Page 15 of Wolfkissed
And here I’d been fearing my arrival at my betrothed’s house. Not the way there. Not so much, despite knowing that a journey through the plains could prove dangerous. Traveling in a carriage with human bodyguards sounded pretty safe, and I was prepared for possible contingencies. Ready to use my short sword and my limited training with the manor’s old sword master, my wits, and my determination to get to my destination.
Yeah, I never thought I might not make it far from the manor before I’m torn to pieces.
The servants leave, and Della helps me out of my robe and undergarments. It’s a relief to step into the hot water, gather inmy knees, and let her scrub my back with scented soap. It smells of roses and mint, and my eyes close as she wets my hair and sets about lathering it.
“I could run away,” I whisper. “Steal a horse and run.”
“My lady…” Her hands go still on my hair.
“Run to the capital. Or no, wait, better to a small town at the rim. Nobody will look for me at the world’s end.”
“It’s dangerous out there,” she says tightly. “You’re not a mercenary. You will be captured and sold?—”
“To the dark fae? Is it any worse than traveling with one?”
“My lady…” She moves so that she’s facing me, letting her wet hands float in the water of the tub. “What if he doesn’t attack you? What if that sword can really protect you?”
I scoff. “A mysterious sword belonging to my mother, that I’ve never heard about before now. And it has the power to control werewolves?”
“It does sound far-fetched,” she agrees with a small wince. “However, there is a lot we don’t know about the magic of this world. And about this werewolf outside your door.”
I frown at her. “Don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to him, Della?”
She shakes her head, a smile flitting over her lips. “Of course not. I mean, he’s handsome, but that’s not?—”
“He’s a wolf!”
She jerks a little, paling. “I know.”
“No, you don’t.” Tamping down the vehemence is hard. “You don’t. You think the handsome façade is a mirror of his soul? That he would act like a human? That he won’t attack me at the first opportunity, feast on me and run? Well, think again.”
She nods, mouth pursed. “You’re right. You know better. Let’s hope that this sword will make a difference.”
I shake my head. Should I keep up hope?
“If Stepfather had found such a valuable magical item,” I tell her regretfully, because I can see how much she wants to believe it, “he would never give it to me. In fact… for some reason, I think he decided to get rid of me.”
“My lady...”
“I won’t give up so easily,” I reassure her, although on the heels of the anxiety attack, I feel wrung out and exhausted.
“What will you do?”
I gesture for her to lean closer and drop my voice to a whisper. “I’ll demand extra chains. Extra men. And then we’ll abandon him somewhere, throw him down a gulley, and continue on our way.”
“Yes, my lady. Yes.” Her eyes shine. “Save yourself.”
“I intend to.” I glare at the closed door and the creature behind it. “This time I won’t let the wolves take me.”
Men or wolves. I’ve learned not to trust either, and I’ll be damned if I give up now.
CHAPTER SEVEN
ROSAMUND
Having a plan of sorts gets me out of my immediate, gut-wrenching panic. They want me gone? Fine, I’ll go, but I’ll make sure I survive this journey.
Bathed and fed, I feel human again, as opposed to a small animal burrowing inside a hole, fighting for its life.
