Page 48 of The Last Dragon King
Yep, going to the gardens, nothing suspicious about me. When I reached the end of the hallway that led to the outside, I pushed the doors wide and broke into a run.
I was a bit discombobulated at first. I’d only been out here a few times and it took me a moment to get my bearings. The stables and horse barns were to the right, so I aimed that way just before I heard a shout behind me.
“Arwen, stop!” the king commanded.
Pure terror ripped through me as I ran past a stable maid and then veered to the left, spotting a labyrinth of high hedges I could get lost in. I sprinted across the yard and burst into the protection of the tall hedge, but the sound of the footsteps behind me was too close.
Reaching behind me, I grasped for my hunting knife just as a body slammed into me. I tripped over my own feet, spinning in midair as King Valdren’s arms came around my shoulders. My butt hit the ground first, and then my back, and finally the thud of my skull. Luckily, it was soft grass, but that did not save me from the giant man who landed on top of me, making a whoosh of air leave me in a rush.
His thighs pinned my hips to the spot, and I hated the heat that crept up my body at his touch.
“Were you about to pull a knife on me?” He looked down at me incredulously, his eyes wild and dark hair strewn about.
Our bodies were smashed together, pressed fully against each other, and I could feel my cheeks redden from the close contact. I’d never been like this with a man…
He seemed to pick up on my dumbfounded loss of speech, and rolled off of me, taking my hunting knife with him.
With the absence of his body, I could breathe and think. “I will defend my life if attacked, yes,” I told him, and sat up, looking up at his giant form, which now blotted out the sun.
He reached out a hand to me and I raised one eyebrow, staring at him skeptically.
“I won’t bite,” he said, and I took the offered hand, allowing him to pull me up.
When I was finally facing him, or more accurately craning my neck to look up at him, I steeled myself.
“I am marrying Joslyn.”
I didn’t expect the pang of hurt to slice into my chest, especially because I’d just heard him tell his advisors that.
I nodded. “Congratulations.”
Why did I sound bitter?
“My advisors say that I cannot allow you to go home, where you could plot to take over my kingdom—”
I barked out in laughter at such a preposterous thing, but his glare shut me up.
“So you have to kill me.” I eyed the hunting blade in his hand. Would he kill me with my own blade? Right here in the privacy of the labyrinth hedge? Panic invaded my entire body.
I’m too young to die.
He looked hurt at my accusation, peering deeply into my eyes. “I could never kill you, Arwen.” He sounded upset at that declaration, and somehow those words sounded romantic coming from him. I relaxed a little and he stepped closer.
“I came to ask you if you wanted to join my Royal Guard,” he said. “You seemed excited about the prospect the day that I mentioned it, and so… there is a spot for you, if you want.”
My mouth popped open in shock. I tried to speak but couldn’t find the words. Was he ill? He found out I was able to siphon his power and kill everyone and now he wanted me as one of his protectors?
He gazed at me expectantly, as if waiting for an answer. He was serious. Laughter bubbled up inside of me and a lightness pulled at my limbs. “Be a member of the Royal Guard, are you kidding? That’s my dream!”
I got taken with the moment and threw myself into his arms, hugging him. His body stiffened and I pulled back, reprimanding myself for how inappropriate that was.
“Sorry. I got excited.” I stepped away from him, painfully aware that I had no highborn manners and had probably broken a million rules with this man. Thisking.
He nodded. “You have little fear of danger, which is what I look for in a Royal Guardsman-woman. The way you behaved that day with the attack on Gypsy Rock was admirable. I’ll train you to control your dragon powers, and Regina will train you in combat. I think you will be a great asset to my kingdom.”
I did a curtsy, bowing my head as well for good measure. “I accept your gracious offer.”
He frowned, looking a bit disturbed with my eagerness. “You do realize that you are a queen by birthright and I will be relegating you tomyservice for the rest of your life?”
