“At ease, Leiman.”

  The abrupt voice stirs me out of my sleep. The aches in my body from the stiff journey yesterday are a reminder that I’m in a place I’m not supposed to be. I roll over in a fur-covered bed, seeing the large shape of a man with long wavy hair gathering scrolls. Caspian?

  “You have 10 minutes before they’re tearing tents down.” He says in a calm voice, a hint of command in his tone. He keeps his back to me as he sorts through scrolls. “I’ll be outside.” He doesn’t turn or look at me. A courtesy, a respect to me in case I was indecent. I knew this wasn’t sympathy. It’s discipline. This may not be my history, but knights have codes, like the ‘code of chivalry. ’ Though if it's anything similar, then he doesn’t seem to follow it entirely. In fact, the whole ‘respect women’ rule of our knights seems a tad loose in this world, considering how I was treated yesterday.

  And don’t even get me started on the ‘don’t kidnap’ section…

  Caspian pushes open the tent flap, briefly letting in the morning light as he exits. It's early…I linger in the warmth of the furs for a moment longer before getting up. At a rushed pace, I yank on the brown trousers I was given and comb my tangled hair, trying to regain some control over my situation. When I exit the tent, the crisp morning air glosses over my skin. I rub my arms for warmth as I adjust my sight to the brightness.

  Caspian stands beside a large auburn war-horse, handing scrolls over to another knight who is holding the reins of his steed. Hearing the ruffle of the tent, he turns and hands me a small cotton bag.

  Are we leaving ahead of the troops?

  “May I help you onto the horse?” He asks politely. Too polite. The kind of politeness you give out of obligation rather than wanting to be helpful. I turn to the huge horse with an unsure look, being slightly intimidated by going anywhere near the beast.

  The last time I got near a horse, it kicked me and left a large bruise on my hip. This thing will kill me.

  Caspian sees my hesitation and raises a brow. His face is in deep thought, as if trying to figure me out.

  “Have you never ridden?” I purse my lips and shake my head. He squints, furthering his mental investigation of me.

  He slowly nods but doesn’t comment. Instead, he steps behind me and grips my waist, lifting me onto the saddle effortlessly without warning. Respect women? Yeah, no. Being handsy seems to be a common occurrence here.

  Caspian swings up behind me in one smooth motion, pulling my waist in so that I am sitting securely against him. His large, armoured body leaks warmth onto my cool clothes, reminding me of the warmth of his bed.

  I stay stiff against his chest as he pulls at the reins and urges the horse into a steady trot, leading us away from the busy camp.

  “Open the bag. Eat.” He commands, his tone leaving no room to argue. “Today will be a long day.”

  A long day? So he plans to keep me alive until tonight? I need a real plan, something that can work against this beast.

  I glance down, untying the drawstring to the bag to reveal a chunk of stale bread and slices of cheese. Shitty war rations. The persistent growl in my stomach makes it hard for me to ignore the fact that these expired scraps might give me food poisoning. My pickiness grows as more time passes since my last meal. I take a few stiff bites of the stale bread, my thoughts catching up with me. Where is everyone else? They would’ve caught up by now.

  Caspian rides further away from the camp, racing near a shrubby section upon the vast plains.

  We’re alone…

  He’s going to kill me.

  I swing around, twisting in the saddle, pushing myself away from him.

  “LET ME OFF!” I scream, the horse jerking at my unexpected movement, but Caspian doesn’t flinch. In full control, he drops the reins in one hand and grabs my wrist and yanks me towards him, twisting me back to my previous position. He then wraps his arm around me, locking me against him.

  I thrash in his hold, pushing his arm down to release me.

  “LET ME GO!” Caspian doesn’t react, he continues to ride towards the shrubbery, his grip unmovable.

  Caspian brings the horse to an abrupt halt, letting go of me. I immediately attempt to slide off the horse, but Caspian grabs my arm to slow my descent to the ground. Jumping off the horse, he unsheathes one of his swords and throws it on the floor in front of me. I pick it up without hesitation and hold it out awkwardly in front of him as he ties the horse to a branch nearby. Caspian unsheathes another sword, hidden under the half of his body covered by his fur cloak, and walks with a fixed pace towards me.

  “Lie, and without warning, I will cut you down where you stand.” His brows deepen, a face filled with an ominous threat directed at me.

  “Where have you come from?” He demands with a harsh stare, making me feel small and incompetent against him. I bring up the sword in a weak defence against his gaze.

  “I don’t know! I told you yesterday! I was hanging out with some friends, and I fell into the forest and ended up here!” I scream at him, shaking in a quivering mess.

  “In the sacred forest? Where no man without great strength can pass through?” He shouts, not believing a word I'm saying. I’m from another world? Bullshit. He’ll call me a witch and fucking kill me. I’m screwed no matter what answer I tell him, if he’s already determined to kill me.

  “Who do you serve, spy?” He snarls, advancing his steps towards me, cornering me against a large trunk.

  “Spy?! I was just lost! You and y-your thugs kidnapped me!” I croak out, my arms beginning to wobble and tire from holding up the large sword. Why would my dad’s shadow lead me here? To get killed? Hurt? Kidnapped?

  “Yet you never spoke. You never once spoke out. Spy.” He raises his sword, and I close my eyes and hold my sword up to possibly block his attack. Never spoke? As if you stupid men would even listen to a woman! But in truth, I just cower, hoping fate would be kind to me in my death and Caspian would give me the mercy of a swift end.

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  “FIGHT ME!” He taunts, but I just clench my eyes tighter together, holding the hilt of the sword so tense my knuckles turn white. I hear Caspian step forward, and I brace myself for my impending doom. The clank of metal shakes me as my sword is lightly tapped by another metal object.

  “Drop your stance.” I hesitantly open my eyes, murmuring as tears silently slip down my face. I watch as Caspian walks over to me and carefully plucks the sword out of my hands, sheathing it once again, and thrusts a handkerchief at me.

  “I’m not a spy…I teach history to teenagers. Please don’t kill me.” I wail out, wiping my tears with my hands like I've reverted to a childish state. Fucking asshole! How many times do I have to say something for you to believe me?!

  “Yeah, yeah, I believe you.” Caspian huffs, using his hand to smooth his forehead before pinching his eyebrows together and looking down. Asshole. “I truly had hoped you would’ve fought back…” He flashes me a concerned face, as if anxious about the reality before him.

  “A spy would never be untrained.” He scoffs, seemingly amused that I am just an ordinary woman, and not whatever else he had expected me to be.

  “I said I wasn't…” I mumble crossing my arms, huffing at the large, barbaric, and fucking hard-headed, man.

  “That doesn't mean you're not hiding something, which I know you are.” And if I told you, would you believe me? No. So be a man and ??????? ?? ?? ????????? ?? ?????????. I huff, internally mumbling my hate for him.

  “I won't attack you again, unless you prove otherwise, so you can step away from that tree,” Caspian speaks with his back to me as he unties the horse and brings it over.

  Does he think I'm dumb? How can I believe that?

  “I'm not going anywhere with you.” I spit at him with a snarl, tensing my brows in disgust towards him.

  “Is that so?” He smirks back at me.

  cxxx{}::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

  With my head popped out of Caspian's fur cloak, he wrapped and pinned around us, I frown deeper in annoyance and hatred to the large man sitting behind me. Who throws a woman on their shoulder and puts them on a horse?!

  And as if he thought that sharing a fur cloak with me would help? Oh yeah, remember that time I tried to kill you? Like 10 minutes ago? Well, I see that you're cold. Shut up as I wrap my cloak around us. Ugh! I fucking hate this guy!

  “If you keep frowning, it'll stay like that.” He snarks deeply into my ear before moving his head back to an upright position.

  Seeing a small army of men with horses, wagons, and banners, I realise that the camp has been fully packed up, and we are back to travelling. Caspian had mentioned that he needed to report to the capital of this world, Arrton. Wherever the hell that was. Swiftly riding past most of the war-weary men, Caspian makes it to the head of the troop. Where a well-dressed, silver-clad knight with a purple scarf draping his shoulders is leading the troop. His garb is so different from Sir Leiman’s. They must come from different Lords.

  “My lord, everything is on schedule. Sir Leiman's troops must have dismantled the camp's barrier with a mage by now. Their appearance must be expected soon.” The knight salutes Caspian.

  “Thank you, Pavlore. Is Ester following the vanguard?”

  “Yes, my Lord, you'll still be able to catch up with him.” I watch the interaction between the two with my hands under my chin as they rest on the edge of Caspian's large brown fur cloak.

  “Once we are done here, can you send me all the information you know about the Pawell people?”

  “Yes, my lord.” Caspian urges the horse from its slow trot to a gallop. Racing through the large grassy plains, I can begin to see the faint, distant shape of a large wall with battlements.

  That must be the great capital, Arrton.

  As we speed through the vast green plains, the landscape begins to change, with the city walls becoming sharper and larger in view. The once-wild grass has been changed into maintained crop fields, with men and women in rolled-up garments working the land. Another group of men isn’t far in front of us; within a minute of steady motion, we meet up with a group of men in long, decorated blue tunics. I hadn't noticed before, but the war-weary men have cleaned themselves up. Grime and muck were washed away, and their outfits neatened, or new ones were put on entirely. It's clear that they're all trying to impress someone, and that ‘someone’ is behind the gates of the magnificent city.

  We canter to the front of the troop once again, and I'm met by a familiar face. Ester.

  Upon catching our eye, Ester follows Caspian as he moves aside from the men, at least a good ear listening length away. Once we are a comfortable distance away from prying ears, Ester speaks, seeming a little confused at my presence.

  He knew he was going to kill me? This prick.

  “So…” Caspian just shakes his head at Ester's words. Giving him a clear indication that whatever answer he had to the question in his head was cleared with certainty.

  “I’m unsure if the maiden even knows what she is.” Ester stares in befuddlement, purely baffled at Caspian's words.

  Is he trying to insist that I'm still a spy?

  “How is that even the case?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine, friend. But the fact that it's happening now…” I can hear Caspian breathe out a deeply anguished sigh. I look up to him, and he, in turn, looks down at me with great concern, causing me to pop out a confused face.

  Why is he looking at me like that? Like I'm a ticking time bomb?

  Upon hearing Caspian's words, Ester looks onto the landscape with a deep frown, seemingly contemplating his entire life.

  “I'll get onto researching, until then…” Ester states with the same mournful look.

  “She will be entirely under my duty of care, I expect you to keep this between you and I. Nesseth and Aaedan cannot find out.”

  “How do you expect that to happen when you'll be bringing her directly to them?” Ester scoffs in disbelief, throwing his hand out in the direction of the capital.

  “You said you aren't going to kill me!” I gasp, turning my head as far back as I can to face Caspian. Who in the capital is so dangerous that they can't even know my presence?! “Are you taking me to my death?!” I continue before they can speak, my breath deepening as panic starts to set in once again.

  “I never spoke such a sentence.” Caspian scowls at my abrupt screech of concern. I pull my face back at the harsh tone. Seeing that he intimidated me with his voice, he sighs. “If I could avoid taking you there, I would.” Caspian lets go of a rein and grips my upper arm, looking me in the eye with an apprehensive gaze. “Genevieve, you must listen and follow every order I give you if you want to live.” His intense stare was anything but dishonest. I don't think I have a choice in this.

  I nod to him, accepting his demands.

  “Genevieve, I need you to say that you agree.” Is he the only one I can have faith in? The only one putting me out of harm's way? Can I even rely on his words? He tried to kill me.

  Twice.

  “I trust you…” I whisper out, annoyed, knowing that he wouldn't let this go if I didn't say what he wanted.

  I'm not sure what's waiting for me in Arrton, but it doesn't seem good. However, in a weird stroke of luck, it also seems that Caspian wants me alive, and I'd be stupid to reject his help.