KAYDEN LIONHEART

It was one thing to be restless because he was hunting demons, but lying in a comfortable bed between sleep and awareness all night was another. That damn woman would be the end of him. Somewhere in the middle of the night he’d taken his necklace off to observe his emotions as they were and not through some spell. And it wasn’t good. He genuinely liked her. With all the talking she could do, Kayden should dislike her, but no, for some twisted reason, he liked Arelyn. Who wouldn’t? She was smart, intelligent, brave, and beautiful. She’d been through torments, yet she could laugh with joy. A laughter that penetrated even his cold heart and twisted the remaining light inside him.

The light no one, especially a woman, should touch. He’d tucked it away carefully and he was fine with it. There was no place in his life for a woman. For a doomed relationship. No. He had to get Arelyn out of his system before this attraction grew into something else.

Kayden put the necklace back on, locking away his feelings and sighed. Surely, sex would get her out of his head and heart, then he could go on with his life. He dressed for the day; nothing too fancy, just black pants, a black shirt, and a vest. To be comfortable on the train. There was no way he’d let himself fall in love again. Once was enough. He couldn't risk tempting fate again.

Trying to get Arelyn out of his head, he went to have breakfast. A nice peaceful and quiet meal.

Just as he settled and ordered his food, he felt her presence a moment before she stepped inside. Even though he kept his eyes on his plate, he took in every bit of the woman: every curve, every lock of her warm blonde hair, her piercing blue eyes.

"May I join you?"

Kayden looked up, any hope of having a quiet meal gone, and nodded as he gestured at the other chair. "Did you sleep well? I know this hotel isn't the most comfortable."

Arelyn gave him a half smile. "I had enough wine to make me sleep through the night. As for not being the most comfortable, it was far more comfortable than where I've slept the last five years. Do I have time to have some breakfast?"

“If you can finish your meal in twenty minutes, yes.” He sipped his coffee. "The train will be even less pleasant, but I organized a cabin for you."

Arelyn blinked. "I'm sorry, a cabin? Aren’t we joining a wagon train?"

Kayden chuckled and it turned into a wide grin. "No, I'm not talking about a wagon train. I'm talking about a mechanical transportation vehicle. It runs on metal lines, much faster than a horse, and can take dozens of people, plus the horses." He buttered his bread. "You'll see. Down here it's powered by coal, but near the capitals they work with electricity." He tilted his head. "I guess you don't know what that is either. It makes lamps and other equipment work."

"Aren’t they enchanted by magic?" Curiosity filled her voice and her eyes lit up a little brighter. The fact that he noticed these details were annoying and definitely a result of her talking too much.

"No, it's technology. Before the war, Estrary was the most advanced north of the Dead Lands, they even had the first prototypes of airships too. We hope we can make those again, but first we need to heal. All three countries." With his breakfast finished, he stood. "We leave in ten minutes. Don’t be late."

"Thank you. I didn't know what to do with them so I left the bag with the clothes you bought me in the room."

“I’ll take care of it,” he said as he walked out.

He finished packing and put his bag on his shoulder, then he went for Arelyn’s bag and picked it up.

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Thunder was waiting for him outside, and he took her reins and led her towards the station. Of course Arelyn was there too. And surprisingly he didn’t mind it. He almost missed the sound of her chatter filling the silence with life. Emphasis was on almost, because the day he wanted to hear pointless chatter was the day he should just go and live as a recluse somewhere.

"You might get a little motion sick," Kayden said as they walked towards the station. "If that happens, let me know, my warlock has a great potion."

"Thank you, I'll let you know."

When they reached the station, black smoke was already pouring from the locomotive. Behind it, the first wagon was filled with coal, then came the ones for the staff, the kitchen, then the passenger area. Kayden had three wagons reserved for them, leaving only two for common people. Sadly, the stable wagon was the last so there was no way he could visit Thunder without passing through the lower class.

He whispered to Thunder, calming her, promising her apples. When he realized Arelyn was watching, he quickly stopped and looked at her.

"She hates trains," Kayden said when he convinced Thunder to get on the ramp and into her stall. "But she'd do anything for an apple."

The first wagon they entered from the stable was lined with wooden benches on both sides of a narrow corridor. A few ordinary people dotted the space and Kayden’s eyes scanned them for hidden dangers. His guards had monitored the train, and its passengers, but a king could never be too careful. The next few wagons held the sleeping cabins. Eight doors opened from the corridor, and each held two narrow bunk beds, with little to no space inside. Looking straight ahead, Kayden crossed quickly to avoid interacting with anyone. The proper way for him to access his own cabin was to leave the train from the stable car and walk on the platform where his guards could protect him, but he wasn’t big on formalities.

The next wagon before his, held larger, more comfortable rooms with only one to three beds inside. He noted that two were darkened to be suitable for demons. Which meant he needed to have one of his guards watching Lyn’s cabin at night to be sure she’d be alright.

Finally, they arrived at the one they’d use and he stopped at the second cabin and opened the door. It held a double bed, a small table attached to the wall, a chair, and a tiny wardrobe for clothes.

"This one is yours," he said to Lyn. "The next one is mine. The one on the left is Kieran’s. The dining wagon is the second from here. You can find toilets in every wagon at the end, but I'm afraid showering is limited to zero."

"Thank you." Lyn looked around the cabin, there was a place to sit with a small table and a place to sleep. She sighed, "Am I to stay in here unless going to the dining hall or can I walk around?"

Kayden put his bag in his cabin. "You can go anywhere. Three days is a long time." What he didn’t tell her was the fact that she’d have a guard escorting her to make sure she was safe. Kayden reasoned that it was necessary because she was with him, and people might want to use her to get to him, but in truth, he just didn’t want to risk her safety. After all, he’d promised that no harm would come to her.

He reached in his bag and pulled out a book. It was a book on war strategies. He put it back and pulled out his other book. That one was a crime thriller.

Kayden handed it to Lyn. "It's a made up story about an investigator who tries to catch a killer. Not really for women, since it's filled with murder and violence, but I don't have another book on me." He half-shrugged. "Unless you rather read about war strategies. At least this one is fiction." Kayden frowned. "You can read, right?"

She chuckled. "Yes, I can read Kayden. Thank you for the book." Looking at the book she moved it around in her hand and nodded like she was impressed. "This will be a much lighter read considering we're still carving things in stone." She winked at him.

“Very funny.” He tried to sound irritated but the small smile in the corners of his mouth betrayed him.

He nodded to her and locked himself inside his cabin, using the silence to meditate, to get back into the mindset he needed to be for a few more weeks. He missed his daughter, those stolen times he got to spend with her. The inky hour of the day when he was free. Going against all rules, he was training her. And he had every intention to change their luck and let her marry out of love.

But for now, for a few more weeks, he had to be the ruthless leader his people knew and feared. Arelyn didn't help either. She had found a soft spot in him which was dangerous. For her more than for him. He could heal from a broken heart, but if his feelings deepened, she’d die. Maybe not now, maybe not even a year from now, but loving him would be a death sentence for her.

A knock pulled him out of his thoughts and he opened the door. His eyes softened when he saw Arelyn.