Page 79 of The Prince and His Stolen Groom
Fueled by anger and adrenaline, he raced up the stairs, slowing down as he plunged into the solid darkness. He wanted to keep running but slipping on the stairs and breaking his neck seemed counterproductive for any rescue attempts.
Words echoed around him, the tail end of a grand speech.
“—scorned everything I offered you!”
Franny had been running for three full minutes before she realized she’d gone in the wrong direction. “Oh, gods dammit!” she screeched, turning immediately around. Except, what was the right direction? She could see the tower but no signs of the castle. Frustrated, she threw her head back and screamed.
“Oh my,” someone said behind her. “That was quite fierce, darling. Are you part banshee?”
Franny gasped and turned to see a remarkably beautiful woman with black hair liberally streaked with silver. Her dress was a deep wine color with a low neckline that exposed a generous portion of cleavage.
“I—no—what? I’m sorry,” Franny said, shaking her head. “I don’t have time—I’m looking for someone.”
“What a coincidence!” the woman exclaimed, smiling kindly. “So am I.”
Brendon reached the top of the stairs just as that booming voice shouted, “These were a gift from my wife!”
Before him stood a figure draped in black, only distinguishable from the shadows because of a circle of glowing light. Directly in the center of that circle lay Rick on a bed, glaring up defiantly as a black sword plunged down toward him.
“Rick!” Brendon cried, running forward, hand outstretched to stop the blow from landing.
“Brendon?” Rick’s eyes widened in shock.
Brendon collided with the figure, pushing him to the side. The blade swung wildly in the air as they both crashed to the ground. Though it never cut anyone, a blast of magic broke the windows, sending glass shards everywhere.
The shadows receded and the figure under Brendon thrashed around. It took him a moment to realize that he’d trapped the edges of a black cloak, effectively encasing the mage in their own costume.
“Release me, dammit!” the mage cried in irritation.
“Don’t release him!” Rick shouted.
“I wasn’t planning to,” Brendon said through clenched teeth as the mage bucked, almost throwing him off.
“Well, isn’t this quite the scene.”
Brendon froze and looked over his shoulder to the newcomer in the doorway. A strange woman gazed down at them with a mix of exasperation and amusement. Franny hovered behind her shoulder, nibbling her lower lip in concern.
The figure under Brendon also froze. Then a weak, contrite voice called out, “Sweetie, I can explain.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The strange woman crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she looked down at the lump of evil mage on the floor. “Release him,” she ordered Brendon.
Brendon looked at me, like I had any idea what to do in this situation. Since the mage seemed subdued, I shrugged and nodded. Brendon released him and came to me on the bed, wincing as he examined my bleeding cuts. Thankfully the blast had shattered the windowsoutward, so only a few shards were scattered around the room and the only wounds I had were from the sword.
“Are you alright?” he asked, gently cupping my face.
I gazed up at him, wishing he’d close the short distance between us and kiss me.
The mage’s flailing interrupted the heated moment. It took him time to untangle himself from his cloak, then he looked up at the woman with wide, worried eyes. “Darling, what are you doing here?”
The woman pursed her lips and said, “You’ve been gone all day.”
The mage stayed on the floor, not-quite prostrating himself but the lower position did have a touch of appeasement to it. “I told you I would be,” he said, sounding a little wounded. “And even left a note, in case you didn’t remember our conversation.”
The woman continued to stare down at him, her eyes narrowed in anger. And then her lip wobbled.
Oh no.
