But alas, the poor man would pass away in just a few days. She would make sure of that.
Before a week was gone, she would be queen. Then she could have General Caladras and his son executed for treason. Once she had the army under her control, she would be safe. There would be no one in all of Woodwyn who could threaten her.
And there would be an added bonus, she realized with a smile. With the general gone, there would be a vacant spot in the Circle of Five. Soon, that spot would be hers, and the whole world would acknowledge her power.
Chapter 8
“Are you feeling better now?” Sorcha asked as Aleksi drank some water from a leather flagon that Father Kit had given him.
Aleksi gave her a wry look that questioned her intelligence.
“I guess you’re in pain,” she muttered.
“What was your clue?” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Oh, could it be the two arrowheads stuck in my back?”
Sorcha sighed. Aleksi was in a foul mood after waking to find himself strapped belly-down across a saddle, traveling to an unknown location in the company of three strangers he didn’t trust. Now, he was standing beside her on the road, firing questions at her in Norveshki so their conversation would be private. So far, he hadn’t been too pleased with her answers.
“What the hell is a Woodsman?” he growled.
A pushy guy who annoyed her but still made her heart race? Sorcha winced. She couldn’t say that. The owner of the most beautiful male face she’d ever seen? That was even worse. His last words kept tumbling through her thoughts, making it hard to focus. Do you mean to tempt me? Good goddesses, when he’d said that, she’d nearly fallen out of the saddle.
The Woodsman was currently standing next to his horse, and even though she was trying to ignore him, his presence made her feel on edge. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking or how much he could understand of her conversation in Norveshki. He seemed tense and impatient, though, for he kept glancing in the direction of the army encampment.
“He’s Embraced,” she whispered to Aleksi. “He’s able to talk to trees. And break things. Wooden things.”
Aleksi scoffed. “Isn’t that special?” He slanted a dubious look at their travel companions. “You still haven’t explained why three men from Eberon are helping us escape the elfin army. What’s in it for them? Why were they even in the vicinity of the army?”
Sorcha shifted her weight. This might not be a good time to admit that the Woodsman and his men were a bunch of bandits. She was still having trouble accepting that, herself.
“And why the hell are we headed that way?” Aleksi pointed down the road. “That’s south.”
Damn, how come everyone knew that but her? “They’re taking you to a physician.”
“So they say.” Aleksi grimaced. “If only I’d been wounded in an arm or leg. Then I would still be able to shift. But with my back injuries, I can’t sprout my wings.”
“I know.” She touched his arm. “You were injured while protecting me. I’m both grateful and sorry.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “I’ve had worse injuries than this. But really, you should have left when I told you to. If these people find out you’re the princess—”
“They already know.”
“What?” Aleksi shouted.
The Woodsman spun toward them. “Do not yell at her again,” he warned in Eberoni.
Aleksi huffed, then whispered in Norveshki, “Why is he acting like your protector? That’s my job.” He leaned close to her. “He’s not interested in you, is he?”
Her heart did a little leap. Was he? She couldn’t be sure. “I don’t know.”
Aleksi frowned. “As soon as I can manage it, I’ll shift and fly you out of here. Don’t let them know that I’m a dragon—”
“They already know.”
“What?” Aleksi bellowed.
“Enough!” The Woodsman stalked toward them. “Your time is up,” he announced in Eberoni. “We’re leaving now.”
“Who put him in charge?” Aleksi grumbled.
“Tell me about it,” Sorcha muttered.
“Now,” the Woodsman ground out.
“Fine,” Aleksi answered in Eberoni. “But first, I need to know one thing. Why are you helping us?”
Sorcha tensed, worried that the Woodsman would confess to admiring her bravery and sense of honor. The compliment had touched her heart, but it had felt like such a private moment, she didn’t want to share it with anyone else.
After a pause, the Woodsman answered, “We rescued you because it was the right thing to do. The army was not going to treat your wounds. No doubt they were hoping you would die so there would be one less war dragon for them to worry about.”
Aleksi stiffened, but remained silent.
The Woodsman motioned to Sorcha. “Her Highness was also in grave danger. General Caladras sent a message to your king, threatening to kill Sorcha if the king didn’t hand over Gwennore.”
“How do you know all this?” Aleksi asked.
“I know. Now let’s be on our way.” The Woodsman extended a hand toward Sorcha.
Aleksi pulled her back. “She’ll ride with me, Tree Man.”
“Woodsman.” He flexed his hand before dropping it by his side. “It would be best for her to ride with me. Neither of you know where we are going.”
“We don’t need to know,” Aleksi argued. “We can follow you.”
“You are in a weakened state. If you lose consciousness again, you could fall off your horse and further injure yourself. Her Highness would not be able to catch you as Liz could.” The Woodsman extended his hand once more. “Sorcha?”
Her breath caught. Somehow it felt as if he was asking for more than a mere ride on a horse.
As she hesitated, she looked at his face, but could only see his beautiful mouth and feel his gaze focused intently on her. And still, he kept reaching for her, not giving up as the seconds ticked by.
She felt drawn to him, she realized. Intrigued. Attracted, which made no sense at all. She rested her fingers against his, and instantly, his hand tightened around them.
What have I done? she wondered with a touch of alarm.
He exhaled slowly, and the soft sigh reverberated through her, causing a shocking realization. If he was that relieved, it could only mean he had been worried that she would reject him.
Good goddesses, did he truly care about her?
* * *
Sorcha sat stiffly in the saddle, wondering what on Aerthlan was happening to her. She should be more concerned about her and Aleksi’s safety, but instead, she was becoming obsessed with this mysterious Woodsman.
“You must be exhausted,” he murmured, his voice soft against her ear. “We’ve been riding for over an hour. You can lean against me and sleep, if you like.”
As if she could when her heart was pounding and her nerves were on edge. And it didn’t help that Aleksi was glaring at them from his seat behind Liz. “How much farther is it?”
“We’ll reach Drudaelen Castle tomorrow. But in a few minutes, we’ll arrive at the village of Northwood.”
She glanced back at him. “Is there someone there who could help Aleksi?”