Prince of Passion Read Online Free PDF

departed and saved the town.  
    “How come we didn’t hear the beast inside the inn? And why didn’t it come to my chamber?”  
    Keiran briefly squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s toying with us. It wants us to think we’re safe, that we can escape.”  
    “Or it wants us to know just how quick and deadly it is.”  
    “Aye, love, that too.” He took her hand. “Come. We need to make haste.”  
    The quickest way to Drahcir was up the mountain path, and the only way to the gates of Drahcir was through the pass. As he passed a horse, he stopped and looked at the large dark eyes of the animal.  
    “What is it?” Senga asked.  
    He patted the horse on the neck. “I’ve got an idea. It might help to slow the Tnarg.”  
    “Anything to give us an advantage,” she murmured. “What do you need me to do?”  
    “Grab another horse,” he said as he opened the stall door and led the big black mare out.  
    A few moments later, Senga stood beside him holding a gray. He gave her a nod and walked to the back of the stable.  
    “I’m sorry, girls,” he said to the horses. “It’s cold out there, but you could save our lives.”  
    He opened the stable doors and slapped the horses on their rumps, sending them running off into the snow. Keiran wanted to watch them to see how far they would go, but they needed to get to the pass as quick as they could.   First, they would see if their plan worked.  
    “Come,” he said as he took Senga’s hand and led her to the ladder.  
    They climbed into the upper area and hid in the hay on their stomachs so they could see down into the barn. It seemed an eternity sitting in the itchy hay as they waited, but finally they heard a noise below.  
    Keiran squeezed Senga’s hand when she began to tremble. The Tnarg walked below them sniffing the air. He prayed his plan worked, for if the Tnarg found them, it was over.   He held his breath as the beast walked slowly around the stable sniffing the air as it searched for them. Hope swelled within him when the creature found each of the empty stalls.  
    But then it stopped and smelled the ladder they had climbed.  
    Keiran gripped his sword in his hand, ready to defend Senga as she ran to freedom if need be. Yet, to his relief, the Tnarg continued on to the back of the stable and followed the hoof prints into the snow.  
    They waited until the Tnarg was well enough away before they hurried down the ladder. Keiran clasped his mate’s hand and raced out the front. The new fallen snow from the night before was so thick in places they could only manage a slow walk.  
    “Keiran,” Senga whispered and pointed to her left.  
    He followed her gaze and found someone peeking between the shutters of their home. “I doona think the Tnarg harmed them. I think maybe everyone knew it was there, so they stayed in their homes.”  
    “I hope you’re right.”  
    He did, too.  
    Every once in awhile Keiran would look over his should to see if the Tnarg had realized it had been duped yet. It wouldn’t take the beast long, but Keiran wanted as many leagues between them as he could get.  
    It took them longer than he’d have liked to put the small village behind them. The cold soon numbed him, and though he hated the knee-deep snow, when the snow began to fall once more, covering their tracks, he rejoiced.  
    “Where are you taking us?” Senga asked through chattering teeth.  
    He pulled her cloak tighter around her. “When I first left Drahcir, I spent a few days learning the mountain. It’s how I discovered an alternate route to the pass.”  
    “Thank the gods you did.”  
    He chuckled and helped her through a deep patch of snow. She was winded, as was he, but he couldn’t chance a rest. Not now. Not yet.  
    “Aye,” he nodded. “I like to be prepared. Taking this route will add another day, though.”  
    Senga stopped and jerked her head towards him. “Keiran, we don’t have another day. Already we are five