Andreas Scott Grigoli – the name alone sent shivers scrambling up my spine. All at once, every story, every terrible thing he had done, came rushing to my mind. He was the very definition of evil. He killed people in heinous ways, assaulted women, hurt people…. My mind couldn’t comprehend what he was doing with me here, now. Why didn’t he want them to kill me because of him? He killed people freely himself.

Everything inside me screamed not to trust him, but it was hard to listen to my instincts with his arm protectively around me, keeping me upright.

I was faced with a dilemma. Which would be worse: being sentenced to death by the king, or going anywhere with Andreas? I weighed the options as I continued to stare at him. His expression was now impassive, shielding me from what he might be thinking. He didn’t make any move to leave, which meant that everyone in town was still fast asleep and we wouldn’t be discovered any time soon.

“You’re… you’re Andreas Grigoli?” I asked, my surprise finally subsiding enough to speak.

“I was beginning to think you hadn’t heard of me,” Andreas replied, his mouth quirking up at the side. His reputation was amusing to him. I wasn’t sure how to take that, particularly what it meant for my immediate future.

“I haven’t been living under a rock,” I stated with more bravado that I thought I had in me.

His smile widened. “Of course not.” His voice had taken a slight edge to it that did not ease my mind.  “Now, enough of that. We should really get you out of here.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” I said as he started to move. He froze in his tracks and looked down at me, his midnight eyes curious.

“And what question would that be?”

“Why are you saving me? If you truly are Andreas Grigoli, why would you care that a magic user will be killed because of something you did? If any of the stories I’ve heard about you are true, you kill people for the fun of it.” My voice had started to quaver again. That earlier fear I felt seeing him returned, as I realized exactly who I was talking to; who it was with his arm around my waist that just happened to be the only thing keeping me from falling over.

“You’re right. I should just leave you to be taken to your death. Would you rather I do that?” he asked, his tone slated with humor. He was mocking me. I wanted nothing more than to get away from him, but my options were too limited at the moment. I couldn’t run, and there was no way I was getting back in that cage.

For the first time since the incident, I felt… hope. I still could not help myself, but maybe… maybe there was a chance things could get better. That was, if Andreas didn’t plan for me a fate worse than death. But right then, something about Andreas made him seem not quite the monster people made him out to be. For now.

“So what will it be, M’lady?” he asked, his tone humorous in its formality.

“Will you hurt me?”

“Right away?” he asked, his eyes taking on a dark glow. “No. At this moment my goal is to get you away from here. But I cannot make any promises beyond that point.”

I hesitated, unable to make a decision. Either way, I would be playing with fire. And no one ever played with fire without getting burned.