by Deb E Howell
“Please enjoy the night’s festivities.” Lord Tovias spread his arms to indicate the ballroom. “It is all in honour of the work you all have done for me, for which I am eternally grateful.”
Llew let herself be led by Alvaro into the room, where they loitered as a group for a while, getting their bearings. She was aware of Jonas, but he seemed to be hanging back, keeping out of her way. Leaving Alvaro to enjoy his night, she supposed. But her thoughts were consumed with memories of the afternoon.
The ballroom was filled with ladies and gentlemen dressed in extravagant dresses and suave suits. Some lounged near the table, eating and chattering, others wandered around carrying glasses, and still others were dancing to music being played by a small orchestra at the far end of the room. Everything was strikingly beautiful: the clothes, the platters of food, glassware, walls, the ceiling, everything. Llew felt herself pale in comparison.
“Hello, handsome man.” Llew turned at sound of the sultry voice to see a woman in a sun yellow dress step close to Jonas and lay claim to him with her hand on his bicep.
“Franziska.” Jonas nodded, lifting her hand from his arm. “What are you doing here?”
“I received an invitation.” The woman looped her arm under Jonas’. She said something to him, but Alvaro was already leading Llew away. Jonas laughed, and the woman’s arm remained linked in his. Llew’s hand went to the knife at her side. Had she done the right thing?
“Can’t take you anywhere, can we?” Hisham pushed his way through the crowd. He was dressed in the same uniform as Lord Tovias’ guards. He afforded Llew a knowing look before carrying on through to Jonas, who disentangled himself from the yellow woman to greet his friend. She glared at Hisham, and Llew relaxed a little. She hadn’t realised she had been holding her breath.
A moment later a hush swept through the crowd. Llew looked around at the entrance. There stood Anya, with Emylia at her side, and trailed by two young attendants.
Anya sparkled. Her dress was a pale blue, the material shimmering in the flickering lights, and it was covered in tiny precious stones. Lord Tovias bowed deeply, kissing her hand. Sections of the crowd began to clap and cheer. Soon the rest of the room followed suit, and even Llew found herself cheering the couple on. Aris moved through the crowd to take Emylia’s hand, and the new arrivals entered the ballroom to mingle with the assembled guests. The music started up again.
Llew let Alvaro guide her to the food and drink table, where he offered her a stemmed glass.
“Wine?”
She accepted it and took a sip. The tangy, fruity liquid smelled and tasted exquisite. They enjoyed a little of the selection of tiny cakes, fruit, bread and thin slithers of meats, before Alvaro took the glass from her hand, placed it back on the table, and clasped her hand in his.
“Dance?”
“Oh, well, I . . . ”
“You’ll be fine. Come with me.”
He guided her through the crowd. She saw Cassidy watching them as they went by, but she had lost sight of the rest of the others. Alvaro led her closer to the musicians and then turned to face her, lifting her hand with his and placing his other hand behind her back. His lead was inexpert, but Llew found that she could follow him, and barely stepped on his feet or anyone else’s. The experience of dancing was glorious. Llew felt more womanly than she ever had, and moving her body with the accompanying music seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Sometimes she felt as though she and Alvaro were the only two people in the room: but for one. Frequently, she swept her eyes over the crowd, seeking Jonas
Now and then they stopped dancing for more wine. But Alvaro must have sensed her enjoyment, for he never took her from the dance floor for long.
“You look lovely tonight, Llew,” he said one time when they stopped for refreshments.
She accepted his compliment with a smile and small nod, and grabbed another glass of wine.
Anya tapped Alvaro on the shoulder. “May I borrow your date?”
“Sure.” Alvaro shrugged. Llew waved goodbye to him as she was led away, grabbing another glass of wine.
Anya took her out through the double-doors to the deep, semi-circular balcony, on either side of which a stairway swept to the gardens below. A small waterfall ran into a pond dug into the tidy short-clipped lawn of soft green grass. So different from the dry Cheer she had left behind only a month before. Various bushes dotted the garden, and she thought she recognised some roses but, lacking any horticultural experience, Llew just appreciated the strange tidiness of it. Nature, shaped and moulded to fit some human ideal.
Anya took a deep breath of the cool evening air and puffed it out with an “ahhh”. Her eyes gleamed, her cheeks were rosy, and she couldn’t stop smiling.
“Isn’t this magnificent?”
“Sure is.” Llew sipped her wine, watching Anya. The girl seemed truly happy. The earl must have been making a good impression.
“I just needed some girl time. You’re my only friend here, and if I don’t share with someone I’m afraid I’ll explode.” She threw her arms out in a big circle.
Llew suddenly realised what she meant to the girl. During their travels, Llew had spent most of her time with the boys, and she almost felt as though she was one of them. But Anya had always been treated as a girl. She interacted with Aris and Emylia, but not on a truly companionable level. Llew was her own age, and she felt some guilt at not having made more of an effort to get to know the other girl.
Anya couldn’t stop beaming.
“He’s absolutely wonderful, Llew. Just wonderful,” she gushed.
“That’s great.” Llew smiled. Pleased for Anya, she was less sure how she felt about herself. She had had an amazing time with Jonas that afternoon, but he’d barely acknowledged her since the start of the ball, and then that other woman . . .
Anya turned wide eyes on her.
“So, what about you? You came with Alvaro.”
Llew looked back through the large open doorway into the hall. Alvaro was already dancing with another young lady, smiling and talking animatedly. Happy. Strangely, seeing Alvaro with another woman didn’t have anything like the same effect as seeing that woman drape herself over Jonas.
“Well, he asked me.”
“I see.” Anya watched Llew, then let out another contented sigh and looked up at the stars. “I hope you find as much joy as I have, Llew. I really do.” Her gaze shifted past Llew’s shoulder. “Oh, and it just may have found you.”
Llew turned and found herself nose to chest with a man.
“Oh!” She stepped back and looked up into a pair of light brown eyes under long lashes she could only describe as beautiful.
“Hello, ladies.” The man smiled at them. “Enjoying the festivities, are we?” He held two glasses of wine.
“Oh, yes!” said Anya. “Everything is perfect.” She almost purred.
“You are regulars at Lord Tovias’ court?”
Anya giggled, politely declining the drink and nudging Llew.
“Ah, no.” Llew accepted the glass, emptying her own in one gulp. “We just arrived in Rakun last night.”
“Really?” He leaned an elbow on the stone balustrade. “Where did you come from, then?”
“Cheer,” said Llew, adding, “Aghacia,” when the man didn’t seem to recognise the name.
“Oh? A long way. What brought you to Rakun, then?”
“Anya is to marry Lord Tovias.”
“Well, well. That is wonderful.”
“Thank you.” Anya curtsied, glowing under the man’s admiration.
“Was your journey pleasant?”
Llew and Anya began telling him of the journey from their home, each filling in various details. While they both took turns telling of their ups and downs, Llew was aware that he seemed most captivated by her. Well, Anya was already promised to wed, after all.
“And they didn’t hurt you?” he asked, when she recounted her encounter with the Zaki warriors.
“Oh, no
.” She laughed. “Our friend is in the Quaven army. He took care of them for me.”
“I’m glad he did, or I might not have had this chance to meet you.” He smiled at Llew. Something about the smile shot straight through her, lighting something deep inside. A smiling Jonas flashed into her mind, but she pushed it away.
“I would be honoured if you’d let me show you a few sights around Rakun.”
Llew didn’t know what to say, and took a sip of wine.
“In fact, there’s somewhere special I’d like to show you. Tonight, if you would come with me?”
Tonight?
“Um, well, I,” she floundered and turned to Anya, but Anya was disappearing back into the throng of the ballroom. “I should really stay.”
“Why? What’s keeping you here?” The man’s eyes burned into her and, again, an unwanted flash of Jonas looking at her filled her mind’s eye. She shook her head clear and returned her attention to the man before her. Certainly all of his attention was on her. It was as though he thought he could compel her to go with him if he looked at her intensely enough. For a moment Llew almost believed he could. She looked at her wine, watching the bubbles break the surface.
“Well, I just got here, and . . . ” A commotion drew her attention, and she looked over her shoulder to see Jonas pushing through the crowd to the balcony, with Anya and Cassidy close behind. She looked back at the man. Or rather, where the man had been. She was alone.
“Where’d he go?” Jonas demanded as he reached her, scanning the darkness for movement.
Llew shrugged and looked at Anya for answers.
“I didn’t like his tone,” said Anya with a one-shoulder shrug.
“It’s okay, Anya,” Llew said, and then turned on Jonas. “For a worry-wart, you sure know how to leave a burden behind.”
Cassidy and Anya looked surprised at her accusation. Cassidy knew his place though and, with his hands resting lightly on her shoulders, he turned Anya and guided her back to the ballroom.
“They make a cute couple, don’t they?” Llew leaned in to Jonas as though she were making an idle observation, before raising her voice again. “Cassidy likes her, you know? But he knows how to keep his hands to himself.”
Jonas hissed. Anya looked back at Llew, her mouth open and cheeks reddening with scandalised horror. Cassidy looked sick.
“He’s cute, too. But he doesn’t have Lord Torvias’ pockets.”
“That’s enough, Llew.” Jonas gripped her arm. “You’ve no right to ruin everyone else’s night just ’cause you’re sufferin’ misplaced jealousy. What’s your problem?”
“You’re my problem. Leaving me to carry your burden while you catch up with an old flame.”
“She’s not–” He stopped. “No one knows you’ve got it, do they?” He stepped in closer to avoid being overheard. “You’ve barely been out of my sight all night.”
“Oh? So you weren’t bothered when yet another man was showing interest in me?”
Jonas looked uncomfortable for a moment. “Alright, so I wasn’t watchin’ you then.”
“Too busy with your other women?” Llew downed the rest of her wine, watching him over the rim. It felt good to say what was on her mind and she wondered if the fruity liquid had anything to do with it. She placed the glass down on the balustrade, forcefully enough to make a point but with sufficient control not to break it.
“That’s enough, Llew.”
“I don’t think it is, Jonas. I think we’re only getting started.”
By no other guests standing by the doors were looking at them and whispering.
“He can bed me when I anger him,” Llew said loud enough for them all to hear, watching Jonas’ mounting anger. “But he won’t be seen to enjoy my company in public.”
Jonas grabbed her by the wrist hard enough to make her squeal, and dragged her down one of the staircases to the lawn below.
“Looks like I’m getting lucky!” she called over her shoulder as she stumbled down behind him, and smiled at the titters that followed.
“Has it all got a bit exciting for you?” she ventured when they reached the shadow below the curved peak of the balcony.
“Don’t be a fool!” He spun back to face her, his arm raised. She flinched from the threatened assault.
“How dare you!” She was positive it was the wine making her so bold.
“Damn it, Llew. Little more than a week ago I could have killed you!”
“No, you couldn’t.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because you didn’t.”
He gave a brief laugh and shook his head. He leaned his shoulder against the wall and laughed again. The band struck up a new, slow tune.
“Dance with me?” She held out a hand.
He looked at her with an expression suggesting that he wondered if she was thinking clearly, or if she was indeed crazy.
“Dance with me,” she commanded, shaking her hand at him.
He looked surprised, but pushed himself out from the wall and clasped her hand. He pressed his other hand behind her back and began to move with the music, guiding her with gentle pressure from both hands and, occasionally, a hip. With the warmth of his body the effects of the wine seemed to double their grip and Llewella let herself relax into his embrace. She laughed as he stumbled forward to stop her from falling. Her head fell back and she took in the upside-down garden as he whirled her around, expertly recovering. Allowing Jonas to bring her upright, Llewella brushed her short hair away from her eyes as she regained her bearings.
Over Jonas’ shoulder, she saw the man from earlier step down the stairs. She suddenly realised she didn’t know his name. He stood at the bottom of the stairs for a moment, looking about. He saw Llew looking at him and smiled, though the expression was somehow cold, then he disappeared into the shadows. His name settled in her mind then. Braph. Clean-shaven and damn near as handsome as his brother.
“What am I to do with you, Llew?”
“Do with me? I have no idea what you mean.” She pulled back to look at him, Braph slipping from her thoughts.
“How can I hate everythin’ you are, but feel what I feel?” Jonas said in frustration. “It’s turnin’ me inside out.”
“You could try not hating me for a start.” She laid her wine-dizzy head on his shoulder.
He gave a small laugh. “I suppose it should be that simple.”
“Yes,” she said into his shoulder.
The music moved into another upbeat number and they pulled apart again for a moment before Jonas leaned in to kiss her.
“Ow!” He pulled back.
“Oh. Sorry, my feet were killing me.” Llew smirked at him. “If it weren’t for these gloves, I’d have been zapping Alvaro all night.” She gasped as she realised that she had totally abandoned her escort.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s been distracted since you stepped out.”
“Come on.” She took Jonas’ hand and led him from the garden.
They returned to her room where he assisted her in unbuttoning the gown. The dress slipped away and Llew stepped out from the layered skirts. Jonas laughed.
“What?” Llew scowled at him, then looked down at herself in her corset and knickerbockers with his knife slung around her waist, tied with ribbons. “Well, help me get them off then.” She untied the knife and threw it down beside him, then turned and let him pull at the knot holding the corset tight. She felt his fingers pull unhurriedly at the tie, loosening the garment down the length of her back, until it finally fell away. She remained standing, facing away, expecting him to dispose of the ugly undergarments as quickly as she wanted to be free of them. But instead his warm hands clasped either side of her waist, and he pressed his lips to the small of her back.
“You’re a fine woman, Llewella.”
She closed her eyes to savour his words. Then she turned and, pressed him back onto the bed.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Llewella woke the next morning to th
e sound of gentle, even breathing and a warm hand resting on her belly. She smiled to herself and turned to Jonas. She was surprised by how refreshed she felt. The movement was enough to stir him and his eyes opened.
“Good morning,” he greeted her, his voice muffled by the pillow. “I think I got your hangover.” He rolled onto his back.
She gave him a smile, but inside she cursed herself. It wasn’t fair to go passing her stupidity onto her friends. If it was possible, she needed to learn how to control her power.
She shuffled closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder, breathing him in. Was this how her parents had felt about each other? No wonder her mother’s death had pained her father so.
“I wish this moment could last forever.”
He kissed the top of her head, but said nothing.
“It can’t, can it?” When he didn’t reply, she continued, “Aris wants me kept safe, and you’re a lieutenant in the army. You won’t have time to stick around.” She pushed herself up on an elbow, enjoying the feel of his skin with her other hand. He was looking at her, listening, but his expression gave nothing away. “And then there’s the small matter of Aris wanting you for his Syakaran breeding program.”
Jonas sat up in the bed and swivelled his legs off the edge. Llew’s eyes trailed down the mighty black curves of his tattoo.
“What if he doesn’t find one?”
He turned his head and she gazed on his profile. Now free to do so, she openly admired what she saw: a strong brow, straight nose, full lips . . .
“I don’t know, Llew. A little over a year ago I was gettin’ ready to meet my son or daughter. But he, she . . . it– gods, I wish I knew!” He slapped the edge of the mattress. “My wife and our child were taken from me.” He turned to her. “I ain’t planned for nothin’ since.”
She felt terrible for his loss, she really did. She knew she did. But she couldn’t help feeling that if he hadn’t suffered that, she wouldn’t be here with him now. Would he have even been in Aghacia a month prior? Would they ever have met? If he hadn’t lost his family, Llew could have been in Braph’s, or Turhmos’ hands already. She might not even have had the option of going to Quaver, even if she did still have to talk herself around to wanting that as a future. Quaver looked a whole lot more appealing if she went with Jonas, rather than just being escorted by him.
