the finest silk—he’d never seen anything like it before. She wore tiny blue sapphires in her pierced ears and a green stone ring on her finger, but that was the sum total of her jewelry. Smart, since any flashier jewelry to go along with her fine clothes would have undoubtedly made her more of a target for thieves. Her face was free of the paint Laelia wore, but her cheeks were still bright and sun-kissed and her lips the color of roses. Unconscious, she didn’t seem nearly the cold, manipulative, rich bitch he’d fully decided she was.
Finally her eyelashes fluttered open.
“It’s about time, your highness. Did you have a nice nap?”
Then Jonas jerked back, startled, as the sharp tip of his dagger pressed up against his chin.
“Get away from me,” the princess snarled.
He didn’t need to be told twice. He carefully shifted back from her, surprised that she’d managed to pull the weapon out of the ground without him noticing. Just as he’d begun to think she was harmless and vulnerable, the beautiful snake had managed to sharpen her fangs. She got up awkwardly, keeping the dagger trained on him, and retreated to the other side of the stone wheel that she’d fallen over.
He eyed her warily. “So now you have my dagger.”
“I have Aron’s dagger.”
“Finders keepers. He left in stuck in my brother’s throat.”
The hardness in her eyes softened and they grew shiny with tears.
He scoffed. “You can’t think I honestly believe you feel bad about that.”
“Of course I do!” Her voice broke.
“Your Lord Aron killed him without a second thought. Despite this, you’ve still agreed to marry him, haven’t you?”
When she laughed, it was a sound removed from humor. “I loathe Aron. Our engagement was not my choice.”
“Interesting.”
The hardness returned to her gaze. “Is it?”
“You have to marry someone you loathe. That makes me happy.”
“So glad my misfortune could help brighten your day.” She glared at him. “In any case, I have the knife now. If you come anywhere near me, I’ll be sure it finds your heart.”
He nodded gravely. “You do have my weapon. Very dangerous now, aren’t you? I suppose I should be frightened.”
She glared at him crouched six feet away from her, the knife clutched tightly between her fingers.“Tell me more about this war against Auranos you mentioned. What is your goal?”
“To take your precious land and split it evenly between Paelsia and Limeros. You have too much and we have nothing, and it’s all because of policies your greedy country enacted a century ago. So we’ll take what you have and make it ours.”
“It won’t happen. My father will never back down.”
“Which is why it’s excellent to have his sparkling jewel of a daughter as a bargaining chip. I’m going with Chief Basilius myself for a meeting with your father. We’ll see what he has to say. But perhaps the king doesn’t mind losing one daughter when he already has another who is his official heir. Princess Emilia could have been a better choice—but she’s not in Paelsia. I’m still curious, your highness. Why are you here?”
“None of your business,” the princess hissed.
His brows drew together. “Did I hear you ask your friend to continue searching for a Watcher? What kind of nonsense was that?”
Something dark and unpleasant flashed across her beautiful face. “None of your business,” she said again, then added, “savage.”
Jonas ignored his frustration and held out his hand to her. “Give that dagger to me before you cut yourself.”
She jabbed the weapon in his direction. “I’m not planning to cut myself. But I’m planning to cut you if you come any closer.”
The girl’s tongue was a thousand times more dangerous than any weapon in her possession. He’d be surprised if she’d ever held one before. Still, he watched her carefully. As much as he despised her, the view was quite lovely.
“Enough of this,” he said aloud.
He pounced on her, grabbing her wrists and easily knocking the dagger away. He pushed her back, stretching her arms up over her head, keeping a tight hold of her wrists. He pressed his body down firmly on hers, pinning her in place against the wheel. She looked up at him with both alarm and fury.
“Get off me, you beast! You’re hurting me!”
“If you’re trying to appeal to my compassionate side, you’ll find that I don’t have one when it comes to you.” He adjusted so he had her wrists secured in one hand. The other came down to press against her throat. He stared into her eyes and finally saw a satisfying edge of fear there. She thought he would kill her, despite his earlier promises.
He increased the pressure on her throat and stared down into the face of the girl who’d stood by her fiancé’s side as his brother bled to death.
“Why are you in Paelsia?” he demanded. “Are you here to spy for your father?”
She looked up at him with wide eyes. “Spy? Are you mad?”
“That’s not an answer.”
“No, I’m not here to spy, you fool. That’s ridiculous.”
“Then why? What did you mean when you told your friend to search for a Watcher? Talk,” he growled, bringing his face down only an inch away from her own. Her quickening breath was hot and sweet against his skin. “Or you’ll be very sorry.”
“I’m here for my sister,” she finally said, not breaking eye contact. He couldn’t tell for sure if she was lying.
“Your sister,” he repeated.
“There’s a legend of an exiled Watcher in Paelsia who possesses grape seeds infused with earth magic that have healing powers.”
He rolled his eyes. “You want me to believe you’re literally searching for a Watcher. Do you chase after rainbows as well?”
His mocking earned him a withering look. “If I have to. My sister is horribly ill. She’s dying and no one can help her. So I came against the judgment of my father to find that Watcher and beg for her help.”
Jonas processed this ludicrous story, but one thing rang out above all else. “The heir to the Auranian throne is dying.”
“I’m sure you’re thrilled to hear it.”
“You think so, do you?”
“My pain is your glory. You hold me responsible for your brother’s death, and now you know my sister lies dying in the palace and I’m helpless to save her.” Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.
He watched her carefully, waiting for a sign of deception.
“You don’t believe me,” she said, despair edging her words. “All you see when you look at me
is something evil. But I’m not evil.” She drew in a ragged breath. “I’m not!”
At first glance, she appeared so small and fragile—but the princess possessed a fierce and fiery core that could burn anyone who got too close. Even Jonas felt its heat. It surprised him. She’d surprised him.
“Are you going to say something or are you just going to keep staring at me?” she asked, looking up at him with those wide blue-green eyes.
He got to his feet so fast he nearly retwisted his ankle. Then he yanked her up with him and he didn’t try to be gentle about it. She swayed on her feet, seemingly unable to find her balance for a moment. She was lucky she was only dealing with a bit of dizziness after knocking herself out. It could have been much worse.
Without a word, he grabbed the dagger, shoved it into the leather sheath on his belt. He began to drag the princess back out to the road.
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded, bringing their conversation around full circle.
“Somewhere quiet where I’ll make sure you don’t cause any more trouble. You know, you really should have used that knife on me when you had the chance, your highness. You won’t be getting away from me again.”
Cleo glared at him, the fire back in her eyes. “I won’t hesitate to kill you next time.”
He gave her a cold smile. “We’ll see about that.”
As soon as he got Cleo to the storm shed at the edge of Felicia and her husband’s property, he bound her hands in front of her and attached a chain to her ankle—a long one, for range of motion—to ensure she wouldn’t be able to leave. She cursed at him, fighting him every step of the way. It didn’t slow him down very much.
“I know you hate me.” Tears glistened in her eyes. She was fueled by anger now, so the fear came and went.
“Hate you?” he asked. “Don’t you think I have that right?”
“I hate myself for what happened to your brother. I’m truly sorry for what Aron did. Tomas didn’t deserve to die.”
“You’re only saying this to try to save yourself.”
“Not only,” she admitted.
He couldn’t help but laugh at her honesty. “You think I’m going to hurt you.”