The Theodoran Traitors

Chapter Three ~ Athena

"Who are you?" I demanded, tightening my grip on the dagger. The man standing before me remained silent, his gaze locked on mine. From his stance, it was obvious he was a trained soldier. As I sized him up, I couldn't help but notice how strikingly handsome he was. His black armpit hair looked soft and silky-honestly, I felt a pang of jealousy. Why did men always seem to have better hair?

His face was defined by a strong, square jaw and prominent cheekbones. To my surprise, his eyes were the same shade as mine. A straight nose added to his perfectly symmetrical features.

"Who are you?" I repeated, this time fully expecting to be ignored again, as his intense stare seemed to pierce through me. But to my surprise, he bowed slightly, and finally, those full, perfect lips parted.

"Good evening, Lady Athena. My name is Harald Talbot, and Princess Delilah has assigned me to watch over you."

His words jolted me awake. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully as questions began to race through my mind. Why would the Princess want someone to keep an eye on me? The most obvious explanation was that she was involved with the rebels and had sent one of her men to ensure I didn't uncover anything significant. If she was truly involved, it would explain how they had managed to stay hidden for so long.

Then again, perhaps I was overthinking it. Maybe the Princess was just concerned about me and sent someone to check in, making sure I was alright.

And, of course, there were other possibilities. For all I knew, this ridiculously handsome man could be lying, trying to make me believe the Princess was involved in something shady. I couldn't just take everyone at their word-humans were notorious for lying, after all.

I glanced at him, still bowing, then at the door. If I needed to escape, I had everything in my favour. The door was closed, but he wasn't blocking it. He stood about 25 feet away, his back turned, giving me a clear advantage. I could even throw my dagger and hope to hit something vital. Taking a deep breath, I weighed my options. Running would be a mistake if he was telling the truth, but if he was lying and acting on someone else's orders, I'd be missing a golden opportunity.

I took a cautious step backwards, my grip tightening around the dagger. Running seemed like the smartest choice. If the Princess had truly sent him, I could always confirm with her or the guards nearby. But just as I prepared to act, the man seemed to sense he'd bowed long enough. He straightened up, locking eyes with me, his gaze playful and mischievous.

"Apologies if I startled you," he said, a small smirk playing on his lips. "From what I've heard, I assumed it would take a bit more to ruffle your feathers. Rest assured, I didn't mean to make you uneasy."

There was a hint of humour in his voice, and I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to slap him.

As he realized he'd successfully gotten under my skin, his smirk widened, more infuriating with each passing second.

"So, what are you really doing here? I don't buy that you're just here to 'keep an eye on me,'" I said through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to march over and slap that smug expression off his face.

Now, don't get me wrong. I wasn't the violent type, and I hated resorting to force, but something about him made me want to change that. I couldn't quite explain it, but for some reason, I didn't want him to win-whatever game this was. The feeling was foreign to me, and though I didn't entirely hate it, I certainly didn't like it either.

He shook his head and took a step closer. I didn't move, but I had to tilt my head up to meet his gaze, which annoyed me even more. I wasn't short-at 5'7, I was taller than most women-but he had to be at least 6'1. He looked down at me, and although we weren't standing close enough for him to grab me, the distance between us didn't ease my nerves. My hand tightened around the dagger, waiting-hoping-for him to give me a reason to use it.