Bonded

Chapter 21

"If you do not want to be responsible for dropping him off the mortal plane leave him be," Tarquin's voice sharply cut through the trance as the Princess gaped at the bound man.

 

Jza dropped her weapon abruptly, startled by her own viciousness. She gave a brief look at the broken man lying on the floor but her attention was immediately diverted by her enemy whose amber eyes were still hidden behind his hair. 

Tarquin had his hands in front of him before she could speak. He flexed his bloody fingers trying to warm them after their period of unuse. 

"How did you..." She whispered, searching his counatanance for a sign; anything to assuage her he did not know the truth.

"Does it truly matter?" The man took a long rattling breath that seemed ominous. His eyes finally caught hers and they revealed nothing of import.

"Of course it does. And if you've known for so long then why conceal it. You are not one to hide your victories, are you?"

"What an apt description of my beastly self," Tarquin gave her a lazy smile as fresh blood slid down the side of his pale face. He quickly undid the ties around his feet but remained seated, unperturbed by the other man moaning on the ground. Jza glanced down at her murderous hands and took her own shuddering breath. 

"Finding errant parchments with your name in your room is hardly a victory," His face was hiden behind the shadows made by the harsh light cast upon them by the torches, "It's a jumble of letters, Miss Ashbrook. How am I supposed to pronounce it. It would not do to say it out wrong."

"And yet here you are mispronouncing it completely," Jza sneered at him but knew time was not on their side.  She glanced at the door with frayed impatience, "There will be guards outside."

"I will take care of them," Tarquin's voice was far too confident for a man sodden in his own blood. 

"Dont be aggravating," Jza clenched her fists in a frustrated motion, "You are in no position to be battling anyone much less your own turncoats."

"Do you still find by my prowess in battle lacking?" Tarquin asked with a hint of amusement as she bent down in front of him to inspect the damage her loose hair dangling around her face. 

"Not really. What I'm surprised by is how they managed to capture you?" Jza's focus was on his injured torso.

"For the first time in my life I had thoughts on my mind that had nothing to do with this forsaken nation," The injured man answered. The Princess could feel his eyes following her hands as they grazed over the multiple holes in his uniform.

"You were stabbed with much enthusiasm. Your wounds will fester if you do not attend to them," She glanced up to find his eyes closed as her fingers brushed over a gaping hole on his collarbone.

"There's a servant tunnel on your left," She informed him while leaning closer. Her hair brushed his face as she examined the wound on his shoulder. This one seemed less shallow and was deliberately done to ensure maximum damage to his movements.

"And there's another one under the desk," He answered back without pause. Jza's lips curved at the man's predictability. It was impossible for him to keep his nose out of anything. She never detected her hair strands transfering tiny, slivers of his blood on her profile. 

"Someone's at the door," The Princess hissed, her fingers inadvertently curling around Tarquin's injured shoulders. The sounds from outside were muffled leaving her unable to discern what was going on. He placed his right hand over hers and she scarcely noticed for the sound of her thrumming heart over took all her senses. Her eyes were fixed on the door opposite her instead.