The Eagle Princess

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Are you sure you're all right?" Kaz asked, frowning at the dark marks that formed an irregular ring around Larissa's slender neck. He was tempted to put his hands over them, to caress them in the hopes of removing the pain, but he was afraid that would come off as inappropriate.

The pain had long since faded, the bruising that remained was more color than substance. Larissa was seriously considering using her face paints to cover it up just because she didn't like the others to see the stains marring her skin.

"I'm fine," she assured Kaz as she walked around the inside of her tent. She was moving some of her things between the trunks that she had with her, preparing to arrive at the god of justice's temple tomorrow. She wanted to look her best when she was brought inside. It was a holy site, after all.

He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest where he sat, legs crossed, beside the entrance to the tent as she made herself comfortable for the night. Though it had been a couple days since leaving the trade town, he was annoyed that the bruising hadn't faded more. If anything, the colors had only deepened as they began healing.

A mark of his failure. He would bear the shame so long as she bore the discoloration.

As he watched her, he saw her pulling ribbons and sashes from her trunks and trying to tie them around her neck to hide the marks. It made him flinch how she did it so very calmly.

"I assure you, no similar harm will come to you in the temple. The temple keeper is a good and honest man. He would sooner wrap his hands around his own throat."

Larissa smiled back at him, lowering the choker necklace she had been resting against her skin. "It's fine, Kaz. The reaction is stronger from the weak-willed. I can't imagine a temple keeper to be a weak man."

"And he's not. Bacchus is a great temple keeper. You'll see."

"I'm sure I will." She lowered the necklace back into its box, resigning herself to the fact that she was going to have to paint over the bruising.

Kaz tilted his head curiously, frowning at how unaffected she was. "Are you sure... you're all right?"

Larissa chuckled, turning to him. "Kaz, I'm fine. Really. He's not the first man to attack me. He won't be the last."

"I assure you, he will be."

The firmly spoken words gave her pause. She smiled. "Let's talk about something else, hm?"

"Like what?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever you want."

She was just happy that he was here. He had been true to his word since they had taken back to the road. He walked alongside her carriage through the day, and he slept either immediately inside her tent, or, when she could convince him to do so, on the cushions that had been provided for her comfort.

His attention should have been cloying. From any other man, it would have been downright concerning if not immediately alarming. From him, it was comforting. Exciting. She found herself nervously fixing her hair whenever he looked her way. She knew that she was beautiful, but it was still somehow important that he see it too.

Kaz frowned, his eyes still on her. She gave him a deliberate look, insisting silently that he drop the subject as she continued to move her clothing around. He sighed, but relented. He watched her moving a moment before a grin came over his face.

"So, tell me about your betrothed."

"Casimir? You want to hear about him?" Larissa looked surprised. "Why?"