Tugging desperately on the arm that held her guardian captive, Calista grated, “I’m not leaving you with this beast!”
Her words pierced me, taking my very breath with them. She thought me a beast, like the ones that roamed the kingdom. I dropped my hands to my sides, gripping the dagger. I wasn’t like those bloodthirsty savages.
She moved between us, checking Jessandra over for injuries she wouldn’t find. We healed too quickly to leave any kind of lasting marks.
Calista pushed her toward her room and looked over her shoulder with a disgusted sneer.
“I will see you at dinner,” I said and escaped toward my quarters with long strides.
“Not a chance in hell.”
Pushed beyond my limits, I found myself in front of them, blocking their entry. The shadows swirled around me as large as her blue eyes. Earth’s sky didn’t compare to their depth and hues. This was hell for me. If she wasn’t careful, it would be the same for her.
“You will be at dinner.” With a challenging glance to her keeper, I said, “Jessandra will escort you.”
Jessandra’s expression remained blank as I stared her down. She bent a single knee in acknowledgment, slightly angling at the waist but never lowering her gaze. That answered everything for me.
“Yes… Your Highness.”
