Page 33 of Cage of Destiny
“He is cunning andruthless,” he said without hesitation.
Nathenek’s words made her shudder.She’d thought the same thing the first time she met him. “You don’tlike him?” Did he think Kerdan wasn’t being honest or forthrightwith her?
“That’s not what Isaid.”
“Then you do likehim?”
“I didn’t say thateither.”
She wanted to hit him with a pillow.“Then what are you saying?” she demanded, trying not to raise hervoice above a whisper.
“My read on him is this—heis a complicated man, a ruthless soldier. I believe he cares foryou, and there is more to him than he lets anyone see.”
Blimey. That was a lot to take in.“You got all that after spending a couple of hours with theman?”
“I got all that within thefirst five minutes.”
His assessment validated her own. “Doyou think I should marry him?”
“Why are you askingme?”
She rolled onto her back, staring upat the ceiling. “To make sure I’m not missing something.” Shedidn’t want to make another mistake like she did withOdar.
“I need to spend more timewith him before I can give you my opinion. Now I have a questionfor you. Why did you agree to marry him?”
“To protect myself fromOdar.” Because if he apologized or asked for forgiveness, she wouldgive it to him. Her heart would be in danger of being broken allover again. This way, there would be a wall around her. Odarcouldn’t try to repair the rift between them, and she would neverknow if he wanted her back. Perhaps it was cowardly of her. But herheart was too fragile to face the man who had destroyed it not sovery long ago. “Not the reason you suspected, is it?”
“It is the reason Iassumed.”
“Really?” Damn, he wasgood. Too good.
“Now go to sleep. You havea very busy day ahead of you tomorrow.”
Chapter Ten
Brookfel burst into the dining hall. “They’ve beenspotted,” he announced.
Kerdan jumped off his seat and rushedfrom the room, leaving his breakfast plate practicallyuntouched.
Allyssa focused on her food, trying toignore the rising panic. Kerdan’s men were here withOdar.
“Everything should be inplace,” Neco said.
Darmik nodded, and she wondered whatthey knew that she did not.
“Where’s Nathenek?” sheasked. She hadn’t seen him since she woke up thismorning.
“I sent him on an errand,”her father said. “Finish eating. You have about five minutes untilwe’re needed.”
She knew better than to ask him whatthe plan was. If he wanted her to know, he would tell her. Whileshe didn’t like being kept in the dark, it had to be for a goodreason, and she trusted her father enough to go along with itwithout asking questions. For now.
Having no appetite, she shoved awayfrom the table and went over to the windows, gazing outside. Therain had stopped, but heavy clouds still hung in the sky,concealing the sun. Allyssa took a deep breath. She would remaincalm, reasonable, and act like a princess. Under no circumstanceswould she cry or punch Odar.
Banging and raised voices came fromthe adjacent room. They were here. Her stomach felt like it had afish swimming around in it.
“Let’s go to the sittingroom,” Neco said, heading to the door.
Darmik stood and waited for Allyssa tojoin him. When she did, he said, “Hold your head high. Remember,you are engaged to Prince Kerdan, you are valuable, and you areloved. And I swear on my life, if Odar hurts you again, I’ll killhim.”
