Page 88 of The Prince's Sacrifice

If this was fate or consequences reaching Tor, he’d deal with that. But Cala needed to be safe. Tor was only one man, and Pamuna wasn’t a guard and only had a dagger. Tor didn’t want to count on the force outside being overcome by the castle guards.

He could take them back out the window, assuming his magic held, but Tor with the baby would be a huge target. That meant—

His thoughts abruptly rearranged themselves. It was so simple, it just might work. He smiled fiercely at Pamuna.

“Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to go out the window with the baby.”

Pamuna’s eyes grew even wider.

He hurried on before she could protest, meeting her gaze squarely. “I’m going to lower you out. There is absolutely nothing to worry about.”Please, Goddess, protect Cala.“I’m going to shield Cala, so you know she’ll be safe. You’re going to keep her in that sling and cover her in a blanket, and you’re going to take her to her father. Only her father. Do you understand?”

Tor had no idea who to trust at the moment, but despite everything that had happened, he knew without question that Cala would be safe with her father.

Pamuna was staring at him wildly. Her breath was coming too fast. But after a moment, she nodded.

“To her father. I understand.”

Tor swallowed, exhaled, and squared his shoulders. That was all he needed to know.

“I’ll stay here, and I’ll fight off whoever comes through the door, so you’ll have time to get to Var. All right?”

“But they’ll see the baby isn’t here.”

Tor grinned at her. “Only they won’t.”

He waved up a shield of magic over the baby’s cradle. Pamuna’s sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the color.

“Torex—” she began.

Shrugging, he said, “They’ll believe the baby is there.” He gazed at her intently. “Nothing can happen to Cala. That’s what matters right now.”

She was Cala’s nurse for a reason. If Fernila had got one thing right, it was putting this woman in that position. She adored Cala, and she’d make sure the baby was safe. Tor didn’t trust Fernila as far as he could throw her, but as long as Cala was delivered to Var, Tor was sure he’d take care of her.

Pamuna’s nod was a little shaky, but it was definitely a nod.

Tor reached out a hand and laid it soothingly on Cala’s back, through the sling.

“Hey there, baby girl.” She turned to look at him, face scrunched up from crying, but when she saw him, she stopped. He smiled at her. “That’s better. You’re probably wondering what all the noise is about, right? Anyone would think a perfect baby girl didn’t have the right to sleep through the night!”

She smiled at him, that beautiful baby grin.

“She’s started teething,” Pamuna muttered. “No one is sleeping through the night.”

Tor huffed a breath that was almost a laugh, even as he felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes. He was ignoring those.

It explained why Pamuna had been so close at hand in the middle of the night. Tor had never been more grateful.

“Well, this is an even ruder wake-up call than normal, but everything is going to be totally fine. You’re going to go have a little adventure with Pamuna, and then you’re going to see your daddy. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

She smiled at him again, and then she let out a yawn that seemed to take her by surprise.

The door jolted again, and there was a scream from the hallway. Cala looked as though she was going to take exception to that, but Tor stroked her back again.

“No, no, baby girl, there’s nothing whatsoever for you to worry about. You just go to sleep with Pamuna, and she’s going to take you to see your daddy. It’s all right. Just go to sleep.”

He continued to stroke his hand over her back, trying to ignore the chaos in the hallway and the knowledge that he was working on borrowed time.

He kept stroking over her back, and a shimmering shield slowly coalesced into place, barely any space between the shield and her skin. The pink was getting darker, and Pamuna’s breath caught, but Tor made himself ignore it.