Elemental Prince by Megan Fall
Chapter 11
Kell
Kell pushed Zephyr hard, wanting to put some distance between them and the portal. It was the safest thing to do. She remained quiet and that was concerning. Emmalyn was obviously in pain even though Kell was trying his best to keep her still. His hold was tight and she was cushioned against his chest. Emmalyn had resisted at first, trying to put a little distance between them, but Kell wasn’t having it. He liked the feel of her soft frame against his hard one. Kell had many lovers over the years, but none had affected him as much as Emmalyn. He wanted her close, despite being unaccustomed to such feelings.
The morning soon turned into afternoon and Kell was forced to slow and raise a fist to indicate a stop. Horses halted as the warriors pulled on their reins and jumped off. A flurry of activity ensued. A few of the men set up a perimeter, others looked after the horses and the last of them tended a fire.
Sometime over the last several hours Kell’s precious cargo had drifted off. He took a moment in all the activity to watch his wee warrior sleep. She looked peaceful. The worry and pain that seemed to be a constant with her disappeared. It eased Kell some to see her relaxed, but it was a burden at the same time. His feelings for Emmalyn were growing. He knew it was prudent to surrender her care to one of his men, but the thought sent him into a blinding rage.
“Would you like me to take her so you can dismount?” Oryn questioned, appearing at Kell’s side.
“No,” Kell denied without any further explanation. Thankfully, the warrior knew when he was being dismissed, so a sharp nod sent him off.
Kell looked down at Emmalyn and couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to hold her freely, without force. To see a smile on her face and joy radiating out as she willingly gave herself over. For her to want Kell to hold her close. The thought consumed him for some time as he watched her chest rise and fall. The girl had been through so much recently, and there was much she did not understand. Kell knew that Emmalyn deserved to know her parents were still alive, but the thought pained him.
The King and Queen of Fairrest had sent their daughter away to save her life. But once Emmalyn discovered the truth, Kell worried she would blame them for not being in her life, or him for not telling her as soon as they passed through the portal. It was a difficult situation and a responsibility that should not have been placed on his shoulders. Kell was nothing to Emmalyn, and Mathias should have been the one to break the news. However, what was done was done. The longer Kell waited, the worse it would make him look.
Emmalyn stirred, drawing Kell’s attention back around. She blinked in obvious confusion and shifted to look up at him. A faint blush crept across her cheeks and chest, turning them an enticing shade of pink and drawing his eyes. When he tore them away and looked back at Emmalyn, she was blinking and biting her bottom lip. Without thinking, he reached up and tugged her lip from her teeth. That small action was driving him crazy, and he knew Emmalyn wasn’t ready for the attention he wanted to bestow upon her.
“We stopped to rest for a while. I’ll help you down so we can get some hot food into you. The stop won’t be long, as I gave you extra time to sleep while the men prepared the site,” Kell explained.
“Thank you,” she whispered, sitting up straighter and putting some distance between them, which Kell didn’t like.
He nodded and slipped his free hand under her knees. When he had a firm hold, Kell leaned back slightly and slid off the horse. She gasped and wrapped her free arm around his neck, causing him to grin.
“I would never drop you sweetheart,” Kell assured.
“I know,” Emmalyn admitted. “You just surprised me is all. You can put me down now.”
Kell didn’t want to, so he effectively ignored the request and strode across the clearing and into the trees. Once he was a safe distance away, he finally set her on the ground. She’d been asleep for most of the morning and needed some privacy. That was his first priority.
“Do what you need to,” Kell ordered. “I will step away for a minute and give you space.”
Kell turned and stepped back into the trees. He made sure to keep within earshot if she called out, but far enough away that he couldn’t see her. He settled against a tree and crossed his arms. Kell had to decide where they were heading. Word would quickly spread about her existence and he needed to get her to safety. Kell assumed the King and Queen would want their daughter back with them, but he honestly felt she would be better off remaining with him. The only choice was to take her to Knightshire. He was tasked with protecting her, and took the responsibility very seriously. He’d need to pull his top warriors aside and share the decision. The trees rustled a minute later, signalling that Emmalyn was finished. Kell headed back in her direction to find her peering into the trees in confusion.
“You disappeared so fast I couldn’t see which direction you headed,” Emmalyn frowned watching his approach.
“I did not go far,” Kell chuckled. “I never do.”
“I know. Because I’m the lost princess and I’m ever so important,” Emmalyn sighed.
Kell stepped into her space and studied her. He wasn’t sure where the change in attitude had come from, but he didn’t like it. He wanted his wee warrior back.
“Care to explain that statement?” Kell questioned as he took her arm and led her over to a large rock. She sat, but wouldn’t look up at him.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “It feels like I’m completely left in the dark. I was sent to my world with Mathias because my life was in danger, and then I was discovered, but that’s all I know. It feels like I’m a pawn in some sort of game. You need a princess, you don’t need me. I’ve been gone my whole life, so why am I important all of a sudden? There must be a reason others want me dead.”
Kell ignored the “my world” comment. Terrasen was Emmalyn’s world, not the other way around, but he understood why she felt that way. That world was home. She had only known that world and had grown up there. The council hadn’t instructed Kell on what he could disclose to her. Time had been a major factor and he had been forced to leave quickly. He was regretting the extra five minutes it would have taken to clear this matter up. Kell crouched on the ground and tipped her chin up with his finger. There were tears welling up in her eyes that had not fallen yet.
“This is all too much to handle,” Kell declared. “You have been strong so far, but you are holding everything in. It is about time you broke.” He watched for a minute, not surprised to see the first tear fall, quickly followed by more.
Emmalyn started to fall forward, but Kell caught her. He dropped to his knees and placed a hand on the back of her head, drawing her in tight against his chest. She shuddered once, as if trying to stop the tears, then let go and sobbed. Kell stroked her hair and let her cry it out. Emmalyn needed to get this off her chest and he needed to allow it to happen. It pained Kell to see her so upset.
Kell waited it out, and when her crying stopped, he leaned back to look at her face. He was met with a lost gaze. Regardless of whether the council wanted him to disclose any further information, the time had come. Emmalyn’s cooperation was imperative, and if she remained in this state, it wouldn’t happen. The decision now was how much to tell her.
“Let us go back and get you some food. I also want to check that wound. After that, I promise I will disclose what I can,” Kell assured her.
Nodding in agreement, Kell took her hand and helped her stand up. His hand remained firmly wrapped around hers as they walked back together. It was peaceful, but both of them were on edge. Emmalyn was trying to imagine what the news could be, whereas Kell was trying to figure out what to say.
When they arrived back at the clearing, lunch was ready and waiting. Kell made sure to serve Emmalyn first, knowing his men would be waiting for them. He also gave her a weakened version of the tea to make her comfortable when they talked, but not be distracted by any pain. Once the medicine took effect, Kell cleaned the wound and replaced the bandages with clean ones. The cut still looked ugly, but Kell was pleased to see it wasn’t red or swollen and was healing well.
“Enough stalling,” Emmalyn said softly, reading Kell’s actions. “I want to know what you know.”
Hearing the statement, Torin, Behr and Oryn moved closer, while the rest of his men edged away. Kell bowed his head in acknowledgment and knew he couldn’t put it off any longer.