First World(29)

I nodded my agreement. “Let’s get out of here. We’ll just have to forget our packs. If we can make a break for it, just go.”

The only important thing I had was the stone, and either it had already been confiscated or Deralick, with all his rules, would send it back to the castle.

I moved toward the space where I remembered the doorway had been. There was just a blank wall.

“Where the hell is the door?” Lucy was next to me, running her hands along the wall.

“It was open last night.” I squinted, but there wasn’t even a join to indicate a doorway ever existed.

I hesitated at a low whirring sound. A split second later, the wall disappeared, like a panel sliding out of the way.

An automatic door that vanished somewhere into the wall cavity.

Expecting to see Deralick, I gasped at the person filling the space.

Lucy stepped close to whisper in my ear. “Oh. My. Hotness.”

I spun around, stunned at the burst of rage flooding me.

He is not yours, Abby. Step back, Miss Bitch.

Someone needed to slap me.

Brace, his expression serious, stood with his arms crossed across his broad chest. Even in my astonishment, I still found a moment to revel in his fallen-angel beauty. What was he doing here?

From the corner of my mouth, I mumbled, “Brace.”

Lucy’s mouth dropped open and, stepping back, she craned her head for a better look. She was incorrigible.

“I figured that one of the two ‘unusually’ accented females my father found wandering the forest was probably you.” His features softened slightly as he smiled.

“Deralick’s your father?” There was absolutely no family resemblance.

He nodded.

Lucy smiled. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you.” She looked at me. “Abby told me about colliding with you in the forest.”

“Did Abby also tell you that she disappeared? Into nothing.”

He was glaring at me – locking me in the intense stare of his amazing eyes. It was always like this, whether in dreams or weird alley teleportations. The chemistry between us just about brought me to my knees. And it always took my breath away.

Lucy interrupted our intense stare-off, allowing me a few ragged breaths.

“Been there, done that. Abby will give you gray hair. Trust me.” She flicked her blond hair, as if to prove her point.

Striving for a pretence of normality, I kept my eyes off his gorgeous face, and away from his stupidly captivating eyes. That way I could speak and breathe.

“Alright, if you two can resist the Abby-bashing, maybe we should get out of here.”

“Why are you here, Brace?” Lucy asked before I could step around her.

He turned to answer Lucy, and once again I was drawn in. Despite Quarn’s warning, it was hard to defy the magnetic pull.

I ran my eyes over him. He was dressed for the outdoors: a short-sleeved, fitted shirt and army-style pants. In shades of black and dark green, the material looked expensive.

I shook my head.

You don’t know him.

Brace could be as stupid and shallow as he was breathtaking.

He was still speaking, so with effort I stopped perving and focused on the conversation.

“... from patrolling last night, and talked to Father,” Brace explained to Lucy.

His eyes flicked in my direction as he smiled knowingly.

I rolled my eyes. No way could he know I hadn’t been paying attention.

“He does believe your story of being lost, but he’s responsible; he’ll hand you over to the royal guards.” He sighed, running his hand through his dark hair.

It looked slightly longer than he generally wore it. As if he was due for a cut, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. I liked it much better than the military style he sometimes sported during our dreams.

He turned a bothered gaze toward me. “I’m not confident of the royal guard at this time. So I’m about to cause some real trouble.”

“Forgive us if we don’t exactly trust you or your father.” I shrugged, reminding my traitorous heart – he’s a stranger. “Probably something to do with being drugged last night.”

Lucy nodded. “Exactly! Just because you’re standing there stupidly tall and unnaturally gorgeous, flashing those dimples and muscles, doesn’t mean we’re going to fall at your feet –”

I put my hand over Lucy’s mouth, muffling the last few words.

“Sorry, Lucy’s missing an essential filter between brain and mouth. I try to stand within arm’s reach, because there’s no ‘off’ switch.”

He smiled. “Reminds me of Lucas. Someone should look into an off switch for them both.”

He peered out the door.

His voice was now slightly muffled. “So we need to leave. Father was out on patrol but he’ll be back soon.” He shrugged, facing us. “I’ll accompany you to town. I might be breaking you out, but I better make sure you don’t cause any trouble.”