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not.” Her golden-hued warrior shrugged nonchalantly
as his dark eyes seemed to sink inside her spirit. “Those whose eyes glimpse us
will not see morning’s light but for you. Had you not shown her kindness though
in these final moments, then ’tis a fate you would have shared as well.”
    A frown pulled at Trine’s brows. “And who are you that you
could make such a claim?”
    “The ones who have claimed Prince Quin as a brother of
courage and rare bravery and shall endeavor to ensure his sister is reunited
with him before the twin moons kiss the soil of Yarba this eve.”
    “Quin?” Arabella whispered her brother’s name in hope as the
surprise of seeing her warriors before her was supplanted by her concern for
her brother. “You took him from the Causeway? He has such fear of it.”
    “Fear?” A slight tug at her golden-hued warrior’s lips as
his brow arched in arrogance assured her he did not share her belief of her
brother’s fears. “That chuck has no fear of the Causeway. Nay, with naught but
a sword he faced the Ogre themselves and demanded a champion to ease the plight
of his most vulnerable sister.”
    Moving to her, a powerful hand gripped the chains secured
into the stone wall above her and pulled them free as though they were not
enchanted nor locked about her wrists.
    “Do you seek ease to your plight, Princess?” His head
lowered, his lips at her ear as he whispered the words. “Do you seek the
punishment we promised for refusing us your name and that of the house you
belonged to? Know you, we would have rescued you long before this had we
known.”
    Her head rested against his chest, moisture filling her eyes
at his gentleness. “You did not reveal your name, or that of your house,” she
reminded him, her voice husky as she fought to hold back her sobs. “And how
could I reveal the craven evil of that which I was born into? Such shame tore
at my soul when faced with the honor I found within the mists.”
    “I am Caedan, twin to Daelan, and we are of the Ogre house
Dungarrin, aligned to tribe Taithleach, guardians of the Causeway and all its
realms.” His lips brushed against her cheek. “And you are ours.”

Chapter Four
     
    “What…?”
    “Forgive me, Princess,” he begged her leave gently, pulling
back as she stared up at him, silent and still with her shock. “The manacles
are indeed enchanted. Once this place is behind us though, the magick of them
will weaken and they will release you easily enough.”
    “What madness is this?” Confusion filled her, locked within
her mind, and made even the fact that the chains were no longer secured to the
wall hard to process.
    How had they pulled free enchanted chains? How could they be
Ogres rather than mere warriors? They were not of grotesque form. They had
driven her to the heights of pleasure, but never to the heights of madness.
    “Do not use the tunnels,” Trine told them then. “There is
another way free of this place.” He glanced to Arabella, pain marking his lined
face as helpless regret shimmered in his eyes. “I could not release those
chains, I have tried many times before. But they are free now, and King
Alistair will know it was not of my doing.” He glanced to the iron door behind
him quickly. “Can you unlock the cell door as well? The key used to open it
moments ago will no longer work. The enchantment requires a different key each
time it’s released. The stones of the far wall.” He nodded to the back of the
dungeon. “Press your palm to the center stone and it will open to allow you to
pass to tunnels hidden from even King Alistair’s knowledge.”
    “We need no keys,” the other warrior murmured as she found
herself unable to tear her gaze from the one watching her so intently.
    What manner of heat was building in her veins?
    What was this strange lethargy that had her tight in its
grip?
    The warrior’s hand lifted then, touched her cheek, then her
brow as his arm slid behind her back.
    “Sleep,