Page 88 of Reign of Light
“Still going to stick with the ‘I’m the princess’ story?” the first man chortles.
“Maybe a night on the cold stone will get them rethinking whatever plan they thought they would get away with.” They all laugh again, the noise of their chatter quieting as they walk back in the way we came. The slam of the wooden door leaves the dungeon in silence, and my shoulders sag with a heavy breath.
Weston is on me in the next second, turning me to him as his hands find my face.
“Are you alright?” His eyes scan mine, and I nod.
“What the fuck is going on?” I say, my voice hushed despite knowing we’re alone again.
“I don’t know, but those guards know exactly who you are. I saw it.”
“I saw it too. Park said something odd when he brought me inside. He said he was just following orders.”
Anger twists Weston’s face. “You knew his name, and he didn’t speak up that he knew you?”
I shake my head. “No, I asked him what it was. It was something Edmond always told me to do. When you are trying to influence someone, or get something you want, try to make it feel personal. If he feels like he can relate to me, or knows me, he’s more apt to listen.”
“But he didn’t.”
“No. Not yet, at least. But maybe he will bring Brynne here, even though he wouldn’t bring me to her.”
He looks down the dark corridor, toward the entrance of the dungeon. “Maybe. But who is giving these orders? It can’t be the piece of shit at the gate. I swear to you, the second we get out of here, he’s fucking gone.”
“Weston,” I start, then pause, trying to find the right question as my mind floods with every unexpected thing that happened in such a short amount of time. He waits patiently, and I try not to look too confused. “It was obvious you could overpower them. You’re clearly better than any of them. Stronger. More trained. Why didn’t you?”
He lets out a sigh and scrubs his face, looking away from me like he’s embarrassed to meet my eyes.
“Because I made a mistake,” he murmurs, and I can see the storm of guilt and disappointment building behind his eyes. “It’s my sworn duty to protect you, but we both know that it’s more than that. You know I will do anything to keep you from being harmed. My actions back there gave up that I would fight for you, and that asshole Guthrie could see that it was in more ways than just as your guard. In trying to protect you I put you at more risk. I let him know he could use you against me,and even though I’d fucking kill him if he tried, I shouldn’t have reacted in a way that might cause you more harm. I knew Park wouldn’t try after I gave him a warning. He’s too inexperienced, yet his clear want for acceptance influenced him.”
“He didn’t touch me. Not until leading me in here, and even then he only held my arm.”
“Good,” he growls, but I can still see the turmoil in his expression and the tension in his jaw.
Reaching up, I grab hold of his chin, tilting it back toward me so he can’t avoid my gaze any longer. “I know your oath is important to you, but I need you to figure out how to be the First Guard without letting what’s between us get in the way. I know you can handle yourself, but I don’t want to see a hoard of guards take you down again. I can’t watch anyone hurt you either.”
The muscle in his jaw clenches and releases again. “You know what I told you when we went to get Roley. Your safety is what is important.”
“Stop with that bullshit, Weston. You know I won’t care about mine if yours is at risk. This goes both ways.”
He settles his hands on his head, his fingers wringing at his hair. “I’m sorry. I’ll figure it out. It’s my first day back too.”
I soften at his words. “I know. We knew it was going to be different from Dawnlin, and there’s an entirely new set of stakes now. I don’t know how to act around everyone else yet, and we didn’t even get time to figure it out before all of this was thrust at us. We need to get through this first.”
A chill courses through my body, not from anything that happened, but from the actual wet cold seeping through the stone walls. Weston’s arms drop to his sides, and he extends a hand out to me.
“We might as well try to get some rest. I doubt they’ll be coming back in here at any point tonight.”
I slide my fingers between his and he leads me to the back wall, far from the reach of the bars. He pulls off his cloak and slides his backdown, settling onto the hard floor before tugging on my hand, urging me to follow. I cuddle into his side, soaking up his warmth. His deft fingers find the clasps on the front of my cloak, and he unbuttons them quickly, shifting the fabric so it lays over us both, before draping his heavy cloak on top.
I nuzzle into his chest, and the feeling of instant security washes over me as I breathe him in. I sigh, and his arm slides around me, weaving beneath my cloak until his hand settles on my low back.
His chest grumbles as he murmurs, “He didn’t take this?”
His fingers flutter over my dagger, still secured in the waistband of my pants. When it was given to me, almost two years ago at my ceremony, I knew its purpose. Every king or queen of Blackwood was presented one to protect them, to give them the ability to defend themselves if the need arose. As isolated as I was, I never considered a time where I would ever need it, until Dawnlin. It became my security, my reminder of home, my knowledge that I could defend myself. I never thought I would need it back in the confines of my castle, but now, as I’m being held captive by the very guards who swore to protect me, I am grateful that I have it, and even more grateful that they didn’t know about it.
I shake my head into his chest. “No. No one even asked me if I had any weapons.”
“Good,” he grumbles. “Fucking imbeciles. Rem should be appalled about the aptitude of these guards, but it’s good for us. Use it if you have to.”
