“Not in the way you have,” Taha’Leeth said as she released her braid. She was gazing very intently at him. She pointed. “You are unique.”
“What do you mean by that?” Stiger wondered how much she knew about him being the High Father’s Champion and what that entailed. The legion and dwarves knew the basics. Did she know more? How could she? No one, other than Menos, Ogg, Therik, Salt, and perhaps Eli, fully understood.
“I think perhaps you can sense it yourself,” Taha’Leeth said in a near whisper. “The change that has come over you makes you more than you were.” Her gaze flicked to his tunic around his neck. “I see by the blood on your tunic, your lip bled, yes?”
Stiger froze with the mug halfway to his lips. He slowly lowered it to his lap.
“Yet there is no sign of such a cut and orc blood is green, not red.” She reached out a delicate finger toward his jaw, before pulling back. “Tell me the truth. You can feel it, the change, distancing you from your own kind, can’t you?”
Stiger returned his gaze to the fire. He knew he had changed. It was as she said. He could feel it. When he’d fully embraced being the High Father’s Champion, something inside him had opened, or perhaps he had unlocked whatever it was, a power he had not known he possessed or was capable of wielding. But now that he considered her words, he suspected that she was referring to something else.
“I know you know,” Taha’Leeth said. “Deep down, inside…you’ve known for some time. Something happened to you, something extraordinary and profound, a rare event…something that only happens once an age and upsets the order of things.”
She reached over and placed her hand on his forearm. He found her touch warm, hot even. The hairs on his arms stood on end. She ran her fingertips up his arm in a soft caress to his elbow and there stopped, staring into his eyes. Stiger found his heart suddenly hammering within his chest.
“You are most changed, Ben Stiger,” Taha’Leeth said, removing her hand.
Stiger wanted nothing more than to reach out and hold her hand. There was something intoxicating about her touch. It was an intimacy that he’d lost and craved, yearned for. She seemed to sense what he was thinking. A knowing smile formed on her lovely face. Slowly, she pulled herself out of her chair and came over to his, standing before him. Leaning forward, she took his face in her hands and kissed him.
She tasted sweet, lips warm, inviting. Their tongues met and Stiger lost himself, no longer even feeling the soreness in his jaw. Then, after a long moment, she drew back, and once again, Stiger almost protested.
He sucked in a ragged breath. For a long while now, he’d thought he would never be able to care for anyone like he had for Sarai. Looking into Taha’Leeth’s eyes, he was no longer sure about that. She glanced over at the bed and then returned her gaze to him. She bit her lip, a mischievous look to her gaze.
“Shall we?” she asked after a moment’s more hesitation and jerked her head toward the bed.
Stiger was silent for a long moment. He wanted to take this exotic woman to bed. He needed it.
“That night in Old City…our conversation,” Stiger said, hating himself for what needed to be said. It might ruin any chance he had of being with her.
“What of it?”
“You despise my kind for what they have done to you and your people,” Stiger said. “I do not require this of you. You are no longer a slave, but a free woman. You do not owe me anything.” Stiger paused. “If you wanted to leave tomorrow, I would regret it, but I would not stop you.”
She laughed and it was a pleasant sound. She suddenly became serious, her eyes narrowing. “You loved and lost, didn’t you? Tell me the truth. When you went back into the past.”
“I did.” Stiger found that his throat caught with the admission. “It was incredibly painful.”
“So too have I loved and lost,” Taha’Leeth said. “My mate was killed. You and I.” She tapped him on the chest with a finger. “We have both suffered the worst agony. I lost my mate, you yours.” She paused and her tone became firm. “I am giving myself to you, as you should give yourself to me.”
Stiger felt himself frown, his scar pulling tight.
“I thought elves mate for life? I understood that they would never take another lover…that it was not in your nature to do so.”
“You know much of my people,” Taha’Leeth said. There was a question in her eyes. “How? Eli?”
“For a time,” Stiger said, “I lived amongst Eli’s people. I met a widow. She was one of the saddest beings I’ve ever known. I like to think I understand elves better than most, but in truth…you are as much a mystery to me as elves are to others.”
She laughed again and it was a deep laugh, as if he had made a joke instead of a simple admission. The mischievous smile returned. She reached forward and grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the chair and up close against her. He found her body warm, almost radiating heat. She smelled faintly of some sort of flower. He could not identify it. Stiger had had enough. He grabbed her about the waist and pulled her tight against him and kissed her long and passionately. When they came up for air, she shoved him toward the bed, then stopped.
“I choose to be with you this night,” Taha’Leeth said.
Looking into her eyes he found them deep, intense, and quite captivating...also at the same time alien. They were not human eyes. He thought he could lose himself within that gaze. It wasn’t her beauty that called him. There was something else drawing them together and…it felt right.
There was a sudden growling from by the fire.
“Quiet you,” Stiger snapped, looking over. Dog stopped his growling, but his eyes were fixed upon the two of them. He gave a soft whine.
Taha’Leeth extricated herself from Stiger’s arms and climbed off the bed. She moved across the room and opened the door. The elf looked at Dog sternly.
“Out, naverum,” she said in a firm tone. “I shall not ask again.”
Dog gave another whine, stood, shook himself, and then padded across the room. At the door, he paused, glancing at Stiger, almost with a sheepish look. His tail gave a vigorous wag of what Stiger took to be approval and then he left. Taha’Leeth closed the door, throwing the bolt home.
The next thing Stiger knew, she was back on the bed straddling him and they were tearing at each other’s clothes. The shutters rattled loudly as the wind pulled at them in outrage. Stiger did not care. She was all that mattered.
FOUR
Stiger found Eli waiting a few feet from the entrance to the hall. It had been almost a week since he’d arrived at the castle. The hall was the one where he and Father Thomas had confronted the first minion, the one that had corrupted Captain Aveeno. That encounter seemed like such a long time ago. So much had transpired since then, it was almost ancient history. Though for Eli and many others, it had only been a matter of weeks.
Eli was leaning casually against the wall. Two guards stood to either side of the entrance into the hall. Tail wagging, Dog left Stiger’s side and padded up to the elf. He received a scratch behind the ears for his troubles, though Stiger could read the wariness in his friend’s eyes as Eli regarded the animal.
“Good day,” Eli said, enthusiastically, as he came off the wall and approached.
Stiger stopped before his friend and glanced past the guards and into the hall. It was filled with his senior officers. The drone of many voices could be heard out in the hallway. Standing together close to the door were Quintus and Vargus, the senior centurions of the valley cohorts. Stiger could also see Hux along with Lan by the cavalry prefect’s side. Though Lan was not a senior officer, he had been in the castle, and so Hux must have brought him along. The four officers were conversing. Vargus said something that must have been funny, for the other three laughed.
Stiger turned his attention to the elf. He had known this moment was coming. There was no avoiding it, so he decided to hit the nail on the head.
“A good day?” Stiger said. “You tell me.”
<
br /> Eli arched an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly. The elf was silent for several heartbeats as he regarded Stiger.
“The snow stopped falling. You’ve assembled your officers and the legion is preparing for a fight. You’ve also made it plain you want me to scout the enemy’s encampment. That means I will be getting out of these”—he held his arms out—“confining stone walls. Shortly, I will return to the freedom of the outdoors. And, Ben, you know how much I enjoy the trees, soooo,” he said, dragging out the word, “I think yes. It is a good day.”
Stiger gave a grunt and decided not to be put off.
“You know very well that’s not what I mean,” Stiger said. He was sure the elf had been avoiding him these last five days. Since arriving at the castle, he’d hardly seen Eli, and only when others were present. At first, Stiger had wondered and worried on it. But now as he looked into Eli’s eyes, he was sure he read uncertainty within. It was why Eli had been waiting for him, instead of joining the others in the hall. Eli had also decided to put the matter plain between them, to discuss what was truly bothering him.
“Whatever are you on about, Ben?” Eli’s face became a mask of pure innocence, and then his eyes lit up. He snapped his fingers. “Oh, I think I know.”
“Do you?” Stiger crossed his arms. Eli loved his games, even when there were matters of importance to discuss. “Do you now?”
“Could it be your joining with Taha’Leeth?” Eli asked. “Yes, I think that’s it. You know, now that I think on it...you are looking a little more tired than usual. Are those bags under your eyes? You can be honest with me. You’ve been staying up way too late with her.” Eli paused a heartbeat. “Is that a smile I detect hiding behind your usual gruff exterior?”
“I’m not gonna bite.”
“Taha’Leeth is quite a looker,” Eli said with a grin, “even amongst my people. She’s a nice catch.”
Stiger bit his lip as he studied his friend. “You seem rather cavalier about us, don’t you?”
“Ben.” Eli placed a hand to his breast in an exaggerated manner. “You wound me, truly. It’s as if you shot an arrow through my heart. Say, don’t your people have a god that does that, and once a person is hit by the godly arrow, they fall in love? I seem to recall Tiro mentioning something about such a god.”
“You don’t have a problem with it, then?” Stiger asked, for he rather suspected it might become a problem with some elves. He had been worried Eli might be one of those who would disapprove and that was why his friend had been avoiding him. “You have no issue with any of it?”
“Personally, no,” Eli said, becoming serious.
“But what?” Stiger asked, filling in for what his friend had not said.
“But,” Eli said slowly, then glanced over at the guards, who, with their legate present, were locked into a position of attention and were looking fastidiously forward at invisible points in space.
Stiger drew back a few feet from the guards so they were just out of earshot. He lowered his voice a tad. “Well?”
“It does seem a little unnatural,” Eli admitted, “you being a human and all.”
“A little?” Stiger asked, knowing there was more to it than that. “Unnatural? Is that your only objection?”
“I did not say I objected,” Eli said, then blew out a breath. “All right. You know who the Elantric Warden is, right?”
“I’ve never met her,” Stiger said, “but as I recall, she is the spiritual leader of your people.”
“That is a very simplistic way of looking at it,” Eli said, with a slight scowl. “Ben, the Elantric Warden is not only the spiritual leader of my people, but effectively the leader. She is one of the oldest, most knowledgeable, and wisest of the High Born. Heck, she’s so ancient, she knew your Emperor Karus, and well too. I have heard it said they were friends.”
“Really?” Stiger asked, to which his friend gave a curt nod. Here was yet another link with the first emperor. “Karus?”
“To say the warden is well respected amongst us is an understatement,” Eli said. “She embodies the spirit of our people. She guides our path, as a shepherd might a flock. Think of her as the steward.”
“The steward of your people?”
Eli gave a nod. “We owe her much, for she looks after us.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Stiger asked. “What has this got to do with Taha’Leeth and myself? Are you saying the warden will object?”
“I would not presume to know the mind of the warden,” Eli said, seeming genuinely surprised by the suggestion. He hesitated, appearing to consider it. “I honestly don’t know what she’d think about the two of you.”
“Then what?” Stiger pressed, becoming impatient.
“The warden is a being of power,” Eli said, lowering his voice, as if sharing a secret. “Taha’Leeth, for her people…” Eli hesitated, as if unsure what exactly to say, scowled slightly, and then pressed on. “You know she is a leader of her people, right? Well, think of her as the warden of her people, though from Aver’Mons, I’ve learned her role is not quite the same. But it’s close enough. So, to simplify things…you are spending your nights with the equivalent of the warden, at least for her people. You know how my people view humans… Imagine how hers see yours…especially after all that they have suffered and been through. Do you see a slight problem with that?”
Stiger sucked in a startled breath, as he suddenly understood. He opened his mouth to say something then closed it, opened and closed it again.
“I personally don’t object,” Eli said, filling the sudden silence that had grown between them. “It’s just that…I believe there are bigger things to consider…”
“Like her people?” Stiger asked.
“Yes,” Eli said, “and yours.”
“Mine?” Stiger glanced into the hall, where his officers waited. He had not considered them.
Eli shook his head. “It may cause trouble.”
“May?” Stiger rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was feeling a headache coming on. This was just one more complication he did not need, especially now that he was almost ready to kick off the campaign. “I have a feeling you are understating matters.”
“I am happy for you.” Eli clapped Stiger on the upper arm. “I’m just glad you didn’t pick my sister. It saves me the trouble of having to come up with an explanation for my father, one which sees him not prematurely ending your life.”
“You don’t have a sister,” Stiger said, feeling himself frown. His scar pulled on his cheek.
“All the better,” Eli said, then sobered. “I am truly happy for you. After Livia, Kehren, and then Hela, you deserve a little happiness, truly.”
Stiger rubbed his jaw as unhappy memories bubbled up to the surface at the mention of those names. There were some days he thought unhappy memories and regrets were all he had left from the past. He glanced down at the stone floor and then back up at Eli. “When I went back in time, there was a woman by the name of Sarai. I was…happy, content. I did not want to come back.”
“I know,” Eli said, sadness creeping into his expression.
“You do?” Stiger was surprised by that, for he had not discussed Sarai’s loss with him. He had intended to, but since returning, there had not been much time. Eli had also been avoiding him.
“Salt told me,” Eli explained. “He spoke of what happened. I understand you were quite attached to her.”
“I would have given up everything,” Stiger said, “and I mean everything, to spend the rest of my days in such happiness.” Stiger glanced down at his feet and ran a boot over the scuffed stone. He looked back up and met Eli’s gaze. “But it was not meant to be. The gods, it seems, have other plans for me.”
“I for one am pleased you did not give everything up,” Eli said, a sudden smirk on his youthful face and a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes. “Let me be the first to thank you for coming back.”
Stiger felt a tickle of grim amusement himself and a lightening
of the mood. “You would have missed me?”
“Miss is a strong word. Let’s just say things would have been a little less exciting without you,” Eli said, a little grudgingly. “I would have had to find someone else to get me into trouble.”
Stiger’s thoughts drifted back to the warning his friend had just given. His sleeping with Taha’Leeth would cause problems. There was no doubt about that. Still, he was unwilling to give her up. Life was full of problems. This was just one more to deal with.
“We both agree there will be trouble,” Stiger said, sobering. “When it rears its head with either the elves or my people…you will tell me?”
“We both know you attract trouble, like dead things do flies,” Eli said. “But I will tell you should I notice anything that will become an imminent problem for you.”
“You’ve given me a lot to think on,” Stiger said.
“What are friends for, eh?” Eli gave a shrug as a burst of laughter from inside the hall reminded Stiger his officers were waiting.
“I would talk more with you later,” Stiger said. “Would you stop by this evening and join me for a drink?”
“Of course,” Eli said. “As long as it’s wine and not dwarf spirits. I don’t much like those.”
“I am sure Venthus will have no trouble finding us some wine.” Stiger gave a grateful nod. “Let’s go.”
With Eli at his side, he brushed past the two guards and entered the hall. Dog padded along behind them.
“Stand to attention,” Salt shouted, cutting over the conversation. The prefect had been standing near the door. He had a voice a drill sergeant could respect. Instantly, the drone of conversation dropped off and then ceased altogether. The officers turned toward the entrance and came to attention, all eyes on Stiger.
Most had been gathered around an oversized map that had been spread out on a long rectangular table, clearly speculating on the campaign that was to come. Stiger had had one of the legion’s scribes draw it. The map was rough, but suitable for his needs this day.
The Tiger’s Wrath (Chronicles of An Imperial Legionary Officer Book 5) Page 7
