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Well, hopefully not bloody.

Smiling grimly and not at all surprised by her reaction, he returned the knife to his lap and stared out at the night. He did not know when an assassin would appear tonight. He was only certain that onewould. But, until then…

Arrik had a long night of waiting and waiting and waiting in silence, as it stretched endlessly between him and the woman who would never trust him. And though it was clear both of them were growing tired, they both remained alert to the tense electricity in the air. There was a clear and present danger around them both, and it appeared that neither one of them would sleep until it disappeared.

“Are you really not planning on touching me?” she finally rasped.

Her words surprised him. “I have no intention of ever touching you, woman.”

“Then why take me as your wife?”

He chuckled. “I live to serve the crown.”

“Even when the crown you serve is corrupt?”

“Even then,” he admitted gruffly.

“You are no warrior,” she whispered. “You are a sheep.”

“Go to sleep,” he replied, not rising to the bait. Arrik knew what he was.

“If my lord commands it,” she grunted, turning her face away from him.

He couldn’t help but smile. Her sarcasm was amusing.

You can’t afford to find her amusing.

Arrik sobered and pushed back serval braids from his face and settled into the chair. Time passed slowly and the breeze picked up, kissing his bare skin. It had always been too warm in Verlanti for his taste. He preferred cooler temperatures. One could always bundle up but there was only so many clothes a person could take off.

His state of undress bothered the princess. The isles were more of a conservative sort of people compared to the elves. Bodies were a thing to be celebrated and admired amongst those in Verlanti while the dragon people kept theirs hidden behind layers of fabric and fur. Which was ironic since they spent so much time in the water with their dragons. How did that work anyway? Thoughts for another time.

The wind shifted about an hour or two before dawn and with it a sense of foreboding.

He stood and moved farther into the darkness, the lantern light had long since been put out. The princess stiffened, her eyes widening and Arrik held a finger to his lips. She snapped her mouth shut and closed her eyes.

The whisper of fabric against foliage caught his attention the moment before a shadow drifted through the white sheer curtains as silent as the night. One of the slats of the wooden floor creaked and the assassin froze for a second before continuing toward the bed. Arrik had chosen this room because of its faulty floor. It made it more difficult for someone to sneak up on him.

Without a second thought, Arrik slunk from the wall and crept toward the intruder. He crossed the room, Kalles’ dagger in his hand as he stepped over the mess of broken dishes from his tussle with the princess. He hadn’t cleaned it up. It was just another obstacle for anyone planning on sneaking in. Arrik gritted his teeth as one of the floorboards squeaked again. It didn’t always work in his favor.

He launched himself at the assassin who spun to face him. The killer avoided his attack and stepped backward, a blade flashing in the moonlight. Arrik darted out of the way and cursed as the intruder turned their attention back to Wren.

He should not have left her unarmed.

The assassin reached for her at the same moment she levered up and slammed her head into their face. The killer cried out and Arrik grabbed them by the back of their hood and placed a dagger at their throat.

“Don’t!” the princess cried out.

He knocked the blade out of the killer’s hand. “They just tried to kill you.”

“But why?”

Why indeed.

Coming to his senses, he took the intruder to the ground and wrapped his arm around their neck, choking the air from their lungs. The assassin scrabbled, clawing at his arms but soon their struggles slowed and then ceased.

He cursed and released the killer. Arrik tore off the hooded shroud from the person’s face and frowned. It was a boy. He couldn’t be more than sixteen years old.

“Did you kill him?” the princess rasped.