FOREVER KNIGHTS: #7 King of Assassins
She Fears Everything

“I’m scared of nothing.”

He scoffed mockingly. “You’re afraid of everything, Elsabet.” He reiterated breathily against the shell of her ear.

Her eyes widened as it dawned on her he’d called her by her name. “No derogatory nickname as is your wont?” Moisture crept into her blue eyes.

He touched her thoughts and was shocked to find she resisted the urge to rush against him. Certain his arms would wrap comfortingly around her.

They would.

Reacting instinctively, she stepped from his reach.

Why do you fight it? He was sure the pain was undisguised on his face as his tone turned resigned. “Least of all being my touch.” His hand fell to his side. Without another word he moved to leave.

“Did I hurt you?” She called after him as he stepped into the doorway, confusion rending her voice.

He stopped but did not turn. “Of course not, Elsabet. Twenty years you’ve been in my care-”

“You’re captive!”

“Twenty years I’ve cared for you, never harmed you. Tried to get to know you and kept you safe. Indulging in whatever you requested of me, yet you still shun my touch, my thoughts, and every single thing I’d offer you.” His shoulders slumped in uncharacteristic defeat. “And you think it’d be in me to desire another when I’ve clearly become faithful to you. Yet you’re the one person in this world who cannot see it. The only woman in all of Ardae not falling at my feet…The one woman I want.” He blew a long breath. “Of course, you’ve not hurt me, Elsabet.”

You’ve crushed me. But those were words, power, he couldn’t give her.

Many hours later she still sat motionless in her chamber.

Does she regret driving me away? He wondered from down the hall.

He heard her footstep when she rose and began wandering the corridors. Looking for her Quandary, no doubt.

Her steps were heavy, and she studied the ground. Missing the golden glow of eyes watching her from the shadows.

In the meager light of the moon seeping into the corridor, his pupils were slitted.

Cursing himself for a fool, Bast turned, gold mane darkening to black as the descending night. Barren any clothing. Smooth fur shined over his chest in a line down his stomach. Rippling back and forth as he watched her.

His neck cracked. Step soundless. Legs thickening and curving as he moved. Black hair lengthening down his back. Spine bending dramatically, forcing him to walk on palms as well as feet. Then it flattened, taking on the final changes to become Elsabet’s Quandary.

The silver pendant with the coiling gold dragon hung from the panther’s thick neck. As Quandary moved it swung from side to side. Quandary strode into Bast’s chamber and tilted up to place front paws on the corner of his massive bed. Tilting his upper body sideways, he leaned over to hook the chain of the pendant around one of the four bedposts. The pendant slipped over the point of it. Chain sliding down, nearly floating as it came to rest where the post branched into the frame.

Quandary padded from the chamber on silent paws. Intent on finding the lady of the castle.

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