“Thank you, Doran,” I said quickly and he stopped, looking back at me with a sad smile.
“You’re welcome,” he replied and left, disappearing into the crowd.
Glancing over to my right, my stranger was on a black horse next to me and I groaned.
“Careful, or I might think you’re not happy to see me.”
I scoffed, baring my teeth at his audacity.
“You kidnapped me, you fucking asshole. Who are you, anyway? Why am I here?” The brazenness of my tone shocked even me, sounding much braver than I felt.
His mouth fell open, stunned, before howling in laughter.
“For someone who was kidnapped, awoken by Fae, and has no idea where she is or where she is headed, you’re pretty plucky. I’ll give you that,” he said as he caught his breath. “Besides, given the circumstances, would you want to ride with anyone else?”
“I don’t know… Maybe, just literally anyone else. Doran, maybe?” I deadpanned and his grin solidified, twisting into a smirk.
“Like Doran, do you?”
My cheeks flushed as I held his gaze.
“Maybe,” I said, my eyes dropping down the length of his body and back up. “More than you, anyway.”
The grin slid from his face and he released a breathy chuckle.
“Careful, Ara,” he warned, facing forward. Kicking his horse, it trotted along and the horde moved forward with him, all at his movement.
My eyebrows furrowed and I glanced around, before kicking my horse.
“How do you know my name? Who are you?” I asked, catching up to his side.
Without looking in my direction, he answered, “Rogue.”
Every snarky thought left me at once, my blood icing in my veins.
Rogue…Only one man went by that name.
I stared forward, my eyes out of focus when he peeked over at me and laughed.
“So you’ve heard of me, then.”
“You are…” I whispered. “The King of Ravaryn, then? Son of Adrastus, the draig?”
“Yes.”
I nodded slightly and we rode in silence. Dread took root, tensing my muscles, determined to keep me atop this horse, even as my thoughts spiraled.
Suddenly, his words from the night before rang through me.
I was rather hoping you’d follow me out here.
My cheeks flamed as embarrassment flooded me and a sad, silent chuckle escaped me.
I had thought he’d wanted me like I had him, and…
Goddess. I kissed him. The King of Ravaryn. The son of Adrastus. The vicious counterpart to his father.
He let me kiss him. Kissed me back, even.