A King's Revenge: Warlords Series Book 2

by Michelle Howard

  Mati greeted the gray haired stable master warmly. “The Queen is here to see the hapfe.”

  The man in a simple shirt, pants and boots bowed to the waist. “Your Highness.”

  Lea practiced a slow pace though she wanted to race ahead. Her passion for riding mirrored her passion for flying. Soft chuffs reached her ears as they ventured further into the state of the art building. Once through the second set of doors she had her first sight of hapfe. The gleaming stalls lined each side of the inner room and large triangular heads peered over the doors.

  “Hello, beauty,” Lea greeted the closest animal. She rubbed her hands over a brown snout with white spots. Large brown eyes fluttered in her direction before the hapfe tossed its maned head and pranced away.

  Lea checked on the next stall and received a surprise. An all white hapfe trumpeted at her approach and began kicking the stall door with its short forelegs. She jerked back but this only caused the rearing animal to launch at the door, legs pawing in the air.

  The guards pulled Lea away as the stable master ran toward the animal. Another stable hand joined him brought on by the ruckus.

  “What’s wrong?” Lea asked, fearful the animal would hurt itself.

  Mati clasped a hand to her shoulder. “Sorka has always been a wild one.”

  A loud crack and the top wood panel broke away from the stall. Both men now grappled with the animal trying to get a hold of her neck to keep her from injury.

  “We should leave,” Serin spoke up.

  Lea stepped back unable to take her gaze off the troubled animal. She’d never seen an all white hapfe before. The coloring was beyond rare.

  “Why is she upset?” She hadn’t done anything when she neared the stall.

  “Sorka was a gift. No one rides her any more.”

  The craving to take the animal for a quick run hit Lea. “Why would Tarik keep such a wild mount?” Surely he wouldn’t let any of his guests take her out.

  Sorka snorted but gradually settled down. Her blue eyes continued to roll as she craned her neck in Lea’s direction.

  “He’s had many offers to buy her. Breeders have come around begging to use her for their stables but the King has refused.”

  Mati’s answer gave Lea more questions. She edged around the guards hoping to get another glimpse of the hapfe as they maneuvered Lea further down to the other stalls.

  Serin laughed with genuine humor at her earlier question. “Breeding hapfe is dangerous business. The births are messy and sometimes both animals are lost in the delivery. King Tarik would never risk losing Sorka.”

  “Why?” Lea asked, her attention caught on a pretty tan hapfe. A long wet tongue trailed over her fingers.

  Silence.

  Lea turned and all of the guards avoided her eyes. She glanced at Mati. “Why? Is she his favorite?” Lea couldn’t imagine Tarik riding the pretty Sorka. The animal seemed too dainty for his taste.

  The hapfe in front of her tossed its head and bumped Lea’s shoulder hard. She laughed. Something sturdy like this is more what she envisioned when she thought of Tarik out riding.

  Mati cleared his throat. “Sorka is the last gift he gave his wife. The two were inseparable.”

  Lea spun on her heels. “Mine?”

  Serin smiled. “You were a sight to behold when you rode. The two of you were in sync. Never saw another rider that in tune with an animal.”

  One of the other guards spoke up. Jaesan. “Definitely not with Sorka since the King would kill anyone who took her out.”

  Lea faced the now quiet Sorka. “But…but she almost attacked me.”

  The stable master joined them out of breath. “I’m sorry, my Queen. Sorka wasn’t attacking. The female’s been despondent since your d-de-” He broke off and his tanned cheeks flushed red. “Since you’ve been gone. She was excited to see you.”

  Lea’s heart melted and she retraced her steps back to the stall. She ignored their protest and sidestepped the guards. With a flick of her wrist, she undid the latch and the freed hapfe leaped out on powerful hind legs.

  Lea leaped out of the way in time and laughed as the excited animal bumped her shoulder with her bobbing head. The men shouted from behind her and a firm arm curled around her waist. “Patience was never your virtue.”

  Lea stilled all over. Sorka nudged her chest and licked her face. Lea looked behind her and met Tarik’s amused stare.

  “I have an all white hapfe,” she murmured inanely.

  His teeth flashed as Tarik laughed. “Hmm. Yes and I paid a good sum for the menace.”

  Sorka hopped around them in a circle occasionally licking Lea and nudging her with forelegs. Tarik tightened his hold to keep her steady.

  “Aret. Sorka, aret,” he ordered, his deep voice rolling through Lea.

  She clamped her thighs together as lust coiled in her middle. The command in his voice made her want to leap into his arms.

  Sorka stopped her wild cavorting. Lea reached up and gave the hapfe a good rub on her nose. “She’s really well trained.”

  Tarik snorted. “Not close. Sorka only listens to you and I. She gives the stable hands a hard time which is why I try to come down once a week to check on her. For a plant eater Sorka’s been known to take a bite out of an unwitting stable boy.”

  Another vague memory teased at the forefront. She and Tarik in these very stables. A heated conversation judging by their body language. Lea concentrated but it wouldn’t come to her. “Hettel.”

  Tarik’s hand glided up her torso. “What is it?”

  She shook her head not wanting to say anything when all eyes were on them despite the discrete distance. Lea stretched up on her toes and hugged Sorka around her long neck. The hapfe lipped at her hair, hot breath hitting her neck. Tarik pushed the large head away in affection.

  The casual gesture emphasized his love for the animal.

  “I want to ride,” Lea decided. “Ride with me.”

  She’d love the chance to have time with him outside of the tension that hovered within the castle walls.

  “I’d love to but can’t.” Tarik released her and Lea turned.

  “Why not?” Surprising disappointment weighed her.

  “For one, Sorka hasn’t been out for a ride since you took her. Routine walks and outings only. Let the stable master get her acclimated to leads again. Secondly,” he grimaced. “I have a meeting shortly with a village leader.”

  Lea couldn’t argue with his logic and she had to respect his commitment to his responsibilities. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

  Boredom seemed to be inevitable if she didn’t find some way to occupy her time.

  “Mati mentioned that you’re restless and came up with a great idea. We can discuss it over breakfast if you’ll join me.”

  Her stomach chose that moment to grumble. Tarik chucked her under the chin.

  “I believe that’s answer enough.”

  ***

  Tarik waited until Lea finished the last of the food on her plate. Leaning back in his chair his hearts swelled with love. He enjoyed seeing her take such satisfaction in her meal. Kord had waved his glowing hand over everything on the table before any of them sampled the fare and fortunately none of the food had been tampered with.

  What if there wasn’t a traitor in their midst. He eyed the dark haired man listening to Lea as she shared her enthusiasm about Sorka. Perhaps the wine incident had been a trap to push his wife into leaving. Could Kord have mixed the caci nectar in her drink using his strange ability to reinforce his feigned concern for her safety?

  Tarik wished he could know for certain. All he had was speculation and a fear which grew within him hour by hour. While Lea seemed committed to helping him neither of them spoke of the future or the past. Worry added to his fear because without her memories of what they shared Tarik wasn’t sure his wife would stay.

  She sipped her wine and replied to something Kord asked. Unless he made her fall in love with him again. Tarik straightene
d in his seat. That was it.

  There were times when he thought she loved him. A searching look or a soft touch and he’d flash to what he knew of her. The look and touches were all tell tale signs of love from his wife. They already had undeniable attraction and if sex kept her in his bed he’d use it to his advantage.

  Chapter 23

  Lea sealed the last envelop with the wax she’d been provided. The Desani crest hardened as it dried. She added it to the overflowing pile on her desk. When Tarik had shown her the office she used and explained the charities he’d continued in her absence, Lea had been overwhelmed and impressed. It helped that the detailed logs explained everything that needed to be done and how much to allot to each group.

  The office was also a place where Tarik deemed a guard could wait on the outside of the door not the inside giving her moments of much longed for privacy. Her stomach grumbled and Lea checked the time. Lunch. Excitement fluttered in her chest as well.

  Hunger wasn’t the only reason for her eagerness to get to the dining room. In fact, in the last few days it became the highlight of her day because Tarik made it a point to join her for lunch and share the food that Kord meticulously checked. Tarik shared anecdotal stories of Desani, his childhood mischief and occasional missteps since he’d assumed the throne. Her favorite was when he misjudged a farmer during a hearing and spent a work day at the man’s side in slop pens to mend a fence as an apology.

  The farmer had been appalled initially to have his King working side by side with him but soon the two were in animated conversation about the workings of a farm and the man’s respect had grown for his sovereign. So much so that he sent Tarik seven of his finest shep as a gift. Tarik had graciously accepted the shep and now had a pen in a building off of the main castle to house them.

  Of course Tarik made sure it was far enough away that the smell the shep emanated did not reach those in the castle.

  Chuckling, Lea straightened a few letters on top to easily resume when she returned. At the door of her office, Jaesan dipped his head in question. Lea found him the most outgoing of those assigned to her and a far better conversationalist than Serin.

  “I’m taking a break to eat.”

  “Yes, my Queen. Follow me.”

  Mikal and Effan took up guard behind her with Serin noticeably absent. “Where is Serin?”

  “His wife twisted her ankle and the King gave him leave to care for their child until she mends.”

  She didn’t even know the sour man had a child. “Is his wife okay?”

  “Mara is fine but little Serin is only a year and likes to run.”

  Lea imagined Serin chasing a small child and laughed. “Will another take his place until he returns?” Tarik seemed fairly adamant that he surround her with armed men.

  “No, it should only be a day or two before Mara recovers.”

  They turned down the last corridor. Lea had learned that Tarik’s home boasted two dining rooms. One a formal affair for important dignitaries and seated one hundred. The other where they often took lunch was smaller and could seat twenty if needed.

  The guard posted at the doors to the dining room bowed in their direction before letting them enter. Tarik was already present and chatting with Mati who was never far from his side. Hensel lounged against the wall talking to Kord who glanced up when she came in. Smoked meat and the spicy scent of curo soup teased. Her stomach gave another grumble.

  “Lea.” Tarik broke off his conversation to come toward her.

  Lea allowed herself a moment to appreciate his appearance today. A simple black shirt, sleeveless black jacket with gold braiding and black pants.

  She tipped her face up when his arms wrapped around her waist and he leaned down to kiss her. Kissing Tarik was like leaping into a body of water without looking. Lea fully immersed herself in the experience. His mouth danced lightly over hers, tongue stroking deep until someone coughed.

  He caressed her hip as his hands released her. “How are things going?”

  “It’s an easy system to follow. I can’t believe I set up such a formidable way of giving back.” Lea loved the charity but it was hard to imagine that as a Queen she’d made time for such a worthy endeavor.

  When Tarik first explained what he wanted her to do she’d been stunned. More and more she realized that her assumptions about her past role as Queen were way off base. Her actions pointed toward a generous and open hearted nature. Just as she was now.

  “You found an agreeable way to spend Sabarn credit.”

  “Agreeable?” She asked as he escorted her to the chair she always used to the right of the throne like chair at the head of the table. She teased him about it the first day they’d dined in here.

  Tarik sent her a wry grin. “You have an…issue about spending our riches.”

  Lea returned the grin and waited for him to pull her seat out. She started to make a quip about his wealth when something hissed from her seat. She looked down as Tarik froze and cursed.

  “Sentil,” he murmured, not moving from his spot directly behind her chair half pulled from the table.

  Dark red prongs on the reptile’s tail meant instant death to its victim. The mottled brown and green head lifted from its tight coil as it hissed again. If Tarik moved the sentil would strike drawn to the movement.

  “Please don’t move, Tarik.” Her heart crested at the idea of him being stung and dying.

  Lea steadied her nerves and reached for the knife strapped to her thigh uncaring of the length of leg she flashed.

  “Perhaps you should wait, my lady,” Mati cautioned.

  Tarik didn’t have time for her to wait. The serpent hissed, head weaving and its tail stiffened in warning, prongs growing redder. The warning was enough for Lea. When the creature shifted to face Tarik she knew it would aim for him. Her hand whipped out and the knife flew. It hit its target dead to rights, sharp blade slicing through the green and brown neck. The sentil’s head fell to the floor with a thud, her knife buried in the seat cushion and quivering.

  Kord grabbed her from behind and pushed her away from the table before she could release the breath she’d drawn. Sounds and shouts filtered to her ears. The rush wore off and Lea’s entire body shook.

  “Find everyone that’s been in here,” Tarik roared, lurching away from the chair where he’d been immobile. “I want to know how a sentil got in here.”

  He turned to Lea, eyes blazing as he strode over and pulled her away from Kord. His grip on her arms tightened. His gaze roved over every inch of her.

  “Are you alright?”

  Shivering with delayed reaction Lea managed to nod.

  “Goddess,” he groaned and hugged her. “It seems like I’m always asking you that.”

  Lea leaned into his strength. As long as he was fine, she’d always be alright.

  “From now on, you carry two knives,” he declared.

  Somewhere deep inside, Lea found humor in his statement. “I could wear pants. It would make getting to my knives easier.”

  He stiffened. “Absolutely not. No one else gets to look at the curves of your body but me.”

  ***

  “Sire, I’ll dispose of the serpent.”

  Hensel held a brown weighted sack. Someone had tossed gold cloth napkins over the blood on the floor. Servants bustled in and moved the table setting. Kord glared.

  “Thank you, Hensel.” Tarik reluctantly let Lea go when he wanted to keep her close to his side. He searched and found a pale shaking Mati across from the table. “Mati, I want everyone who took part in preparing the lunch in this room immediately.”

  Mati bowed. “Yes, Sire.” He ran from the room moving without his usual composure.

  Tarik ran a hand through his hair and noticed the tremors. He’d expected another attack on Lea but a sentil? They were deadly and dangerous to handle. Someone went through a lot of trouble to take such a risk. Kord stormed over his blue eyes shooting sparks. Tarik prepared for a blasting.

  “This is s
omeone close to you, Tarik,” Kord snapped in a lowered voice. He shifted closer. “No stranger entered. Only a few of your servants who brought in the food, your man, and your personal guard had the opportunity.”

  Hensel returned along with Mati and conferred with Jaesan, Effan and Mikal.

  A curl of dread wrapped around his chest. “What are you saying, Kord?”

  “It is clear to me that someone in this room placed the sentil in Lea’s chair. The traitor is here.”

  “Impossible.” Tarik refused to accept his words. Mati or Hensel? Never. They would never be a part of this when they knew how much Lea meant to him. The grief he’d suffered when he thought her dead.

  “I think we need to question everyone,” Lea interrupted color back in her cheeks.

  Hensel approached. “Sire, Mati queried the kitchen staff and the five servants are coming. Baylor will escort them personally.”

  Tarik studied his friend’s face. Tight lipped, worry creases at his brow and uncontrollable anger spitting from his eyes. No, Hensel wouldn’t have done this.

  Lea stepped closer and rubbed his back. Could she sense his frustration?

  “Perhaps we should increase Lea’s guards.” Though still shaken, Mati came over to their side and spoke up. He dabbed at the perspiration on his forehead with a linen napkin.

  Tarik didn’t blame him. In spite of the danger to him it was Lea he’d worried over. “No. Four should be and is good enough.”

  Tarik didn’t have to glance at Lea to know her feelings on more guards. He entwined his fingers with hers and she immediately eliminated the small space between them. Tarik didn’t care how obsessive it made him but he wanted her close and accessible from now on.

  Baylor stormed in leading four servants. Two men and two women. Tarik frowned since there should have been five. A young lady he recognized as a dessert preparer wiped at a continuous stream of tears from her eyes.

  Hensel, Jaesan, Effan and Mikal closed ranks around them. The tactic worked and sent the crying woman into hysterical cries while the tall blond male at her side attempted to soothe her upset with rough pats on her back.