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Relief crashed into Imara. Her throat squeezed, and a sob cracked in her chest.
Kaz strode around the bed and dropped to his knees beside her. His large hands framed her face. “Princess? Are you all right?”
“He—he tried to kill me.”
Her own fates-blasted bodyguard had just tried to assassinate her.
Kaz rumbled a growl. His fingers tensed against her skin.
Hanna rushed in, carrying a lamp. The single flame flickered weakly in the glass, but it was enough to illuminate the shock carved on the maid’s face.
Kaz threw a look at her over his shoulder. “Get the physician. Tell him—”
Imara shrieked as Kaz suddenly threw himself over her. He grunted, but didn’t get off her.
Hanna cried out as footsteps pounded. Glass shattered, and a gust of night air wafted into the room.
Imara gripped Kaz’s shoulders. That’s when she spotted the knife embedded in his arm.
She swallowed back bile as understanding dawned. That knife had been thrown at her, and Kaz had shielded her with his own body.
Kaz pulled back, his eyes narrowed on the shattered window Jekem had presumably just launched himself through.
Imara’s fingers dug into Kaz’s wrist, not that he was trying to move from her side. She looked to Hanna, who’s mouth hung open. “Get the physician,” Imara said, her voice far calmer than she felt. “And send for Captain Markam, please.”
Chapter 21
Bennick
Bennickstoodatthebroken window in Imara’s bedroom and looked down. There was no body.
Jekem had survived his desperate jump.
There were enough narrow ledges and balconies between here and the castle grounds, he could have scrambled his way down. A search was being conducted, and Bennick had sent Venn to alert the guards to watch every gate, but he had a sinking suspicion Jekem was already gone.
“I should have snapped his neck,” Kaz said tersely. “I thought I’d rendered him unconscious with that blow, but . . .Fates.” His cursing continued as the physician tugged a needle through his torn flesh.
A chill snaked down Bennick’s spine. If Kaz hadn’t moved so quickly, the knife he’d taken would have hit Imara.
Clare stepped into the bedroom. She was wearing a long, pale pink robe, the thin silk shimmering as she strode toward him. He wouldn’t have disturbed her at all, but Imara had been shaken after the unexpected attack.
Clare’s mouth was set into a thin line. “You need to hear this,” she said.
Bennick didn’t hesitate to follow her back into the sitting room. Behind him, the physician cursed, and Bennick knew Kaz had brushed the man aside to trail them.
Imara was sitting on the settee, her legs stretched out on the cushions and a pillow wedged behind her back. There was some bruising already surfacing on her face, especially around her nose and her temple, where she’d been struck.
Clare hurried to stand by Imara, her hand going to the princess’s shoulder. “Tell them what Jekem said to you.”
Before Imara could, voices sounded in the corridor. The door shoved open and Desfan and Karim strode in.
Both were clad in loose white shirts and sleep pants. Desfan’s feet were bare, but he didn’t seem aware of that. His focus was trained on Imara, and he went straight to her. He crouched before her and grasped her hand. His eyes burned as he took in the bruises on her face. “Are you all right?” he demanded, his deep voice vibrating.
The serjan wasfurious.
Imara stared at him, clearly taken aback. “Wh-What are you doing here?”
Desfan’s eyes narrowed. “Your fates-blasted bodyguard just tried to kill you. Where else would I be?”
