Page 102 of Shadow Queen
He pushed himself deeper, joining their bodies and their souls. He buried himself in the essence of her, but it wasn’t enough. “I need you, Tahla,” he breathed. “I need you to be mine like I am yours.”
A line wrinkled over her brow, and her eyes dipped in sadness. He immediately regretted his words.
“Caspian,” she started, “I—”
“Don’t answer,” he whispered as he cupped her face in his hand. He shook his head. “Don’t answer.” Then he covered her mouth with his to keep silent the words he most feared—that he would have to let her go.
Chapter twenty-nine
Ithadbeenseveralweeks since Alec and Norah had returned from the Wild, and Adrian’s mind still spun, wondering what had happened. Norah had shared only that she couldn’t get her memories back, that they were gone for good, but no one would actually speak of what had transpired. Not Norah, not Caspian, and certainly not Alec.
He made his way along a cobbled road veining out from the castle. Perhaps he’d ask the lord commander. But that would make Alec furious, as would knowing Adrian had been outside the castle and exploring the city. Anger rose in his cheeks, and he snatched up a rock and flung it behind him, high into the air, toward the wall of the castle. Everyone treated him like a boy still, but he wasn’t a boy. He was twenty now, and better than most men with a sword. He picked up another rock and flung it even farther.
Voices caught his attention, and he focused his gaze ahead of him, where a young woman walked with three men around her. She was perhaps his age, her dark hair pulled back and up, although he couldn’t see her face from behind. One of the men put his arm around her shoulders, but she shoved it off. She spoke firmly in the Shadow tongue, her words sharp with objection. Laughter rang out from the men, but she wasn’t laughing.
Adrian watched closely as he trailed behind, quickening his pace. Another man snaked his hand around her hips and pulled her to him. She tried to twist away, but he held a firm grip, taunting her. Adrian couldn’t understand the words, but he knew the message. The man sneered something into her ear, and she twisted back, giving him a sharp slap to his cheek. She had spirit.
The man grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer, and she cried out.
“Leave her alone!” Adrian shouted.
The men paused their noxious play and turned in surprise. On seeing Adrian, one gave a low chuckle. “This doesn’t concern you, Northman.”
“Yet here I am, concerned,” Adrian cut back as he caught up to them. He looked at the young woman. “Are you all right?”
She gave a small nod, but the fear in her umber eyes told him otherwise.
“You see?” the man nearest to him said. “She’s perfectly all right with things. Be on your way.”
Adrian gave a challenging smile. “Butyousee,I’mnot perfectly all right with things.” He looked at the young woman. “Can I accompany you to where you’re headed?”
“How noble of you,” the man that held her retorted. “But she’s not going anywhere.”
Adrian dropped the forced smile. “Release her.”
The man pulled the girl closer to him. “If you want her, come get her.”
Adrian cursed himself for not having his sword, but he was never one to refuse a fight, and this would certainly be a fight.
As if on cue, the man nearest to him charged with a balled fist for his stomach. Adrian curled forward with his elbows down and together, blocking the attack. He spun and delivered a sharp blow to the man’s back as he passed, knocking him to the ground. The second man leapt forward, arcing his fist in the air and bringing it down. Adrian knocked it aside, countering with his own. The first man was back on his feet, and he delivered a steel punch to his ribs. Adrian doubled in pain as he stumbled to the side. The man advanced with a second attack, but Adrian blocked, saving himself from another hit to the side. He threw his elbow up, catching the man under the chin and sending him backward.
The second man grabbed him from behind, pulling him into a choke hold. His first attacker jumped forward, delivering a blow to the stomach that knocked the wind from him, followed by a hit to the side of his face. Adrian coughed and gasped for his breath as blood ran down his cheek. Another blow to his stomach made him drop to his knees.
Adrian fell forward, struggling to draw his breath. The man who held the girl pushed her to the side and drew a dagger from his belt. He grabbed a fistful of Adrian’s hair and pulled his head back.
“Would you rather lose your tongue or an eye, hero?” he asked with a grin.
“Fuck you, coward!” Adrian spat.
The man’s grin fell, and his breath quivered in anger. He brought the tip of the dagger to Adrian’s eye. “I’ll take them both, then.”
But the tip of a sword touched the man’s neck, stopping him.
“Release him,” a familiar voice ordered.
The man let him go, and Adrian sank forward, coughing. When he looked up, he was surprised to see the lord commander.
The three men stood obediently at attention and bowed.
