Chapter 28
One moment I was kneeling on the floor, reading from a book that could possibly be cursing me, the next I was running from the room.
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to go.
All I knew was that too much was going on, and the number of revelations in the past several minutes was enough to make anyone lose their minds.
“Runa, wait!” Leif called after me, but I didn’t slow my pace, running as fast as I could through the courtyard, past all the closed doors, back to my room.
My dress caught on something, but I didn’t care to look, yanking it free and ignoring the sound of a tear.
I crossed the threshold at last, turning to slam the door, wishing more than anything I could lock it. Desperate, I pressed my whole body against the door, hoping it would be enough.
“Runa!” Leif called through the door, not trying to enter. “Please, I can explain.”
“Explain what?” I screamed back, tears streaming down my face. “How you lied to me about everything?”
“I didn’t lie about everything! Runa, please open the door so we can talk properly.”
“No!” I shouted back, turning to sit with my back against the door.
I didn’t even want his face in my mind right now, but it wouldn’t leave.
It insisted on taunting me, showing me images of us over the last several weeks—talking, kissing, having sex.
How had I let things get this far with a man who couldn’t even have the gall to tell me who his father was?
Was this really how love worked?
Was this really what I wanted?
I sat in silence, my face hidden by my hands, for several moments, before taking a deep breath and rising to open the door.
Only for Leif to fall into my room, as he had been sitting in the exact same position I had been. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been too angry, too betrayed, to even consider laughing.
I didn’t even wait for him to right himself before I spat my first question. “Were you ever going to help me escape?”
He pinched his eyes shut, giving me the answer before he even opened his mouth.
“I . . . Runa.” He sat up, blowing out a breath.
“I was going to tell you, I was just waiting for the right moment. Then I was going to invite you to live in my quarters with me.” He reached for my hands, but I stepped back. “I had hoped you would be my consort.”
A scoff escaped my lips. As if that was some sort of prize. “And you didn’t think telling me this before we were to become intimate might have been important?”
He ran a hand through his hair in a motion I had seen his father do just moments before.
It was a wonder I hadn’t noticed the resemblance sooner.
They had the same color hair, similar statures.
Though their eyes were markedly different, I really was an idiot.
“I wanted to, but the pull between us . . . it’s just so strong . . .”
He took another step forward, and I stepped back, finding my back pressed against a wall. “You have to feel this, Runa.” He motioned between us. “It’s so powerful, it makes me crazy.”
I waited a moment, waited to feel the pull that had me jumping into bed with him, but I couldn’t feel anything. I just felt empty. Betrayed. Angry.
Hurt.
“I don’t feel anything anymore.” I knew the words were harsh, but I refused to soften their blow for a man who couldn’t even reveal he was related to the viscount holding me captive before taking me to bed.
“Runa, don’t say that,” he begged, pushing himself closer to me, his breath fanning my face. I wished there was a way for me to back up more, but I was already pressed as close to the wall as possible.
My anger turned into a searing rage. “How can you say that, Leif?! I was just starting my own life, I had just escaped, I was almost free, and—”
Leif cut me off again. “But the pull between us.”
I wanted to scream. How was he not listening? I couldn’t breathe. “I need space.” I pushed on his chest, but he didn’t budge. “Please, Leif, step back.”
“No,” he refused. “Not until you tell me that you feel the pull between us.”
I struggled, pressing harder on his chest. My thoughts were raging, and I still couldn’t take in a breath. I couldn’t believe I’d let someone imprison me so soon after finally being free. I couldn’t believe he didn’t understand. “No. I won’t lie to you. I feel nothing.”
“That’s not true!” he shouted before trying to press his lips to mine. I turned my head so he kissed my cheek as I tried even harder to push him back. Hot tears spilled in earnest from the corner of my eyes.
“Leif, let me go,” I commanded, in full panic, but it was no use. He leaned in to attempt to kiss me again, and I lifted my knee, aiming for the sensitive spot between his legs.
But before I could get there, another deep voice filled the room. “I believe she said to let her go.”
My vision was so blurred with tears, it took me a moment to recognize the broad-shouldered, black-haired man standing in the doorway.
General Otho.
Why was he here?
Leif recognized him too. “You have no power here. This is my home. Leave,” he spat.
Otho just smirked, and my vision cleared enough to see that blood ran down his front. So much, there was a small pool of it in front of him on the wooden floor. “Tell that to your guards.” He inclined his chin to the side, malice in his gaze.
Leif’s eyes widened in horror, and before I could blink, he was diving for the door. “Andrew?” he yelled as his knees thudded on the wooden floor.
Just as relieved as I was to be free, I barely got a moment of respite before Otho was grabbing my arm, and pulling me from the room, past where Leif kneeled next to his friend, across the courtyard, and to where the exterior wall to the palace stood.
Though I was exhausted from the emotional turmoil, I knew I couldn’t stop running now. Not even as I heard shouts behind us. I thought we would head toward the front gate where I had entered, but instead, Otho turned to run into the fields.
When I hesitated, he didn’t miss a beat, pulling me onto his back and wrapping my legs around his waist. “Hold on!” he shouted. How he wasn’t out of breath as he carried me around Heimland, I would never understand.
It wasn’t far before we reached a stone wall.
Otho stopped, but instead of dropping me from his back, he pushed me up onto his shoulders, as if I weighed nothing, which was no easy feat because I knew I was not a small woman.
I struggled to balance as his hands slid from my waist to my ankles.
I had never stood on someone’s shoulders before.
“Grab onto the wall.”
I did as I was told, hoisting myself up before he had the chance to help me. At least my growing up disguised as a boy had some benefits. I’d been expected to climb trees and vault walls just like the rest of the boys in my class.
Once I was on top of the wall, I looked back to see dark figures entering the grass. They weren’t far behind at all. “Otho, hurry,” I whispered.
He didn’t even glance back as he jumped and hoisted himself up and over the wall in one smooth motion before dropping down the other side. Then he held his arms open for me. “I’ll catch you,” he promised.
I didn’t question it. I jumped, landing in his arms as promised, even though I nearly knocked him off his feet, and we were off once more.
We didn’t have to run long, before I caught sight of a horse tied to a tree. Otho didn’t hesitate as he ran straight for the rope. “Climb on.”
I followed his directions, and just as I was settling on the horse’s back, he swung up behind me, his arms coming to wrap around my waist right as he flicked the reigns, urging the horse into a gallop. It took everything I had not to fall off the horse as it accelerated.
By the time I was able turn back to look behind me, the stones of Hansen’s compound were just specks in the distance, and I didn’t see anyone on our tail.