With each cruel word, I felt the slice of his tongue across my skin and the burning pain it left behind. Again, I was no stranger to these derogatory remarks, but they hurt more now than from a stranger.
Steel yourself, Rosalie.
When Yasmin was inside and we were truly alone, I became uncomfortable standing barefoot and without a proper shawl or coat. Only now did the chilly night air attack me, the cuts on my feet stinging as the adrenaline wore off. My stitches burned from running, and I was now doing everything in my power to mask the pain I was in. I would never give him the satisfaction of seeing me weak or powerless.
“You are a fool,” I snapped. “You underestimate the beast. It’s smarter than any animal. Its thoughts are—”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re connected to it with the way you talk.”
“N-No, I can sense it. And when I dream, I….”
“You what?” he asked.
“N-Never mind,” I said, glancing away, my lips pressed firm, my arms crossed to ward off the chill and my shaking. I would not give my enemy any information about the beast.
“Why did you touch the dead man?” he asked.
Here it comes. More accusations. More fuel to the witch fire.
“It’s one of my gifts.”
“What is?” Silence. “As your future king, I demand that you answer my questions. You say you do not lie—then don’t. I know we may not know much about magic, but you could teach me. Tell me the truth.”
“Very well. I will tell you the truth, but in no way does this prove me in league with the beast or in a conspiracy against you or your kingdom. Do you understand?”
“Let me be the judge of whether you’re forming a conspiracy against me.”
“You’ll be the judge or the executioner?” I queried.
“Rosalie.” He said my name in exhaustion. My full name. It was almost my undoing. I sighed in contentment at hearing it cross his lips.
“If you want answers, then you need to be ready for a history lesson, my liege, and one I am not prepared to give you in the middle of the night, in this state of undress.”
Xander glanced down upon my nightdress and bare feet. His eyes widened, and seeing me in this state seemed to undo him. He spurred into action, rushing forward to lift me into his arms. Instantly, I felt the heat of his chest against my side and almost melted into him.
Xander marched me into the stable and headed to the back stall, grabbing two folded horse blankets from a shelf. He placed me down on the ground, my feet crunching the straw as he wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, then spread out another one on top of the straw.
He gestured for me to sit, but I refused to move. How dare he assume I could be so easily duped into putting myself into an unladylike situation? I was not Yasmin.
“Sit,” he demanded.
“I will not.”
Xander grabbed me around the shoulders and pushed me down into the straw. I yelped in surprise and prepared for his attack, but nothing happened. Once I had fallen on the ground, he stepped out of the stall and came back with another lantern and more blankets. Under the blanket was a long wooden handle.
“Why do you have to be so infuriating? I’ve never met someone who tries my patience as much as you.” He pulled the stall door closed behind him, crouched low, and wrapped another blanket around my shoulders, revealing the wooden crossbow. Xander unshouldered a quiver full of silver arrows and set it against the door.
“Where did you get the arrows?” I asked.
“I had already brought them down here earlier in the day.”
“Why?”
“To hunt the beast. I was coming to lie in wait in the stables when Yasmin caught me in the foyer and followed me out. She refused to leave me alone despite my warnings of danger.”
“Why would you do something so foolish? Where are your guards?”
His eyes flared with fire. “Did you not see Gaven’s men across the yard near the woodshed, Tipper and Fagen by the well, and Yassa’s guards hidden along the property?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“Then hopefully the beast wouldn’t either.”
“It’s a trap,” I realized too late.
“Yes. We tried to find the beast’s trail during the day but found nothing, so we resorted to laying a trap. We were hoping we would catch the beast in the act, but obviously you