he whispered in awe as he watched me etch another symbol, which then faded and disappeared.
I stilled in surprise, keeping my head averted. That was not the reaction I was expecting from the prince.
“I want you to know I was wrong about the troll.” He sighed. “I tend to judge too quickly, and that is a fault of mine I will try to overcome.” My lips pinched in irritation, and I wanted to snap at him that he’d judged me unfairly too, but he interrupted my internal rant. “I was also wrong about you.” He patted the rock and stood up, moving away from me to look down the hill and into the woods, where we could see the torch and lanterns of the rest of his troops.
I was left speechless, uncertain at his admission. I stood, my trembling hands reaching for my hood as I began to pull it back to reveal I was Rose, the servant girl he seemed so infatuated with, but I was scared of being rejected again. But I hesitated too long, and Gaven rushed from the darkness, his crossbow at the ready, eyes scanning the woods. I pulled my hood back up and moved out of sight.
“Prince Xander, where’s the troll?” Gaven asked.
“Gone. It seems we have the troll problem under control for now. In twenty years, we’ll have to fill the forest with an offering of goats, but I think the town and inn will be safe for a while. One beast down, only one more to go.” He laughed and slapped Gaven on the back. His eyes twinkled with mirth, and I understood that I was catching a small glimpse of the future king, one who took joy in helping and protecting his people from harm. I was proud of who he could become, but it almost wasn’t such a happy ending. It could have ended in his reckless death, because he judged everyone by his or her appearance.
As more of his troops gathered around the cave and he continued to explain what we had done, I slipped back into the shadows. This was his moment, and I feared the feelings that were bubbling up within me. He looked around for me, his once joyous face turned to one of concern, but I had already disappeared into the darkness. My absence was quickly forgotten, as his guard Fagen hefted his fist into the air and yelled in triumph, “Long live Prince Xander!”
“Long live Prince Xander!” Tipper followed.
Casting a smaller mage light was difficult, as my hands trembled from the exertion, but I began to make my way through the woods and back to the inn. Happily humming as I did so, I clasped my cloak and then froze as I felt the cool touch of the rose pin Prince Xander had given me that I had attached for safekeeping. No, not me—Rose.
Did he see it?
I was so caught up in my thoughts that I missed the dark shadows that separated from the trees.
“You’re coming with us, witch,” a gruff voice demanded from behind me as a knife was pressed against my exposed throat.
Blinking in surprise, I glanced up at the kidnapper who dared accost me. His clothes were fine, black to blend into the shadows, and a mask covered his nose and mouth.
“No,” I said coolly. I was not in the mood to be trifled with, nor waylaid at this hour. I had lost sight of Xander, and now I was irritated.
“You will obey or die.” A second man stepped from the shadows and came up to face me. Dressed similarly as the first, his hat brim hid his features, all but for a small mole on his neck.
Ever since the knife had touched my skin, I hadn’t moved, barely breathed. Anger rolled through my body, and I felt a growl low in my throat, a challenge.
“Remove the knife at once,” I snapped.
“Or what?” The first man pressed the blade closer to my throat. “You’ll scream?”
“No,” I threatened. “You will.”
A fine powder was flung into my face, and I tried to fight the effects of the sleeping drug. A haze came over my mind, and I could feel myself slipping, losing consciousness.
A deep throaty growl surrounded us, and then their screams rent the night air.
Chapter Fifteen
Come morning, I found myself back in my locked room in the inn, with no memories of crawling back through the window or how I had escaped the men in the woods. Prudence was lying on a