Chapter 88

chapterS 2 AND 3 - FROM DAMION'S PERSPECTIVE**

"The prisoner is secure and according to healer Orm, should be conscious by now," my second in command, Leif, tells me.

"Did you run into any trouble?" I ask the soldiers standing guard outside the princess's prison cell.

As much as I didn't care for the idea of stealing away a fae woman and keeping her captive, desperate times call for desperate measures. And I'd do anything to protect my people against the raging earth storms tearing their way through my kingdom. So when the idea of ransoming the king's daughter was presented to me, I agreed to it, sending in a team of my most trusted guards.

"None," Leif says, sparing a brief glance at the male standing beside him, one of the guards who'd went with him, Xavier. It was easy enough getting in and out of the Seelie palace, so I figured that would be the case.

I nod, taking the torch from them, bracing myself for the conversation I'm about to have.

She's nothing like I expect. Not at all. Because slumped on the floor of my prison is the most gods damned stunning woman I've ever seen. She looks like she's been bathed in starlight- white hair, pale features, silver eyes that flash in the light of the torch. My breath catches in my lungs so hard I feel like I'm drowning.

The princess's skin is flushed, chest heaving as she breathes hard against her restraints. Her rumpled ball gown clings to her slight, graceful form in a way that makes my cock strain painfully in my breeches. *What the fuck is *wrong* with me*. How utterly messed up am I that the sight of this tiny helpless female chained to my wall is turning me on more than I've ever been in my entire life.

But more surprising than any of that though, is the fact that at the back of my mind where my berserker form resides, stirs to life. I feel it waking up, cracking an eye open curiously, taking everything in with me.

I step further into the room.

"Good, you're awake," I drawl- half to the princess, half to my berserker form - feigning nonchalance I don't even remotely feel, "You must be wondering why you're here."

She stares up at me with wide eyes, refusing to speak.

My berserker form stretches, breathing deeply, viewing the fae woman with us. I shove it as far down as I can, raising an eyebrow, "Let me introduce myself to you, Princess Lucia. I am Damion Lothbrook, Commander of the North. I apologize for us having to meet under these circumstances."

Realization settles over her, her slight shoulders tightening. He sucks in a breath to speak and my berserker form studies the movement with rapt fascination that I try to ignore.

"Tell me, Commander Lothbrook," the princess says stiffly, "What reason can you possibly have for stealing me from my home and *chaining* me to your *wall*?"

Well, fuck. She went right for the jugular on that one. I try not to wince, feeling the start of a migraine coming on.

"Well, I couldn't very well have you blasting through my walls with your magic could I? The chains as much of a protection for my people as they are for you. The iron will see to it that you stay put and out of trouble."

"In what way would iron chains be a protection for me?" She asks coldly.

Great question, actually. I grin, but it feels strained as I continue fighting against the berserker side of me that preens in a way to let me know that he.*likes* her. Likes this slip of a woman and the cold fire emanating out of her. I have to force my next words out,"We wouldn't want you to get injured in any escape attempts."

"If you're so worried about what I may do to your people, why did you bring me here?" She asks, bringing up a trembling hand to swipe at a stray hair and it's a struggle to keep myself in place and not crouch down and do it for her- to run the silky strands of her hair through my fingers.

I crouch down in front of her and she leans further back from me and into the stone wall behind her. I grit my teeth against my berserker which is fighting to lean even closer to her, to breathe her in. *Get your shit together, Lothbrook.*

"All in good time, princess," I say, seeing something now that I'm focused on her more closely, something that worries me. I smell something akin to *fever* and I fight against every instinct I have to keep from dragging her to the physician's wing that minute, "Something doesn't seem right," I mutter under my breath.

I turn, calling out to guard outside the door, "How much of that sleeping draught did you give her, Xavier?"

I hear the other man shuffle forward, "Only as much as the physician suggested," he says, sounding somewhat bored, "Why?"

"She seems a little out of it."

The female in front of me stiffens as if she's offended, and I have to fight off a wince.

"It's probably just the irons weakening her," Xavier says, "I suspect being disconnected from her magic is quite painful."

That's right iron cuts fae off from their magic. If she's in pain, she's refusing to show it. She presses her lips firmly together and it's a struggle not to stare at the way they pull into her mouth.

Her mesmerizing silver eyes meet mine head on, "You need to return me home," she tells me, voice cold. And fuck me, I want to do just that. I find that I want to give her anything she asks for, but I force myself to remember why it would be detrimental. My people need her father's cooperation. My people's lives depend on it.

"All in good time, darling," I tell her, "As long as your father cooperates."

I need to get out of here before my berserker form forces me to do something I'll regret. Like unchain her from the wall and try to spoon feed her or some shit like that. *Fuck, this is bad*.

I force myself to turn my back on her, fighting against every instinct in doing so and stiffly cross the minuscule distance to the door in a single stride, "Go ahead and get comfortable your highness, you're going to be here for a while."

BONUS