Page 31 of Not Another Happily Ever After

“Tick-tock,” Thoren whispers.

“Please?” I beg, prying at the fingers tightening around my throat.

Xander draws the blade from its sheath.

“Time’s up, beastie.”

Forgive me, brother.“Stop!” I scream.

Xander freezes, the tip of his sword inches away from cutting the prince’s devilish grin clean off his face.

“Sunday?” Confusion flickers in his eyes.

“Please, just…stop.” I beg.

Xander hesitates a beat before lowering his blade.

“I’ll be okay. Remember?” I repeat his words back to him, encouraging him to go.

He tilts his head the way he does when he’s about to argue, but the prince tosses him a cat-like smile over his shoulder. “Don’t you have a missing maiden to find?”

That strikes a nerve. My brother’s eyes cut to me, his hand hovering just above his blade, waiting for permission.

I shake my head. His mouth parts in reply, but he doesn’t argue. He doesn’t reach back for his blade. Instead, he simply nods. Then turns and walks away. Leaving me well and truly alone with this monster.

I look to Father’s chamber and notice the open door.

But where is Father?

Where is the dark knight?

The prince drags his thumb across where his teeth have carved my lips, patting my cheek with his blood-covered hand when a dark figure shifts behind him.

It’s all I can do not to scream as a large hand reaches from behind the prince, yanking him away with enough force that he falls to the floor. But he doesn’t stop there. Before Thoren can even roll to his side, the hooded figure sends his black boot into his stomach.

I wince, pressing myself back into the cold stone wall, struggling to make sense of the scene laid out before me. Somehow, the masked knight of Castle Ruin is now standing over a dazed princeling, whose violent coughs are absolutely going to draw attention.

“You need to leave.” I hurry between the two men before Thoren can get a good look at the knight. As fond as Father might be of him, there is nothing he could do if the prince called for his head. “Now.”

Frog’s eyes darken. “You’re bleeding.”

My tongue darts out and sure enough, my lips are wet with the metallic taste of blood. “It’s nothing.” I shrug, swiping it away with the thick woolly cloak hanging over me.

A cloak that belongs to him.

Oh my God.“I’m still wearing your cloak.”

“You are.” He nods slowly, oblivious to the dire situation my carelessness has put us in.

I chance a look over my shoulder where Thoren still holds his stomach, and lower my voice. “I am wearing your cloak, and hesawme wearing your cloak.”

Frog’s brows climb as he pieces it together.

“Take this and leave.” I slide the cloak free from my shoulders and thrust it into the knight’s arms, my eyes pleading for him to go.

Behind me, I hear the prince already staggering to his feet.

In one swift move, the knight drops his cloak and ushers me behind him. I try to get between them, but the knight’s arm swings out, blocking my way.