Claimed By The Tyrant King

"I agree." He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Not every father in this world can be the best. I accept that I’m the worst."

Rosalind stared at him, disbelief clear in her expression. "But think about it," he continued, unfazed. "The king could give you so much more. It would help with your mother’s treatment. She would recover quickly." He smiled as if the idea alone should convince her.

Rosalind’s expression went flat. "Is that all you’ve been using the money for?" she asked.

"Well... a man has to double it once in a while," Calder replied lightly.

Gambling.

"Can’t you see what it’s doing to you?" Rosalind said, her voice tightening. "Gambling doesn’t give anything, it takes. It feeds you hope just so it can break you. You think you’re close to winning, but it’s nothing more than an illusion. And in the end, it leaves you with nothing."

Calder’s expression darkened. "I didn’t ask for a lecture," he snapped. "Do what I told you and stay out of what doesn’t concern you."

Rosalind drew in a slow breath, her fists clenching at her sides. "It’s easier talking to a wall than it is talking to you."

"You..." Calder started, his voice rising as his hand lifted instinctively, ready to strike.

Rosalind didn’t flinch. Her eyes burned as she held his gaze.

He stopped just as the king’s warning from before flickered through his mind, and his hand slowly dropped.

Rosalind steadied herself before speaking again. "I heard something in the council room," she said, her tone calmer now. "Vaelor has been attacking Eryndor. Are you aware of it?"

Calder’s gaze sharpened. "I am."

"Then you know what that means," she continued. "War could break out soon. I need you to look after Mother. Make sure nothing happens to her."

"Don’t concern yourself with that," he replied at once. "The king will protect us. Nothing will happen to our family."

****

When it was time to leave, she kissed her mother goodbye, lingering for a moment before pulling away. Then she turned to her father. They exchanged sharp looks before she turned on her heel and walked out without another word.

She stepped into the carriage and settled inside, casting one last glance at the house. A small smile touched her lips. There was an ache in her chest as the carriage began to move, slowly pulling her away from the only place that had ever felt like home.

She leaned back against her seat with a quiet sigh. For a moment, she let herself hold onto the day. It had been one of the happiest she could remember.

And strangely, it was because of Alaric.

Even with the guards following her every step, he had still given her this. It should have felt like a kindness. Yet something about it unsettled her. With him, nothing ever came without a reason, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was no different.

The thought lingered at the back of her mind, leaving her uneasy.

Outside, the sun dipped slowly beneath the horizon, the sky darkening as night crept in and the forest grew quieter and heavier.

Rosalind found her thoughts drifting again, this time to Rowan.

She hadn’t had the chance to tease him today. Everything had slipped her mind the moment she arrived home. He must have enjoyed the peace, she thought, a faint smile forming on her lips. He always held himself back around her, always careful, always controlled... and she never failed to push against that restraint.

The smile faded quickly as an arrow shot past the carriage window, striking the opposite side with a sharp thud.

Rosalind froze, her eyes widening. Before she could react, another followed and Panic surged through her. "What’s going on?" she called out, her voice unsteady.

The carriage had come to a halt in the middle of the forest. Darkness had settled around them, the silence broken only by the sudden violence of the attack.

Her heart pounded against her ribs just as the door swung open. "Stay inside, my lady," Rowan said firmly. "We’ll see what’s happening."

Rosalind swallowed, fear tightening in her chest. The arrows had stopped for now, but the silence felt worse. "Be safe," she said quickly.

The door shut again, and she heard his footsteps moving away. But he hadn’t gone far. Neither had the guards.

From the shadows of the forest, masked figures emerged, moving swiftly from all sides. Without warning, arrows were released again, slicing through the air. One struck a guard cleanly, and he collapsed to the ground without a sound.

Rowan didn’t hesitate. He seized the fallen man’s sword and moved forward with the remaining guard, dodging incoming arrows as they charged toward the attackers.

Inside the carriage, more arrows struck the wood, embedding themselves around her.

Rosalind trembled as she quickly dropped down, ducking her head to shield herself. She didn’t understand what was happening or why they were being attacked. All she could hear were the sounds of steel clashing, voices shouting and the impact of bodies hitting the ground.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Rowan’s voice cut through the night as he seized one of the bandits by the arm, forced him off balance, and dragged his blade across his throat before the man could react. The body dropped instantly. Another attacker lunged from behind, but Rowan turned just in time, driving a hard kick into him before finishing him with a strike of his sword.

"Yes," Rosalind answered, though her voice trembled. "Rowan, are you okay?" she called, her eyes darting as arrows continued to cut through the air and steel clashed all around them.

There was no reply.

Instead, an arrow struck the side of the carriage near her, the sharp tip catching the faint light. Rosalind cried out, panic surging through her as she scrambled out of the carriage without thinking.

Rowan heard her scream and immediately, His gaze snapped in her direction, his jaw tightened as he struck down the men blocking his path. One after the other they fell, but the distance between them still felt too wide. Nearby, the remaining guard struggled to hold off several attackers at once, barely keeping them at bay.

When Rosalind came out of the carriage, her first instinct was to stay low and escape into the forest, anywhere out of sight, but the moment she saw the chaos outside, panic pushed her forward without thinking.

Her heart climbed to her throat as she saw the coachman lay on the ground, an arrow lodged deep in him, blood pooling beneath his body. The sight hit her all at once, and she pressed a hand over her mouth, fighting the wave of panic rising in her chest.

She took a step forward and suddenly collided with one of the bandits, freezing for a split second before he grabbed her wrist. "Come with me!" he demanded.

Rosalind struggled against him, trying to pull free, but his hold only tightened as he dragged her away from the fight. "Let go!" she cried, twisting against his grip. "Rowan!"

"Stop talking and move," he snapped, tightening his grip as he dragged her roughly away.

Desperate, Rosalind lifted his hand and bit down hard. He loosened his grip instantly with a curse, his eyes flashing in anger as he raised his hand to strike her, but before he could, another hand seized his arm.

Rowan twisted his arm behind his back, immobilized him for a split second, then drove his blade across his throat. The man dropped instantly.

Silence followed just as Rowan turned to Rosalind, his breathing steady but his eyes sharp. "We need to leave," he said, his voice firm as he stepped toward her.

Her face went pale and she instinctively stepped back from him, not fully trusting what she had just witnessed despite him saving her.

Behind her, an arrow cut through the air and Rowan saw it a split second before it reached her. He lunged forward, grabbing her and pulling her out of its path just as it cut through the air. "Let’s go," he said again, more urgently, already pulling her along. This time, she followed and they ran.

Branches snapped underfoot, the ground uneven beneath them as they pushed deeper into the forest. Rosalind’s thoughts raced as fast as her heartbeat, but none of it made sense. Who were they? What did they want?

She didn’t know how long they had been running, only that her breath was failing her.

"Rowan... I can’t..." she managed, her voice breaking as her steps slowed.

He noticed how her grip on his hand loosened slightly as her steps became uneven, her breath breaking with every stride while the sound of pursuit grew closer behind them.

"Catch them!" a voice rang out from the distance. "Don’t let them get away!"

As if the night hadn’t been against them enough, rain suddenly broke from the sky, heavy and relentless. Within seconds, they were soaked, their clothes clinging to their bodies as the downpour blurred the forest around them. It muffled their footsteps and distorted the vision behind them, giving them a small advantage.

Through the rain, Rowan spotted something ahead... a dark opening set into the rock.

"There," he said, guiding her toward it.

Rosalind barely had the strength to keep moving, her steps unsteady as he urged her forward. She held on only because he didn’t let her go.

They reached the cave, and Rowan stepped in first, scanning the space quickly to make sure it was clear. When he turned back, Rosalind had stopped at the entrance, one hand braced against the stone, her breathing uneven. Rain dripped from her hair, her face drained of color.

Before he could reach her, her body swayed and she collapsed at the entrance of the cave.