Kain shrugged. “The King and his brother weren’t close. Prince Zialni is dead but there is a steward in Brightcastle until the heir is born and comes of age.”
“And what of Princess Alecia?” Gorin asked, his eyes narrowed. “We hear that she is still at large, as is the army captain Anton.”
“That is my information,” Kain said, wondering where this line of questioning was going. So far they had asked nothing that could not have been known by general intelligence gathering. But he was not volunteering anything more than he had to.
“So if the princess were to be located, would she be declared heir to the throne, as the prince’s only child?” Faenwelar asked.
“Only kings have ruled here for at least two hundred years,” Kain said. “Princess Alecia would not be eligible to take the throne.”
“And her offspring? Would her son not be an heir?” Gorin asked.
“Prince Zialni’s widow is with child,” Kain said. “If she produces a son, he will be heir before any child of Alecia’s. ” He could see where they were going with this. If the elven nation could destabilize kingdom rule or corrupt its natural ruler, their invasion would be easier, or perhaps even unnecessary if they could install a puppet king.
“Ah, Jazara,” Faenwelar said, “but what if the child is a girl, or if something should happen to it? Then the line of succession is cut short. I believe there is a nephew of the King, Piotr, lurking somewhere. It seems more and more likely that should something happen to the current king, this nephew might step into the breach.”
“You won’t succeed in sneaking in the back door, Faenwelar,” Kain said. “Brightcastle is well defended, as is Wildecoast.” At least he hoped Brightcastle was safe.
Faenwelar stood again and approached. Kain felt the high prince’s breath on his cheek. “The kingdom is ripe for the picking, Jazara. Your people have fallen asleep on the job. Your King has failed to produce an heir, in fact, he has only lost them over the last year. He is soft as are you – soft and lazy. My people will walk into your cities and towns and burn them to the ground. We will obliterate the race of man from the kingdom. And you, my dear general, will help us.”
Chapter 7
Alique felt as though she was still tethered to the pole. Her wrists smarted and she was sure the rope had left bruising on her lower torso. The hour of interrogation had seemed like a day and she feared there was worse to come.
Kain sat in the opposite corner of the tent, lost in his own thoughts. He had been morose since they had been escorted back to the tent, and she didn’t blame him. The elven prince’s summary of the situation in the kingdom was sobering.
“We’ve been too complacent,” Kain said. “I’ve been too complacent. How could I have let the kingdom come to this?”
“It is not your fault,” Alique said. “You merely follow orders.”
“It’s my duty to analyze the kingdom’s threats and defenses.” He rubbed his restless fingers though his spiky dark hair. “I should have seen this coming.”
“The King has other advisors, Kain. It’s not just you who is to blame.”
Kain shook his head. “What a mess! And now I’m not even able to help us dig our way out of it.”
Alique crawled over and knelt before him. “Somehow we will extricate ourselves and the kingdom,” she said.
“That’s ridiculously optimistic, Alique.”
“Perhaps,” she said, “but what is the alternative? We can choose to believe there is a way out or we can give up now. I do not think you will give up.”
His dark eyes found hers. How had she ever thought them cold or remote? They were many things but never that. Currently they held a heat that she had never seen before. He swept his hand down her cheek, the knuckles brushing her skin. Alique shivered. His gaze dropped to her mouth and her heart leapt into a gallop. She sucked in a sharp breath. “What are you doing?”
His hand dropped and he let out a long sigh … “I’m sorry. This is driving me crazy. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Alique took a deep breath to quiet the tumult within. “It has been a difficult few days, but things will get better.” She got no response from Kain so she leaned toward him, pulling his hands away from his head. “They will.”
His dark gaze raked her face. “Has anyone ever told you that you are magnificent?”
Alique gave her head a small shake and her heart lightened a little. “No,” she said, “never.”
“Well, let me be the first,” Kain said, placing his hands on her shoulders and giving them a gentle squeeze. “Lady Alique Zorba, you’re magnificent, and don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.”
Alique’s heart swelled. This hard-bitten leader of men thought she was worthy of praise. How little of that she had experienced in the past. As long as she could remember, no one had ever paid her such a compliment. She swallowed the lump that had lodged in her throat. “You can’t imagine how much that means to me, Kain.” Alique leaned forward and captured his lips before he could react, her hands sliding up along his jaw, her fingers entangled in his hair.
He gasped and froze for long seconds during which Alique wondered if she had been too impulsive this time. Will he reject me?
And then both of his hands looped around the back of her neck as his lips found hers. Alique had expected mastery and passion but not this sweet, tentative exploration. His mouth was soft and succulent, and she sank into it, giving herself to the moment. She sighed, relaxing against Kain, her hands on his shoulders; shoulders broad enough to shelter her from a myriad of dangers if she required it. He deepened the kiss, his tongue thrusting past her lips, urgency mounting. The hands that had cradled her head moved to her back, and he pulled her against his chest and rolled over, so that Alique was on the ground under him.
She undid the ties of his shirt and slipped her hands inside to caress his chest, then she pulled the shirt right up to explore the muscles of his back. He moaned and moved his hand down to cup her buttock. His fingers strayed breathtakingly close to her sex and Alique stilled, aching for the moment when he would touch her there. He pulled her tighter against him and the bulge of his manhood nudged her thigh. Her body arched against it.
Kain gasped and drew back. “What am I doing?” His pupils were huge with arousal and he swallowed. “I’m sorry, Alique. That was inexcusable.”
Alique froze at the apology. “I was enjoying myself.” She reached for his hand and placed it back on her bottom.
“We can’t do this,” Kain said. “You and I are from different worlds, we need to keep perspective on this.”
“This?” she said. “It is a kiss between two people in a dire situation who are attracted to each other. For once on this mission I was not fearful. What is wrong with that?”
“Don’t you see how dangerous this is?”
“No,” she said. “I only see a man I desire, a distraction. We could be dead tomorrow.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” he said, placing more distance between them.
Reluctantly she let him go. “But you see what I mean? There is no one to stop us from acting on our desires. I know you want me.” She rolled onto her knees and seized his face in both hands before he could stop her, planting a kiss on his startled lips. Immediately she invaded his mouth, sliding her tongue over his and then along his teeth.
Kain sucked in a breath as though he were being strangled and broke contact with her. He looked startled beyond belief. “You have a reputation to maintain. I’ll keep it for you even if you won’t.”
“I am my own woman, and if I wish to tumble the general of the King’s army, then I shall.”
She reached for him again but Kain held her off, his hands on her forearms. He gave her a little shake.
“If we act on our desires, you’ll come to rue the decision.”
“Ha,” she said. Kain gave away so much with his words. “You never said you would regret it. Is it only me you are concerned for?”
He sighed. “You’re a beautiful woman and I’d welcome you into my bed in other circumstances.”
“The circumstances are perfect. No one need know. We can both walk away at the end of this and have no regrets.”
He frowned at her. “Are you certain of that?”
Alique stared, thrown off kilter by his question. Could she walk away unaffected after a romantic tryst with Kain Jazara? “I know the difference between real feelings and what exists between us, Kain: the attraction between a man and woman.”
“Are you a virgin, Alique?” he asked. “I wish to know where I stand with you.”
“So you are considering a fling with me?”
Kain’s eyes narrowed. “Perhaps, in the right circumstances.”
“Then I will answer your extremely rude question,” she said. “No, I am not a virgin. My first sexual encounter was with one of the farm hands when I was fifteen, and I saw no reason to stop there.”
“You’ve been lucky to avoid a child,” Kain said.
Alique tried to shake off his hands. “Enough of this idle chat. We are wasting time on words when we could be giving each other pleasure. So pucker up, general.”
Kain’s eyes widened as if he had difficulty believing his ears. “I will not make love to you, or tumble you, or even kiss you when you’re in this mood, Alique. We’ll be on the road in a few minutes.”
He looked so annoyed with her that she almost laughed. Something about this situation they found themselves in made her reckless, urged her to take a risk with the dark and dangerous General Jazara. Who knew when the next opportunity would present itself? “Just kiss me, Kain,” she said.
His hands tightened on her arms and then he drew her against his chest, his lips claiming hers with a mastery she hadn’t felt before. Something within her answered his urgency and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed all of her womanly curves against his hard lines. The frantic beat of his heart told Alique her army general was very much affected by her body. He pushed her over until she again lay below him, and when his hand reached under her skirts, her hips bucked against his.
Kain groaned. “You will be the death of me, lady,” he said, but his fingers continued their slide, first up the outside of her leg, then sweeping across to her inner thigh. Alique held her breath as his hand meandered closer to her core. She was wet with need, ready to accept his manhood, eager for the release the act would bring.
“Yes, Kain,” she moaned. Let him not be in any doubt that she wanted this. She thrust her hips against him and the movement as her pleasure spot came in contact with his taut manhood nearly made her come. She had it bad for this man. His fingers stopped their wandering. “Don’t stop,” she said, pulling his lips against hers and wrenching his shirt open to play with his nipples.
He was hot and hard for her and Alique was more than ready for him. His fingers crept closer to her moist folds and she moaned as his roughened fingertips slid over her engorged center. “Oh, yes,” she said, pushing against him. He continued, gliding his thumb over her core as Alique mounted higher and higher, until she hovered on the edge of a precipice, but Kain took her higher still. Just when she thought she could take no more, he slid two fingers into her, thrusting until she shuddered into oblivion.
Alique came back to reality, Kain’s fingers inside her, her core trembling with the aftershocks of her completion. She gazed up at him, lost for words. His dark eyes seemed troubled. “What is wrong?”
“Nothing, except I’m not sure that was wise,” he said.
“Oh, it was wise, Kain, it certainly was. It was also amazing.”
“Glad I could be of service, lady,” he said, a mocking tone to his words.
He pulled his fingers from her and Alique felt bereft. She wanted to give him pleasure as he had given her. “I’d be happy to return the favor.”
Kain shook his head. “Get yourself tidied up. We’ll be leaving soon. I wouldn’t want anyone walking in on us.”
Alique pulled her skirts down and straightened her bodice. “They know what we’ve been up to, unless they are deaf.”
He shrugged and Alique realized he regretted his moment’s weakness. Perhaps he would never allow her to love him as he had just loved her. She was sad at the thought.
*
Ten minutes later they were on the road once again, Kain acutely aware he had stepped over the line with Alique. He couldn’t erase the feel of her body against his hands, the scent of her arousal, the urge he had to make her his own. For a man who guarded his heart so closely, this was new. No one had come along and forced their way past his defenses as Alique threatened to. She had wormed her way through the barriers he had tried to erect. Perhaps it was the situation they found themselves in; emotions were running high and confidences were natural. Confidences led to closeness, and that led to caring. He must put a halt to this before one or both of them got hurt.
Content with his decision, Kain turned his attention to the trail, wondering why a rescue had not yet been mounted, and then berating himself for needing one. He doubted he had ever felt so vulnerable or so useless. His hands curled in the reins and Snow threw his head up. That earned him a sharp look from Celri. Kain shot him a hard look back.
He’d been told they were moving to the stronghold the elves held to the northwest. It was a journey of around ten days. Surely along the way they could disentangle themselves from the brethren. The elves called the city Elvandang but to Kain it sounded like the abandoned city of Amitania.
Alique rode ahead of him, her body slumped in the saddle. It had to be difficult to ride for long hours side saddle. Perhaps some trousers could be found so that she could ride astride. He would give up his saddle for her and ride bareback as many of the elves did. His groin tightened as he imagined hours on the bony back of a horse, but chivalry demanded it.
*
Two days later, Alique rode with Kain and her elven captors deep in the forest to the northwest of Wildecoast. Kain told her Brightcastle lay to the southwest, and they would soon head due north to Amitania. She had heard of the fabled city, doomed to destruction and moldering away in the forested mountains north of Brightcastle. There were conflicting stories regarding what had led to its downfall but the most popular was an uprising by the people against a tyrannical ruler. Not much had survived the civil war that rocked the city. It seemed the elves had chosen it as their stronghold.
Kain had organized elven leggings and a tunic for Alique so that she could ride astride. He had given up his saddle as well. He now rode on a horsehair pad that could not be comfortable. So even if he was withdrawn, she knew he was thinking about her, if only to regret his decision to offer up his seat. It irked to be attired in the clothing of the forest people, but Alique had to concede that side saddle was not for long trips. Her endurance had improved considerably, and since they tied her up each day and interrogated Kain, she had enough aches and pains to worry about without adding a stiff back to her woes.
The elves grew more frustrated with each inquisition. Kain had been masterful in sparing her. Each time she feared torture was imminent, he would offer up a tidbit of information which appeared to satisfy the elves. Alique wondered if they were capable of hurting her, but when she looked into Failora’s eyes, she did not doubt that the elven woman could and would do her harm. Failora was a constant at the interrogations and often whispered into the ear of the high prince.
The nerves of all the party were stretched taut. Not knowing the fate of her family was slowly killing Alique. Since their intimate moment in the tent two days ago, Kain had been distant. She knew he was concerned that no rescue had been forthcoming but also that he schemed his own escape. If he would tell her what he planned, Alique would rest easier. She still left the markers but her supply of calendula had dwindled and would soon run out.
Midmorning, they rode through a dense patch of forest where the trees blocked out most of the light. Burning brands were lit to disperse the dark but despite this, Alique began
to feel a prickle at the base of her skull, as though she was being watched. She glanced behind to Kain and caught him peering into the shadows beneath the trees with fixed concentration. Their captors appeared similarly alert.
The forest around them was quiet, even though at this time of the day the feathered inhabitants should be most active. Alique slowed her horse and fell back beside Kain without anyone noticing – another strange occurrence.
“Something is afoot,” she said.
Kain nodded. “Perhaps our help is finally here.”
“It must be that!” Alique’s heart leapt with hope. She might see her family sooner than she thought.
“Stay close to me,” he said. “Whatever it is, the situation will be dangerous.”
Alique struggled to rein in her excitement, taking deep breaths until her thundering heart slowed to a more respectable pace.
They traveled further into the dense forest, alert for any sign of what might come next as the light grew dimmer. Hardly anyone spoke but no one noticed Alique’s position beside Kain. Alique battled harder than she ever had before to keep her uneasiness in check, using Kain’s relaxation exercises to good effect. She had to be ready for anything.
A blood-curdling scream echoed through the woods and the two elves who rode in front of her tumbled from their horses, arrows protruding from their backs. The horses reared and charged, causing chaos in the forward ranks. Alique gathered her reins even as she avoided the bodies of the fallen. Her mind swirled with the images before her. Horses panicked and bolted and elves sawed at reins trying to control their mounts as arrows sliced through the air to rip the hearts out of their captors. It had to be their rescue party.
An arm slid around her waist and she screamed before she realized it was Kain.
“Stay down.” His arm slipped away. “Follow me.”
He hustled Snow past Ebony and down a narrow path to the right of the track. Alique followed close behind, keeping her head low over Ebony’s withers to avoid arrows and branches. Sticks grabbed at her cloak and legs but the sound of the battle faded quickly as they moved into the dense trees, following the track.
The Elf King’s Lady: Wildecoast Saga Book 2 Page 9
