and remembered when he’d mentioned men coming to bring them back to—
“Castle L’Mere. That’s where we’re going, isn’t it?”
Taking her wrist again, he started walking, roughly pulling her along behind him. “Yes,” he answered. “The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.”
Caught up in her own head, she let him lead her as she thought about everything she’d been told. New worlds, magical people, scary hunters, and now…a castle? It was starting to feel like a twisted kind of fairytale—one she wanted to wake the heck up from.
Tugging on her hand, she pulled it free and demanded, “Stop. Just stop for a minute, would you?”
He stopped all right. Then he turned, and as she stared at him in rapt fascination, he did the one thing she’d been waiting for. He reached up and removed the mask from across his face.
As a slightly crooked nose came into view, she studied the dark stubble lining his lips and jaw and felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch them with her fingers. She hadn’t been prepared for the face behind that mask, and Naeve realized that it had been way easier to believe he might kill her when she hadn’t known how dangerously attractive he was.
That was the least of her concerns, however, as he opened his mouth and spoke.
“I don't have the time or the inclination to stop every few feet and answer the questions of some confused woman. Especially one that is dressed as you are.”
Shocked by both his words and tone, Naeve looked down at her dress. She had to admit that it did look pretty bad right now, but that wasn’t her fault.
“There’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing. Or there wasn’t until you started chasing me and I fell in the dirt.”
“I was not referring to the dirt. If anything, that at least adds some modesty to your ensemble.”
Naeve felt her mouth fall open. Not only was this the most he’d said since holding a knife to her throat, but she now had the distinct feeling he was insulting her outfit.
“Time to go. Unless you would like me to examine your choice of clothing from a much closer perspective.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she decided that ignoring him would be her best option.
“Now that's a shame. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a woman. I was hoping you’d take me up on the offer.”
“Well, at least the women of this… Arcania are smart.” Yeah, so much for ignoring.
“No,” he stated bluntly. “They’re just deadly. Now stop talking and start walking. We have a long night ahead of us.”
As they started to move through the forest again, she thought over what he’d said. Two things stood out to her. He’d called Bastian a sensualeer. What is that? And he’d said that the women here were deadly. How could a woman be deadly to him?
She observed the way he moved up ahead of her. He was so stealthy for someone his size. Where she made the branches snap and could hear her own breathing, from him, she heard nothing. He had huge, thick boots, but they made no sound when he walked, and even though he was hauling what looked like an arsenal of weapons, she still couldn’t hear a thing.
This man was dangerous. He’d proven that when they’d first met.
But what was most alarming was how drawn to him she felt. It was as though the more he spoke, and the more he revealed, the more she wanted to know. He made her forget where she was and how she was there. Instead, he had her wondering about this place and what it would feel like to touch that hard-looking face.
And what a face it is.
All she’d seen were his eyes, nose, and mouth, yet the thought of them made her more aware of her body than she'd ever been.
It was insanity. It was unreal.
And if this was a dream, she wasn’t quite ready to wake up.
* * *
Ry’Ker followed the West bank to the top of the Falls, where he’d instructed his men to assemble within the hour. As he drew closer to the group, he noticed they were
“Castle L’Mere. That’s where we’re going, isn’t it?”
Taking her wrist again, he started walking, roughly pulling her along behind him. “Yes,” he answered. “The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.”
Caught up in her own head, she let him lead her as she thought about everything she’d been told. New worlds, magical people, scary hunters, and now…a castle? It was starting to feel like a twisted kind of fairytale—one she wanted to wake the heck up from.
Tugging on her hand, she pulled it free and demanded, “Stop. Just stop for a minute, would you?”
He stopped all right. Then he turned, and as she stared at him in rapt fascination, he did the one thing she’d been waiting for. He reached up and removed the mask from across his face.
As a slightly crooked nose came into view, she studied the dark stubble lining his lips and jaw and felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch them with her fingers. She hadn’t been prepared for the face behind that mask, and Naeve realized that it had been way easier to believe he might kill her when she hadn’t known how dangerously attractive he was.
That was the least of her concerns, however, as he opened his mouth and spoke.
“I don't have the time or the inclination to stop every few feet and answer the questions of some confused woman. Especially one that is dressed as you are.”
Shocked by both his words and tone, Naeve looked down at her dress. She had to admit that it did look pretty bad right now, but that wasn’t her fault.
“There’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing. Or there wasn’t until you started chasing me and I fell in the dirt.”
“I was not referring to the dirt. If anything, that at least adds some modesty to your ensemble.”
Naeve felt her mouth fall open. Not only was this the most he’d said since holding a knife to her throat, but she now had the distinct feeling he was insulting her outfit.
“Time to go. Unless you would like me to examine your choice of clothing from a much closer perspective.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she decided that ignoring him would be her best option.
“Now that's a shame. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a woman. I was hoping you’d take me up on the offer.”
“Well, at least the women of this… Arcania are smart.” Yeah, so much for ignoring.
“No,” he stated bluntly. “They’re just deadly. Now stop talking and start walking. We have a long night ahead of us.”
As they started to move through the forest again, she thought over what he’d said. Two things stood out to her. He’d called Bastian a sensualeer. What is that? And he’d said that the women here were deadly. How could a woman be deadly to him?
She observed the way he moved up ahead of her. He was so stealthy for someone his size. Where she made the branches snap and could hear her own breathing, from him, she heard nothing. He had huge, thick boots, but they made no sound when he walked, and even though he was hauling what looked like an arsenal of weapons, she still couldn’t hear a thing.
This man was dangerous. He’d proven that when they’d first met.
But what was most alarming was how drawn to him she felt. It was as though the more he spoke, and the more he revealed, the more she wanted to know. He made her forget where she was and how she was there. Instead, he had her wondering about this place and what it would feel like to touch that hard-looking face.
And what a face it is.
All she’d seen were his eyes, nose, and mouth, yet the thought of them made her more aware of her body than she'd ever been.
It was insanity. It was unreal.
And if this was a dream, she wasn’t quite ready to wake up.
* * *
Ry’Ker followed the West bank to the top of the Falls, where he’d instructed his men to assemble within the hour. As he drew closer to the group, he noticed they were
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