Broken Prince (The Broken Ones) (28 page)

She turned to where Kei sat beside her, raising her
eyebrows. "He’s rather…efficient."

"He is," Kei agreed. Holding out his hand,
he jerked his head toward the buildings. "You’ve lots to do tomorrow. Time
to sleep."

She let him help her up, Bo and Garen following behind
them. Turning slightly as they walked, she tried to catch sight of Prince.

For a moment she thought she saw a hooded form
standing in the shadows watching her, but she couldn’t be sure.

Now that she’d recovered, she would share one of the
larger buildings with the boys instead of remaining in the sick house.
Rhee-En’s reaction to her insistence of this during dinner had been amusing. However,
she’d been quite adamant.

They quickly got settled into the rows of small beds.
Aro didn’t know whether to be pleased she got a bed again, or put out there was
no room to curl up with anyone. Once she sank into the softness of her bed, she
quickly decided another night or two would be quite fine with her.

Chapter 34:

Once More into
the Woods

Cassia found her first thing in the morning and drew
her away to teach her a number of stretches. The exercise helped ease some of
the stiffness she’d woken up with. The Were correctly diagnosed the stomach
muscles on her side needed work. Though they didn’t pain her, her flexibility
had decreased considerably.

After washing up, Bo led her to the settlement’s
center to eat more than she should have for breakfast. The rest of the morning she
spent going through all the packs with Bo and Kei. Though the one horse hadn’t
survived, the Were had been able to retrieve their things. They sorted, cleaned
gear, and repacked.

Bo went to talk to Rhee-En about a few supplies they
needed while Kei gave her a short tour of the settlement. By the time they
reached the center again, cold meat and other dishes were being set out for
lunch.

Prince hadn’t appeared yet and she didn’t remember
seeing him that morning either. She hoped someone fed him. Watching the few
children run about the tables and play gave her an excuse to keep looking
around while she waited to eat.

When the sun totally disappeared everyone looked up
and froze.

Aro stared, eyes wide, at the massive dragon flying
over them. "Rot," she muttered as it finally passed by and the trees
hid it from view.

If the dragon was Damon, Rhee-En wasn’t going to be
happy with her. If it wasn’t him, they were all in even more trouble.

* * *

Getting slowly to her feet, she turned and started
walking slowly out of the settlement. Running would have been better, but she
didn’t want to panic the Were or frighten the children. Currently they were
yelling and bouncing about how they’d just seen a real live dragon.

Garen darted ahead as Bo and Kei fell into step on
either side of her.

Her heart sped up within her chest as she quickened
her step, eyes darting around the small buildings and trees.

Kei glanced over at her. "Is it Damon?"

"I don’t know. I’d assume so." She shook her
head with a frown. "What is he doing here?"

"Prince tried to reach him," Bo stated. "When
nothing else worked. He never received a response as far as I know."

"Rot," she muttered. They’d almost passed
the last houses of the settlement and she let out a deep breath of relief. Now
as long as the Were kept away, they should be safe.

Garen dashed out of the trees ahead of them.
It is
Damon.

They continued walking until Aro saw someone ahead of
them. She stopped, trying to decide what to do. "You all stay here," she
said finally, turning to look at each of them. "I mean it. He has a temper
and I don’t want him to hurt you. Keep your thoughts as guarded as you can."

Garen thumped his rear onto the ground to sit but
didn’t look happy. Bo muttered under his breath and crossed his arms.

"Kei?" She gave him a stern look.

"Fine. But if you need us…"

"I know you have my back. No worries."

The boys now taken care of, she raised her chin and
marched forward. She wasn’t afraid of him. He’d proven he wanted her alive. That
didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt her though. However he appeared to appreciate her
strength more than anything else.

He walked a few steps to meet her, but she stopped a
short distance from him, not wanting to be in reach. "Damon," she
said, giving him a polite nod.

"Arowyn." He regarded her thoughtfully. "I
had heard you were…unwell. I am pleased to see that is not true."

"I’ve recovered, thank you."

"I see."

They stared at each in silence for a moment. She
focused on keeping her thoughts guarded and the walls of her inner fortress
strong.

"Why are you here?"

His smile was small and not particularly kind. "I
thought you might need me."

Tilting her head to the side, she returned his smile. "If
I had, it would be too late by now. I managed without you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it is."

Damon stepped forward. "Let me in, Arowyn,"
he said harshly. "I would know what I have missed."

She sighed and shook her head, but didn’t step back. "No."
Turning to walk away, he grabbed her arm, his fingers grasping her so tightly she
gasped in pain.

"You do not walk away from me, human."

Anger rose within her and she glared up at him, not
surprised to find his strange eyes boring into hers and swirling in anger.
Shaking off his arm, she turned back to him, clenching her fists in an attempt
to control her rising fury. "You want to see? Very well."

Raising her chin, she kept her eyes locked on his and
entered her own mind, pulling forth the memories he so wanted to see. She began
with a rolling stream of nothing important; eating, traveling, setting up camp.

He grasped her shoulders, a low growl rumbling from
his chest. "That is not what I want to see."

"How about this?" She flung her encounter
with the Fey at him, the fighting, her taking their fury, giving it to Prince. She
stopped the memory then, skipping how Prince reacted, how he’d kissed her.

His mind pushed at hers, demanding more. She pushed
back, gritting her teeth with the effort.

Do not fight me. You never win.

I don’t belong to you! My thoughts are my own!

A dark laugh echoed through her mind.
You bow to
those who are stronger than you. That is the way of it. Now show me more.

Heart hammering in her chest, she struggled to control
her rapid breathing and temper. Her temper won and she lashed out at him. "This?"
She sent him their fight with the Vor and the pressure on her mind eased. "And
this?" Her. Staring down at the wound on her side. The blood and guts. She
forced her memories of her panic and her pain into him. Her boys gathering
around her, Prince trying to keep her guts in. The pain the pain the pain. Awakening
in Rhee-En’s settlement. She thrust at him her few memories of the fever, of
her knowing she would die.

"Enough, Arowyn."

"But you wanted to see," she whispered.
Pressing her hands on his chest, she continued to share her memories. The Fey
coming to give her power. The unrelenting agony of her healing.

Grabbing her wrists, he held them tightly, staring
down into her eyes with a look she couldn’t at all decipher. His mind crashed
into hers, and she let the memories fade.

"You’ve grown stronger."

"I have." She stared him down, pulling at the
wrists he still held trapped between them.

He chuckled, releasing her. "Such a fierce little
thing you are."

"I don’t have a choice."

"You always have a choice." His eyes left
hers, finding someone behind her. "Isn’t that right?"

An arm slipped around her waist, pulling her back
against a hard warm chest.

"One last rescue, Shael?"

"Princes are supposed to save the beautiful
ladies in distress," he replied wryly from behind her. Despite his light
reply, his arm tightened around her.

"I wasn’t in distress," she muttered. His
words caught up to her and her breath lodged in her throat. He’d called her
beautiful? A lady? Her anger returned however, he’d been avoiding her since she
healed and now decided to come back?

"You are looking better," the Dragos
commented. "I would speak with you." He tilted his head to the side,
indicating they go elsewhere.

Prince paused, and then nodded.
Will you be–

I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.

I will not be long.
He left her side, following the Dragos into the trees.

The absence of his warmth sent a shiver along her
spine.

"Arowyn."

She turned and froze, surprised to see Rhee-En, and
all the other Were, watching her.

He grinned and shook his head. "My people cannot
decide if you are stronger than you look, or insane."

She frowned and shook her head, not understanding what
he meant.

"You stood up to a Dragos."

"I don’t like him in my head."

His lips twisted as he tried not to laugh. "No
one does. But it just is not done."

"Never? But surely–"

"Let me rephrase. No one crosses a Dragos and
ever lives to speak of it. They are a temperamental sort."

"I’ve noticed."

He held out his arm. "Come, let us eat."

Slipping her arm through his, she kept her head high,
staring straight ahead, as he walked them through the still staring pack.

* * *

Eating proved difficult to do. Prince hadn’t returned
from his talk with Damon. She should never have let them go off alone. Ignoring
the food, she chewed on her thumbnail instead.

Going over and over Prince’s behavior the last few
days didn’t help. She understood some of what he must have been thinking, but
not why he’d now been avoiding her, or his sudden reappearance and show of
affection.

"Are you feeling well?"

She looked up at Rhee-En in surprise and quickly hid
her chewed thumbnail. "Yes, I’m fine. Just worried about Prince."

Bo moved over and the alpha sat down beside her. "There
is no need to worry. It is doubtful the Dragos will harm an Elven prince."

"They’ve fought before," she said quietly. "It
was Damon who tore off his glamor."

Rhee-En stared at her, clearly shocked and at a loss
for words. "That is…disturbing."

She snorted at the understatement and then flushed
when he looked at her in surprise.

Chuckling softly, he shook his head in amusement. "Are
you still planning on leaving tomorrow?"

"I think so. Everything seems to be in order."

"You should reach the wardwall before evening. If
you want to push on, you could rest and then leave when darkness falls. You
would avoid any human notice then."

His plan seemed sound and she nodded her agreement. "We
will try that then."

"I will have some of my pack stay close while you
remain in the forest. Just as a precaution."

Normally, such a statement would have angered her. She’d
learned her lesson. "I appreciate that, thank you again."

He stared down at his hands for a moment before
looking back over at her with a small, forced smile. "Have you decided
what you will do after?"

"No, actually. Not at all," she admitted
ruefully. "I’ve just been so focused on actually getting him home alive."

He paused before speaking again. "You are always
welcome with us. If you would like to return," he continued quickly. He
flashed her smile, his scars twisting along his face. "You do have to
return my horse."

His words, and their apparent meaning, left her
flustered for a moment. "Yes, I do," she finally managed. "Whatever
we decide, we’ll return to the forest first."

"I would like that."

Be careful,
Garen cautioned.
You have impressed him, with your healing and standing up
against the Dragos. You would be an asset to any pack.

Heat began a slow rise from her neck to her cheeks.
Kei,
help me here.

Kei leaned forward so he could talk around her. "Aro
can let you know, whatever is decided."

Rhee-En nodded and stood, smiling at her once more. "We
have a feast planned for tonight, perhaps some dancing. We will not keep you up
too late though." His smile faded as he caught sight of something behind
her.

She turned and saw Prince coming out of the trees.
Smiling in relief, it faded when he didn’t acknowledge them, but instead
disappeared into the building they slept in. Apparently, he’d gone back to
ignoring her. Again.

* * *

Rhee-En and his Were put on a fun and lively evening
event for them. Pushing Prince from her mind, she enjoyed it immensely. She
kept telling herself she had to get used to him not being around. There was no
lack of friendship or partners for dancing. Kei, Bo, and Garen remained close to
her side. Though Rhee-En paid her much attention, she was able to divert any
conversation she worried would go down paths she didn’t want to visit.

They all rose early the next morning and packed up the
horses. The Were circled them, assisting now and then and waved as they
departed with the slowly rising sun.

Aro found they’d all been given a cloak and even Kei
wore his in the chill early morning air. Fall had descended quickly, though whether
it was early or late she couldn’t tell.

As they left she walked with Kei and Garen while Bo
and Prince took the horses. She watched Prince’s stiff back as he rode off into
the trees, her heart clenching in her chest. She only had two more days with
him and he ignored her. The urge to shake some sense into him just kept
growing. Either that or break into tears. She much preferred the first idea.