Page 52 of Betraying Korth

“Tess, it’s fine, I can handle this,” I said, forcing calm into my voice. “My friend and I are having a little disagreement is all.”

“If he’s being mean to you, he isn’t a friend at all.” She glared at Curdy for all she was worth. “You leave Odette alone!”

“I think I shall,” Curdy crooned, shifting his focus back to me, and I matched his glare. “I won’t lay a finger onOdette.You have my word. Now run along, little girl. I want to talk to myfriend.”

I heard Tess’s feet scamper away. I was glad. Whatever came next, I didn’t want her witnessing it.

Curdy flung my wrist down. I massaged it, taking several steps back to distance myself from him, but he followed me, crowding me up against a wall. Though I flung a hand between us to shove him away, I wasn’t strong enough to force him back.

“Curdy, don’t. We’re on the same team here. You don’t understand. I’ve been doing my part.”

“Oh, I understand better than you think I do. All this time, I’ve wondered if you’ve intentionally been slow about getting him to send the ships. This was never about maintaining our cover or going through the proper channels or waiting for the right moment, was it? You’re in love with him, aren’t you? You don’t want to go through with the plan anymore.”

“Curdy, I?—”

“See? You aren’t even denying it! Here I was, thinking that the daughter of the rebellion’s leader could be trusted, but no. You’re just like the rest of them, aren’t you?” He leaned down to hiss in my ear. “I wonder what would happen if I told Odette how to access that dumbwaiter you love so much and let her give me the slip. I’m sure she’d love to pay you a visit.”

My skin crawled. Curdy had me all the way up against the wall; I had nowhere else to go. “Get back,” I commanded, trying again to shove him away and failing again. He pinned my shoulder against the wall. I curled inward and shut my eyes, trying to shield myself from Curdy’s wrath.

“There you go, giving orders again. You really do love power, don’t you? You preach about how power corrupts, and yet here you are demanding people cater to your every desire. You are just as shallow and self-absorbed as?—”

Suddenly, he was wrenched off me and the ugly sound of knuckles meeting flesh rang through the air. I looked up, daring to hope.

There stood Korth, chest heaving and hair disheveled while he shook out his hand. Tess trailed him, panting as she ran and held her skirts up to her knees.

I sagged in relief. I was saved.

“Tess, get the guards,” Korth called, but I pulled on his arm.

“No! No, please let him go.” I really would be like Odette if I punished a comrade who had been loyal to the rebellion for a year over a bout of jealousy. If he was arrested, he was sure to be questioned. How much could I trust that Curdy would stay faithful to maintaining my cover?

Korth glowered at Curdy. “He never should have put his hands on you,” he rumbled, keeping his voice surprisingly level considering that he had just punched someone.

“No, he shouldn’t have,” I agreed.

“Give me one reason I shouldn’t have him thrown into prison.” Korth still hadn’t taken his eyes off Curdy, and under my fingers, his muscles were trembling and tense.

“Because I asked,” I said softly. “Please. I don’t want to see him imprisoned. It was just a misunderstanding is all.”

Tess looked questioningly at Korth, still poised to run to fetch the guards.

Korth blew out a long stream of air. “I’ll only tell you this once,” he told Curdy coldly. “If I ever see you near my fiancée again, I’ll have you arrested on the spot, and even she won’t be able to save you. Leave,now.”

Sighing in relief, I shrank against Korth’s side. The moment his arm closed around me, I was able to breathe again. I was safe. I had no question in my mind that Korth wouldn’t hesitate to put himself in front of me, no matter how many or few weapons Curdy had. Even Tess, armed with the miniscule seam ripper taken from her sewing kit, looked ready to stab Curdy’s thigh with the tiny needle if he attempted to threaten me again.

Curdy’s face, which still bore my hand mark and was swelling rapidly, tightened. He inclined his head slightly. “I see how it is,” he said stiffly, then marched off.

Korth folded me into an embrace so that my face pressed into his shoulder while his arms locked protectively around me. I felt Tess wrap her thin arms around my waist from behind, squeezing me so tightly that she could have been a python, but I didn’t care, nor did I want either of them to stop. Korth rested his chin on the top of my head as he watched Curdy’s continued retreat, ensuring that he left for good.

What would Curdy tell Garrik? Would he believe him?

“Who was that?”

I rested my head against Korth’s chest, finding it much easier to listen to his heartbeat than to meet his eye. “He came with us from Ebora and has been tending the geese. Remember the family I told you about who wanted to stay together? He’s the son. I thought he was a friend, but it seems that he was jealous of the time I’ve been spending with you.”

Tess let out a small squeak, like a mouse being trodden on. “He likes you even though you’re engaged to Korth? But that’s wrong!” She searched the ground for her lucky thimble she’d thrown at Curdy and stooped to retrieve it.

“It was a surprise to me, too. He had teased me before, but I never thought he was serious.”

---