Chapter 26
DAHLIA
When Tauren said armour, I was expecting to look like a knight or at least to be put in something made out of metal. I was not expecting the silky white gown that looks exactly like something a maiden would wear on her wedding night.
“There is still time to change your mind.” Tauren’s voice is heavy from across the carriage. “I won’t hold it against you.” I feel his gaze settle on my bodice. My chest tightens, as if it wasn’t already a struggle to breathe in this gown.
“I’ll be fine. I doubt I’ll even be in there a day. I’ll be in and out, just like we planned.” I grin, but it feels odd under all the dirt his maids smeared on my face.
“In and out.” He glares at the trees outside. “Just like we planned.”
Despite Tauren protests, I’m not going into this completely defenceless. Girabalt did a good job with my fake wedding gown. The bodice is tight due to the leather armour sewn into the fabric, and under my bloomers is a belt hiding two small daggers.
Elheart’s guards will probably search me for weapons, but it’s unlikely they’ll go digging in my bloomers.
And if they do… well, that’s what the daggers are for.
Outside, the horses slow the carriage to a stop, and my breath slows with them.
“We’re here.” Tauren adjusts his cuffs. “Elheart’s palace is just past this forest.”
Leaning up to the window, I peek outside. I can’t see anything other than harsh sunlight through the pine trees, but the tightness in Tauren’s tone tells me we’re not far.
My hands twist in my skirt. The next time I’ll be in here, his sister will be with us. I hope.
“How will I find you again?” I turn to Tauren. “Once I find Maeve, that is.”
“I’ll be waiting here for you, and I’ll have soldiers patrolling these woods in case you can’t find this clearing again. We won’t leave without you.” There’s a fierceness in his eyes that I haven’t seen since the wedding. It makes my bodice feel even tighter. “Dahlia—”
“I should go.” I push out of my seat.
“Wait.”
Ignoring him, I reach for the door. Feelings are stirring inside me, feelings I should absolutely not have for the man who kidnapped me – the man who forced me to marry him.
Before I can reach the handle, a hand pulls me back. I land back in my seat, whimpering.
Tauren looms over me, his palms either side of my hips.
“You will not just walk out of this carriage without letting me say goodbye.” Grasping my hips, he sears me with a kiss so intense I forget why we’re here.
Nothing exists outside of this carriage.
It’s only us, his hands on my hips and his tongue battling against mine.
Until his hands curl around my hidden daggers and his voice drops to a furious whisper.
“If anyone tries to hurt you in there, you use these daggers and you kill them. If anyone tries to touch you, you kill them. If Elheart so much as brushes your arm, you kill him, and then come back to me because if you don’t, Dahlia…
” He sucks in a breath. My hand fists the fabric of his shirt.
“I swear I will take the souls of as many men as it takes for me to burn down that wall and find you myself.”
“Tauren,” I breathe.
His eyes flutter shut. “Promise me you'll come back.” He kisses me again. “Promise it.”
“I will,” I reply. “I’ll be back by tomorrow, and I’ll bring your sister home too.”
He looks at me like there’s a thousand more words he wants to say, but instead he just nods. “I’ll be here waiting for you.” He returns to his seat across from me. “Don’t be late.” Crossing his boot over his knee, he goes back to glaring out of the window as I hurry out of the carriage.
I don’t look back while running through the woods. Twigs catch in my skirt and branches whip past my face, but I keep pushing forward, my calves burning, until the trees part to reveal a huge white wall and the colossal, glittering palace behind it.
I stumble back a few steps. I thought Elheart was only a lord, but his palace is bigger than Father’s.
White marble turrets shoot up from behind the wall.
Each spire is tipped with gold flag poles and decorated with silver vines and sculptures.
It would look straight out of a fairytale, if it weren’t for the looming thirty-foot wall surrounding it.
The salt barrier.
Stepping closer, I run my fingers along the glistening surface. It’s made of some kind of rock, but I can see the salt veins running through it, like little rivers sparkling in the sunlight.
“You there! Halt!”
I jump, spinning to face the voice. Two armoured guards sprint up to me – Elheart’s, obviously. Their gold and blue tabards match the palace’s flags.
“Identify yourself!” the taller one barks. “State your business here.”
Raising my palms, I put on my best shy princess voice. “P-please don’t hurt me!” I squeak. Gosh, I sound like Fern. “I’ve been running all night! I escaped from the demon’s castle. I’m Princess Dahlia,” I pant. “Lord Elheart’s fiancée.”
The guards’ eyes widen before they draw closer to each other to whisper words I can’t hear. After a few moments of bickering, and one of them loudly arguing that my gown looks ‘much too fancy to be a thief’s’, the two finally draw apart.
“Princess Dahlia.” The shorter one bows. “We will escort you to the palace now. His Lordship will be most pleased to hear of your arrival.” He grins eagerly. The taller one gives him a doubtful look but moves to my side anyway to lead me along the wall.