Seduce Me in Flames by Jacquelyn Frank Page B

began to grab at her. She couldn’t take part in this! Not in any way! When he was captured, and he
would
be captured, her uncle and brother would cite her escape attempt as proof positive of treasonous intent. For all she knew, that’s what all this was. A huge setup to coax her into doing that one thing they needed to justify giving her a death sentence.
    And yet, like some kind of numb soldier, she stepped away from the door, grabbing hold of Suna’s arm and preventing her from going to the door to look out and see what the noise was all about. Coldness walked down Ambrea’s spine. He’d called her “Princess.” Though she had not identified herself, he knew who she was. Any ideas she might have that he was a random smuggler making a random escape attempt with a total stranger were utterly dismissed. He had come for her. He had purposely allowed them to catch him, to bring him down into this hole, to attack and shock him. He had orchestrated all of his behavior so they would place him on the top level, the level where she was being held.Then he had been forced to act quickly, she realized, for they were not going to let a Tarian remain in the upper levels for long. They would want to move him down and away from her.
    Although the explosion around her lock was far more shaped and controlled, it also sheared it off completely from the rest of the door, as if someone had punched a hole through it and left burnt edges. The lock dropped to the ground with a clang. The Tarian shoved through the doorway, his bulky frame too big for it, forcing him to duck under to keep from hitting his head. Then he reached out one of those massive paws he called a hand, the palm raised upward as if he were the most refined gentleman asking to escort the heiress of Allay onto a dance floor. The idea of it on such a rough man was, of course, ludicrous. As was the idea of her willingly putting her hand in his, and effectively signing her own death warrant.
    The Tarian saw her hesitate, saw her entire body draw back in fear, although by only a minute movement.
    “One day you’re going to have to cross the line, Princess,” he said quietly, his eyes a deeply intense amber, an overall tinge of rose making them seem so rich and surprisingly beautiful. It was almost like looking into a warm, moving golden flame instead of the fiery orange that one might expect. His eyes were steady on hers as his accent lightened again by half. “You’re going to have to take action to get what you want. To claim what’s rightfully yours. Why not take that action today?”
    “Ambrea, no!” Suna gasped, her shock at what was happening finally wearing off. “You’ll never make it out of here! If you do, you’ll be a fugitive! They’ll kill you on sight.” She must have realized she was sounding hysterical, so she ratcheted down her fear and narrowed her eyes on the Tarian. “What if it’s a trick?”
    “And what if it’s the solution you’ve been looking for?” he countered.
    “Who sent you?” Suna demanded, puffing herself up and pushing between the two of them as if her tiny stature could do anything to stop the Tarian. “This is Balkin’s plotting, isn’t it?”
    “Nothing I say will convince you otherwise,” he said quietly, meeting Ambrea’s gaze once again. “Ask yourself one question.” He paused for a beat, a significant beat considering the jeopardy they were in. “Ask yourself, ‘Why has no one come through that outer door yet?’.”
    That was when it sank into Ambrea’s head just how unhurriedly he had done everything so far. And he had done it with such a quiet, knowing confidence. He wasn’t alone. This wasn’t a random, impulsive act at all but something well thought out and well planned. So far it was well executed, but she could tell by the way he briefly glanced down the tunnel that they were quickly losing whatever advantage he felt they had. Had he been completely unworried, she would have known that this was