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“Come on.” He stood, but he kept his arms tight around her, helping her to her feet. Her legs were still a bit wobbly underneath her, but Bree had a sneaking suspicion it had nothing to do with her wound and everything to do with the fae who held herclose.
Bree wished she could ignore these feelings, but they were like a runaway train that was about to slam right intoher.
Rafe was inescapably gorgeous. There was no other word that accurately described this male. Good-looking was a severe understatement. Attractive didn’t cut it either. And handsome was far too standard. Gorgeous, breathtaking,beautiful.
He was beautiful with his silver eyes and that strong jaw that could cut through pureice.
And he was kind. He’d been nice to her when no one else had. He’d worried about her well-being. Such a simple thing, really, but it meant the world when no other fae in this realm could give a damn if she lived or if she died. He’d gotten her out of that hall to look after her when showing concern for a slave would make him look weak and inconsequential to the rest of theCourt.
Her heart charged forward, even as she tried to warn it tostop.
“Bree,” Rafe said, searching her eyes with concern. “Are you allright?”
“I’m fine,” she said in a tight voice, glancingaway.
“Then, let’s get you to bed. Point theway.”
Bree didn’t say another word, instead falling silent as he lifted her from the floor and into his arms. A strange sound exploded from her throat at the shock of it, but she didn’t protest. He slid one arm under her back and another under her legs, and Bree wrapped her hands around his neck, heart raging like abull.
He kicked open the door and strode into the dungeon hallway. Almost as soon as he’d started walking, he stoppedshort.
“This cannot be right. Where are yourquarters?”
“Around the bend and at the end of the hallway. On theright.”
Rafe’s frown remained, but he continued the short trek down the dimly-lit corridor. When they came to the end of the hallway, Rafe glared into the cell that Bree called home. It held a few books now, a candle, and a bucket of water. She guessed that was all the care that Prince Taveon could rustle up. At least she could have a washnow.
“Taveon is keeping you here?” Rafe asked, his voicetight.
“Yep,” she said with a bitter laugh. “Welcome to my lovelyhome.”
“This will not do,” he said. “This is notright.”
“Careful, Rafe,” she said, trying to keep the humor in her voice, even if it wasn’t in her heart. “Don’t want anyone hearing you question thePrince.”
He glanced at her then, his eyes softening. “That is the first time you have called meRafe.”
Heat spread through her cheeks and her neck. “Is that okay? Or is that against some kind of Courtrule?”
He shot her a brilliant smile, the one that made his lips look kind of crooked. “Yes, Bree. You can call me Rafe. In fact, I insist uponit.”
Bree grinned back, though her smile faded just as quickly. “Prince Taveon didn’t tell you he was keeping me in thedungeons.”
“No.” His smile vanished, too. “He failed to mention that aspect of your situation. I knew he was keeping you behind locked doors, but I did not know he resorted to keeping you in one of these filthy cells that sees no moonlight and has no access to freshair.”
“Well, here we are.” Bree spread her arms and let out a bitter laugh. “Home sweethome.”
Rafe gave Bree a funny look. “You humans have a strange definition of sweet if this is what sweet trulyis.”
She had to laugh at that. “No, Rafe. I didn’t really mean this is sweet. It was sarcasm. A joke. I called it sweet because it’s the opposite of sweet.Nevermind.”
He was still giving her an odd look, one that made her feel like a specimen in a lab. “I do hate to leave you here like this, Bree, but I do not know where else I can takeyou.”
“It’s really okay, Rafe.” She shrugged. “It sucks, but I’m getting used toit.”
“You deserve better. So much better.” He reached out and brushed his thumb across her cheek. Bree’s body went taut, and her breath stilled in her lungs. Rafe’s eyes slightly widened, as if he’d only just realized what he’d done. And then he was down the corridor faster than she couldblink.
Her feet moved after him, instinctively. He’d left the cell door open. She could follow. Or she could find her way out ofhere.
But the pain still throbbed in her shoulder, and two guards must have realized what had happened. Because they were outside her cell and locking her inside withinmoments.
Tonight, she wouldn’t escape, but maybe one day shewould.
