Аманда Хокинг - Torn

“Why?” I repeated. “I’ve been reading the history books, and I can’t find a clear reason why. Why do we hate each other so much?”

“I don’t know.” He shook his head helplessly. “Why did the Capulets hate the Montagues?”

“Lord Montague stole Capulet’s wife from him,” I answered. “It was a love triangle thing.”

“What?” Loki asked. “I don’t remember Shakespeare saying that.”

“I read it in a book somewhere,” I waved Loki off. “It doesn’t matter. My point is -

there’s always a reason.”

“I’m sure there is one,” Loki agreed. “Now the principals have become too different. The Vittra want more, and the Trylle want to hang onto their crumbling empire for dear life.”

“If anyone has a crumbling empire, it’s the Vittra,” I countered. “At least we can procreate here.”

“Ooo, low blow, Princess.” Loki put his hand to his chest with false hurt.

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“So it is.” He dropped his hand and returned to his usual sly grin. “So, Princess, what’s your plan for getting me out of here alive?”

“I don’t have any plan,” I said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. They want to kill you, and I don’t know how to stop them.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Loki said with casual indifference.

“Princess!” Duncan called from the end of the hall.

I looked back to see him standing in front of the irritated tracker. I don’t know what Duncan said to hold him off from guarding Loki, but Duncan had clearly exhausted that avenue.

“I have to go,” I told Loki.

“Your tracker is summoning you?” Loki glanced down the hall. Duncan gave me a sheepish smile as the guard walked towards us to resume his post.

“Something like that. But listen, you need to be good. Do what they say. Don’t cause any trouble,” I said, and Loki gave me an exaggerated innocent look, like, What me? “It’s the only chance I have to convince them not to execute you.”

“If it’s as you wish, Princess.” Loki bowed before turning his back to me and walking to his bed.

The guard returned, giving me a deeper bow than Loki, and I smiled at him before hurrying down the hall. I’d wanted to talk to Loki a bit more, although I’m not sure that it would’ve accomplished anything. Because the guard was my subordinate, I could’ve pushed the issue, but I didn’t want it going around the palace that I was spending time with Loki. As it was, I was taking a risk that I shouldn’t have.

“Sorry,” Duncan said when I reached him. “I tried to stall him, but he was afraid of getting in trouble or something. Which is silly, because you’re the Princess and his boss, but-”

“Its fine, Duncan” I smiled and brushed him off. “You did a good job.”

“Thanks.” He paused for a moment, looking startled by my minuscule bit of praise.

“Do you know where Elora’s at?” I asked and kept walking.

“Um, I believe she’s in meetings all day.” Duncan checked his watch as he fell into step next to me. “She should be with the Chancellor right now, going over the security precautions of Förening in case Loki isn’t a solitary incident.”

“I’m pretty sure Loki is an isolated threat, and he’s not even really a threat,” I said. “I don’t think the Vittra have the numbers to launch a counter attack.”

“Is that what he told you?”

“In so many words, yes,” I nodded.

“And you trust him?” Duncan asked honestly. He didn’t have a hint of sarcasm or irritation, and I had a feeling that he’d trust my instincts. If I approved of Loki, then Duncan would too.

“I do, sorta.” I furrowed my brow, thinking of what exactly I meant. “I don’t think he’s the most trustworthy guy, but I don’t think he’s lying about this either.”

“I understand,” he nodded, and my vague reasoning was good enough for him.

“I need to talk to Elora. Alone,” I said as we reached the stairs. “Does she have an opening in her schedule?”

“I’m really not sure,” Duncan said. When I started climbing the stairs, Duncan fell a step behind, following me up. “I’d have to check with her advisor, but if you really need to speak to her, I can stress the importance so she can squeeze something in.”

“I really need to speak with her,” I said. “If you talk to her or her advisor, and she doesn’t have time to fit me in, find out any time that she’s alone. I’ll corner her in the bathroom if I have to.”

“Alright,” Duncan nodded. “Do you want me to run and do that now?”

“That would be fantastic. Thank you.”

“No problem.” He smiled broadly, always so happy to be of service, and he dashed back the way we’d come to find Elora.

I continued back to my room to think. Between the kidnapping, my parentage, Tove’s training, and now my somewhat bizarre urge to save Loki, my head was spinning. Not to mention that my own people were so eager to throw me under the bus at the defense meeting yesterday.

I wondered if this was the place for me. I didn’t really care to rule a kingdom, so in a real way, it didn’t matter what crown I ended up wearing. Sure, Oren seemed evil, but Elora wasn’t far off from that herself.

If I left with the Vittra, they would leave the Trylle alone. Maybe that would be the best move I could ever make as Princess.

“Wendy!” Matt shouted, drawing me from my thoughts. I’d been passing his room on the way to my own, and he had his door open.

“Matt,” I replied lamely as he rushed out of his room to meet me. He’d been in such a hurry that he carried the book he’d been reading with him. “Sorry, I haven’t seen you much lately. I’ve been busy around here.”

“No, I understand,” he said, but I’m not sure that he did. He held the book to his chest so he could cross his arms in front of it. “How are you? Is everything still okay? Nobody’s really telling me anything, and with the attack the other day-”

“It wasn’t an attack,” I shook my head. “It’s just Loki, and he’s-”

“Is that the guy that kidnapped you?” Matt asked, his voice getting hard.

“Yeah, but…” I tried to think of some excuse to rationalize a kidnapping, but I knew Matt wouldn’t buy any of it, so I stopped. “He’s only one guy. He can’t do that much. They have him locked up, and everything’s fine. It’s safe.”

“How is it safe if he’s breaking in?” Matt countered. “The reason we’re staying here is because it’s the best place for you, but if they can’t keep you safe-”

“It’s safe,” I insisted, cutting him off. “There are guards crawling all over. We are we better off here than we would be out in the real world.”

I didn’t know if that was true exactly, but I didn’t want Matt going off to find out for himself. Oren knew how protective I felt over Matt now, and he was definitely the type of guy that would use that against me if he had the chance. Matt’s best bet was staying here, under the watchful eye of the Trylle.

“I still don’t completely understand what’s happening here or who these people are,” Matt said finally. “I have to trust you on this, and I need to know that you’re safe.”

“I’m safe. Honest. You don’t need to worry about me anymore.” I gave him a sad smile, realizing that was true. “But how have you been? Have you been finding stuff to keep you busy?”

“Yeah, I’ve been spending some time with Rhys, which has been nice,” Matt said.

“He’s a good kid. A little… weird, but good.”

“I told you.”

“You did,” he smiled.

“And I see you found something to read.” I pointed to the book he had.