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Her gaze turned dark. “He’s my one true love,” she growled from between clenched teeth.
“He doesn’t know that,” I reminded her softly. “He doesn't have the mark. He’s not feeling what you feel. He is experiencing no loyalty to you whatsoever. So I guarantee you, if he had half the chance right now, he’d slit your idiot little throat open and mine too before going after Brentley, and then freeing all his friends back there.”
Nicolette drew herself up taut, glaring at me before huffing out her anger. Then she muttered, “I don’t care.” And turned back to her one true love to start unlocking his chains. “I’ll have you free in a moment and show you the safest way to escape without getting caught.”
The prisoner gaped wildly between me and Nicolette as she rushed to free him. I could tell he didn’t trust this, he thought we were somehow trying to trap him. When I caught his gaze, I sighed. “Your mate is quite an impetuous little thing,” I informed him.
The prisoner just blinked. “My… My what?”
Nicolette released the last lock, and the chains fell to the prisoner’s feet like limp, abandoned rags. For the longest moment, he just stood there, gaping at her, before he glanced down at the chains on the floor and shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
Nicolette smiled warmly and touched his face, making him jump but otherwise remain still under her tender regard. “You don’t have to understand. Just know that I love you with every breath of air in my lungs, and I’ll do everything within my power to make sure you live this night.”
While the prisoner merely blinked at her with his mouth fallen open, Nicolette clasped his face between both hands and rose up onto her tiptoes to press her mouth to his.
“Oh, brother,” I muttered, glancing toward the ceiling.
When I checked on the kids again, they were still kissing. Nicolette’s one true love was so stupefied by the action, he just stood there and let her do as she wished without a fight.
“By the way,” she said when she pulled back. “What’s your name?”
“F-Farrow,” he uttered in a daze, still blinking from the thrall she’d put him in.
Her face bloomed with pleasure. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Farrow. Now, let’s save your life before my brother tries to have you beheaded, shall we?”
He glanced back in the direction of the Throne Room. “What about the others? My friends
…”
“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head, her eyes filling with true regret. “I can’t help them.”
“But—”
“Come on.” She tugged on his arm, leading him away. “Most of them kneeled; they’ll be fine. But you didn’t, so we have to hurry before they catch you.”
As she dragged him down a hall, I moved in behind them to follow, but she paused, scowling back at me. “You don’t have to tag along.”
I snorted. “Oh, I think I do. Don’t worry, Nicolette,” I assured her, lifting a hand in surrender when she scowled, all the while, deliberately hiding my other hand—which held my sword—behind my back. “I won’t hurt your man.”
“You already made him bleed,” she growled, tossing me a vulgar gesture.
I chuckled, amused by her protective instinct. “That was a freebie. He’ll have to work for the next one.”
“There won’t be a next one.” Scowling at me, she tugged on Farrow’s hand and led him away.
“I’m following, whether you like it or not,” I said, moving in behind them. “So just lead on.”
And she did. I planned to trail behind silently, so the two kids could have a few last moments alone together, but then I realized where Nicolette was taking him.
“Wait. You know the secret way out of the castle?” I spoke up in alarm.
Vienne’s secret exit.
“Of course,” she started. “Vienne showed it to me once. It’s the fastest, safest way to—”
“No,” I growled. “You’re not showing a Far Shore enemy the secret way into and out of this castle and then just letting him go free.”
“But—”
