Page 47 of Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate #1)

I don’t know what to say about that either.

I dab more water from the canteen onto the corner of my cloak, then reach for his face again.

But as I swipe at the blood, my eyes flick past him, looking toward the tether line.

Asher is standing near his horse, and he doesn’t seem to be looking over here, but I feel the weight of his focus all the same.

I frown.

“You seem unsettled,” Ky says.

My gaze snaps back to his. “No. I’m fine.”

“Are you worried about the Hunters? We’ve had no sign of anyone at our back. Admittedly, they could follow our trail in the snow, but if they are, they’re keeping their distance.”

That’s a bit chilling. But I shake my head.

His eyes search mine. “You’re troubled by Asher,” he guesses.

“What? Oh. No. I—” He sees far too much. My flush deepens. “He’s so angry at me.”

“It’s not anger,” he says quietly. “Give it time.”

He says that with such certainty—and with such care. It’s coolly reassuring, and it reminds me of the way he put a hand on Asher’s neck and said, Breathe.

I lower my hand and study him. He’s been so quiet and still since I began, and there’s something so surprising about that. Maybe because I’ve already witnessed the violence and savagery I expected to find in this man—right alongside the candor and empathy I did not.

“What?” he says.

You’re so much kinder than anyone knows. Why do you keep that a secret?

But of course I can’t say that. I touch the cloth to his forehead again, even though most of the blood is gone. “How much farther do we need to travel?”

“We won’t reach the border until after sundown, I’d think. Once we’re safely within Incendar, we’ll break for the night and set off at dawn tomorrow.”

“And then how much farther will we have to go?”

“From the border, it’s less than a day’s ride to Lastalorre. After we reach the palace, I’ll have Sev send runners to the front, to see how the army has fared since I’ve been away. From there, we can determine how to approach your brother about the attack—and how to proceed.”

Lastalorre. His capital city. A little shiver goes through me. Days ago, I hated the idea of Maddox Kyronan dragging me across the border, but now it feels like we can’t go fast enough.

But then I realize what else he said.

From there, we can determine how to approach your brother.

We.

At every step, he treats me as an equal, and it’s so unexpected— especially since I’ve seen the power and force he can wield.

It’s clear that Dane and my father have no interest in what I have to offer, so their attitude has never been a surprise.

But even though Asher has never been dismissive of my views, he’s still treated me as someone to be guarded and protected. Someone to be sheltered.

I wonder if Asher always longed for that protection—all while I was desperate to escape it.

The blood on Ky’s skin finally yields, so I lower my hand.

“Thank you,” he says.

“You’re welcome.” As I say the words, heat sparks on my cheeks again. Something about this feels more intimate than it needs to be, like we’re talking about something other than the journey. He keeps lighting these fires of attraction that refuse to dim.

I duck my head, swiping my hands on my cloak. I’m suddenly aware that we’ve earned the focus of his men, though they’re trying not to be obvious about it. Behind him, I see that Asher is watching this interaction now, too.

I have to clear my throat, because I’m self-conscious now. “When we arrive, what will Princess Victoria think of everything that has transpired?” I say. “Will she demand that you reconsider the alliance?”

Ky frowns, and a glimmer of emotion passes over his expression. “As I said, Victoria has no interest in politics.”

My mouth forms a line. I remember how he expected me to be stoic and uninterested, so it makes me wonder if that’s exactly what I’m going to find in his sister. “Not even when your life is at risk?” I say.

He sighs. “My life is always at risk, Princess.” I inhale to press further, but he turns away. His voice rises as he calls to his captain. “Sev! I want to make sure we reach the spire lookout by dusk. Have them mount up.”

When I turn back to head for my horse, Asher isn’t watching me anymore.

Instead, he’s glaring at his own mount like it’s an adversary.

The bruising along his jaw and up the side of his face is worse today, but I know that’s not the worst of it.

The armor is likely pressing into the burn on his shoulder—or maybe the countless other injuries he earned in the dungeon.

I can’t take this distance between us. Not when so much of his pain is my fault. I square my shoulders and join him beside his horse.

He doesn’t even look up.

I hesitate, then wet my lips. “Asher.”

“Jory.”

The silence between us practically screams. I want to ask if he’s all right, but it’s obvious that he’s not.

“Ky said we’ll cross the border around nightfall,” I finally say.

“Oh, good.” His voice is flat. “Another six hours of this.”

“I can ask the king to slow the pace,” I offer.

His mouth twists. “I’m fine.”

I frown and move closer. “I can tell you’re in pain,” I say quietly.

That gets his attention. He draws himself up, but then he scowls a little, glaring past me toward the others. “So can they. Garrett offered to tie me to the saddle if I need help sitting upright.”

My mouth forms a line, but the soldiers are drawing closer, returning to the line of tethered horses.

Callum whistles through his teeth when he sees Asher looking. “Chin up, Stripes.” His voice is darkly taunting. “We could always drag you.”

Stripes. I inhale a breath of fire, ready to snap at him.

“Jory!” Asher’s voice is low but sharp. “Leave it.”

I clamp my mouth shut. “You saved their king,” I whisper tightly. “They should see that.”

“I kidnapped their king right out from under them. They saw that, too.” He puts his foot in the stirrup and stiffly swings aboard.

“My lady,” calls Charlotte. “Our horses are ready.”

“I’ll be right there,” I call. But I can’t move away from Asher.

Not yet. I shift a little closer and look up at him.

It’s still so unusual to see him in the daylight.

His skin is so much less pale than I remember, his hair picking up flecks of light from the sun.

Even his blue eyes are vivid, vibrant above the lines on his cheek.

He glances down, and I realize I was reaching for his knee. I bite my lip and adjust my motion, patting the horse on the shoulder instead before I turn away.

Quick as lightning, Asher catches my hand. I stare at his fingers wrapped around mine, and my breath catches. His grip is gentle, and I’m frozen in place, my eyes lifting to meet his.

“Jory,” he says. His voice is as soft and low as it was in the darkness of my room. I don’t know what I’m seeing in his expression, whether it’s regret or longing—or something else entirely. His cool fingers are soft against mine.

I’m not the boy you remember, and you’re about to marry another man.

My chest aches. I was focused on the second part of that statement, but I should have paid attention to the first.

I wish I’d known. I should have known.

He gives my hand a squeeze. “I’m still here,” he says, and the words give my heart a tug, softening everything inside me that feels wound up tight.

But then he drops my hand, and the motion is so abrupt that I almost jump. Ky has returned, and he’s swinging onto his own horse beside Asher. I wonder how much of that interaction he saw, because I can suddenly feel the weight of his gaze as if I’ve been caught at something.

The king says, “Princess? Is all well?”

The words sound more like a challenge than an inquiry, and I turn to look up at him.

As soon as I do, I regret it. The king’s hair finds hints of red and copper in the sunlight, and he wears his armor like he was born for it, not a single buckle or weapon out of place.

Astride his horse, he’s easily ten feet tall.

I can’t believe I just dabbed blood off his forehead, because he seems ready to spill more if the occasion presents itself.

Beside him, Asher is equally intimidating.

He’s drawn up the hood of his cloak again, leaving his eyes heavy and shadowed.

Combined with the black armor broadening his frame, he couldn’t look more like an assassin if he tried.

Side by side, they’re a little captivating, and for a heartbeat of time, I’m transfixed. Are they rivals? Enemies? Allies? Adversaries?

It’s truly unfair that fate has put us all together.

My mouth has gone dry, and I have to shake myself. “Yes, Your Majesty,” I croak out, bobbing a curtsy before I realize that I don’t even have skirts to flare. “All is well.”

His eyebrows go up, but I’m already turning away, striding to Charlotte, taking the reins to my horse.

I have no idea what expression is on my face, but she studies me closely, then looks past me at the men. Her voice drops. “Which one am I to hate now?”

She sounds so earnest that it startles a smile through my tears.

She was always so loyal in front of Dane, so I’m not surprised to find that she’s the same in front of Ky.

Despite everything, I’m glad my brother sent her—even though everything seemed so much easier when Charlotte and I were locked in the carriage, hating King Maddox Kyronan because he seemed so evil.

But I consider everything I’ve learned about Asher—and about Astranza.

Nothing was easier. It just seemed like it was.

“You don’t need to hate either one, Charlotte.”

Her eyes haven’t left them, and her tone turns musing. “Are they no longer hating each other ?”

My cheeks won’t cool. “I...don’t know.”

Charlotte huffs a breath. “Well, they’re being too bold.”

I look at her before I swing aboard. “They are? How?”

“They’re both watching you.”

I can’t look. I can’t.

I’m not sure what it says about me that I desperately want to.

“What about the captain?” I tease. “Who’s he watching?”