The Princes Bound [The Princes Book 1] Read online

  With a harsh sigh, Mathis turned away from the window and retrieved the pants he'd discarded.

  A swim in the Dora River was exactly what he needed.

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  Chapter 2

  Moonlight glinted in silvery sparkles on the surface of the river. It was a beautiful night even though it had rained much of the afternoon. The damp ground Nadia sat on was rich with the black soil that made Isidor so desirable for farming.

  A recruit ran to the river's edge, panting from lack of breath, and dropped to his knees beside Nadia. “The prince approaches, and he is alone."

  Nadia tossed aside the apple she'd been devouring and cast her recruit a questioning look. “Are you sure?"

  She and the recruit had merely been on a scouting mission. Never in a million years would she have imagined the prince would walk right into their clutches.

  The eager young soldier nodded. His pale face gleamed with excitement. “Yes, Captain. He looks exactly like the sketches I've seen of Prince Talin's brother."

  Nadia herself had not seen Mathis since childhood, but she vaguely remembered the two brothers were similar in looks. Both possessed an impressive height and wavy dark hair, but where Talin's eyes were as dark as the sea at night, Mathis’ were the blue of a robin's egg. If rumors were to be believed, they could almost pass for twins even though a year separated their births.

  "Quick, hide!” Nadia motioned for the soldier to disguise himself among the undergrowth near the river's edge, and she did the same.

  As soon as the branches stopped swaying, the prince stepped into view.

  She knew it was Mathis before she even saw his face. He had the same regal bearing as Talin and moved with the expectation that nothing would deter him from his path. Perversely, she thought about grabbing his ankle as he passed. If he were to trip and stumble, it might make him seem more human.

  She held herself very still as the prince moved past her. She finally glanced up his face and choked back a strangled gasp.

  He is beautiful!

  It was true he looked much like Talin, but Mathis’ features were more relaxed and open. His was a face that could be trusted. Unlike his older brother, Mathis seemed approachable and unguarded.

  She'd made an agreement with Talin to bring his brother to the wedding, by force if necessary. She actually had the unfamiliar urge to leave him be, but she had never wavered from a duty, and she wasn't about to let a handsome face sway her now.

  Not to mention, Talin would never allow her to live the shame down.

  She got to her feet with the nimbleness of a cat but remained in a crouched position. She silently motioned for the recruit to stay where he was.

  It was apparent Mathis had no clue he was being watched.

  Moonlight glinted off the bare skin of his back. He was garbed in the apparel of a sultan, which Nadia had seen depicted in one of her father's books. All he wore was a pair of loose fitting white trousers. A colorful scarf was tied about his hips to keep the material from falling to his feet.

  Her eyes roamed the muscular planes of his shoulders and back. He was leaner than his brother but still quite pleasing to the eye. He was also a shade lighter than Talin, probably owing to his more scholarly pursuits. Nadia had heard rumors he spent nearly two hours a day in the palace library to further his learning.

  Talin was more athletic, preferring to train with the soldiers or participate in hunting trips. It was intriguing how completely alike in looks the brothers were, but total opposites in personality.

  Mathis stopped at the edge of the water as his hands moved to the scarf. She crept toward him as he untied the ends of the colorful material and shoved his trousers to the ground.

  She nearly choked on her own tongue. As a soldier, she'd seen more than her fair share of nude men, but Mathis was a wonder to behold.

  The same golden color of the skin of his back matched the tone of his bare ass.

  He must swim in the nude often—in the daylight!

  She gave a delicious shiver at the thought but quickly turned her wandering mind back to the matter at hand.

  Still seemingly oblivious to the presence of others, Mathis kicked his trousers toward the bank. The muscles of his thighs tightened as he leaned forward and dove into the river, barely causing a ripple in the smooth current.

  Nadia remained motionless as Mathis surfaced and shook his head, sending droplets of water out in a circle around him. He lay back, and her gaze dropped to the area between his legs. Flaccid, his cock floated right beneath the surface of the water. She marveled at the size even in a state of non-arousal.

  There was no telling how long she would've stayed and gawked at him, but her recruit inched forward and tapped the toe of her boot, and she jerked her eyes away from the enticing sight of the naked prince. He would probably fuel her dreams for many long, lonely nights to come.

  She put her finger to her lips to remind the recruit to keep silent as she withdrew a tiny dagger from the sheath at her waist. The dagger was a prop. She would never dare harm a member of the royal family, but she had to gain some sort of leverage over the prince to get him to come with them.

  She couldn't risk him sounding the alarm and preventing her daring abduction scheme. Mathis would never agree to come with her willingly. His refusal to Talin already proved that. She would have to use other means to get him back to Noventia.

  She waited for his swim to come to an end. When it did, she was ready. As his bare feet stepped onto the mossy bank, she leaped from her hiding spot and tackled him to the ground. She pressed the point of her dagger to a prominent vein in his neck.

  At first, he appeared shocked by her attack. When he realized she was a woman, he let out a hearty laugh.

  "What sort of seduction is this? Tell me, sweet lady, did Trevor put you up to this?"

  His voice was silky smooth, but a hard edge underlined the words. She could tell he didn't like being bested; it was apparent by the firm way he held his jaw.

  "I'm afraid I don't know any Trevor. Now do as you're told, Your Highness, and you won't be harmed."

  His beautiful eyes narrowed in warning. “I am the prince of this realm, and I order you to sheathe your weapon at once."

  "I'm afraid I can't do that."

  His damp skin soaked through her clothing, and she repressed a shiver at the chill. She was a soldier, and a soldier couldn't afford to show weakness.

  The prince moved under her, and she was nearly jostled to the ground. She tightened her grip on the dagger and pressed it sharply to his neck. “Careful, Prince. We wouldn't want to spill any royal blood today. I promise you, as long as you follow my command, you will remain safe."

  His body went lax, but his eyes continued to flash with unconcealed anger. “Who sent you?"

  It was too early to reveal all, so she attempted to change the subject. “A fairer question would be what is a prince doing out at night without his guard?"

  Although he had to know he was trapped, his chin lifted a notch. “My kingdom is a peaceful one."

  His composure was commendable.

  Nadia glanced over her shoulder to instruct the recruit. “Stefan, fetch his Highness’ clothing and be quick about it."

  When she looked back at the prince, he had a queer look on his face. She immediately tensed. “What is it?"

  "You remind me of someone..."

  She averted her face as well as she could while still being able to keep a watch on him. “You are mistaken, Prince. I've never been one to keep company with princes.” Although it was a blatant lie, she thought it best he didn't associate her with Noventia, nor with his brother, until they had him completely bound.

  Stefan returned with the clothing, and under her direction, quickly helped the prince into his garments.

  It was a shame she had to cover such perfection, but she couldn't very well go traipsing about the countryside with a naked, bound prince at her side.

  He had gotten himself into a f
ine mess this time.

  Mathis once again cursed his unfortunate decision to go to the river alone. He was trussed up like a Christmas goose and at the mercy of a still unnamed enemy.

  He doubted the group of five men and one woman were the rebels who had been causing trouble up north. If they had been part of the rebellion, they probably would've killed him upon sight. In addition, the six he traveled with were evidently soldiers, and rumor had it, the rebels mostly consisted of dissatisfied tenants and lower gentry.

  So if not the rebels, then who?

  The woman rode at his side, apparently to make sure he didn't try to make his escape. Mathis found it intriguing a woman was the leader of the group that had abducted him. It was not uncommon for women to join the military, but few rose to a position of leadership.

  She pulled ahead of him, but the lad she'd called Stefan drew up to take her place.

  Mathis eyed her as she rode ahead to speak to the others.

  A long, dark braid bounced against her back. The ends of the braid brushed against the saddle, and he envisioned how it looked unbound. The tiny curls at her temples hinted it would be wavy. He didn't doubt it would be a glorious sight when loosened from that tight braid.

  His gaze roved lower. Tight, brown breeches stretched across the curve of her ass and clung lovingly to her long, slim thighs.

  All in all, she was quite a specimen. In different circumstances, he may have flirted with her. Perhaps they would have even enjoyed a dalliance. But under the current conditions, he would rather bed a viper. He did not enjoy being made a fool. His situation could be much worse, true, but he held a grudge nonetheless.

  She returned to his side and leaned down to grasp the bridle of his horse and forced him to a halt.

  The abrupt change in motion nearly unseated him. With his hands tied together in front of him, he had to struggle to stay astride as he grappled with the reins. He sent her a glare, which only caused her lips to curve into a small smile.

  "We are far enough from town that we can remove this.” She removed the gag they'd stuffed in his mouth and tucked it into a pocket of her jerkin.

  Mathis gingerly moved his jaw from side to side, grimacing when it made a creaking noise.

  "I demand to know your name.” He spoke with a voice of authority, one which usually commanded obedience from his people.

  She laughed softly. “Careful, Your Highness, else you may make me regret my decision to remove your gag."

  She showed a total disregard for his position. It was an unfamiliar situation since he'd been catered to and obeyed his entire life.

  "Who sent you?"

  She rolled his eyes at his question and spurred their horses back into motion. “You will find out soon enough."

  "How soon?"

  She tossed him an amused look but refused to answer.

  Mathis fell silent, choosing instead to turn his attention to the landscape around him. It was mostly flat land now, but there were hills up ahead in the distance. They'd been traveling for half a day, and he was familiar enough with his kingdom to know they had been heading north.

  Had he been mistaken, and they truly were rebels?

  Then he recalled they'd passed through Roen, which indicated they were traveling to the east as well. Isidor's only mountainous region lay along its border with Noventia. Judging from the upcoming change in elevation, the border of Noventia was not far away.

  It was odd for him to be abducted and taken into the very heart of his brother's kingdom where he was sure to be recognized. It was no secret that, since he was their prince's brother, the people of Noventia would be honor bound to assist him. All in all, it made no sense. Either his abductors were very brave or tremendously inept.

  Mathis continued to dwell upon it until nightfall.

  He realized there was only one explanation. For some reason, his brother had sent soldiers to abduct him. He'd known Talin would be upset at his refusal to attend his wedding, but he'd never suspected it would cause this sort of reaction. One thing was for certain, there would be hell to pay when they reached N'ior.

  They stopped to make camp for the night near an abandoned farm. The house was uninhabitable, with charred timbers and a caved in roof. The field lay fallow and stretched out around them as far as the eye could see.

  The female captor came to help him from his horse.

  He would be damned before he let her assist him. As best as he could with his hands still bound, he swung a leg over and slid to the ground. He landed with a jarring thump and gritted his teeth with frustration.

  "Come, Prince. We will find you a place to sleep.” She chuckled and shook her head as if she were amused by his actions.

  He did as she asked, pretending to be complacent. Inside he seethed and came up with a plan.

  As they settled down for the night, he plied his captors with questions. They continued to offer him only the barest of information, but it was enough to convince him these soldiers did indeed come from Noventia.

  Now that he knew they served his brother, he was certain they wouldn't dare harm a hair on his head.

  It certainly gave him the upper hand in what he had planned for his escape.

  Nadia placed her bedroll close to the pallet they'd arranged for the prince to sleep upon. She wanted to be close to him to make sure he didn't try to flee.

  After instructing her recruits to keep watch and arranging the order in which they would sleep, she sat down and gazed at fire in the center of their temporary encampment.

  It was warm that evening, but the small flames would help illuminate the prince to ensure they kept him not only captured but safe as well. Talin would have her head if anything were to happen to his beloved brother.

  "It is odd they obey you so easily."

  Nadia was startled by the sound of the prince's honeyed voice so close behind her. He'd been taken by one of the recruits to relieve himself in relative privacy, and she wasn't aware they'd returned.

  She lifted her chin; conscious she did so with pride. “I am their captain. They have to listen to what I say."

  "Captain, eh?” His blue eyes glowed amethyst in the near darkness. “Then that makes you part of the Noventian Army. Only Noventia allows female officers."

  She cursed inwardly at her slip of the tongue. “I suppose it makes no difference now. Yes, I am part of your brother's army. I was sent to bring you to him."

  The prince nodded. “My brother does not take no for an answer. Never has. Not even when we were children."

  A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she suppressed the urge. “There are not many who would dare to say no to Prince Talin."

  "I suppose you are right.” Mathis heaved a sigh. “What about you, dear lady? Would you dare to tell him no?"

  Nadia, who'd said no to Talin more times than she could count, softly tutted. “I am but a lowly soldier. Who am I to deny my prince anything he should desire?"

  Mathis lay back on his pallet and laced his fingers behind his head. He seemed at ease in the relaxed pose even though his hands were still bound. He crossed one leg over the other.

  She had decided to not tie his ankles, trusting she and her men would be able to prevent him from escaping.

  "Anything?” Mathis questioned. “Now there is an interesting thought. Tell me, have you served my brother in other ways?"

  Nadia gasped at his impertinence. “That is entirely none of your business!"

  His teeth flashed white as he grinned at her. “I have no doubt my brother would delight to have you in his bed. You, my dear, have a very commanding presence. It is quite odd that within your masculine profession, you still possess a sensual aura."

  She was flattered but suspicious of his conversation. “I must insist you cease this nonsense."

  "It is never nonsense to admire a beautiful woman."

  Nadia opened her mouth to reply, but words failed her. The shadow of the flames danced across his face, and she grew uneasy as she stared at him.
r />   There was a look in his eyes, an intense concentration that belied the seductive quality of his words.

  Instinct made her hand fall to the dagger sheathed at her waist. The feel of the carved hilt reassured her that she was not without protection.

  She had lived the life of a soldier for much too long to not be familiar with the baser nature of men. More than once, she'd fought off unwarranted advances, and it was best to be prepared just in case.

  He noticed her action and lifted a regal brow in response. “Relax, my dear. I do naught but speak the truth. I mean you no harm."

  She continued to eye him carefully.

  Although he was reported to be a scholarly, peaceful ruler, she knew he was able to fight. She'd witnessed his training sessions with her father when she was a child. Though Talin was stronger, Mathis was quicker on his feet and possessed perfect aim. She'd spent hours at the training yard, perched atop an old barrel her father sometimes used for target practice and watched the two young princes receive training in archery, swordfight, and even hand-to-hand combat. Her father had been the late king's favorite knight and was granted the prestigious honor of training his sons for eventual battle.

  Little had they known the king would die on the battlefield before the boys reached their majority. Talin was not yet eighteen and Mathis barely seventeen. Nadia was thirteen but had been sent to live with her mother's family two years before, so she'd not been witness to their grief at that painful period in their history. She'd returned three years later and joined the newly formed Noventian army.

  She unclenched her fingers from the hilt of the dagger but kept her hand at her waist.

  Mathis sat up, and she tensed.

  "My boots,” he explained with a wry look. “They are deuced uncomfortable."

  He fumbled with the laces for several moments. His bound hands obviously made the task a difficult endeavor. He struggled a while more and then snorted with disgust. “Damn knots. I don't suppose you will remove the bindings from my wrists?"

  She gave a sharp shake of her head. “No, but I can assist you."

  She crouched near his feet and reached out to take hold of the stubborn laces. “You have certainly made a muck of this, Your Highness.” She reached for her dagger again. “We may have to cut them."