Rhaekhar’s voice echoed with silky menace. “As leader of these outlanders, you yielded to me.”
More barbarians fanned out behind and around him. Steel rang as swords were drawn. Cries echoed behind her from the Guardsmen. King Valche cursed and whipped out his own purely ceremonial sword.
Fear tightened her stomach and she shifted the hilt against her palm, her fingers cold and tingling. Her gaze darted from the big Khul to his guards, the massive warriors behind him, and back to his implacable face.
Nothing she did could save her father and her soldiers. Either she accepted the barbarian’s demands and left her people to die at Theo’s whim, or she died now with a sword in her hand. Either way, Shadow would swallow the Lady's Green and Beautiful Lands. What else can I do? “Execute me, Khul, and leave my soldiers alone.”
“I don’t want your death. I want you. If you won’t come with me willingly, then I’ll take you by force.”
“Please, Your Majesty,” Father Aran said. “Don’t make this any more difficult than necessary!”
“Difficult?” Shannari bit off the word. “You truly expect me to go meekly to some foreign land, leaving my country and my throne for which I’ve fought my entire life?”
“It doesn’t have to be this way.” The High Priest’s tears startled her. “I didn’t See suffering or unhappiness, or I never would have given your hand to him. I See only love.”
Phantom pain blazed over her scarred heart. She laughed bitterly. “And you didn’t See suffering?”
“Love is the greatest gift of all,” Rhaekhar said, his manner carefully unthreatening.
“I know what love is, Khul. It’s simply another way for the Gods to torment us. I will sooner kill you than love you.”
“You are welcome to try.”
The smug, condescending look on his face pushed her over the edge. Fury raged to life, blazing away the numbing fear holding her captive. With a roar, she swung the sword at his head.
Other Books by Joely Sue Burkhart
Dare to peek beneath the mask
JoelySueBurkhart.com
Current Series and Upcoming Releases
A Jane Austen Space Opera, SF erotic romance (BDSM) from Samhain Publishing
LADY WYRE’S REGRET, free read prequel on my website
LADY DOCTOR WYRE, March 29, 2011
LORD REGRET’S PRICE, tbd
DEATHRIGHT, tbd
The Connaghers, contemporary erotic romance (BDSM) from Samhain Publishing
Conn, DEAR SIR, I’M YOURS, June 2009
Victor, HURT ME SO GOOD, October 2010
Vicki, YOURS TO TAKE, May 2012
Mal, MINE TO BREAK, tbd
Historical Fantasy Erotica (BDSM) based on Imperial China from Carina Press
GOLDEN, August 29, 2011
The Maya Bloodgates, paranormal romance from Carina Press
THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN, June 14, 2010
THE BLOODGATE WARRIOR, tbd 2012 (erotic BDSM)
Blood & Shadows, erotic romantic fantasy (BDSM), re-releasing December 2011
THE HORSE MASTER OF SHANHASSON
THE ROSE OF SHANHASSON
THE ROAD TO SHANHASSON
RETURN TO SHANHASSON
SURVIVE MY FIRE, 2012
THE FIRE WITHIN, 2012
GIVEN IN FIRE, new in 2012
The Horse Master of Shanhasson (Blood and Shadows) Page 7
