by Erin Bedford
As he spoke, something about his words made my heart tingle. Had Firestar known I, specifically, was coming? I wasn’t sure, but either way, I had little doubt Firestar wouldn’t hurt me.
“I’ll meet your lord, but they have to come with me.” I gripped Raiden and Jack’s arms, taking a step back so I could stand between them. My touch caused a low growl to come from both of them, their inner dragons not liking the threat before us.
“Fine,” the guard conceded. “But one wrong move, and you will find yourselves wishing you had let her go alone.”
Raiden’s hand tightened on his trident, and he didn’t put it away, not even when we were led to a large tent or when we entered it.
“Are you trying to burn the tent down around us?” A voice called out from deep within the tent. A voice I knew very well.
I nodded at Raiden, and with a flick of his wrist, the trident vanished, melding into the skin of his forearm like a glowing, golden tattoo. The lamp in the middle of the dimly lit tent didn’t light the whole area, leaving half the tent shrouded in darkness.
“Hello, Maya,” Firestar’s voice rumbled from the darkness, making goosebumps appear on my skin and my blood to race through my veins.
“It’s been a long time, Firestar.” I strained to see him through the shadows, but he stayed hidden from my view.
“You know this man?” Jack asked from my side, and I forced myself not to wince at the accusation there.
“Yes, we have met before.” I didn’t embellish on how well we knew each other and hoped Firestar would have the decency to not fill in the blanks.
“That’s why you were acting funny when Lord Amun told us who the bandit leader was,” Raiden mused though he didn’t sound as upset as Jack did.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” Firestar commented as if the other two men didn’t exist. He moved closer to the edge of the light, allowing me to see his silhouette. Large and muscled, Firestar’s size had always been something I appreciated. He’d never tried to intimidate me, instead he had made me feel safe and secure.
“I didn’t either,” I commented after a moment. It was true. I hadn’t thought I’d ever see him after he’d been sent away and I’d been banished to the human world.
His hands clasped together in front of him, and I could see the tension in his body from here. “I thought you were banished.”
“Heh,” I smiled slightly, “it didn’t stick.”
“Your father finally pull his head out of his ass?” His question caused the men at my side to tense, and I knew they were beginning to catch on that I knew him a bit more than I had let on.
The visual made my smile broaden, and I shook my head. “Never.”
“I heard about your sister. I am sorry.” Firestar shook his head in the shadows. “She didn’t deserve such a fate.”
“No one does,” Raiden added with a bit of defiance. Maybe he wasn’t as okay with my lie as I had believed.
The fact that Firestar knew about Aeis’s misfortune was news to me. I didn’t know the goings on in our region had reached this far. I wondered what else he knew.
“And who are these men?” He gestured to Raiden and Jack. “You needed bodyguards to come see me?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out. I didn’t know how to describe them. Did I introduce them as my friends? My potential mates? My lovers?
Unfortunately, during my internal war, Jack answered for me. “We are her suitors.”
Firestar barked out laughing. “Really? This must be some kind of joke. That blowhard rejected me but thinks these guys are better? I don’t believe you would agree to that.”
Thinking about the two men my father had chosen for me I could see how he would like them better than Firestar. Jack had a cool calm about him that kept him level-headed in political situations. Raiden, on the other hand, was so laid back, I didn’t think there was much of anything that could faze him. Together they were a dynamic duo who made Firestar, a known hot head, seem like an impossible choice.
I shrugged. “Wasn’t really given a choice in the matter.”
This caused him to cross his arms over his chest. Even in the shadows, I could see the muscle bulge beneath his skin. Largely built, the thin layer of fat from indulging in too much wine only made him that much more of an intimidating size.
“And what do you think of this?” he asked, nodding his head to Jack and Raiden who were not becoming any happier the longer we were there. Firestar did always have a way of pulling the truth from me.
“We both came willingly, knowing what we were getting into,” Raiden answered for them both.
“And what exactly is that?” Firestar asked his gaze focused on the lightning dragon. “What are you getting into?”
“The first one to get Maya pregnant gets to be Lord of the Western lands.” This came from Jack who had put on his cool mask of indifference.
Firestar guffawed. “Listen to him. A perfect little lap dog for your father to control. Please tell me you haven’t fucked him yet?”
“And if I have?” I growled not liking how he talked about Jack.
“I might just have to kill him,” Firestar said as he stepped into the light letting me see the feral grin on his lips.
My heart jumped into my throat. Firestar hadn’t changed one bit. An arrogant chin accompanied his light brown eyes and flaming red hair. The only noticeable difference and, even most wouldn’t have noticed, was his hair.
“You cut your hair.” The words suddenly came out of my mouth, all thoughts of him killing Jack and Raiden flying from my mind.
His hand reached up to touch his shortened locks sticking straight up on his head. “Only a little bit, I remember how much you liked to hold onto it during…” he trailed off, giving me a roguish grin.
My face heated more.
“So you don’t just know this man, do you, Maya?” Jack’s words jerked me out of my little fantasy world and back to reality. Right, we weren’t alone. Things from the past should stay there in the past.
“Oh?” Firestar’s eyes lit up, and the grin on his lips grew. “Your dear princess didn’t tell you how she knew me before she dragged you out here?” I stared at my feet as neither of them replied, which was answer enough. Firestar laughed, so pleased with himself I could punch him. “Oh, then please let me enlighten you.”
“Please do,” Jack’s tone held enough ice to freeze the whole western hemisphere. All the progress I had made with him had gone down the drain in an instant.
“I really don’t think that is necessary.” I tried to object, but the men ignored me.
“Maya and I were lovers.” Firestar stated, letting it sink in before adding, “In fact, we were more than lovers. We were to be married.” My eyes snapped to Firestar in irritation. We had talked about being married but never got that far. My father had shut it down faster than I could say corsage.
“Except her father didn’t approve,” Raiden interjected, his eyes sliding up and down Firestar with disdain. “I can see why not.”
Firestar frowned and then hollered, “Blorder!”
The guard from before came in with three other men. “Yes, my lord?”
“Show these two where they will be staying tonight. I wish to speak to the princess alone.” His eyes locked with mine and a shudder went through me.
“No, we aren’t leaving.” Raiden jerked away from Blorder as he tried to lead him away.
“It’s fine, Raiden.” I placed a hand on his arm, but he shot me a scathing look, which shot straight into my heart. “Nothing will happen, I promise.”
Raiden shrugged off my hand and turned away. “Why should I care, just one more opponent in a long race.” Before he left the tent, he turned back with a nasty grin. “Don’t forget princess, I’ve already got a head start.” Then he and Jack disappeared through the tent door without another word.
Sighing, I relaxed slightly before turning back to Firestar. “Why’d you have to do that?”
“What? Them?” He gestured to the exit. “Don’t worry about them. They’ll get over it when they realize they don’t have a chance with you.”
“Says who?” I scowled.
“Says me.”
Turning the attention away from me and back to him, I nodded at the brown pants, which hung loosely on his legs and the dark gray shirt with red lacing. “I see your sense of style hasn’t changed. You’ve even got an army following suit.”
Firestar chuckled and scratched the back of his head. “It wasn’t on purpose, believe me.”
“I know.” I nodded with a smile and then took a step away from him. We were being too friendly. Too easily falling into the same banter from long before. That wasn’t good, not when I had a job to do, anyway.
“As much as I hate to say it, I’m not here on a social call.” I waited for Firestar to explode or tell me he knew since, somehow, he knew so much already.
Instead, he walked over to the small table where he had a pitcher of wine and a plate of cheese. He poured two glasses, setting one on the other side of the table before sitting down in the opposite chair. He gestured for me to sit.
Frowning as I debated whether I should, my attention jerked back to the cry of pain from outside the tent. Brow furrowed, I said, “If I sit with you will you call your dogs off?”
“Done.” Firestar quipped and then yelled, “Blorder!”
The guard from before, the one who had offered to scratch my itch appeared in the tent doorway. “Yes, my lord?”
“If any hair is out of place on my woman’s men, I will have your balls for a necklace.” The calm tone of Firestar’s voice as he threatened his guard would make even my father quake in his boots.
Blorder’s eyes widened, and he bowed deeply mumbling, “Yes, my lord.” Then he turned tail and ran out of the tent as if the devil himself chased him. For all I knew, he might be.
I could hear Blorder yelling at someone, and then there was a commotion and then silence. Satisfied Raiden and Jack wouldn’t be harmed — at least not any further — I approached Firestar and sat at the table. I picked up the glass but didn’t drink from it.
“So how have you been, Maya?” Firestar asked, drinking heavily from his glass. His eyes never left my face the entire time.
“As well as can be when you’re banished to another dimension,” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice, but the frown on Firestar’s lips said I failed. Time for a change of subject. “What about you? Why are you…” I gestured around the tent.
Firestar’s gaze hardened. “Many things have changed since your father kicked me out.”
“He hardly kicked you out,” I scoffed. “You got mad and stormed out.”
“You would do the same if he had said those things about you,” Firestar growled before filling his cup once more. “Unworthy hot head my right wing.”
“That aside, who knows what might have happened if you had stayed.” I gently reminded him. “We could have made it work even without my father’s blessing.”
“Ha!” Firestar threw one hand up in the air. “That was unlikely. He had you out of there before the dust had even settled on my departure and now he’s whored you out to the highest bidder.”
Anger filled me at his description. “I would hardly call it whoring.”
“They get something out of it, don’t they? Get the chance to be the next Lord of the Western Lands if they can get you pregnant.” He gestured rudely at my abdomen.
“And what exactly are you doing?” I asked, gripping the cup in my hands tight. “Why are you here Firestar? Fighting against your own lands, your own father.”
Firestar shook his head a bit dejected. “I told you, things have changed. My father isn’t who he pretends to be. He doesn’t have the heart of the people in mind.”
“And you do by robbing them of what little they have?” I snapped back, banging my cup on the table.
Firestar sighed, “I’m not stealing from anyone. It’s father who’s the real criminal. The one you should be here to stop is him.”
14
The confidence in Firestar’s voice made it hard for me to pretend what he said was a delusion. He really thought his father, Lord Amun, was the bad guy here. Why would the guy who put me here in the first place be the one in the wrong? I mean, he was the one with a city full of scared people and a palace barer than a mausoleum. Then there was the worst part of it all. If he was, did that mean I was too?
“What do you mean your father is stealing from the people?” I leaned forward in my chair as I tried to wrap my head around the notion. “He said you were the thief.”
“No, it’s not me.” Firestar shook his head from the seat across from me. There was a sadness in his eyes I couldn’t shake, but if he was telling the truth, there were some things that didn’t make sense. Like the attack in the woods.
“Then why are you holed up here with the same guys who attacked us in the woods? Didn’t you want to stop us from reaching him?” I waved a hand in front of me as I pressed my lips together in confusion. This whole thing was just giving me a headache.
Firestar reached out and took my hand in his. My body jolted at his touch, and an electric fizzle went through me. I had to give it to him. He still had that magic touch.
His eyes softened as his fingers stroked my hand, each touch causing a tingle to run through me. “I would never hurt you, Maya. You mean too much to me to let any harm come to you. Besides,” his hand tightened on mine as his eyes hardened, “I didn’t know you were here until one of my spies saw you in the market with that ice dragon. What’s his name?”
“Who?” I asked not really knowing what he was talking about. Like when we first met, his very touch caused all sensibility to leave my head, and it took some effort to finally focus. Shaking my head clear of the fog, I cleared my throat and said, “Jack, his name is Jack.” A silvery white head of hair came to mind as I withdrew my hand from Firestar’s. I couldn’t let myself be distracted. I had a job to do. Even though, I wasn’t quite sure I should be doing it now. While Firestar hadn’t lied to me before, it’d been years since we saw each other and people change.
“You care for him, don’t you?” Firestar raised a surprised brow. “It’s not just about having an heir. You genuinely have feelings for him, for Jack.”
“Possibly,” I mumbled and leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest as I looked away from his prodding gaze. I so didn’t want to talk about my feelings with my ex-lover. I still hadn’t wrapped my head around what I wanted from the two men waiting outside, let alone the one in front of me.
“And the other one?” he asked with a violent jerk of his cup. “Do you care for him too? Or have you already chosen?”
“No. I haven’t chosen anyone yet.” And I might not, I added to myself. My heart still didn’t know what it wanted. Part of me still wanted to be back on Earth working on my next game project while the other half of me wanted nothing more than to wrap myself around the two men who had wiggled their way into my life and my blood.
“He doesn’t seem to think so,” Firestar taunted me, reminding me of what Raiden had said before he left. Oh, what Firestar must think of me? “Does he know how you like it?” The question was so out of left field, I flushed in response. “Does he know about the place behind your ear that if you kiss just right will make you go on the spot?”
“Stop it,” I hissed, crossing one leg over the other. His words were crude, but to my shame, they were causing my body to remember how it had been between us. How it could be again.
“What? Afraid I will mess up your little triad?” Firestar brought his cup up to his mouth, but I could still see the smug grin on his lips at the edge.
“No, because you aren’t in the running.” I looked down at my shoes as I said it. Truth be told, he wasn’t in the running, but what if he wanted to be? What would I do then? I wasn’t sure, and that bugged me more than anything else.
“I could be.” He countered,
the arrogance in his face almost too much to bear. Now, I remembered why my father disliked him. While Firestar could easily draw someone in with his charms, his ability to do so made him overconfident. That quality didn’t always make for a good leader. It caused good men to die from rash decisions, men like my brother.
Still, I found myself contemplating his offer anyway because part of me had missed him all these years. Still, the logical side reminded me why I sat here in the first place.
“We were talking about your father, not about me,” I reminded him, and I was damned pleased I kept the tremor of desire out of my voice.
“We can do both.” He chuckled and stretched his arms out above his head. It made his shirt stretch out across his chest, and suddenly, I was an eighteen-year-old girl again. My mouth watered and my hormones raged. I wanted nothing more than to climb across the table and ride him until we both exploded.
“You win.” I sighed and shook my head. “I’m still attracted to you. I want you as much as I did before you ran off. Are you happy now?”
“Hardly,” Firestar scoffed but dropped his arms down to his side. “But the men who attacked you were impostors. My father’s men disguised as mine to make you think I was the one doing it when. In reality, it is he who doesn’t want you here.”
Brow furrowed, I tilted my glass back and forth on the table. It made some sense. It would explain why my father hadn’t been able to get a response. Lord Amun probably doesn’t want to renew the alliance, and when my father sent us, Lord Amun tried to get rid of us. If that were true, why would he do it?
“Why doesn’t your father want to keep the alliance? Do you know?” I leaned forward on my elbows, hoping Firestar could fill in the blanks. I wasn’t sure why, but I trusted him to tell me the truth, foolish as that might have been.
Firestar shrugged. “More than likely he doesn’t want your father or the other lords to find out about what he’s doing.”
