Page 25 of Ties of Dust

“Yes, Your Highness.” The head guard watched impatiently as one of his men approached on foot, clutching what looked like a medical bag. “See to the prince quickly!”

“Yes, sir.” The guard bowed swiftly to the prince. “If you would dismount, Your Highness…”

Prince Cassius did so, moving carefully. “Bind it if you must, but there’s no call for all this fuss. Give me the report, man.” The last words were directed, tersely, to the head guard.

Flora swayed in the saddle, clutching the pommel with the hand of her uninjured arm, and holding in the nausea that threatened by laying her injured one over her stomach. She was eager to hear the report as well, but it was hard to focus on anything given how the pain was swelling.

“There were two archers in the trees, Your Highness,” the head guard said. “The first was neutralized immediately, the second got an arrow off as the guards were trying to take him alive for interrogation. Unfortunately it wasnecessary to eliminate him as well, in order to prevent further attack.”

“What about the third?” Flora’s voice came out faintly, and if the head guard heard, he gave no sign of it.

Prince Cassius heard, though. He glanced at her, frowning as he took in her posture.

“Yes, you thought there were three, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “I’m fairly certain.”

“How would she know?” the head guard asked impatiently, still not looking at Flora.

“Sheis the only reason we weren’t taken completely unaware by the attackers,” Prince Cassius said crisply. “Her scouting enchantment identified the attackers’ presence, something your human scouts completely failed to do.”

“Her magic craft is exceptional,” Lord Armand cut in, unexpectedly coming to Flora’s defense. “If she sensed three, there were three.”

The head guard cursed. “One must have escaped before my men reached them, Your Highness. I’ll send men after—”

“Do as you think best,” Prince Cassius said coldly. “But I ride for the border.”

The head guard looked chastened, and he was quick to marshal his men to their various tasks. Flora didn’t envy him as Prince Cassius turned pointedly away from him with a severe expression, his silence intimidating while the medic guard finished up his binding.

Princes and their pride.

Flora tried to remain silent. She didn’t want her injury to delay the prince further, especially with one of the attackers unaccounted for. They were still too exposed. But she was struggling, and she found herself slipping sideways. She managed to right herself at the last moment, butthe gesture wrenched her shoulder enough that she couldn’t hold in a brief cry.

Prince Cassius’s eyes flew to her, searching her more thoroughly this time.

“That should be safe to ride with, Your Highness,” the medic guard said. “You were right, it was only a shallow wound.”

The prince didn’t answer. He was staring, horrified, at Flora instead.

“Flora! You’re hurt!”

She shook her head, not trying to deny the injury so much as the attention.

“It can wait until we’ve reached a safer location.”

“Don’t be absurd,” Prince Cassius said sharply.

He strode toward her horse, and it was a good thing he did. As a fresh wave of pain hit Flora, she felt herself slipping again. Still trying not to distract focus from the injured prince, she raised her good hand to gesture him off, forgetting that the task of holding the pommel was too much for the hand attached to her injured shoulder. Before her mind—made fuzzy by the throbbing pain—could process what was happening, she toppled sideways off her mount.

Closing the final gap with a surge, Prince Cassius caught her.

Chapter

Seven

Flora’s mind spun, the agonizing wrench to her shoulder warring for attention with the feel of strong, powerful arms closing around her. It seemed to her that the prince held on for just a moment longer than necessary. He steadied her swiftly on her feet, but for the next breath, his arms were still around her, as unyielding as iron bands as they held her pressed loosely to his chest.

She didn’t resist his hold. In fact, in her weakness, she could have stayed there for hours. It was a sensation she’d never known before. No man had ever held her close and safe, not even her father. Especially not her father.

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