Cage of Deceit(88)

Jarvik smiled. “I’ve said it before—you are loyal.” He took a step toward her, and she raised her hands for him to stop. “There’s something I need to tell you,” he said.

“Wait.” She withdrew the necklace from beneath her dress and lifted it over her head. Unclasping the latch, she removed the ring. “I … I want you to have this.” She held out her hand, the ring resting on her palm.

“Why?” he asked.

“From the moment we leave this library, there can never be anything between us. I want you to have this ring to remember me.”

“I’ll be seeing you every day—there will be no forgetting you.” A smile tugged on the corners of his lips.

“Please,” she begged. “I don’t know how to be friends with you—I care for you too much. I want you to have this ring as a token of what could have been if my kingdom didn’t dictate who I marry.”

He took the ring and opened his mouth to say something, but Allyssa grabbed her books and ran from the aisle.

“Allyssa! Wait!”

She sprinted out of the library, not looking back. Bloody two-bit snake pits. What had just happened? The feeling of Jarvik’s lips was now seared into her mind. She would never be able to forget her first kiss. She didn’t stop running until she reached her bedchamber.



Shortly after midnight, Marek led Allyssa to the stables, where a plain carriage that had been commissioned for their journey awaited them. She had suggested they ride horses instead; however, Jarvik didn’t want to have to take the time to stop and sleep.

Dressed in the trousers and tunic she usually wore when she snuck out of the castle, Allyssa stood before the small contingent of men—Jarvik, Prince Odar, Marek, and two Fren soldiers she recognized but didn’t know the names of. Everyone was dressed similarly to her. Such a small group to travel so far. Fear pricked down her spine.

“Did anyone see you?” Jarvik demanded.

“No,” she replied. The decoy was sleeping in her bed. Only the Royal Guards on duty in her room knew she’d left. “Marek and I did as you suggested and left through the laundry chute.”

“Very good. We want to travel as quietly and stealthily as possible. No titles will be used on our journey. Allyssa, Odar, Marek, and I will be in the carriage for the first leg of the journey. My two men, Renlek and Dromar, will steer the carriage. When we stop to change horses, we’ll rotate positions. Any questions?”

They all shook their heads.

“Excellent. Let’s go.”

Allyssa climbed into the carriage and slid down the bench so she rested against the open window. She supposed glass was a luxury only the wealthy had, and since they were supposed to be commoners, she’d have to brave the cold air. Odar got in and sat next to her. Jarvik and Marek shared the bench across from them. The lone torch in the stables was extinguished, and Renlek and Dromar steered the carriage out into the dead of night.



Allyssa managed to fall asleep for a few hours. When she awoke, thick clouds coated the sky, masking the countryside in a dull gray. Prince Odar still slept at her side.

“Morning,” Jarvik said. He reached under his seat and took out a loaf of bread. Tearing it into four sections, he handed one to Marek and one to her—his fingers gently brushing hers. The wooden ring was on his finger. She felt horribly guilty for having kissed the squire. Every time she looked at him, she envisioned his lips on hers. Taking a bite of bread, she tried to think of something besides kissing Jarvik.

“What’s that?” Marek asked. He set his bread on the seat and leaned out the window. Jarvik also stuck his head out, looking for potential threats.

Renlek yelled down, “Someone’s coming up mighty fast behind us on horseback.”

Allyssa nudged Prince Odar awake while unsheathing a dagger from her boot.

“Only one?” Jarvik hollered up.

“I only see one.”

“Stay on course but be ready to fight,” Jarvik answered.

“Why not stop and face him?” Allyssa asked.

“It might only be a messenger heading from one town to another. If we stop, we’ll gain his attention and if he’s later questioned, he’ll probably remember our actions as being strange and mention it. If we act normally, he won’t recall us at all.”

Marek nodded. “I agree. Remember, don’t use names and don’t look guilty.”

She nodded, clutching her dagger next to her thigh.

“The rider is nearing,” Jarvik muttered. “His cape doesn’t have any visible markings.”

“Still only one horse?” Marek asked, bending over and unsheathing his sword from the scabbard below the seat.