The Emalne to Aeden’s right leaned over to him. Aeden nodded and sat back up. “Thaid? Is he King Kanedraven Rathmore?”
“Yes,” Thaid responded plainly.
Kane’s hand remained on mine, but his grip had slowly tensed, tightening on my fingers almost painfully to the point that I had to flex them. My movement registered with him. And while he didn’t look at me, he did adjust his grip, his thumb grazing over mine attentively as his eyes stayed focused forward.
Aeden’s gazed went from one of us to another until they came to rest back on Kane. “May I ask her a few questions?”
“You may not. I need to get her home to rest. Your healer, Indrell, is accompanying us to keep her well.” Kane pulled me closer into his side. “Please remove yourselves from the road so we may pass freely.”
“With all due respect,” Aeden motioned for his men to back away when a couple of them moved forward with Kane’s words. “You are not above the laws.”
“I know not of any such law where an innocent life is extinguished because she is with child. Gael is lucky that I have not brought the laws down on him for his actions before.” Kane gritted his teeth. “Because of him, Auriena was and is now even more in need of Indrell’s services.”
“Yes. And Gael will be dealt with.” Aeden, once again, flagged off his men. One in particular that seemed to be disagreeing with what he was saying. “Gael was in the wrong. He overreacted. Despite his personal reasons, they have nothing to do with the law. But also, the law states that you cannot force yourself on a woman or keep another being against their will. And I would just like to ascertain for myself that this is not the case.”
Kane’s jaw set as a deep, rolling growl emanated from deep within his chest. His muscles tensed as he pulled me behind him. “You dare accuse me of such disgustingly pathetic measures to keep a woman?”
“I dare prove to those that doubt you that you are not breaking the law,” Aeden corrected him.
“No!” The man to Aeden’s right shouted. “Gael said to come and take care of them. King or not, she cannot be allowed to live. We do very well without him. So, if he has to go with her to save us from the…”
An arrow shot out, embedding itself into the man’s throat cutting him off. His hands wrapped around the shaft as he choked, gurgling up a surge of blood that filled his mouth, spilling out over his lips before he fell off his horse to the ground, lifeless.
The other men around Aeden reacted angrily, shouting and starting to surge forward, Dorian’s men responding in kind. I looked around to look for the source only to find Wulfgar putting a smaller crossbow back on its strap on his back.
He smirked and shrugged, pulling his axe around the front of him. “He was talking too much and insulting my king.”
I fought between shock and wanting to laugh at him. Still hearing the voices rising in front of me, I wrapped my hands around Kane’s arm.
Kane took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Enough!”
One by one, they all stopped yelling, pausing on their advancing. Aeden’s men snapped to look at Kane and me while Dorian’s men kept their attentions on their opponents.
“I have had enough of this prophecy!” He roared. “Ask your questions, Aeden. Auriena Raulson is here of her own free will. I have not forced her into anything with me. If questions will ease you, then ask them.”
I stepped forward. “I can tell you, before you ask anything, you cannot force someone into love. Not genuine love. So, if you want me to tell you if I am with Kane willingly? What I’ll tell you is that I am not only just that but love him deeply and am happy to be having his children. Now, if you would kindly tell your men to go home to their families, we would like to go home and start ours.”
A smile tugged at Aeden’s lips. He gathered himself and nodded. “As you wish.” He turned to Kane. “My apologies, my liege. I appreciate your cooperation and hope you understand the basis of the concern.”
Aeden steered his horse away and motioned for his men to follow. “Go home, men. They shall be allowed to pass.”
Another man pulled forward up next to his leader. “This isn’t what we came for. We came for her. Now, we end her before they bring the prophecy down upon us!”
Before Aeden could respond, Kane interjected, “You are welcome to challenge me, but you will not be killing Auriena. Not today. Not ever. And any man who attempts to will meet that very fate himself.”
Wulfgar walked around the carriage to face them. “I haven’t had a good fight in far too long. I welcome any or all of you to try.”
I wanted to tell Wulfgar to not encourage them and go back to watching our backs. But the spike in tension in the air was causing the hairs on my arms to stand.
Dorian’s men took another step forward as Dorian moved up near us. “Go home. That is an order from your king. I suggest you follow it.”
The man scoffed, causing Aeden to cringe. “That’s enough.” Aeden barked. “We are leaving. All of us!”
“No,” the man snarled. His horse reared up, and he unsheathes his sword, running toward us.
More than two thirds of Aeden’s men followed the traitor, causing Dorian’s eight men to draw their swords.
Wulfgar held his axe out before him and grinned from ear to ear. “Yes!”
Kane pulled his dagger out of its sheath on his hip, pulling me to his side. “Indrell. Take
