control it took for him not to shout. “You think you’re better than everyone else because you have a title? You think someone like me is not good enough for you?” As soon as he said it, he winced. It wasn’t what he meant to say, but it was too late.
“I would only think someone like you was not good enough for me if I desired a future with someone like you, which I don’t. You are nothing but a savage who abducted me from my home. A bloodthirsty barbarian who thinks he can usurp the King of Predaria. You are just like every other common thief.”
The anger on the faces of his men made her wonder about Caleb and how he commanded such loyalty from them. They seemed to genuinely love him.
But Caleb wasn’t angry. The stricken look on his strong face might have touched her if she were not angry with herself for being so affected by him. It frightened her. The attraction was coming in waves, engulfing her, making her forget that he was her family’s enemy.
But if her words had caused him any pain, it only lasted for an instant. For it was replaced quickly by a tightening of his jaw and a determined glint in his eye.
He left without another word and went to his tent.
Determined not to watch the powerful length of his legs or the way his hide pants clung to him, Willow yanked her braid free and wove it back together neatly, then went to sleep.
She woke the next morning feeling exactly like what she had accused Caleb of being, a filthy commoner. Dust seemed to cover her from foot to crown. She lifted the sleeve of her top to smell it and scrunched up her face in disgust, then sat up in her pallet. At least he gave her a tent to sleep in this time. She thought it might be Jarod’s.
“Wake up, Willow.” Caleb’s voice rang out a bit harsher than she would have expected.
She stuck her head out of the tent flap to glare at him. “I’m awake, and you may not call me Willow. I told you to address me as—”
He was already walking away.
Infuriated, she bolted out of the tent and almost went after him. But she was a princess and the thought of chasing him, whether out of anger or anything else she refused to think of, boiled her blood even more.
“You’ll ride with Jonas from now on,” he called back without turning.
“I don’t want to ride with Jonas. He is bare chested. How will I hold on?”
Caleb never slowed as he made his way to his horse and didn’t even bother to look at her when he spoke. “Then you can ride with someone else. I don’t care.”
Willow could have killed him right there, slung a dagger at him if she had one. Right between those shoulder blades where his hair came to rest after being lifted from the slightest breeze. She let out a tight, almost muffled screech. Someone to her right chuckled softly. She looked up and saw Jonas already on his horse waiting for her. When he winked at her, she had all she could do not to turn and run the other way.
“Unfold your tent and clean up after yourself.” Caleb ordered when he reached his mount. “No one is your servant here.”
Willow balled her fingers into fists. “Would it please His Majesty if I relieved myself first?” she said through clenched teeth.
“Hurry up.” His voice was threatening enough when he finally looked at her.
“Such a sweet girl.” She heard Jonas laugh as she stormed off. “Would make her father proud.”
She turned to glare at him and saw Caleb nodding his agreement as he mounted his steed.
She bit her lip until it bled to keep from crying.
They waited at the campsite for another half hour while Willow painstakingly tried to unfold her tent. The men watched impatiently. Her number of admirers had dwindled after her complaining, running away, and admonishing of their commander last night, not to mention that they all thought she was possessed by demons after her seizure. Finally, Jarod let out a long sigh and was about to dismount to help her, but the commander held up his hand to stop him. They waited another fifteen minutes until Caleb saw that she was thoroughly frustrated and at the point of tears, and then he told Jonas to help her.
Jonas smiled sympathetically when he reached her. “Do you need