Page 37 of Cage of Darkness
“You still don’t trust me,do you?” he asked.
“No. And I neverwill.”
“We live in a world wheretrust is given too freely. It makes us weak.” His focus remained onhis men. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was talking abouthimself. “You shouldn’t trust anyone.”
“You mean I shouldn’t trustanyone in Russek?”
“No. You shouldn’t trustanyone—ever.” His face hardened, and she wanted to know whathappened to him that made him this way.
She leaned against the wall,considering what he said. “I trust my parents, and I have severalclose friends who I trust.”
“Do you?” He peered down ather. “So, you don’t keep secrets from your friends? Your parentsare always honest with you?” It felt as if he’d punched her heart.“That’s what I thought.” He looked away.
“I don’t want to live in aworld where I can only trust myself.”
He chuckled. “You trust yourself? Evenafter the Jarvik and Odar mix-up?”
Allyssa wanted to slap him.Except…there was an element of truth in what he said. She had keptthings from her friends. Grevik—her best friend—hadn’t known heridentity. Marek, Mayra, and Madeline hadn’t known about Lilly. Andher parents. She knew they were keeping something from her. Theyall had their secrets. But did secrets negate trust?
He shrugged. “If you’re not going tospar, then I am.” He slid off his jacket and grabbed a practicesword.
The prince’s men crowded around him,forming a loose circle. He pointed at one, and that man steppedinto the ring, preparing to fight. Their wooden swords clashed. Themuscles in Kerdan’s arms protruded as he held his sword high,keeping his opponent at bay. Then he attacked with lethal speed andefficiency. He was an excellent swordsman, but not as skilled asher father or Odar. However, what he lacked in technique, he madeup for with his physical strength and prowess.
He knew she was watchinghim. What did he intend for her to see? He must have felt like hehad something to prove.Bloodyhell. Why was she standing there while theprince and his men were busy? The soldiers who had ridden here withthem were nowhere to be seen. They must have remained outside thegarrison. She slid along the wall toward the exit.
A soldier crept out of the shadows ofthe hallway, blocking the path. She froze. He pointed to his eyesand then at her. Allyssa cursed. Kerdan must have assigned the manto watch her. So much for trying to escape.
She turned her attention back to theprince. He sideswiped his opponent’s legs, and the man toppled tothe ground, conceding the match. Kerdan reached down, helping himto his feet. Another soldier stepped forward. The prince removedhis tunic, his undershirt dripping with sweat. The two began theirdual.
“Faster,” he instructed.“Keep your focus on me so you don’t give away your nextmove.”
No one watching the match seemed tonotice her. Being in Russek, she had the unique opportunity to dosomething to foil their invasion of Emperion. She would need to bevigilant so when an opportunity presented itself, she would beready to act.
After sparring with a few more men,the prince came over to Allyssa. “Follow me.”
He wiped his sweaty forehead with hisarm. She put a few feet between them since he stank of body odor.In the corner of the room, they went down a long, narrow hallwaylined with several doors.
“Most of these are offices.A few are meeting rooms.” At the end, he pulled out a key andunlocked the last door. She stepped into a small office lit by asingle window. Kerdan moved to the door at the back of the room,unlocking it. He waved her forward. She stepped inside the darkroom, the door clicking shut behind her. “Hang on,” he mumbled. “Ineed to light the oil lamps. There we go.”
“What is this place?” Theroom contained one small cot, two chairs, and a dresser.
“This is where I live whenI’m not at the castle.” He sat on one of the well-wornchairs.
“Why?” The castle wasn’tfar from here, and this place wasn’t very befitting for aprince.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Heleaned forward on his arms, his eyes intense. She didn’t like theway he seemed to be always watching her—assessing her everymove.
She broke eye contact and examined theroom in greater detail. His bedchamber at the castle had nopersonal possessions. This room had stacks of books on the floor,tapestries of horses on the walls, and several weapons scatteredthroughout. It somehow felt familiar and comfortable.
“I find you ratherpuzzling,” she said, sitting on the empty chair next to him. Did hetruly dislike his stepmother and stepsiblings so much that he wouldrather live at the garrison? Did Soma really try to kill him? Wheredid the lies end and the truth begin? “I’ve dealt with enoughdeceit from Prince Odar; I don’t have the energy to handle yours aswell. How about we be frank with one another?” She slumped back inthe comfortable chair, too exhausted to maintain her pristineposture. If she was going to stop Russek, she needed to begin withthis man. He could be the key to saving Emperion.
“I hoped you would saythat.” His eyes flickered, warming infinitesimally. “Tell me, areyou really Princess Allyssa of Emperion?”
“Why do you keep asking methat?”
“To make sure the queen andher children aren’t concocting some sort of ruse.”
She lifted her hand, revealing thering that identified her as the heir to the Emperion throne. “Whatmakes you doubt my identity?”
