Page 35 of The Princess Tied

Was that whirring noise coming from his eye?

“I can. Perfectly.” He opened his arms. “Thank you.”

Tears wet his eyes.

She looked at him, puzzled.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Hugging is a little…” Shades wiped his organic hand on his shirt and offered it to her. “I can never repay you.”

She shook his hand. “It was my pleasure.”

And it was, strangely. Her heart was glowing with so much warmth she could surely heat a room with it.

With that accomplished and congratulations from the others, as well as a few slaps on the back—Ruth gave him the hug Po had missed giving, due to being puzzled—they packed up and set off on the road to town.

Po sneaked Pearbottom up beside Rocky and cleared her throat. They were barely trotting. Dragonflies floated across the tops of some seeding grass beside the road. The wind was cool but not too much so. It seemed a good time for her announcement.

John turned his head, eying her as if annoyed, and she hadn’t yet said anything.

“Yes?”

“I’ve decided we must come to an agreement. I have been thinking. I am, now, all in favor of this search. We,” she gestured at their little group, “are of one mind. However, I owe you the reason for my previous reticence.” Po took a steadying breath. “It was due to a private vow I exchanged with Xander. I promised him I’d never put myself in danger if an enemy threatened him, not until after we wed.”

“You did? Huh.” He sniffed long and hard, then drew Rocky to a halt, hitched a thumb in his weapon belt. Ruth walked by with Shades and he waited for them to get ahead before he spoke again. “True love should mean you never stop, never give up, no matter the vows.”

Well! Even when she had a kingdom to also care for?

Not that she would be greatly missed except for as a figurehead. The stock market might, but not her advisors and ministers. They would appoint a team to find her, rearrange the hierarchy—temporarily—and move on with business. The kingdom would survive without a ruler as long as a new one was appointed, eventually.

How long was that? She wasn’t certain. They’d have to decide she was dead or permanently missing? But, back to current affairs. Here. Now.

Po fumbled for all the details of the little speech she had decided to make and found them scattered by his infuriating, incompetent…

Gah!

“You’re an expert on true love, are you?” She doubted he had much experience. She beamed a glare at him, maximum intensity, hot enough to melt steel, if lasers had existed. Which they didn’t.

“Of course.”

Now who was lying?

“In view of this, there will be no more sex.” His face went odd as she said that, but she continued. “And I get to be in equal command of this expedition.”

He laughed. “No.”

“What?” She drew herself straighter in the saddle.

“No.”

Po fumbled. “No? To which part?”

“All of it.”

“Why? This is not negotiating. One does not merely say no to a princess!” She’d hissed the last word. Po calmed herself. “You’re supposed to make offers and counteroffers, and so on. That is how it’s done.”

“Counteroffers? About what you said?”

She had said sex. Po felt her face heat. She’d walked into that. Her subconscious needed birching. And that thought, and the image it conjured, only made her blush harder.