Page 47 of Broken Embers

“No. I need a minute alone.”

His eyes tighten. “I don’t like leaving you alone out here.”

“I’m in the grounds of your uncle’s fortress. What’s going to happen?”

His jaw ticks. “Three minutes.”

“Fine.”

He hesitates, then presses a kiss to my lips. “Three minutes,” he says again, and walks away.

The moment he’s gone, my body betrays me.

My vision narrows. My chest tightens. I can’t breathe.

Fuck.

Is this… is this a panic attack?

My brain feels like it’s screaming at me, and every muscle in my body is coiled like a tightly wound spring. I need to move. To get away from here. I turn and run.

Anywhere. Nowhere.

Just away.

But I don’t get far.

I slam straight into a wall of muscle.

“Jesus—” I choke, looking up and up. “I said three minutes… just three…” My heart slams into my chest when I stare into a face I’ve never seen before and step back, nearly tripping over a log.

The giant of man, who is taller than Oleksi, reaches out and catches me. He has jet black hair and a face that looks like a master painted it—he is arguably the best looking man I’ve ever seen. In fact, I’d say he was fucking drop dead gorgeous, with his razor-sharp jaw and eyes the color of arctic ice. His grip on my arms is firm. Possessive even.

“Well,” he says. “That was easier than I thought.”

“Who the hell are you?” I gasp as his deep voice is rich and smooth as a fine brandy. I try to step out of his grasp, but his hands tighten on my arms.

“A messenger.”

I don’t believe that for a minute. This man doesn’t look like he’d do the bidding of anyone. No, he looked the type everyone jumped to do what he ordered.

“A messenger for whom?” My eyes narrow.

“General Ergorov.” The man’s words knock the air out of me.

“So you’re not a messenger then,” I say. “You’re more like a lackey dancing to his master’s whims.”

I see his eyes darken for a few seconds before he raises an eyebrow. “You’re mouthy for someone of your…” His eyes travel the length of me, and I have to stop myself from shuddering. “—stature.”

“And you don’t look like you’re someone who’d be doing anyone’s bidding,” I quip. “But here we are.” I shrug. “But I can save you some breath. I don’t want to hear anything that man has to say.”

“Oh, I think you will want to.” He watches me like a hawk, assessing me. “You see, the General is willing to forgive the kidnapping of his daughter…”

My brows rise. Fuck that was quick. “The general has a daughter?” I pull a face. “Can robots even have children?”

He just stares at me, ignoring my sass. “Like I was saying, the General will forgive you for kidnapping his daughter if your mother surrenders.”

I blink. “What?”

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