Private Tales The Starling and the Bear

[Lynus Anireth]

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It'd taken him the entire night, but he'd tracked them. The young lad who should have been keeping watch was curled like a babe against a root, slack-jawed and useless. It made him grin wolfishly, knowing how easy this was going to be.

The girl was apart from the others, kneeling at the stream. Perfect. Like a lamb wandered too far from the flock. He eased through the trees, breath slow, boots soft on the moss until he was standing just behind her.

Just a dream?

“Aren’t you just?…” Bannan drawled, the words dripping with mockery as his reflection joined hers in the water.

His hand snapped out to cover her mouth before she could let out a sound, his other locking around her waist and dragging her back against his chest. She was light in his arms, and he hauled her up against his chest as easy as a sack of grain.

“Don’t fight now, girl. You’ve caused enough trouble as is,” he muttered into her ear, his lips curling in a grin.

The lad back at camp snored faintly, but nothing else stirred. They’d never hear a thing until he was gone with her, bound and gagged before they even blinked awake. His King would be pleased, he could already picture the smug look on the old bastard’s face when he dragged her back, knowing the Prince would follow.