Torn (Trylle Trilogy, Book 2) Read Free Page A

closet, and the new tracker jumped. “You don’t need to be condescending.”
    “Um, sorry,” he stumbled, blushing. “My apologies, Princess.” He offered me an unsure smile and did a low bow. “I’m Duncan Janssen, and I’m at your service.”
    “I’m not the Princess anymore, and I’m not going with you,” I said. “I just finished explaining that to Finn.”
    “What?” Duncan looked uncertainly at Finn as he readjusted his jacket again. Finn sat down on the edge of my bed and said nothing. “Princess, you have to come. It’s not safe for you here.”
    “I don’t care.” I shrugged. “I’d rather take my chances out here.”
    “It can’t be that bad at the palace.” Duncan was the first person I had ever heard genuinely call Elora’s house a palace, even though it sort of was one. “You are the Princess. You have everything.”
    “I’m not going. You can tell Elora that you tried your best, and I refused.”
    Duncan once again looked to Finn for help. He shrugged at Duncan, and Finn’s shift to indifference startled me. I had put my foot down on the subject, but I hadn’t really expected him to listen. He seemed to truly believe that I was in danger, even though I didn’t.
    “She can’t possibly stay here!” Duncan moved on to reasoning with Finn.
    “You think I don’t agree with you?” Finn raised an eyebrow.
    “I don’t think you’re helping,” Duncan qualified. He fidgeted with his jacket and continued to try to stare down Finn, a task I knew was impossible.
    “What do you expect me to say to her that I haven’t already said?” Finn asked, sounding surprisingly helpless.
    “So you’re saying we leave her here?” Duncan asked dubiously.
    “I am right here. I don’t really appreciate the way you keep referring to me like I’m not,” I said.
    “If she wants to stay here, then she’ll stay here,” Finn ignored me. Duncan shifted and glanced over at me. “We’re not going to kidnap her. That leaves little in the way of options.”               
    “Can’t you like…” Duncan lowered his voice and fiddled with the zipper of his jacket. “… you know, convince her somehow?”
    Word of Finn’s affection for me must have spread through the compound. Aggravated, I refused to let my feelings for him be used against me.
    “Nothing is going to convince me,” I snapped sourly.
    “Do you see?” Finn motioned towards me. Sighing, he got to his feet. “We should be on our way then.”
    “Really?” I couldn’t hide the shock in my voice
    “Yeah. Really?” Duncan echoed.
    “You said there was nothing I can do to convince you? Has that changed?” Finn turned to me. His voice was hopeful, but his eyes were almost taunting. I shook my head firmly. “Then there is nothing left to say.”
    “Finn-” Duncan started to protest, but Finn held his hand up to him.
    “It is as the Princess wishes.”
    Duncan looked skeptically at Finn, probably thinking that this was some sort of trick, much as I was. There had to be something I wasn’t getting because Finn wouldn’t just leave me here. Sure, that’s exactly what he had done a few days ago, but that’s because leaving then was what he thought was best for me.
    “But Finn-” Duncan tried again, but Finn waved him off.
    “We must go. Her ‘brother’ will notice us soon,” Finn said.
    I glanced at my closed bedroom door, as if Matt would be lurking right there. The last time Matt and Finn had a run in it had not gone well, and I was not eager to repeat the experience.
    “Fine, but…” Duncan trailed off, realizing too late that he had nothing to threaten either of us with. He gave me another quick bow. “Princess. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”
    “We’ll see,” I shrugged.
    Duncan climbed out my bedroom window, practically falling onto the roof. Finn went behind him, helping Duncan through the window so he wouldn’t accidentally kill himself.
      After Duncan was out, he half-jumped