Kwin

by Trudie Collins

  He got dressed and threw some more clothes into a bag. Then he took off his fake shackles and went in search of Luka. He found her in her office, doing paperwork.

  “You took your time,” she said without looking up.

  He threw the collar and bracelets on the desk in front of her.

  “Why have you taken those off?” She sounded genuinely confused. Had she not realised what handing him over to Ofar meant?

  “I won’t have need of them when you put the real ones back on me.”

  Luka’s jaw dropped. “Why would I want to put real shackles on you?”

  Kwin was confused. “To stop me doing magic.”

  “Why would I want to stop you doing magic?”

  “You wouldn’t but Ofar will. How else will she control me?”

  Luka burst out laughing, making Kwin’s anger rise again.

  “This is not funny,” he snarled.

  “No, but your reaction is. Did you really think I was just going to hand you over to Ofar like a piece of meat? You really don’t know me at all, do you.”

  Yes, he did know her, he knew her well, and she was right; he should never have believed that she would do something like that.

  “So how is she going to control me?” he asked. “I can’t imagine she will be happy having me in her household if I can do whatever I want.”

  Luka winked at him. “You’ll see.”

  Kwin growled again, this time in frustration. There would be no point in asking her to explain. She was enjoying toying with him and part of him was enjoying it as well; he had missed it.

  He picked up his fake shackles and put them back on.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said, then picked up his bag and walked out of the room.

  The journey started off with an uncomfortable silence, which Luka finally broke.

  “I enjoyed your show earlier,” she said. “You looked really good. I’ll have to get you fighting more often.”

  Kwin smiled. “It wasn’t for your benefit. I needed to let off some steam.”

  Luka smiled back at him. “I know.”

  “Why do you have Kail making swords anyway?”

  “A number of reasons. Firstly, you are going to need to be armed when you and Gareth go to rescue Shona.”

  That got his attention. “Do you know where she is?”

  “Not yet, but I will let you know as soon as I do. One of my contacts is bound to recognise the place she was sold. From there they will be able to find out who purchased her.”

  Kwin nodded. He had no doubt that Luka was doing all she could to help him and he was grateful. “And?” he asked when she said no more.

  The smile left her face. “Sooner or later, your people are going to figure out how to enter Wayvern without being knocked unconscious. When they do, there is going to be war. I plan on being able to defend myself.”

  For a while Kwin said nothing. Luka was right. If a way could be found to successfully get an army across the border, the king would declare war and it would be a long and bloody one. He would rescue all of the slaves and would offer no mercy to those holding them prisoner.

  Then he remembered what he had been told about the shackles. He or Gareth would have to make it back to their homeland before the invasion happened, if it ever did, to warn the king that the slaves would die if their masters did.

  “Do you know the reason for my people losing consciousness when they enter your country?”

  Luka hesitated. He didn’t expect her to answer, but she surprised him.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to tell me?”

  “It would be betraying my people. How many of them would I be condemning to death if I told you how to invade?”

  It was a question that Kwin couldn’t answer. He would have liked to have told her that no innocents would die, but he knew the king well and couldn’t guarantee that would be the case. Given the number of Tippetians that had been kidnapped and were now living in slavery, he was likely to order his soldiers to kill first and ask questions later.

  He changed topic and conversation flowed. It was almost like their night together had never happened. But only almost. He could tell that Luka was still holding back, not trusting herself to totally relax.

  “If I could take back what happened, I would,” he said. He didn’t need to explain what he was talking about.

  “You regret it then.” She sounded sad.

  “No. As I have previously told you, I only regret the way you have reacted.”

  “I...” She stopped and shook her head.

  Kwin had no idea what she had been going to say. Whatever it was, she changed her mind.

  Impulsively, he took her hand. She didn’t pull away.

  “It was two people finding comfort in each other’s arms. It felt good. It felt right.” He placed his other hand on her cheek. “Why are you making what we did into something else, something dirty?” A tear trickled down her face and he wiped it away. “Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

  He could see the conflict inside her. She wanted to speak to him and he couldn’t understand why she was stopping herself.

  He almost swore when the driver shouted out that they had arrived and he felt the carriage turn into Ofar’s driveway.

  Luka withdrew her hand and turned away from him. Had she been about to confide in him? It was too late now. The moment was broken and he wouldn’t be able to get it back, at least not for a few weeks.

  He relaxed back into his seat. Luka was staring out of the window, refusing to look at him. He sighed. The conversation was not over, just on hold.

  When the carriage came to a halt, he opened the door, then held out his hand for Luka, who seemed reluctant to take it.

  “Act like the Lady you are,” he said quietly. She took his hand and allowed him to escort her out of the carriage.

  “Behave yourself and follow my lead,” she whispered as she descended to the ground.

  Ofar ran over to them and began talking excitedly to Luka. Gareth followed behind, a puzzled expression on his face. Kwin had told him he would be arriving, but hadn’t contacted him since he found out he would not be shackled again. It didn’t matter. They would have plenty of time to talk while he was living on the estate.

  “I can’t believe you suggested this,” Ofar was saying to Luka. “Having both of them at once is going to be so exciting.”

  “I know,” Luka replied. “Try not to wear them out. I want them both fully functioning when they are at my place.”

  “Pass Kwin’s control over to me,” Ofar said. She was literally bouncing up and down with excitement.

  Kwin held his breath. How was Luka going to hide the fact that she couldn’t do it?

  Luka smiled at Ofar. “There’s no need.” Ofar frowned. “You control Gareth, therefore you control Kwin.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Kwin didn’t like the smile Luka gave Ofar. “Order Kwin to get down on his hands and knees and lick your boots.”

  Ofar did. Kwin did nothing. He wasn’t going to degrade himself like that.

  Luka continued to smile. “Now tell him that if he doesn’t do it, Gareth will be punished.”

  A look of dismay crossed Kwin’s face. “You bitch,” he said in his own language. Luka would have been able to understand, but not Ofar.

  “Get on your knees and lick my boots,” Ofar said again. Again Kwin did nothing. “Have it your way,” she said.

  The clang of metal colliding with metal reached Kwin’s ears a fraction of a second before Gareth’s screams did. He fell to the floor, writhing in agony, his arms held in front of him by the bracelets which had forcefully come together.

  “Stop,” Kwin cried out and dropped to his knees. Only once his tongue was on Ofar’s boot did Gareth stop screaming.

  “You may get up,” Ofar said and Kwin stood. He glared at Luka. He couldn’t believe she would stoop so low as to use his feelings for Gareth against him.

&nbs
p; “These two are very good friends,” Luka explained to Ofar. “More like brothers. Using Gareth as leverage, you can make Kwin do anything you want.”

  Luka turned her head so Ofar didn’t see her wink at Kwin. Now what was she playing at? He was obviously missing something, but what?

  “I should be going,” Luka said. “Have fun. I know I’m going to when it’s my turn to have them both.”

  She then turned to Kwin. “Behave for Ofar,” she said sternly. “Now kiss me goodbye.”

  Kwin was tempted to say no, but he was worried what Ofar would do to Gareth if he did. He leaned in close, intending to give Luka a peck on the cheek.

  “Don’t forget you can use magic,” she whispered in his ear.

  Kwin froze. Of course he could. He was being an idiot. Like most people, Ofar believed that the shackles prevented the wearer from doing magic. She believed she had him completely under control, when in reality she had no control over him at all.

  Luka could have told him her plan, but had deliberately not done so. She had enjoyed setting him up. Well two could play at that game. Instead of giving her a light touch with his lips, he took her in his arms and kissed her fiercely, forcing his tongue into her mouth, which she obligingly opened for him.

  She responded, putting her hand into his hair and pulling him closer. Only once her legs began to shake did he let her go.

  “That was quite some show,” Gareth’s voice said in his head. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  Kwin ignored him as he assisted Luka back into her carriage. She was still trembling.

  “You’re a bastard,” she said in his own language.

  Kwin grinned at her. “You can’t say you didn’t deserve that,” he said, then closed the door before she could reply.

  “Come inside,” Ofar said when Luka’s carriage pulled away. “Gareth will show you to the room that has been organised for you.” Then she beamed at him. “We three are going to have so much fun together.”

  ‘But not in the way you imagine,’ Kwin thought to himself then let his magic wrap around her.

  “What’s going on?” Gareth asked, knowing Ofar wouldn’t be able to understand the question.

  “Luka didn’t put my shackles back on,” Kwin told him. “We, my friend, are in for a fun few weeks.”

  Chapter 35

  Luka couldn’t stop her body trembling. Damn that kiss had been good. Why did she tell him to kiss her goodbye? How could she have been so stupid? She was going to miss Kwin, a lot, and now she was going to miss him all the more.

  It had been a good idea. A few weeks away from him was all she needed to get him out of her system, or so she told herself. How wrong she had been. Already she longed to turn the carriage around and go and collect him.

  “Stop it,” she said to herself. “You’re acting like a love-sick child, not a grown woman.” The words didn’t help. She had never felt like this before. Usually she was in control of her emotions, even when Jona had betrayed her, so why was Kwin affecting her so much?

  She closed her eyes and settled back in the carriage. Sleep soon claimed her and she dreamed about Kwin. It was not the sort of dream she could talk to anyone about.

  Drake was waiting for her when she arrived home. “Are you going to tell me why you sent Kwin away?” he asked once he had her settled in one of the lounges with a glass of wine in her hand. She only told him half the story and he wasn’t fooled.

  “And what is the other reason?” he asked.

  “There is no other reason,” she lied. His face told her he didn’t believe her, but he said nothing.

  “Would you like me to move Nonah into Kwin’s room while he is away?” Drake asked.

  Luka almost snapped, “Of course not,” but stopped herself just in time. Drake had no idea that she and Kwin were not sleeping together, except for that one night, so the suggestion made sense.

  “That won’t be necessary,” she said instead.

  The sound of someone trying to contact her rang through the house and Drake went to answer it. Luka rarely answered herself anymore, just in case it was Moda.

  “Ofar wishes to speak to you,” Drake said when he returned.

  Already? What could have happened that she needed to speak to her so soon?

  Luka nodded then went to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. “How can I help you?” she asked when she had settled herself in front of the communication device.

  “Help me?” Ofar said. “You already have.” She sounded drunk to Luka’s ears. “You won’t believe how good the two of them made me feel. I’m not sure I’m going to make it out of bed for days.”

  Pain worked its way down Luka’s body before settling in her stomach. Ofar had no control over Kwin, she couldn’t make him do anything he didn’t want to, yet he had still slept with her. Luka wanted to be sick.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” she forced herself to say.

  “I just wanted to say thank you,” Ofar said then hiccupped. She was definitely drunk.

  “No thanks are necessary. Just make sure you send Gareth when you return Kwin, so I can experience them together for myself.”

  “I will. And I can guarantee you have never experienced anything like it.” Ofar hiccupped again. “I should go. There’s time for some more fun before I go to sleep.”

  Luka switched off her machine without saying goodbye. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Kwin was not supposed to be intimate with Ofar.

  Luka felt tears forming in her eyes and blinked them away. She would not cry.

  Her communication device sounded again and without thinking, she answered it. When she saw who it was, she gasped.

  Kwin didn’t look like he had just been servicing Ofar. He looked far from tired and there was no sign of any sweat on him.

  “Why didn’t you tell me what you had planned?” he asked immediately.

  Luka found herself drawn to his scar; it was easier than looking into his eyes. “I don’t have to tell you everything,” she said.

  “You’re right, you don’t, but it would have been nice.”

  “I hear you are having fun with Ofar,” Luka said. Did she manage to keep the bitterness out of her voice? She hoped so.

  Kwin chuckled. “Not the sort she was expecting. I’ve wrapped a compulsion spell around her. She will believe anything I tell her, within reason. And we’ve got her so drunk she won’t remember a thing in the morning.”

  Luka’s heart skipped a beat. “So you didn’t sleep with her?”

  “Did you really think I would if given a choice?”

  Luka said nothing.

  “The reason I’m contacting you is that I’m hoping you can help me out. The spell I’m using on Ofar only works if it’s something she wants to do. Convincing her she has already done it is easy. What I really need is to make her release Gareth. Did your father tell you of any spell powerful enough to do that?”

  “Not that I know of. As far as I’m aware, he knew how to use magic to influence people, kind of like you are doing, but that is all. He never mentioned to me a way to make someone do something against their will. Sorry I can’t help.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It was a long shot anyway. Not that I think I could make myself do it even if I knew how. It feels wrong to magically control someone like that, even if it is for a good reason.”

  Luka felt the same way. It was possible, and her father had taught her how to do it, but she would never do so and she would not pass on the knowledge. There were some things magic should never be used for.

  “Enjoy the next few weeks,” Kwin said. “I know I’m going to.”

  “Kwin,” Luka said, but he had already disconnected.

  She sighed. She couldn’t believe how much thinking he had slept with Ofar hurt her. It was something she was going to have to get used to. She had no doubt that Shona would be found and that Gareth and Kwin would be able to rescue her. Then Kwin would go back home to be married and she would never see him again.


  A tear trickled down her face and she angrily brushed it away. She was a grown woman. She should to stop acting like a child.

  She needed to get out of the house. She decided to go for a ride, taking Nonah with her.

  They spent a pleasant hour galloping around her estate. He was an accomplished rider. They didn’t speak much, but she could feel him watching her the entire time.

  “You miss Kwin already,” he said as they rode back to the house. Luka pretended not to understand him.

  She went for a bath, spending a long time in the warm water, hoping to soak away her frustrations. It didn’t work.

  She ate in the kitchen instead of the dining room. Henna and Kail were there and, with Drake acting as translator, discussed the possibilities of marriage.

  Luka was thrilled and asked what they needed for the ceremony. When they said any magic user could perform it, Luka almost volunteered, but stopped herself just in time. Instead she had Drake ask them if they could wait for a few weeks until Kwin returned, or if they wanted her to organise a Wayvern magic user to visit.

  “He’s coming back then,” Drake said. “I did wonder.”

  “Of course he is,” Luka said in surprise. “Why would you think otherwise?”

  Instead of answering the question, Drake asked one of his own. “Why did you really send him away? What’s going on between you two?”

  “I will tell you later,” she said, unsure if she was telling the truth or not. Drake took her word and didn’t push her for more information.

  Conversation returned to the wedding and the happy couple were prepared to wait for Kwin’s return. Despite their protests, Luka insisted on laying on a proper wedding feast for them and didn’t give Henna a choice when she announced she would be taking her shopping for a dress.

  A while later Luka went with Drake to his office. She entered and shut the door behind her. She took a seat in front of his desk and nervously started to wring her hands. “You wanted to know why I sent Kwin away.”

  Drake took a seat and placed his hands on the desk, giving her his full attention. He said nothing, giving her time to compose herself.