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I stepped over to Horus and placed my uninjured hand on the large man’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, my Princess,” he said. “You could have been killed because of me.” He shook his head.

“You were only trying to do what you thought was best,” I assuredhim. “But you have to understand, Horus. What’s best for me is letting me go. Please,” I begged one last time. “Don’t tell my father where I am.”

Horus looked down at my bloodied arm, the blood no longer dripping to the ground. I waited patiently for him to say something. I just wanted this to be over.

“I will give you two days,” he said finally, his voice raspy. “Two days before I send word to the King that you were spotted outside of Chatus.” He looked over at Elias. “With an unknown male,” he finished.

Was it necessary to even mention Elias? I didn’t argue, knowing I should take what I could get. “You would do that for me?” I asked him.

Horus let out a sigh. “Callum is my king, but you are my princess,” he noted. “I don’t know what you’re chasing after, Aurelia. And I don’t know if it’s worth what you’re putting your father through. But…whatever the reason, it must be damned good if you’ve gone through all this trouble.”

I smiled, but his scarred face did not return the expression. “It is,” I said. I turned to walk back to Elias, but Horus grabbed my hand, gently this time.

His unscarred eye darted between me and Elias. “He cares for you,” Horus whispered. “And you for him. I can tell.”

My cheeks filled with heat. “I don’t know what you mean,” I replied quietly.

Horus shook his head. “Maybe you cannot see it yet, but I can.” He looked between us again before changing the subject. “You have two days, Princess Aurelia,” he reminded me loudly. I nodded and walked towards Elias, who watched us intently.

“I guess we better get going,” I said to Elias as I approached him. He only nodded.

“I don’t know who the fuck you are,” Horus shouted to Elias, who peered over at him. “But you take care of her. Protect her with your life.”

I was shocked at Horus’s statement, but even more shocked at Elias’s response.

“Always,” he said.

CHAPTER TWELVE

We left in a hurry. I glanced back for only a moment to see Horus standing where we left him, the distance between us quickly growing. His good eye was locked on Elias in a glare.

I was simultaneously shocked and thankful that Horus let us leave, although I wondered if two days would be ample time to get far enough ahead. I had the feeling if Horus caught us again, he would not let us go if he could help it. But then again, Elias bested him in battle, or at least would have if not for Horus’s devious final blow with the sword that struck me instead.

Elias and I walked for over an hour without speaking, our hiking pace brisker than it had ever been.

Always. The word replayed in my mind again and again. I thought back to the events of the last few days. The river, saving Nadia, journeying to Chatus, then Horus finding me. What did Elias meanbyalways? That he’d always protect me? Or had I misheard him entirely?

As my mind raced, I paid little attention to my surroundings. I slightly nudged a tree with my wounded arm, and a sharp pain pulsated through my injury. I winced and pressed my other hand over the wrapped wound.

Elias whirled around so quickly, it took me by surprise. Had I made that loud of a noise from the pain?

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I eyed him curiously. “Yes, I just bumped it. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Do you want me to look at it again?”

My brow rose. “Are you a healer?”

“No,” he answered shortly.

“Then why do you care so much?” It wasn’t even a rhetorical question, but a genuine one.

Elias met my fiery stare, and held it for a moment. “Because I don’t want you slowing us down,” he scowled.

I suddenly felt a little hurt, but not because of my injury. A tinge of grief hit me that I could not explain. Maybe I did mishear the “always” after all. But his response was so callous and out of nowhere, I began to wonder if I had done something wrong. Maybe he was mad about how I dragged him into Chatus only for him to be right about it being a terrible idea.

A sudden anger filtered through me at the unwarranted harshness of his words. “The only one slowing us down right now is you,” I huffed as I pushed past him with my uninjured arm.