“We must do our best not to kill or hurt in anger and sin against our God. Besides, the baron isn’t worth your sister’s heartbreak. She loves him. Don’t hurt him.”
Jonas thought she loved Ermile. She wished she was brave enough to tell him she didn’t. She remained silent while Jonas soothed Caleb until he stopped fighting to be released.
“Don’t hurt him, little brother,” he said again, and Caleb held his hands up and dropped his sword to the ground. He turned his angry glare on Shauna again.
“She doesn’t love him,” he corrected Jonas. “How could she love this worthless piece of garbage? She loves the comfort he can provide.”
“And what is wrong with that?” Shauna challenged him.
“You think only of yourself.”
Before she could respond, he stormed off back to Jarod who waited with Caleb’s steed.
Shauna hadn’t moved all the while her brother shouted at her, but she turned to Jonas now. “My thanks.” Her green eyes were filled with tears. Jonas watched her pull herself together and he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“My guess is your betrothed can’t be that bad if he loves you.”
Her heartbeat accelerated at his words and then she threw herself into his arms. Jonas didn’t move at first, he barely breathed against her, and then slowly his arms came around her and he lowered his nose to her hair.
Shauna could feel him tremble against her, this seasoned Warrior who was harder to bend then steel. When he whispered her name against her hair…
Ermile called her name from where he sat, awake now and watching them.
She withdrew and wiped her eyes.
Jonas swallowed hard, as if catching the words he meant to say before they spilled out of his mouth.
Watching them from his mount, Caleb looked away in sorrow and in anger for his friend when Shauna bent to Ermile.
Jonas helped her betrothed off the ground and dusted off his clothing then smacked Ermile’s back, picked up Caleb’s sword, and walked away. A moment later, Caleb trotted over to his sister and glared down at her betrothed with contempt coloring his eyes like azure fire.
“Ermile, you put my sister’s life in danger. I break your betrothal to her. It is henceforth dissolved by order of the king. Don’t tempt my mercy and let me see your thoughtless face again or I’ll kill you.” He turned to look at his sister and she lowered her gaze to the ground and did not argue his power.
“They would have had her, Jonas,” Caleb anguished, explaining the reason for his wrath. “She could never have held them all off alone.”
His eyes misted when he looked away from Shauna gaining her mount. As soon as the harvest was over, he was coming to the plains to kill every Catcher he found. He was sick of their threat to the people.
“I know,” his friend told him in a quiet voice. “My heart almost faints within me at the thought of it.”
Caleb tossed him a knowing smirk. “Almost.”
Jonas nodded. “A wise king once said that losing someone you love is far worse than losing yourself.”
Caleb thought about it and remembered the rest, spoken by his father, King Samuel of Predaria. “And if you suffer both, God help your sorry soul.”
“Right,” Jonas agreed. “I’ve already lost someone I love. I’m going to hold on to me.”
“You didn’t lose her. She still loves you, brother.”
Jonas shook his head. “She agreed to become his wife.”
“That was to get your attention, you lackwit,” Caleb growled.
“Does he anger you so because of me?” Jonas asked, regarding him with a thoughtful stare. “Do you blame him for my relationship ending with your sister?”
“Yes, partially,” Caleb told him honestly.
“Well don’t. Your sister and I disagree about many things.”
Caleb looked away in disgust. “Why should riches and titles mean more than what your heart wants?”
“For some people, riches and titles is what their heart wants, Sire.”
“And for others, it is not,” his sister said, passing them at a slow trot. “And for others still, it is all they know.”
Caleb knew she was talking about Willow. It was true he wanted to tell her. She only knew how to be a pampered princess. This wasn’t the life for her. What was he to do with her?
“It’s in her blood,” Jonas said of Willow when Shauna pulled ahead and was out of earshot. “Her royal life calls to her and she will return to it. Will you let her go…let her be happy?”
Caleb didn’t answer him, and Jonas continued, “You cannot force someone