Free Unyielding (The Ashborne Trilogy Book 2) by Kat Lilynette

your life was of far greater importance than all the lives of Ashborne. Emoren, why would he say that?”
    Emoren shook his head. “He exaggerates. I’m so sorry he asked such a thing of you. I’m just the last of a poor bloodline that should have ended long ago, same as you are.”
    “ What bloodline? Are you royalty or something, too?”
    “ No, of course not,” he chuckled. “It’s not important, Amber. There’ll be plenty of time to talk about Belafor’s overreactions once we’re out of here. Were you able to talk with Gentry?”
    I nodded and continued speaking softly. “Yes. He mentioned that he might be able to get me outside the walls tomorrow night, but with everything that’s been happening, I haven’t really talked with him in days.”
    “When is the wedding supposed to take place?”
    “ Two days from now.”
    “ Then we haven’t got much time,” he said. “I assume Belafor is waiting for me? Did he tell you where?”
    “ Yes… How did you know that?”
    “ This isn’t the first time he and I have gotten ourselves into a tight spot.” Emoren smirked slyly, displaying the calm, regal confidence I hadn’t seen in him since before all this had happened. Being so consumed with myself during all of this, I hadn’t even noticed the change in Emoren’s demeanor. Seeing him return to acting like the man I first met made me realize that I had no idea of the hell he’s had to endure inside this cell; a hell that he faced alone while doing everything he could to try and comfort me.
    “ What? Why are you staring at me like that?” he asked.
    I embraced him tightly without saying a word. I knew I would never be able to make this up to him. My sudden bear hug caught him off guard, but then he smiled and let his arms wrap back around me as he began to understand what I was feeling.
    “I’m all right, Amber. I promise,” he whispered.
    I heard his words, but I couldn’t let him go.
    “Where did Belafor say he would be?”
    “ He said he’ll be waiting in the forest to the East,” I replied without letting go.
    Emoren pushed me back enough that he could look me in the eyes. His expression was very serious now. He glanced over my shoulder at the guards who were ignoring us before divulging his plan.
    “All right. Listen. We’ll escape tomorrow, on the eve of your wedding. There’s only a day or two for you to prepare, so please, don’t waste time coming back here to see me.”
    “ But, Emoren, what if something goes wrong? What if you can’t get away? What if you think I haven’t gotten away and you stay?”
    He smiled reassuringly as he stared into my eyes. “Tell me… No, promise me that no matter what happens, you’ll meet me in the forest, and I swear I’ll believe you.”
    My mind couldn’t help but run through all the things that could go wrong. What if one of us escaped and the other didn’t?
    “ Amber,” he urged, “say it.”
    “ All right. I promise, Emoren. I’ll be there.”
    “ As will I, Amber Ashborne. I give you my word.”
    We stood silently for a few moments, staring at one another; our eyes were filled with love, hope and heartache. Without having to say a word, we both knew what the other was thinking: that this would be the last time we would see each other until we were outside of these walls, and if one of us failed, it would be the last time we would ever see each other ever again. I wrapped myself around him one last time, kissing his still-injured lips so hard that I’m sure it must have hurt.
    “I love you,” I breathed without fully removing my lips from his.
    I knew time was working against us, but Emoren let me hold him for longer than we both knew he should have. Reluctantly, I finally let him go and turned to leave. Before reaching the cell door, I looked back and smiled at him. I took one last look at the blonde savior my life could no longer be without.
    Before I left he smiled at me and whispered, “I’ll see you on the other side, my