Page 6 of The Dark Prince
“No one here would begrudge me marrying my wife in my chapel, in my castle, and then taking her in my bed?” I challenged the room.
Isadora made a choking sound from under me, but my grip on her elbow was like iron. She realized she hadn’t agreed to marry a dashing hero or a white knight. Good.
Hearing no protests, I guided her out the hall and toward the main doors, always keeping her a few inches away from me. I didn’t trust her not to bolt, and I didn’t trust Perron or any of his people to let us go free.
I needed to get on the road to clear my head.
The blonde girl started screeching as soon as we left the hall, and Lord Perron’s bellows for her to shut up followed. Isadora cringed, but dutifully kept moving her feet forward.
“Who’s going to do my hairnow?” came a wretched cry from beyond the closed doors.
I snuck a peek at Isadora, spying the small smirk on her face. A few more pieces of the puzzle fell together. Had this true born daughter of the house been aservantto Perron’s daughter?
That bastard. I wouldn’t put it past him.
We burst outside, and I guided us to the stables. To my irritation, guests flooded out from the house behind us, intent on watching the drama play out. I didn’t miss how Isadora kept looking at the small group of servants huddled toward the back. Her eyes watered, but she kept her composure. Making a quick decision, I pulled a small sack of coins from my pocket, and threw them at the group.
“My condolences. For your losses, increased workload, and your patience.”
Isadora’s head jerked toward mine, but I refused to meet her gaze. I wasn’t being kind;I was being just. That was my job as the king’s hand of justice in the realm.
A young boy rushed forward and picked up the coins quickly, sticking one flour-covered hand into the bag and distributing them to the others. One servant fled and quickly returned with my horse, still saddled and ready to go as I’d requested. My battle ax was still strapped to the horse, and my goods remained untouched.
I nodded, secure in the knowledge the servants deserved the gold. My ax flashed in the afternoon sun as I removed the burden from my horse and strapped it to my back. None of the nobility dared to stop me, even though they outnumbered me.
With a glare from Lord Perron ,the servants scattered, and I reminded myself to send word to my informants to ensure he didn’t steal the gold from them later on. Isadora was looking around curiously, no doubt wondering if I was alone or if I had other knights and hired swords, or banner men.
I took the reins and gave my horse a fond pat on her flanks. I tried not to name them, as I’d had more horses shot out from under me than I cared to count. As with everything in life, there was no point in getting attached. I turned back toward Isadora.
“Do you ride?” I asked, throwing the thin leather straps across the horn of the saddle.
The horse was eyeing her, and she eyed her back.“Not since I was very young,” she admitted, wary.
The horse gave a huff through her bit, and glanced away from Isadora, no longer interested.
I grunted. “I don’t have the patience for carriages, so you will ride with me. Can you sit astride in that thing?”
She glanced down at the ridiculous dress, blushing. I rolled my eyes and stepped toward her, grabbing the hem of her dress and ripping it to her waist. I ignored the gasps and muttering of the crowd, and the panicked sound she made, her arms trying desperately to hide her legs.
She tried to duck away, but I grabbed her, wrapping my hands around her waist and lifting her onto the horse like a man, positioning each of her legs to sit astride. She blinked as she realized the rip was practical, not nefarious.
I pushed away the annoyance that everyone here thought I’d defile a young girl in public, including her.
You’re the Dark Prince. There’s no limit to the amount of depravity you’d commit to get the job done. Isn’t that right?
I swung myself up behind her on the horse and kicked my heels in. I wanted to put as much distance between myself and these people as fast as I could. Isadora didn’t even look back as we left that manor behind us.
Three
ISADORA
We were leaving.
I grabbed the horn of the saddle in reflex to balance myself. The horse felt a bit more unstable under me than I remembered as a child, but the ground seemed closer. My chest felt tight, and my stomach flipped uneasily.
Roselle’s satin slippers weren’t appropriate for riding, let alone a journey. Has the Dark Prince even noticed my footwear? He hadn’t even allowed me a cloak. He seemed singularly focused on leaving my step-father and his cronies behind. I couldn’t blame him, but the cold was quickly seeping through the thin layers of my dress.
It wasn’t like I had anything I could change into, either. Perron had sold all of my mother’s clothing—her heavy gowns trimmed with fur, her leather boots, and even her stitched gloves. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel the butter-smooth leather gliding across my fingertips….
