Chapter 20 #2
“What are you doing?” Sabine demanded, glancing back to make sure her guards were still nearby. Both remained at the bottom of the stairwell.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m going for a swim.” He tossed his shirt on the floor. Wearing only his pants, he jumped into the pool, water splashing Sabine. When Axel surfaced, he laughed, wiping the water off his face.
Even though she had two guards with her, she didn’t think it appropriate for her to swim in a pool with Axel at night. Instead of joining him, she sat at the edge of the pool, sticking her legs in the water.
Axel floated on his back.
“Why’d you bring me here?” she asked, trying to figure out his angle. It could be anything from actually caring about her as a sibling to wanting to upset his own brother. She honestly didn’t know with him.
“You looked like you needed to get away,” he said, still floating. “Like you could use a friend.” He rolled over and went under the water, swimming toward her. When he surfaced, he was a foot away from her legs. “Are you going to come in and join me?”
She shook her head.
“Suit yourself.” He came to the edge of the pool, next to her, placing his arms on the side as he watched her. “Do you want to talk about anything? Like what made you so upset?”
“I’m not upset.” Just irritated and sad. Her mind had been going crazy trying to come up with a plan to stop the war. One that might actually work.
“I know my brother can be difficult,” Axel said. “I’m sorry for everything. If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”
She raised her hand to gently touch the bruise on her neck.
Difficult wasn’t a word she’d use to describe Rainer.
And talking about him was out of the question.
She’d decided that as soon as she figured out how to stop this war, she was leaving.
Staying here with Rainer wasn’t an option.
It was only a matter of time before his temper snapped, and he killed her.
If only Lottie had been found guilty of treason.
Then Lottie and Rainer would be dead. Sabine’s problems would be solved.
Instead, things were even more of a mess than before.
“Thank you, Axel. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. If you don’t mind, I’m just going to sit here and think.” The soft breeze, the moonlight, and the water were calming.
Axel lifted himself out of the water. He walked over to the wall where a shelf held a handful of towels. Grabbing one, he dried his face. “I’m going upstairs to change, then I’m leaving to meet someone. Stay here as long as you like.”
“Thank you. For everything.”
“Any time. Goodnight, Sabine.” He left.
Sabine sat there, kicking her legs in the water. “Drew?”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Are the rest of my guards standing outside of Prince Axel’s room?”
“They are.”
“Can you have them move so it’s not obvious I’m in here?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He turned to head up the stairwell.
“One more thing,” she called out after him. “I’m going to swim.”
“Then we’ll give you some privacy.” Drew and the other guard left, leaving her alone in the pool.
This reminded her of being home. Of her and Alina swimming late at night in the small lake outside their castle.
Her parents had forbidden them from swimming in it, saying it was unladylike.
However, after watching their four older brothers swim, Alina and Sabine had decided they would too.
So they wouldn’t get into trouble, they waited until their parents had gone to bed, then went out at night and swam.
Smiling at the memory, Sabine undid the holster around her thigh, setting it and her dagger aside.
She slid into the cool water, feeling an instant relief from the muggy weather.
She swam out to the end, to the part not covered by the roof.
Since her dress material was thin, it was easy to swim.
At the edge, she peered over, seeing the mountain drop straight down.
An arm snaked around her waist and a hand slid over her mouth. Sabine frantically grabbed at the hand, trying to pull the fingers back so she could scream.
“It’s me,” Evander whispered in her ear. He released her. “I didn’t want to scare you and have you scream.”
“Well you did scare me,” she hissed as she turned in the water to face him. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.”
She surveyed the stairwell.
“Your guards are busy,” Evander assured her. “We’re alone.”
At the word alone, her face warmed. She suddenly realized Evander didn’t have a shirt on.
Not only that, but her wet dress was practically see-through.
She’d have to keep her body under the water.
Feeling overly exposed, she swam to the other side of the pool, the part that was covered by the roof. Evander silently followed her.
“Why did you come to see me?” she asked, wondering if it had something to do with the letter Rainer had received tonight. Maybe he had something to tell her.
“What sort of a silly question is that?” He splashed water at her. “I like spending time with you.”
“How’d you find me?”
“It wasn’t hard. I just had to follow the trail of guards in your wake.” His head bobbed above the water. “Why all the questions?”
Instead of answering him, she decided to float on her back as Axel had done. The moon didn’t shine on the water in this part of the pool, so she was fairly concealed by the darkness. Closing her eyes, she floated, reveling in the quietness of everything.
One of Evander’s hands slid under her back, suspending her body in the water while his other hand came and traced a line from her forehead to her lips, down her neck, between her breasts, and to her belly button. She shivered.
She finally looked into his eyes. “What are you thinking about?”
His focus was on her body. He shook his head.
“Tell me,” she prodded.
His hand traced from her naval to her neck.
“I’m thinking that I want to kill Rainer with my bare hands for doing this to you.
” His fingers traced over the bruise around her neck.
“I’m thinking I hate myself for not stopping him from hurting you.
” His fingers went to her lips. “I’m wishing you had run away with me.
” He moved his body so he stood above her head, his hand no longer supporting her.
“I’m thinking how beautiful you are.” His hands came to either side of her face, resting on her cheeks. “And I’m thinking about kissing you.”
Her breath caught. He moved into her line of sight, staring down at her as she floated in the water. He pinched his eyes shut.
She bent her body, going under the water. When she surfaced, she faced him. He stood there, his chest and head above the water. “Being here with you is dangerous,” she whispered. “I should go.”
“I’m not dangerous to you.”
A small laugh escaped her lips. “You are.” She neared him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Just as he’d done, she traced a line along his skin.
Only, she traced a finger from one shoulder to the other.
She went behind him, tracing a line across his back.
When she came to his front again, her finger went up to his lips.
“You’re the most dangerous person I know.
I’ve never met anyone who tempts me like you do. ”
He closed his eyes. “Sabine,” he whispered.
“I need to go before I do something stupid.”
He reached out, clutching her wrist. “Don’t go back to your room.”
She peered into his eyes. “Why?” Was this because of what Rainer had said at supper? About coming to her bed tonight?
His hands went to her waist, pulling her to him. He leaned his forehead against hers. “It’s not safe for you in your room at night.”
Terror slid through her. “Because of the assassin?” she asked.
He didn’t say anything.
Frustration filled her. “Do you know who the assassin in the dungeon is?” She knew he did. The real question was if he’d share that information with her.
“I do,” he answered carefully. “Why?” His grip tightened on her ever so slightly. His fingers felt like fire, making her want to melt into him.
She forced herself to focus because she needed to know if the man in the dungeon was responsible for the deaths that had taken place in the palace.
“When I went to the dungeon to speak with the prisoner, I saw he had the tattoo of your assassin guild.” Hopefully, Evander would explain things so she wouldn’t have to prod him for more information. If he felt anything for her, he needed to be truthful.
He released her and let out a breath. “You went into the dungeon?”
She nodded.
“You need to be careful when dealing with people like him.”
“But he’s one of yours.” Evander hadn’t denied it. “You’re the leader of the Crimson Cloaks.” And as the leader, that meant he was responsible for his assassins and their actions.
“I didn’t send him here,” Evander said. “I need you to know that.” His voice held a hint of panic to it.
“Is he acting of his own free will?” Because that thought scared her.
“No.”
Then he had to be acting on behalf of the king. She didn’t realize the king could give orders to the assassins. While King Kai had told her he’d sent a group of assassins to Lynk, she mistakenly assumed Evander was still the one giving the orders, not the king.
“I guess it’s a good thing he’s in the dungeon.” She waited to hear Evander’s response, eager to have him either confirm or deny the man had been captured on purpose.
“When you went to see him,” Evander said, “did you tell him who you are?”
“He guessed.”
Evander submerged under the water. When he surfaced, he wiped the water from his face. “So he knows what you look like,” he said more to himself than to her.
“Is he responsible for the deaths we’ve had in the palace?”
“What makes you think that? He’s locked in the dungeon.”