The Mermaid's Knight Read Online Free PDF Page A

bucket. It was awful . And their leader thinks I’m some sort of slutty spy!”
    “Oh dear.” Muffin’s brow wrinkled. “That could be a bit of a problem. You’ve got to make him fall in love with you and you’ve only got twenty-nine days left. He might like the slutty part, but I’m not sure about the spy thing.”
    “Why do I have to make him fall in love with me?”
    Muffin seemed surprised at the question. “Why, because that’s how the fairy tale ends, my dear.”
    Leah buried her head in her arm, leaning against the thick slab of rock. “Why couldn’t you just let me go back to my old life?”
    “Your old life was long gone, child.” There was a thread of steel in Muffin’s voice.
    “There’s no sense in lamenting over what you’ve lost and crying like a spoiled child. You wanted another chance, I’m giving it to you. These are the rules I have to follow as a fairy godmother. Feel free to give up at any time and let yourself drown.” She stepped out of the water
    and put her sandals on her feet, giving Leah an offended look. “Let me know when you’re ready for my help.”
    “I need help now!”
    Muffin shook her head and winked out of existence. “I’ll be back tomorrow night.” Her words floated on the windy air.
    Just like that, she was gone. Leah groaned and slapped the water in annoyance, and then dragged herself back onto shore and lay in the sand. She had no choice. She had to make him love her.
    It didn’t take long for the pain to kick in. Her body began to shudder with convulsions, and seawater erupted in her mouth. Pain overrode all of her senses, and then it was over.
    Exhausted, she put her head to the soft sand and slept.
    #
    Something hard prodded her side. Leah twitched in her sleep, then rolled over, not wanting to wake just yet. She was so tired, and the sand beneath her felt so good.
    The hard thing nudged her side again, and Leah opened her eyes a crack to scowl at whoever was bothering her.
    The warlord stared down at her, his unshaven face grim and unsmiling. “You sleep like the dead, woman.”
    Leah gasped and shot upright, smacking her head against his by accident. She put a hand to her forehead and winced, disoriented.
    The looming man grabbed her arm and hauled her up on her feet. “How did you escape my tent? Did you trick my squire somehow?”
    She gave a derisive snort at that and wrinkled her nose at him. He stank of smoke and sweat, and grime creased his face. He looked utterly exhausted as well, but she refused to feel pity for him.
    “You’re a terrible spy.” His soft words had a hard edge of amusement to them. “I daresay that the only thing you’re worse at than spying would perhaps be escaping, or clothing yourself.” Leah looked down at her body with dismay. She was naked, her legs covered in sand from the beach. Her only garment – the old cloak – was nowhere to be found.
    “Rutledge has excellent taste in wenches, I must say.” He forced her to turn, admiring her body.
    She slapped at his hands indignantly, earning a chuckle from him. As she turned away, she spotted his men further down the beach, watching their master and waiting. Humiliation burned on her face.
    “Nice flanks,” the baron continued, slapping a gloved hand against her behind. Leah jumped, which earned another round of amused chuckles from the baron. “Shall I walk you back to camp naked? Methinks my men would appreciate a glimpse of your treasures as much as I have.”
    Leah shook her head, humiliated, horrified tears streaking down her face. She ducked her face, determined not to let him see that he was getting to her.
    A loud, pitiful sniff broke the silence between them, and the baron swore. “God’s bones.
    Not more tears.”
    He took his cloak off his shoulders and wrapped it around her. The red material was soft and warm, and slightly damp from his sweat. Leah gratefully wrapped it around her body and gave him a timid smile, letting him know her gratitude. He