9_Princess thief
Hazel eyes flashed at him, both shock and rage staining her cheeks with red. Her teeth clenched, the embarrassment she’d felt earlier turning into a bottomless pit of humiliation. His scandalous words had just turned her angry sparks into an inferno of wrath. She wouldn’t rest until she avenged her pride!
“What’s. Your. Name?”
Her lips barely moved with the tightly muttered words and he tilted his head in careless interest. How amusing. She was furious. She intended to seek him out again for her vengeance, didn’t she?
There was no way to explain why the thought of that made his body tighten, so Thoran completely ignored it.
He leaned in. “My name? Name’s Thoran Steel, poppet. Remember it for our next battle.”
That absolute criminal. Amethyst tightly bit her lip as she angrily grabbed her sword off the ground, holding her gem against her chest with one hand.
He’d really thought tying her to a tree would do the trick? Rubbish. She had the blood of centuries of Vampires flowing in her veins!
A quick transportation had done the trick and had his ropes falling uselessly to the ground as she’d teleported herself a short distance away from the tree. It was true that, because she wasn’t very powerful, she couldn’t transport herself across long distances such as to different kingdoms or enter the subconsciousness of vulnerable humans, as others of her species could do, but the extent of her power had been enough to get her free.
How dare that Barbarian underestimate her?
Sliding her weapon into its sheath and leaning it against her hip, she reached up and quickly retied the thick, black string that held her gem. She should have worn something to cover her neck so he wouldn’t be able to access her necklace, she’d been too negligent.
It was okay, she would make up for it. Turning around, she marched off into the forest, finally leaving the campsite.
She’d make up for it as soon as she arrived in Turncrest!
A smirk of madness tugged at the corner of her lips. Those fools. They’d loudly mentioned their next destination in front of her, clueless as they were. She wouldn’t go home until she settled the score.
Once she found them, she would be teaching that Thoran Steel a lesson. And this time, she’d be far better prepared.
The party was in full ambience.
Thoran had deliberately waited until he was sure Lady Hadgar had let her guard down, well-preoccupied with entertaining her guests and maintaining her title as the perfect hostess.
There were quite a few guards outside, but for the past two hours, he’d noticed the idiots gather toward the east of the grounds to smoke for about five minutes each hour. He had about three minutes of their smoke break left on the clock.
Now that he’d changed his clothing and looked just as atrociously proper as those suited bastards in the castle, he was ready to go in. He’d never liked suits, had never put them on no matter how much the old man nagged him to ‘dress like a gentleman’. A pretty odd thing for Thoran to do considering that he wasn’t a gentleman at all. He had no interest in cosplaying as one either. He would dress as what he was, which was, of course, a Barbarian. A hardened criminal of the highest order, according to the law books.
However, for tonight, he would subject his body to the torment of being wrapped in the constraining fabric and hope he wouldn’t have to use his weapons. Heaven knew he could barely reach his back in this. The black suit consisted of a well-fitted jacket and trousers that barely made it past his muscled thighs. He wore a white shirt under the waistcoat, a piece Gunnar had forced him to wear and, lastly, there was a grey tie, which Thoran had ripped off and shoved into a bush on his way here. He looked enough like a wealthy Lord as it was, he didn’t need to strangle himself for the cause.
His metal cuff had been taken off and now his hair was neatly tied at the nape of his neck with a blasted strip of silk fabric, all his wayward hair strands pulled away from his forehead to leave his face clear and open. He hated it.
Standing near the kitchen entrances where the servants rushed busily about, he spoke on the phone as he blew out the smoke of an expensive cigar. It was only Gunnar on the call, running over their plan once more.
“My Lord?” a petite servant hesitantly said, standing a safe distance from him.
He lowered the phone and looked at her. “Yes, what is it?”
“Are you lost, Sir? You’re… so near to the servant’s quarters...”
Pretending he hadn’t realized, he glanced around at the outbuildings behind the castle. “By God. You’re right. I’ve been on a rather long business call, so I hadn’t realized I’d wandered this far out.”
“Ah, I see…”
“I must return inside at once,” he continued. Taking a step to the right, he paused, frowning to look more confused.
The servant watched him closely and took a small step forward, secretly eager to get a closer look at the handsome guest while she helped him. “I do think you’re lost, Sir.”
He looked at her and then gave her a smile so charming, the poor maid nearly dropped her pantalettes.
“I’m afraid you’re right. Lady Hadgar’s castle grounds are so boundless, after all, and going back to the front seems rather taxing. Is there perhaps…”
He trailed off, looking at her with longing in his eyes.
She nodded eagerly, jumping at the chance to assist him. If she came close enough to his delectable person, she would have plenty to boast to the girls about later. “Yes, m’Lord. If you come this way, there’s an entrance to the wine cellars that’ll take you inside without you having to go all the way back to the front of the castle.”
He smiled. “Excellent. You’re a very smart girl, aren’t you?”
“Oh!” She went red and slapped both hands to her cheeks, knees swinging side-to-side as she gushed at the compliment. “It’s nothing, m’Lord!”
“After you,” he said kindly.
She led the way and Thoran followed, his expression melting back into his usual dark stare.
Lady Hadgar wouldn’t know what hit her.
Amie just realized that she was awfully thirsty. She hadn’t had a drop to drink since she’d left the breakfast table that morning. She should’ve asked the barman for a quick glass of water.
Unfortunately, it was too late because, after a few directions from passers-by on the street, she had reached the property that belonged to that so-called Lady Hadgar.
The barman had been right; there was some sort of party going on. Knowing she would easily spot Thoran Steel in the crowd, Amie made her way up to the castle. She weaved through the countless parked vehicles, an interesting combination of carriages and modern automobiles. It was a clear indication that there were some humans here tonight. Amie had read enough books to know that the human side of the world was far more advanced in terms of technological inventions for their convenience. On this side of the world, it was their physical abilities that excelled.
The clashing of worlds between the cars and carriages was peculiar to behold, but one thing was clear: Lady Hadgar was a very powerful woman.
Amie soon reached the castle entrance, where the two open doors radiated golden light from within. A pair of burly men stood guard on either side of the door, watching her approach.
“Good evening,” she greeted pleasantly, heading right for the open doors.
“Stop!” barked the guard on her left.
Jolting, Amie stepped back. “I beg your pardon?”
“No invite, no entrance,” recited the guard.
She blinked at him. Damn it, she should’ve seen this coming. She’d nearly forgotten she wasn’t a princess here.
Sighing, she set both hands on her hips. “I absolutely must go in there.”
“Do you have an invite?” the guard asked. “Let us see it and we’ll let you through.”
She saw how they eyed her suspiciously and she didn’t blame them for it. In her current clothing, she could be taken for a ruffian.
“You’re a lady, aren’t you?” said the other guard.
Amie raised her brows in surprise. “Well, how did you know? I’m a princess, to be exact. In these clothes, I was certain I could pass for a criminal.”
“No criminal has skin so untouched by the sun,” he murmured carelessly. “You clearly haven’t worked a day in your life, only a lady could be so fair.”
“That’s rubbish, my sister’s a queen and her skin’s beautifully tanned.”
“Your delusions shock me, my dear,” the guard murmured dryly. “Say, did you wander out of some mental ward?”