“Luckily, your man, Marth sent a young boy to me with a message that I’d better get to the training pavilion right way because ‘the Lady Rhia was going to skewer a very tall man’. I knew it had to be you. Even when you accompanied your father on visits as a boy, Rhia was always after your skin.”
“Well, it might have had to do with my tendency to sneak up on her and yank her braids. Gods, she ran like the wind trying to catch me. There were a few times I almost didn’t get away.”
“Remember when she tried to run you through with her wooden practice sword? Ha! That was classic. How old were you two back then? Eight, maybe ten cycles old?”
“She was seven or eight. To my shame, I was almost thirteen. I was too old to taunt her, but I couldn’t seem to help myself,” RuArk said with a smile.
“Rhia chased you into my pigeon cote and wouldn’t let you come down. In the end your father and I had to come fetch you because we were the only ones who could get past her.”
“I’d really rather forget that one. I missed the evening meal and father made me stand and apologize to her while covered with pigeon feathers and enough bird shit to mat my hair to my scalp. A lot of finger pointing that evening. Gods, I hope she’s forgotten that.”
“Well, if she hasn’t,” the High Counsel said with a salute, “may your gods help you.”
Help him indeed. Rhia had grown up, but after what he’d seen today, RuArk didn’t think she’d changed all that much. She was still the most beautiful female he’d ever known. Even when she was a child, there had been an unmistakable beauty just underneath those sinfully dark, red streaked pigtails and skinny legs. As a woman, she was breathtakingly lovely with silken skin over firm, sleek muscle. Her dual heritage was evident in the blend of her features. She was also stubborn, sharp tongued, ill tempered, ill mannered. And he wanted her. Badly. Gods help him indeed.
◊ ◊ ◊
Rhia walked into the High Counsel’s offices, nodded at his secretary and moved quickly down the hall to a set of double doors.
“Sara, what are you doing here?”
Visibly startled, Sara jumped and turned so quickly she almost fell backwards against the door. The blood drained from her face and she appeared to be shaking like a leaf.
“Sara, I asked what you’re doing.” Rhia asked crisply, both impatient and suspicious. The girl looked like she’d just seen a ghost.
“I, uh, I’m just surprised to see you, is all.”
“Why? I live here... and so do you.” Sara was a member of the Society of Houseman and assigned to the citadel. They’d been running into each other in hallways for ten years. So, why the surprise?
Strange.
Swallowing convulsively, Sara answered, “I delivered the breakfast trays, Blademaster. I was, uh, waiting quietly for a sign that your father was ready for me to take them away. I didn’t want to disturb the High Counsel and his guest.”
Stammering like she’d sustained a brain injury, Sara managed to babble and execute an awkward bow. Rhia furrowed her brow and watched the woman practically run down the long hallway, constantly looking back over her shoulder as she went. Well, she didn’t have time to worry about Sara right now.
Her father just had to be angry with her and she needed to wrap her mind around what she would say to smooth over the debacle in the training pavilion. Pushing the door open to her father’s private study without knocking, Rhia strode inside.
“Father, I can explain what hap...” Skidding to a halt, her mouth snapped shut, fists planted on her hips. Cheeks heated as she demanded, “What the hell are you doing here?”
◊ ◊ ◊
“Rhia, don’t be rude. He’s obviously here because I asked him,” Grey Greysomne interjected into the sudden tense silence.
“Sorry, father.”
She didn’t look sorry as she quietly closed the door behind her and came fully into the room to stand directly in front of the two men. Squaring her shoulders, she extended a hand in greeting.
“Hey RuArk.”
Two simple words, yet they slid over his soul like a soothing balm of the sweetest healing oil. RuArk couldn’t think of a single thing to say so he simply looked his fill instead.
The cropped tunic and leggings she’d worn into the circle at dawn allowed subtle peeks at her cute little belly button and creamy skin, but this new outfit hugged her body like an old familiar lover. Her curves were covered in a sleek one-piece affair made of shimmering fabric that caressed her ankles, slid up and over sleek, muscled calves to her thighs where a curved, jeweled dagger was strapped to one of them.
The outline of strong abdominal muscles made his fingers itch to explore the little ridges and valleys underneath her lush breasts. Even the curve of her collarbone was visible through the material.
His body tightened as he took in the lush firm lines of her body. Suddenly RuArk didn’t like the idea of Rhia walking around in this outfit where any and everyone could get a good look at her. He didn’t give a damn that it was normal wear in Draema.
A smile played at the corners of his mouth as Rhia began to fidget under his close scrutiny.
“Our previous meeting was a bit out of the ordinary,” she pressed, hand still extended. He stepped possessively close, accepted her offered hand and turned it over to plant a gentle kiss at the pulse on her wrist. That pulse quickened the moment his lips made contact with warm skin. He heard the breath catch softly in her throat and saw her stomach muscles subtly tighten and flutter. And then she seemed to squash it all down. Fast.
He still hadn’t spoken.
Rhia turned to the High Counsel, brows furrowed in agitation. Palms out in front of him in man’s universal “don’t look at me” gesture, her father shook his head and leaned lazily against the fireplace to watch what would surely end up to be a nice display of emotional fireworks.
He swore he wouldn’t bring it up, but the words slipped out anyway.
“I remember you flying through the sparring field firmly attached to the back of a horse, your hair full of straw and waving a wooden sword.”
“Yeah, and I thought I’d never, ever lay eyes on you again.” She had the decency to blush before turning away. “Aw hell, that didn’t come out quite right.”
Chapter Eight
As a Draeman woman, boldness was in her genes, especially when it came to the opposite sex. Earlier, she’d been busy trying to pummel this man into the ground, but now Rhia eyeballed him as subtly—not—as he had her. Her gaze roamed up one side and down the other, starting with his strong, angled jaw line. Deep gray eyes were tilted up at the sides just like hers. Wide chest tapered down to a trim waist and his huge thighs were set apart in a casual, yet solid stance.
He was bronze, big and beautiful, with a hint of a reddish tone to his skin. Dressed in what she knew was traditional Gaian clothing, broad shoulders filled out his leather tunic. Leather hadn’t been used in Draema in ages, but she found herself wanting to smooth her fingers over the supple-looking material. Instead, her eyes dropped down to the ‘V’ where his top was unlaced at the neck to expose the striations on the slabs of chest muscle. No visible hair, just smooth, taut skin. How had she missed this earlier in the training pavilion?
His long, slightly damp mane hung loose down to the middle of his back. Glossy, midnight black and thick, it was bone straight without a hint of wave. Considerably longer than her own, Rhia’s fingers itched to play in it. She hadn’t seen a man with hair this long and soft-looking since the king of Gaia visited when she was little.
Must be a Gaian thing.
She cocked her head to the side.
I think I like Gaian things.
She bit her lip when the words almost slipped out of her mouth.
What words described such a fine specimen of a man? It didn’t matter because she’d never get to do more than look at him. She had her duties to her people, and they didn’t include this or any other Gaian. After all, even if she wanted to be mated to RuArk, it would mean leav
ing her home. Not happening. And she wasn’t silly enough to think that a man like RuArk Miwatani would leave Gaia for her.
In the end, duty was all she knew, what she was good at.
For once in, well, ever, she wished her life was more than fucking duty... for a moment, anyway.
“Rhia?”
“Yes, father?” Still looking up at RuArk, her throat worked convulsively as she met his stormy gray gaze. She watched him watch her through a mask of unreadable lines. Then those stormy grays softened to a glowing silver, like the sun reflecting off the soft mists that caressed the valley after an early spring rain. This barely visible transformation from hard ass warrior to simple man, well it... moved her.
“Rhia?” the High Counsel called again.
Her father’s voice seemed off in the distance as her mind was trying to catch up with the dancing in her blood. She wondered at his size, his height. There wasn’t one soldier in the High City she couldn’t stand toe to toe with. It was an uncommon experience to stand in front of a man whose chest was level with her mouth. She licked her lips at the thought of what that chest might feel like if she pressed her face against it.
Boy, he sure has grown up to be beautiful.
“Rhia, RuArk is here because I sent for him.”
Well, she’d figured that part out all ready.
“To be your mate.”
Stunned her out of her sensual daze, she turned shocked, unbelieving eyes on the man who’d sired her.
“What?”
“You heard me. It’s past time you chose someone anyway.”
“But I didn’t choose,” she countered, fists finding their way to her hips as one sandaled foot tapped out her annoyance.
The High Counsel waved away her protest. “What difference does it make? He’s an honorable man and I believe he meets your, uh, special criteria seeing he came out of that little wrestling match of yours in one piece.”
Rhia’s entire body felt as if it were on fire as she blushed clear down to her toes. “Did you really just bring that up, dad? Seriously?” RuArk glanced back and forth between her and her father, clearly wondering what he was missing in the conversation. Well, she sure as hell wasn’t going to clue him in on the ‘requirement’ her father had just mentioned. No way in hell.
Oh, this subject had to be changed and fast. Rhia pushed down her rising angst and tried to keep her voice from rising. She’d never been much of a screamer, but this situation might just call for it.
Gesturing toward the giant next to her, she said, “Father, I don’t even know this man.” It wasn’t quite true, but so what.
“You’ve known him forever; you just haven’t seen him in a while. Besides, that doesn’t matter. You need RuArk.”
“Need? Father, I don’t need anyone. You of all people, should know that.”
Suddenly her father looked old. Tired. With a sigh, he slowly pushed away from the mantle and crossed the short distance to stand in front of her. His expression was somber, strained.
“Rhia, I can’t keep this from you any longer.”
Tilting her head, she quirked a brow as her gut began to free fall. What the hell was going on here? Spine stiffened with a chill, unsure of what he was talking about, but positive it couldn’t be good.
“There’s a plot against our family, against you in particular. RuArk is here to look into the matter and protect you.”
“Father, I’ve been in danger every day of my life. My job is dangerous. Just being First Heir is a risk. There’ve been rumors of plots to overthrow our family since the inception of this province. Has it ever happened? No,” she countered.
“Rhia, this time is different.”
“Father, if this so-called plot is real, you know I won’t run. I’d rather fight and —”
“And what,” he flared. “Die? You’d rather die than lay down your damn pride?”
Her damn pride was all that kept her going. It was the reason she worked as hard as she did. Stung, but unmoved by the rebuke, the soldier inside of her squared her shoulders, not even close to giving in to her father’s suggestion.
“Look, Rhia, we can talk about this as much as you like, but in the end you’re going to join with RuArk. As for not needing anyone, you probably owe this man more than you care to admit seeing he rid you of some unwelcome company a few evenings ago.”
Blasted hell.
“Tattletale,” she ground out of the side of her mouth. Eyes sparkling with mischief, RuArk grinned shamelessly and executed an elegant bow. She wanted to kick him in the shin.
Grey turned to RuArk. “So, when would you like to leave for Draema Neine? The sooner the better, I think.”
“Let’s leave that decision for later. We will finish the tasks here first, then leave for our new home.” RuArk glanced at Rhia and she felt her disgruntled expression grow into a confused one. Again he let his gaze rove over her body and she felt her face change colors as yet another blush stole across her cheeks.
Forcing herself to focus on something other than the way this man made her stomach wiggle, she asked, “What tasks? What new home?” she demanded, not missing the fact that the younger man was telling the High Counsel how things were going to go down.
The two men continued talking about plans that were obviously already laid. When had all this occurred and where had she been to miss it? Neither invited her to sit when they reclined comfortably in the plush chairs in front of the fireplace to enjoy the warmth that blazed within the old relic. Again, Rhia’s fist slammed into the favored spot on her hip and a foot tap, tap, tapped.
Her father didn’t even bother turning to look at her when he asked, “Oh, I’m sorry Rhia, did you say something?”
The skin on her forehead felt tight as furrowed brows created a fierce scowl on her ever-heating face. But she wasn’t embarrassed. No. Now, she was pissed.
Muscles tense, she took a deep breath and forced her voice to lose the edge that she felt creeping into it. “I asked what. New. Home?”
“I’m giving RuArk the township of Province Springs in Draema Neine.”
Her mouth fell open as he continued speaking with his hand-picked son-in-law to-be. Thin patience had become microscopic patience. All the earlier attraction for RuArk that had danced along her nerve endings dissipated like so much smoke.
“You know RuArk, I failed to mention the colony of Neine has three townships. Yours is right on the Coalrado River with a natural harbor large enough to sail several ships right up to the piers. Do you fish? The estate is massive with low walls marking its perimeter and a deep freshwater lake sits about a half mile inside. The backside of your villa looks down on it. Beautiful view when the sun is setting.”
“What of the fortifications?” RuArk asked seriously as the two of them continued to completely ignore her. Damn it, if she turned one more shade of red, she’d explode.
“There are three walls of protection. The province outer wall separates Draema from the Borderlands. It’s forty feet of solid stone, gated, and guarded by the toughest soldiers Draema can provide. There’s a two-mile buffer zone between the outer wall and the walls of Province Springs itself. Great trails for riding.
“Hovers don’t work way out there since none of the roads are magnetized that far from the High City, not that you’re interested in that kind of thing anyway. The buffer zone also has several roads to Draema Seine to the west, and Draema Salone to the south. Did I mention Draema Neine is a hub for the Society of Horse Breeders? We don’t use horses much here in this part of the province, but you’ll find prime horseflesh in Neine.”
Rhia was appalled. Her father was actually bribing the man! No wonder RuArk had already agreed to leave Gaia. When she was finally addressed she was so angry the inside of her jaw ached furiously from clenching her teeth.
“So, Rhia, what do you think? I think you should mate right away, unless RuArk chooses some other date.”
Teeth still clenched, she ground out, “Shouldn’t I have a say in any of
this? About who I spend my life with? And you’re giving him Province Springs in exchange for me? Father, that’s the most antiquated thing I’ve ever heard you say. We haven’t observed that dowry bullshit in Draema since long before the world broke over seven hundred cycles ago.”
“Well, the Gaian do observe that dowry bullshit and we’ll honor them by observing their customs in this matter. It’s been awhile since we’ve spoken of your mother, but don’t forget she was Gaian, through and through. If not for RuArk’s father, I never would have met such a lovely lady. Besides, your new lifemate must also give something for you, and all I’ve asked for is his protection.”
It was true. They hadn’t talked about her mother in a very long time. Rhia was eight when she’d died. She missed her so much that even after all this time, it was still a painful business to even think about. Her father would bring her up now to manipulate this farce of a mating? Obviously so.
Blasted men.
The High Counsel pressed his advantage. “As for choices, I allowed you to choose whether to make that little trip to the Physicians or not. You should have received a partner or Sensuan at the Age of Consent. Now, you’re past the Age of Consent and the mandatory Age for Joining. Leaving you alone about it was my way of allowing you to make the choice when you were ready, even though I was breaking the law. But I can’t leave things this way, Rhia. Not anymore.”
Gods, she hoped RuArk didn’t know what the High Counsel was talking about. She felt like her flame streaked hair was ablaze.
“Rhia, you know I love you more than anything in this world. This will be good for you and all of Draema. Trust me.”
This couldn’t be happening. It felt as if she was being thrown off a pier, arms wind-milling wildly as she teetered on the edge of a dock. And gods knew she couldn’t swim. “B-But who will take care of all my students? Who will see to my responsibilities?” It was all she knew. All she’d had for too many years to count.
Grey Greysomne faced her with love and pride shining in his eyes. For the first time in a very long while, he hugged her tightly to him. When he stepped away, the loving father had disappeared as quickly as the warmth from his arms had. The High Counsel bore the stern expression of a ruler bent on his duty.
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