emptied of air as he saw the woman he'd begun to love despite her failed betrothal to King Sebastian. His mouth went dry.
“Hello, Cedric.”
Cedric cleared his throat. “What are you doing here? I set you safe passage to Lismaria four months ago.” He glanced at the other figure, who had also pulled back her cowl. He didn't know her; her face, with skin the color of fire-roasted almonds, was framed with thick, nearly black curls; her head cocked to the side as she studied him boldly, her finely-shaped eyebrow arching upward in a derisive smirk.
Lianna's voice jerked his attention back to her again. “I suppose it's a good thing I came back for you, then. I certainly didn't expect to find you in this situation.” She waved toward the bars that surrounded them.
Cedric blinked at her antagonistic tone. “Why not, my lady? The last you saw of me, I had fled Sebastian's lengthy arm after snatching his betrothed, two of his Dragons, and his niece from under his nose. You knew the risks I undertook, in large part to help you escape a lifetime of marriage to a despot. I did it to—to keep you safe!”
Lianna sighed, a soft sound that sent shivers up Cedric's spine. “Aye, I know everything you undertook, Cedric, for my safety, and I'm thankful. As is my uncle. That's why he sent me and my slave,” she motioned to the dark-haired girl who still watched Cedric with brilliant black eyes, “here for the real business of victory, here to this tent, and here to you. He wishes to show you his gratitude; he's offering you shelter in Lismaria—a home under his protection, away from Sebastian.”
Cedric glanced at the doorway, at the guards who stood close enough to hear the soft words that spilled from her lips. She glanced at them, too. “Nay, my charms have woven a spell across their hearing. They don't know what I'm saying.”
Thoughts swirled through Cedric's head. Kinna should arrive at any moment to help him escape, but even if they were successful, they would still remain on the run. If they fled to Lismaria under the offer of asylum from Nicholas Erlane, would that not be better? “It is a generous offer, my lady. I wish to discuss it with my sister before agreeing. She will arrive soon to aid in my escape.” He glanced at the door behind him. “Perhaps your charms will help her slip past the guards? How were you planning to set me free?”
Lianna's blue eyes flickered in the dim torchlight that filtered beneath the tent canvas. She turned to the other girl. “Stay here,” she commanded. She laid a hand briefly on Cedric's arm. “I will take care of it.” A moment later, she moved to the door and motioned to the jailer, who approached the door and unlocked it, freeing her from Cedric's cage.
As soon as she passed, the jailer locked the door again. Cedric grasped the bars as he watched her walk toward the commander's tent a fieldspan away.
“I expected you to be taller.”
Cedric whirled to face the girl, Lianna's slave. “What?”
“You know, larger than life. Huge muscles or something.”
Cedric shook his head. “Why under the Stars would you think that?”
“I've heard nothing but Cedric this and Cedric that for the last month of travel. Her ladyship speaks often of you.” She slid a knife from her knee-high moccasin boot, flipped it in her hand, and approached him. Cedric backed up a step. The girl made him nervous.
An amused smile crossed her full lips. “I'm not going to hurt you.” She squatted at his feet where she inserted the dagger into the lock that shackled his ankle. Three deft twists, and the chain fell free.
“Thank you,” Cedric said as she stood and slid the knife back into her boot. “I'm surprised the guards didn't search you when you entered.”
The girl shrugged. “Her ladyship wields a powerful Pixie charm. The guards don't know I'm here.” She unabashedly perused him, from his shaggy auburn hair clear down to his dusty boots. “She wasn't wrong.”
“About
“Hello, Cedric.”
Cedric cleared his throat. “What are you doing here? I set you safe passage to Lismaria four months ago.” He glanced at the other figure, who had also pulled back her cowl. He didn't know her; her face, with skin the color of fire-roasted almonds, was framed with thick, nearly black curls; her head cocked to the side as she studied him boldly, her finely-shaped eyebrow arching upward in a derisive smirk.
Lianna's voice jerked his attention back to her again. “I suppose it's a good thing I came back for you, then. I certainly didn't expect to find you in this situation.” She waved toward the bars that surrounded them.
Cedric blinked at her antagonistic tone. “Why not, my lady? The last you saw of me, I had fled Sebastian's lengthy arm after snatching his betrothed, two of his Dragons, and his niece from under his nose. You knew the risks I undertook, in large part to help you escape a lifetime of marriage to a despot. I did it to—to keep you safe!”
Lianna sighed, a soft sound that sent shivers up Cedric's spine. “Aye, I know everything you undertook, Cedric, for my safety, and I'm thankful. As is my uncle. That's why he sent me and my slave,” she motioned to the dark-haired girl who still watched Cedric with brilliant black eyes, “here for the real business of victory, here to this tent, and here to you. He wishes to show you his gratitude; he's offering you shelter in Lismaria—a home under his protection, away from Sebastian.”
Cedric glanced at the doorway, at the guards who stood close enough to hear the soft words that spilled from her lips. She glanced at them, too. “Nay, my charms have woven a spell across their hearing. They don't know what I'm saying.”
Thoughts swirled through Cedric's head. Kinna should arrive at any moment to help him escape, but even if they were successful, they would still remain on the run. If they fled to Lismaria under the offer of asylum from Nicholas Erlane, would that not be better? “It is a generous offer, my lady. I wish to discuss it with my sister before agreeing. She will arrive soon to aid in my escape.” He glanced at the door behind him. “Perhaps your charms will help her slip past the guards? How were you planning to set me free?”
Lianna's blue eyes flickered in the dim torchlight that filtered beneath the tent canvas. She turned to the other girl. “Stay here,” she commanded. She laid a hand briefly on Cedric's arm. “I will take care of it.” A moment later, she moved to the door and motioned to the jailer, who approached the door and unlocked it, freeing her from Cedric's cage.
As soon as she passed, the jailer locked the door again. Cedric grasped the bars as he watched her walk toward the commander's tent a fieldspan away.
“I expected you to be taller.”
Cedric whirled to face the girl, Lianna's slave. “What?”
“You know, larger than life. Huge muscles or something.”
Cedric shook his head. “Why under the Stars would you think that?”
“I've heard nothing but Cedric this and Cedric that for the last month of travel. Her ladyship speaks often of you.” She slid a knife from her knee-high moccasin boot, flipped it in her hand, and approached him. Cedric backed up a step. The girl made him nervous.
An amused smile crossed her full lips. “I'm not going to hurt you.” She squatted at his feet where she inserted the dagger into the lock that shackled his ankle. Three deft twists, and the chain fell free.
“Thank you,” Cedric said as she stood and slid the knife back into her boot. “I'm surprised the guards didn't search you when you entered.”
The girl shrugged. “Her ladyship wields a powerful Pixie charm. The guards don't know I'm here.” She unabashedly perused him, from his shaggy auburn hair clear down to his dusty boots. “She wasn't wrong.”
“About
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