Chapter 5
Sabine landed on the floor, the wind knocked out of her. She rolled to the side, trying to catch her breath. Two large black boots came into view. Unable to speak, she said nothing as the man reached down, grabbed hold of her shoulders, and hoisted her to her feet. He pulled her back against his front, covering her mouth with one of his beefy hands while his other pinned her arms down.
Evander cursed. “Release her.” He took a step into the house, his focus never wavering from whoever he was watching out front.
Sabine had no idea how he knew she was in trouble. The man who held her smelled like fish, making her want to gag.
“Everyone in town has been offered a hefty reward for capturing this woman,” the man holding her said.
Horror filled Sabine. This man planned on selling her to the assassin who in turn would kill her.
“Do you have any idea who this woman is?” Evander said, enunciating each word carefully as he took another step into the house, his attention now divided between the man holding her and the person outside.
The man shifted on his feet, but he kept her firmly in his grip.
“The woman you have the audacity to touch is the queen of Lynk. I’m fairly certain if you turn her over to an assassin and she ends up dead, her husband—the king of Lynk—will hunt you down and kill you himself. If I were you, I’d release her.”
The man chuckled. “For the amount of money I’m gonna get, I don’t care who she is.”
Sabine didn’t even come up to this man’s chin, so she couldn’t head-butt him. Thankfully, her brothers had taught her a thing or two growing up. Moving her hand out from under her cloak, she angled her body to the side and reached back, grabbing the man between his legs and squeezing as hard as she could.
The man yelped and released her. She immediately lunged away from him, but he grabbed hold of her cloak and she fell on the floor. When she scrambled to her feet, she saw a dagger protruding from the man’s chest. She hadn’t even seen Evander throw the weapon. She looked at him, her eyes wide with horror. Not only had Evander killed the man, he’d done it without hesitating. She had no idea how someone could kill so easily when there were other options like injuring him instead.
Evander stepped farther into the house, kicking the door shut. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Grab the dagger.”
Knowing time was of the essence, she did as he said and rushed over to the dead body, pulling the weapon free and wiping the bloody blade on the man’s pants. Clutching the dagger, she stood and followed Evander deeper into the house. “How are we going to get out of here?” she asked.
Instead of answering, he entered a bedroom, glanced about, then exited.
“If everyone in town is looking for me, we’re never going to make it out of here alive.” Panic took hold, and her body started shaking.
He peered at her. “Have you so little faith in me?”
She had no idea how he could joke at a time like this. Lifting her arm, she wiped the sweat from her forehead, her stomach queasy.
In the next room, he went over to the window and opened it. “Perfect,” he whispered. He climbed out. “Let’s go.”
Sabine hoisted herself up and through the open window. Evander reached forward, grabbing her waist and setting her on the ground. They were in a narrow alleyway between two houses. He put his finger to his lips, and she nodded. He waved for her to follow him as he headed toward the back of the house.
Clutching the dagger, Sabine stayed close to Evander, constantly glancing over her shoulder to see if someone was coming after them. So far, no one else had entered the alleyway. At the corner of the house, Evander peered around the side of it. Satisfied with whatever he saw, he reached back, taking hold of Sabine’s hand. He squeezed it and led her onto the walkway that wound between the houses.
It felt as if they were going away from the canal instead of toward it. Evander kept turning, taking different walkways, making it difficult to know where they’d been and where they were going. They went over bridges, along various pathways, and between houses and stores. She was so turned around, she had no idea where they were.
Just when Sabine was about to ask if Evander knew what he was doing, they rounded a building and the walkway abruptly ended. A forest of thick trees stretched before them. Without hesitating, he pulled her along, into the forest, ducking under a low-hanging branch.
“Is this a good idea?” she whispered. The trees were so close together that the foliage blocked most of the daylight, making the area not only dark, but cold and eerie. This felt like a place where one went to die, not hide.
Instead of answering, he pulled her along, his warm hand holding hers. After about twenty feet, he stopped and cocked his head to the side, his brows furrowing.
A twig snapped and Evander released her, slowly turning to face the way they’d come from. He reached down and pulled a knife out of his boot. With a weapon in each hand, he widened his stance.
Shock rolled through Sabine. She couldn’t believe Evander was willing to fight for her. The easiest solution would be for him to kill her, bury her body here in this forest, and no one would ever know what happened to her. Instead, he stood before her, ready to kill.
Sabine’s heart pounded so hard she swore she could hear it in the quiet forest. And then she noticed the birds had stopped singing—just as Evander said would happen when a threat neared. Which meant they weren’t alone. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she realized they were about to be attacked.
Clutching the dagger in her hand, she remained behind Evander, his back to her. She held her breath, too afraid to make a sound.
Movement to the right caught her attention. She glanced that way and spotted a man dressed in solid black creeping toward them with a small sword in hand.
Evander’s head turned the other direction.
Sabine couldn’t help it, she had to know. “How many are there?”
“Five,” he responded. “Can you climb?”
“Climb?”
“I want you up in a tree, out of the way.”
The tree beside her had branches low enough that she could grab hold of one and hoist herself up. However, if she was up there, then she couldn’t help Evander down here. While she didn’t think these men would kill him since he was their prince, she couldn’t be certain. Regardless, he couldn’t take on five men and keep her safe, even if she was up in a tree. Eventually, these men would tie Evander up or knock him out. Then they’d take her to the assassin. Evander wouldn’t bother coming after her because it would be too late by the time he managed to find her.
“If you can climb, get up there now,” Evander said, his words harsh and snapping her into action.
She did as he said and took hold of a lower branch, pulling her body up. She held onto the trunk while she carefully stood. Then she grabbed the limb above her and climbed higher, hoping no one would be able to strike her from this high up.
Once she was safely perched on one of the larger branches, she glanced down and spotted five men nearing Evander.
“You good?” he called up to her, not once looking her way.
“Yes.”
Quicker than lightning on a hot summer night, Evander simultaneously threw two knives in different directions, each one embedding into a man’s chest. Both men dropped to the ground with a soft thud.
One of the other men charged at Evander, knocking him over. When the man landed on top of Evander, Sabine spotted a knife sticking out of his back. She hadn’t even seen Evander use the man as a shield before he’d allowed himself to be tackled. Evander shoved the dead man off him and jumped to his feet.
The fourth man attacked. Evander swiped the man’s legs out from under him, threw a dagger at the fifth person, and then produced another knife and rammed it into the fourth man’s neck as he tried to stand.
Sabine counted the dead men just to be sure and confirmed all five were accounted for.
Evander stood there, not even winded.
The entire ordeal had lasted only seconds. “Is it safe to come down?” she whispered.
“Yes.” He glanced up at her. “You made it higher than I thought you would.”
She started to reach forward to grab hold of a branch when she froze.
“What’s the matter?” Evander peered behind him and then back up at her, his brows pulling together with confusion.
She couldn’t move or even talk. Directly in front of her—only a foot away—a large black snake had wound itself around the branch. The head of the snake was focused on her as it slowly moved the bulk of its body into a coil atop the branch. Somehow she knew if she moved, it would strike.
“Stay very still,” Evander said, his voice deep and low. “When I tell you to, fling your body backward, away from the snake.”
She started shaking, unable to fathom moving. Not only was she paralyzed from fear, but she was certain the snake would jump right along with her and when she landed, it’d be on top of her. She’d seen enough snakes attack and eat small creatures like rats and bunnies. She would end up in the belly of that thing. A meal. And after Evander had gone through all that work to keep her alive.
“Sabine,” Evander said, his deep voice now behind her. “I want you to let go and fall back. I’ll catch you.”
She couldn’t move. Death by an assassin seemed better than death by snake. It would probably be less painful.
“You have about a minute until that thing strikes. When it does, you’ll be paralyzed instantaneously. Then it’ll eat you while you’re alive. It’s one of the most venomous snakes there is. Without turning your head or making any sudden movements, let yourself fall back.”
Cold, hard fear gripped her. She knew she needed to do as Evander said, but she couldn’t force her body to move. A tear slid down her cheek.
“Now, Sabine!” Evander said, his voice firm and laced with a hint of panic.
The image of the snake flinging itself forward gave her the incentive she needed to launch herself backward off the branch. She flew through the air, screaming. The snake lunged after her just as a dagger cut through the air, impaling the snake and pinning it against the tree trunk. Sabine crashed into Evander, and they landed together in a heap on the ground.
“I imagined that going much smoother in my mind,” he said.
She rolled off him, shaking, unable to believe he could make a joke when she’d almost been eaten alive. She stood and looked at the tree trunk where the snake was impaled. The creature was longer than her and its body as wide as one of her arms.
“Are you okay?” Evander asked as he stood and brushed himself off.
She nodded, still speechless. Her stomach felt queasy, and she wanted nothing more than to lie down. Preferably in her childhood bed back in Bakley where it was safe from assassins and snakes. A hug from her mother sounded really good right about now.
“We need to be on our way,” Evander said, his voice all business.
She wondered if nothing phased him…killing people, venomous snakes. He acted as if this were like any other day.
Not touching the five dead bodies, Evander headed back toward the town. Sabine hurried after him, ready to be out of this forest. When they reached the walkway, Evander slid his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. She wondered if they should be traveling out in the open like this. However, the crowded streets felt safer than the forest. It wasn’t even noon and she’d already been attacked by assassins and almost eaten by a snake. Perhaps she should just call it a day before she wound up dead.
“I always thought women from Bakley were prudes,” Evander whispered in her ear. “But you just climbed a tree, faced a seven-foot snake, and survived a kidnapping attempt. All in all, not what I expected from someone who hails from a kingdom known for sitting around drinking tea and knitting all day.”
She glared at him.
He chuckled, the sound deep and throaty. “There she is,” he murmured, nudging her stomach with his free hand. “Glad to have you back.”
She almost rolled her eyes but didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. At least her body was starting to calm down and no longer shook from fright.
They quickly reached the docks along the canal with ease. Glancing about, Sabine thought this was a different location than the one they’d arrived at yesterday.
Evander withdrew his arm and nodded to one of the boats. Without questioning him, Sabine stepped in, taking the front bench and noting this was indeed a different boat. She made sure to keep her hood low so no one could see her face as she sat with her arms on her legs, hunched over, trying to look like a man under the cape.
Evander stepped in after her and untied the boat. He shoved them away from the dock, and they made their way toward the center of the canal where they immediately caught the current, heading south. Evander sat on the bench behind her.
After a few minutes, she turned around to face him. “You just killed five men.” Six if she counted the one from the house. It had been terrifying and mesmerizing to see. Evander had moved as if a brush stroke from an artist’s hand—smooth and unwavering.
He kept his focus on their surroundings, not bothering to respond. While Sabine knew he was an assassin and the leader of an assassin guild, seeing him in action was very different from knowing it. She had no idea if this was the sort of thing he did daily, weekly, or monthly. While killing those men seemed like nothing to him, it was something to her. He’d saved her life. But was her life worth those six men?
Shifting the topic, she said, “I want to thank you for the, uh, snake thing.” She scratched the side of her neck.
At that he looked at her, his green eyes dark under the hood of his cloak. “I didn’t think you were going to jump in time. That’s why I killed the snake.”
Interesting that he justified the snake’s death but not the men. “I assumed killing the snake was your plan all along.” She clutched her hands together, playing with the ring on her finger.
He shook his head. “I was afraid if I missed, I’d infuriate the creature and we’d both wind up dead.”
“It doesn’t seem to me that you’re the type of man who ever misses.” He had to have spent an inordinate amount of time honing his skills in the art of killing. She’d never seen anyone fight the way he did or throw a dagger with such precision. If she were a betting person, he was a man she’d never bet against.
“I don’t,” he said, confirming her suspicions. His piercing gaze remained on hers.
“What was your childhood like growing up?” she asked, genuinely curious how he’d spent his days. While he didn’t have the large muscles Rainer did, Evander was lean and toned, indicating a different sort of fighter.
A wry smile slid across his face, softening his features. “I have three older sisters,” he replied. “I think that explains enough.”
She couldn’t help but laugh, trying to imagine a younger Evander being fussed over by a handful of women. While Sabine had grown up chasing after her brothers with a wooden sword, Evander had probably played with dolls.
“What about you?” he asked. “I’ve heard some scandalous stories about the wild princess from Bakley.”
“All lies, I’m sure,” she said, appalled that she’d been hailed as wild. As the sixth born, she doubted anyone cared enough about her to investigate the sort of person she was.
Evander scanned their surroundings, not looking at her as he said, “When my father began looking for a proper wife for me, he considered you.”
Shock rolled through Sabine. Until Rainer had inquired after Alina, she never thought her or her sister would marry someone from another kingdom. She’d mistakenly assumed they weren’t important enough. Now, she realized how naive she’d been. “I had no idea,” she replied, dumbfounded by his admission. Her parents had always made it seem as if she didn’t matter, which was why she’d always thought she’d marry for love. How wrong she’d been.
“Once my father learned you ran wild with barnyard animals, were rude, and what was the word he used? Oh, yes, you behaved barbarically, he deemed you an unsuitable match.” Evander chuckled.
“Are you serious?” How ironic that they should consider her the barbaric one when Evander was the one running around killing people. This assassin-pirate-prince. She folded her arms, irritated. “I don’t recall your father ever sending a delegation to Bakley to meet me.”
“He didn’t. He sent a spy.”
She raised her eyebrows at that. “And your spy determined all of this about me?” She found that hard to believe. Granted, she liked to ride her horse, run through the fields barefooted, and help feed the animals in the barn by their castle.
“He did. At first, my father assumed he was joking because it is well-known that women from Bakley are proper, refined, and generally prudes. But when he sent a second spy who confirmed what the first spy said, we knew it had to be true. You were deemed unfit to marry into our family. I think my father said you were clearly a farmer’s brat.”
Sabine’s eyes widened as embarrassment set in. Yes, her father was the king of a kingdom of farmers. Yes, she tended to do as she pleased. But she knew how to behave. At least, when she wanted to. “Maybe he should have investigated my sister, Alina. Had he done so perhaps you would have been engaged to her since she is—was—a proper woman. Maybe then she’d still be alive and my family not tied to Lynk.”
“I think I was ten when he sent his spies to Bakley.”
She wanted to hit him. Here she’d been thinking all of this had recently transpired. If he’d investigated her character when she was only ten, then yes, she was a wild child.
“Today, when you took hold of that branch and pulled yourself up, I knew, without a doubt, that all the stories were true.”
“Why’s that?” she asked.
“Because you were strong enough to climb a tree and you didn’t hesitate to do it.” He glanced at the shoreline.
She had no idea what to say to that.
“Not many women can do what you did today.”
“Then you’re lucky I spent my younger days roaming wild,” she said, trying to make a joke of her upbringing.
He looked her right in the eyes and said, “You showed bravery today. Something I did not expect.”
His compliment made her face warm, and she broke eye contact.
Up ahead, the canal split into two, each waterway going a different direction. Evander reached back, turning the lever and steering the boat toward the leftward one. “We’re going to stop soon,” he said. “We’ll go into town, sleep for a bit, and then I want to travel at night.”
They hadn’t been on the waterway for long, and she didn’t understand why they wouldn’t travel longer, at least until dusk. If it were up to her, she’d put as much distance between them and the assassin as possible. “Won’t it be easy for someone to track us at night if we’re the only ones out on the water?” And navigating at night would be difficult since the clouds were so thick they covered the moon and stars.
He smiled. “No. It’ll be harder. You’ll see.”
After a couple of miles, Evander steered the boat to a dock. Sabine didn’t know how he could tell where one town ended and the next began since the entire canal was lined with structures on both sides. To her, it was one big town that didn’t end. Perhaps it was.
Evander tied the boat up and got out, stretching. Sabine joined him.
“I’m starving. Let’s eat then find an inn.” He took her hand, leading her from the dock into town.
Since it was midday, the walkways were crowded with people. Here, all of the structures were built next to each other leaving no room between them. Waterways crisscrossed through the area and dozens of bridges connected the narrow pathways together. All of the signs above the stores and shops were in another language, making it impossible for Sabine to read any of them.
Evander pulled her to the right and opened a door, revealing a small tavern. There was a bar with a counter in the middle and about a dozen tables around the perimeter. He chose a table in the back corner.
“I’m surprised everything is made from wood,” Sabine commented as she removed her cloak and sat down. “Especially since it rains so much.”
“It’s what’s available,” Evander said as he hung his cape over the back of a free chair. “We don’t have a lot of stone around here to use for building.”
A man wearing an apron approached. He looked between the two of them before speaking to Evander in another language, his voice a near whisper.
Evander nodded and flashed the man his tattoo, replying in another language. The man bowed then went into the kitchen.
“I’m assuming you ordered us food?” she said, feeling like there had been more to the conversation than that.
“I did.” Evander pulled Sabine’s chair—with her sitting on it—closer to him.
“What are you doing?” she hissed.
He smiled and said, “It seems everyone is looking for a man and woman traveling together who aren’t married.” He put his arm around her shoulder. “Therefore, I informed that man that we are married. You’re even carrying my child.”
“You’ve got to be joking,” she mumbled. Her situation kept getting more and more complicated. She had no idea how she would explain any of this to Rainer. Hopefully, she would never have to.
“Are you feeling unwell?” Evander asked.
“Yes. It must be because I’m pregnant.” If she was forced to play this ridiculous role, she would go all out.
Her brother, Rolf, and his wife must have had their baby by now, and Sabine didn’t know if they had a boy or a girl. She hadn’t even asked Otto when she saw him. Leaning her elbows on the table, she covered her face with her hands.
“I didn’t think you’d play the role so seriously,” Evander said. His free hand came up and cupped her cheek, turning her head to face his. He was only inches from her. “What’s the matter?” he whispered. “I can tell something is bothering you, and I don’t think it’s the ruse.”
Her mind was a jumbled mess right now. She not only missed her family, but her relationship with Rainer was non-existent.
“Sabine,” Evander said, his brows pulling together. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, not wanting to confide in him. Not wanting him to know her marriage to Rainer wasn’t consummated which meant it could be annulled. If that happened, any protection she might have would cease to exist.
“You have a lot going on in that pretty little head of yours,” Evander muttered. “Your eyes…”
The man returned, setting two plates of food on the table before leaving.
Evander didn’t move. He still had one arm around her shoulders and the other on her cheek. He patiently waited for her to answer his question.
But she couldn’t. “Everything from this morning is catching up with me,” she lied.
He slowly released her and nodded.
She didn’t think he believed her. Part of his assassin training had probably been how to tell if someone was lying. Now she felt guilty for not being honest with him. But she didn’t owe him anything. He probably had plenty of secrets he kept from her. After all, they barely knew each other. Yet…somehow she felt safe with him at her side. She took a deep breath, needing to clear her head.
Evander pulled one of the plates closer to him and started eating.
Sabine reached for the other one. “What is this?” she asked, eyeing the entire fish—head and all. “And why is it on a stick?”
“The stick is so you can pick it up.” He didn’t look her way as he spoke.
A pang of regret filled Sabine. She wanted Evander to look at her and smile. She wanted him to tease her. Something. Anything. It felt as if a wall had gone up between them. She wanted to tear it down.
The man approached, placing two bowls of soup on the table. He said something in a language she didn’t understand before bowing his head and leaving.
“Does he know who you are?” she asked. Evander had shown the man his tattoo, so he obviously knew what assassin guild he belonged to. She suspected Evander only ate at establishments he had some connection to. But she wondered if anyone knew he was also their prince.
“No. It is customary for people to bow their heads as a sign of respect. That’s all.”
She wondered what they did for royalty.
Since the fish didn’t look particularly appetizing with its head still attached, she decided to start with the soup. “I don’t have a spoon.”
“Just pick it up and drink it.”
With a shrug, she lifted the bowl and took a sip. The warm soup tasted decent. When she set the bowl down, Evander reached over and took hold of her hand.
“Keeping up the ruse,” he mumbled with a forced smile.
It was time to take him down a notch. “Oh yes.” She batted her eyes at him. “My doting husband, whom I adore.” She lifted her hand to the corner of his lips. He stilled. She wiped the area with her thumb. “You had a little something there.”
His eyes narrowed, as if he didn’t quite believe her.
She puckered her lips and blew him a kiss. He’d told her to play the part, so she was. And she was very good at flirting. She’d had lots of practice. And, for some reason, it was easy and fun to be this way around Evander. With Rainer, she’d always felt as if he had the upper hand. Perhaps it was because he was older than her. Or maybe it had something to do with him being overly sensual. With Evander, she could just be herself, and she found it refreshing.
Evander leaned closer, pushing her hair behind her ear and whispering, “Well played, Sabine. Well played.” His breath sent a shiver through her. “See, all you have to do is pretend I’m Rainer.”
It felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her. “Who said anything about me being in love with Rainer?” It was an arranged marriage, nothing more.
“Aren’t you?” His brows pulled together in confusion.
She didn’t know why she felt the need to defend herself, but she did. “I only met the man a few weeks ago. Love cannot grow in so short a time.” She focused back on her food instead of the man beside her.
As she sipped her soup, she couldn’t help but think about Rainer and what she did—and didn’t—feel toward him. From the first moment she saw him, she’d been attracted to him. He was by far the most handsome man she’d ever seen. When he touched her, she wanted to melt into him. Devour him. But that was simply because of his dark hair and eyes, the curve of his mouth, and the feel of his hands on her body. Having flirted with plenty of young men in her days, stealing a kiss or holding hands, she knew her body craved Rainer, but her heart and head didn’t care for him. There was nothing about his personality that drew her to him. She was coming to understand that to love someone, she needed both—the attraction and the friendship.
“You seemed quite in love with him when I watched the two of you together. I’d say you are besotted with the man.”
She didn’t know why he continued to push the matter. Perhaps she needed to show him something in order for him to understand. Of all people, she thought Evander would be able to easily spot a lie. He seemed to earlier when they were talking.
Trying to keep a straight face, she bit her bottom lip and peered at him through hooded eyes. “You think I’m in love with Rainer because we danced together a certain way?” she said, her voice low and sultry. Leaning toward him, she brushed her nose along the side of his face, breathing him in. He stilled. “You say you watched me with him?” She moved so her lips hovered at the corner of his. “I thought you were a trained assassin. I thought you’d know an act when you saw one.” She gently kissed his jaw and then moved back, unable to help the smirk on her face as she watched him blink several times.
“You’re not in love with him?” he asked, his voice slightly off.
Sabine knew she’d affected Evander, and somehow that made her feel powerful. “No, I don’t love Rainer, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to.” The truth slipped out before she realized what she’d said. She needed to be careful what she shared with this assassin-pirate-prince. “Every time you saw the two of us together, it was all an act. Rainer expected me to dress a certain way, behave a certain way. It was all about perception.” She felt the need to diffuse the tension building between them, so she decided to make a joke. “Just like now.” She reached over, placing her hand on this thigh. “You do understand I’m not in love with you, don’t you?”
He shook his head, his features softening. “You’re a handful.”
“Thank you.” She smiled.
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
“To me, it was,” she said as sweetly as possible.
“Are you done slurping down that soup?”
“I think the baby and I have had all we can handle,” she teased, knowing he was going to regret this little ruse of theirs. She never did anything half-way.
“Then come on, wife,” he said, pulling her to her feet. “Let’s go find a room for a few hours since I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.” He tossed some money on the table, then the two of them exited the tavern. It seemed he didn’t do anything half-way either.
Outside, a light rain had started to fall. “Do you ever get sick of it?” she asked as they headed along a narrow walkway and across a bridge.
“The rain?”
She nodded.
“No. Never.”
“At first, I couldn’t figure out why you have these wooden walkways everywhere,” she said. “But now that I see how much it rains, it makes sense. No one would want to be covered in mud all day long.”
“And some of them are built right over the water,” he said, taking her hand.
“How do you know where we’re going?” He couldn’t possibly be familiar with every single town up and down the canal.
“How do I say this,” he mused. “The more reputable inns, such as one a husband and wife expecting a child would stay at, are a few blocks from the canal. The ones along the waterway are for single men traveling for work.” They went down another road, this one less crowded. “See that sign ahead?”
“The one with the square symbol?”
“That’s the one. The square with the angled line above it and the three dots in the middle indicates a family-friendly inn.”
She thought it sort of looked like a house. “And if it isn’t family friendly?”
“Then it would only have one dot.”
She made a mental note in case she ever found herself needing to find a place to stay in Avoni.
They went into the inn. Evander spoke with the woman at the front counter, telling her that his pregnant wife needed a bed to rest for a few hours. He handed over some money.
Evander turned to Sabine. “Let’s go, honey.” He held out his hand.
She slid her hand into his, and he led her down a hall, opening the second door on the left. The tiny room had a single bed, only large enough for one person.
“I apologize, but this is the only available room.”
“I’ll take the floor,” Sabine said.
“You’ll take the bed. I’ll prop myself up against the door.” He pointed to it. “No lock.”
“Do you want to look for another inn?”
He shook his head. “It would be suspicious if we left.”
She removed her cloak and bag.
“We’ll leave in five hours,” Evander said as he sat on the floor, leaning his back against the door.
After taking off her boots, Sabine climbed into bed. She laid on her side, facing Evander.
He closed his eyes, and she watched the soft rise and fall of his chest. A few days worth of stubble covered his chin, giving him a harder edge than before. It made him look slightly older. His hands rested at his sides. While he appeared innocent, he’d killed several men today. Originally, she assumed it was to protect her. But really, he did it to keep her alive so he wouldn’t wind up in a war with Rainer. Evander hadn’t saved Sabine because he cared about her in any capacity. They weren’t even friends. Not really. She barely knew him. Yet, for some strange reason, she wanted to. Every little thing he revealed about himself was like peering behind the door in a great castle. The more glimpses she got, the more intrigued she became. She wanted to see it all.
And that scared her more than knowing an assassin was hunting her.