The Princess (MacBride Sisters Trilogy Book 3)

had not felt for a long time. My body was placed on feathers and I snuggled up the warmth of the bed. Something hot touched my face and I smiled. The feeling in my skin was warm and I felt very safe. I heard the tearing of tissue and suddenly something cold came into contact with the skin of my arm. I opened my eyes, scared and looked around in a very confusing way. I was on a bed covered with fur in my tent. Alec was sitting on the edge and holding a damp cloth.

- But what... - I started saying with a frown.

- You really didn't think I'd let you sleep outside? - he said in a serious voice. - I may have been a bit of a tyrant, but I'm not disheartened.

- I'm still evaluating that. - I answered in a dry voice.

Alec sighed, shaking his head.

- Keilan warned me about your injury. - he said taking my arm delicately. - I'd like you to hold still for a moment so I can clean it up.

I was so tired that I didn't have the strength to fight, so I just nodded. Alec grabbed the cloth and delicately began to wipe the blood from the cut. I put my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes.

- If I hadn't been so stubborn, maybe I wouldn't have been hurt.

I had a laugh.

- If I wasn't so arrogant, I wouldn't have fallen into my trap. - I did. - In fact, I'd be careful with women from now on if I were you. It's not just the men that Roy has been corrupting to get information and you're an easy prey for the whores.

Alec looked at me with a frown.

- Are you calling me naive?

- If the shoe fits!

He took a deep breath, but instead of squirming, Alec smiled, shaking his head from side to side.

- You're not good at it. - he said in a low voice. - But to tell you the truth, I kind of like your genius. No woman has instigated me as much as you have.

- Should I take that as a compliment?

- Certainly!

This time I'm the one who laughed. We were silent for a few moments, until Alec broke it.

- It's a superficial wound and while I'm down, why don't you tell me how you ended up in the king's army?

I was afraid he would ask about it, but I was prepared to tell the same story that I first told Keilan.

- My father kicked my ass and then sent me to a convent.

- Why did he do that?

- I don't know, but it wasn't the first time.

That part wasn't at all a lie. I'd just switched genres. Instead of Mom, he said Dad.

- On the way to the carriage I was in, I fell into the abyss by the side of the road. Even though I was wounded and without strength, I managed to jump before and climbed a slope, stopping under a tree on the edge of a road. - I sighed tired. - That's where Keilan found me.

- So Keilan saved her?

- Yeah. I had nowhere to go, and I stayed under his guard. He taught me how to fight and was soon engaged in the army. - I answered smiling. - He had direct contact with Alistair and told me about my accomplishments. That's how I was able to become a militia commander with Keilan.

Alec smiled and finished bandaging the wound. He took the cloth and continued the cleaning work in my arms. I didn't have time to stop him from taking off his bracelets. Alec widened his eyes when he saw the rope-burning scars.

- Jesus! - he whispered. - Did your father do that too?

- Yeah. - I nodded. - The beatings were performed with my hands tied. He was very cruel and angry at anything he didn't agree with me to do.

Alec grabbed my wrists by passing my thumb over the scars. I closed my eyes and trembled when her lips met my skin.

- Your father is a very cruel person and I would love to kill him! - he whispered before he started cleaning them up. - You don't treat a lady like that, especially one so brave.

I smiled and we stayed silent for a few moments. He focused on cleaning until he broke it.

- You know, I met a girl who was also sent to a convent. - he smiled. - She was just like you and had that same annoying spirit.

I rolled my eyes giving him an ironic smile.

- Let me guess: she was one of your lovers?

- No. Alec said. - I couldn't stand her because she was annoying and always had the right words to make me nervous. She hated it when I tried to seduce her servants and always found a way to lock myself in the pantry.

I swallowed on dry when my mind flew for a few years before. It was a banquet night and all the clans had been invited. I was tired from one of my grandfather's training sessions and decided to run away from another of my mother's ridiculous parties. When I took the south corridor, the darkest of the castle and which facilitated my escapes, I saw Alec kissing with my maid. I interrupted them with ironic phrases, we started arguing and ended up locking Alec in the pantry at the foot of the south staircase.

- What's going on? - his voice came out in a worried tone. -