by Jasmine Walt
Perhaps this is Roisen punishing us for killing his witch hunters, Riann thought morosely. But the idea that the storm god himself had turned his wrath on them was too depressing, so he cast the thought out of his mind and continued on.
Thankfully, the blizzard did not last forever. Gradually, it petered out into a gentle snowfall, and then to clear skies with twinkling stars overhead.
“Is it me,” Calrain asked, sounding a bit woozy, “or is the air getting warmer?”
“It’s definitely getting warmer,” Itolas said, his eyes bright. “Let’s keep going. I think we might reach the Carlissian border soon!”
By the time they reached the Carlissian border, Riann could barely keep his eyes open. Calrain swayed in his saddle, so Itolas took over and confronted the border guards.
“What is your business in Carliss?” one of the guards asked. He wore dark red leather armor with metal plating and carried a spear. “And why is half of your party wounded?”
“Our camp was ambushed by bandits on our way to here,” Itolas said sadly. “Most of my household were killed, save these three.” He gestured to Calrain and Tariel. “We are on our way to visit my sister, in Barania, and hopefully seek treatment for my friends.”
The guard’s stern face softened. “I am sorry for your loss,” he said, stepping aside to let them through. “Be on your guard while you travel through our lands. There are bandits on this side as well.”
Calrain shuddered as they passed through. “I wish Tariel were awake so she could disguise us,” he said once they were out of earshot, drawing his horse alongside Riann’s. He glanced down at Tariel, his features tight with concern. “She spent herself trying to protect us.”
“Tariel’s magic is a blessing,” Riann said, “but we should be careful not to use it as a crutch. We have gotten along just fine without magic before this, and until Tariel has regained her strength, we will get along without it now.”
They rode for an hour, until the sun tinged the sky with hints of gold, illuminating the landscape around them. It didn’t take long for their surroundings to change from frozen tundra to verdant fields and lush forests, and Riann was shocked at the temperature difference. Soon, he was forced to remove his cloak to keep from getting drenched in sweat.
“It’s a good thing I packed tents,” Itolas said after they’d stopped in a clearing in a thickly wooded area, where they’d decided to camp for the night. He and Riann unloaded their baggage while Calrain watched over Tariel. “These will shield us from the elements some.”
“I am grateful,” Riann said. The tents were a bit too colorful for his liking, but Riann could hardly complain. “I apologize for getting you caught up in our problems.”
Itolas snorted. “You did not force me to provoke Sir Jerrold into a fight. Of course, if Tariel had not been in the room, his little magic finder would not have gone off, but I’m certain he would have found another reason to try to gut me with his sword.” His lip curled. “He came to my home the night after you and Tariel tried to get me to give you passage on my ship, asking questions.”
“Oh?” Riann raised his eyebrows, though he wasn’t entirely surprised. “And what did you tell him?”
“Nothing very useful,” Itolas said, “but his interrogation prompted me to do an investigation of my own, and I found out some very interesting things.”
“Like what?”
The men spun around at the sound of a weak female voice. “Tariel!” they cried in unison.
Tariel smiled as she sat up, assisted by Calrain. The two of them reclined against a log, Calrain’s arm wrapped possessively around her shoulder. “I see the three of you managed to get us to safety,” she said.
“Relative safety,” Riann said, dropping to his knees next to her. “Sir Jerrold survived your attack, so we do not know when he will strike again.”
Tariel’s gorgeous blue eyes clouded. “Survived?” she echoed, her exotic features going taut with strain. “But I could have sworn I’d killed him.”
“He is like a roach, apparently,” Itolas said, his voice thick with disgust. When Tariel turned her gaze to him, he gave her a brilliant smile. “And you are radiant, like the sun. Far more beautiful in your natural form than in the guise you wore when we first met.”
Tariel blushed, and Riann and Calrain exchanged glances. There was no question that Tariel was attracted to Itolas, and vice versa, and the thought made Riann’s heart ache with jealousy. And yet, Itolas had proven to be a staunch ally. Riann was not certain they would have survived Sir Jerrold and his men without Itolas’s superb sword fighting, and if he had not been there, Sir Jerrold would have certainly found them out with that strange device. He was also rich, and a native Maroyan…
“I think you should join our band,” Riann blurted out.
“What?” Calrain’s eyes widened, and even Tariel blinked in surprise. “Join…as in…?”
“Of course, only if Tariel wants him to,” Riann said quickly, meeting her gaze. “You are our mage, so it is up to you. But I’ve seen the way you look at Itolas, and there is no question he would be a valuable member.”
“I was going to ask if I could join your band,” Itolas said, blinking in surprise. “But it sounds like what you are actually asking is for me to join your harem.”
Tariel blushed furiously. “I would never presume—”
“You should absolutely have him join the harem,” Zolotais said, startling everyone as she materialized in the air. “It has been a good five hundred years since I was last in the Maroyan Empire, and times may have changed. It would behoove you to have someone who knows the lay of the land.”
“A desert spirit?” Itolas exclaimed, staring at Zolotais. “Where did you come from?”
“I am bound to the abacus that Tariel carries,” Zolotais explained, “and have been responsible for much of her education. I daresay she would not have gotten this far without me,” she added with a smug smile.
Tariel laughed. “No, I would not have,” she agreed. “Zolotais has been a wonderful guide for us. But Riann and Calrain are right,” she said, taking Itolas’s hand. “I could use a man like you.”
Itolas stared at Tariel for such a long time, Riann worried he would refuse. But then he slowly sank to one knee and took her other hand in his as well. “It is not generally the custom for a mage to invite a stranger into her harem,” he said. “However, I feel as if I know you, Tariel, though we have not met before.”
“We did meet before,” Tariel said teasingly. “At the ball.”
Itolas smirked. “You know what I speak of,” he said, and Riann did his best not to show his annoyance at the meaningful note in Itolas’s voice. “And you are brave and fierce and absolutely stunning. I would be a fool to say no. However,” he added, a look of chagrin on his face, “I am afraid I would be more of a hindrance to you than a help. I was framed for a crime I did not commit, and sentenced to death. If I return to the Empire, I will be arrested and executed.”
“I don’t see why that is a problem,” Calrain said, surprising Riann. His shock at Riann’s suggestion seemed to have faded away, and Riann could see the wheels turning in that big brain of his. “Tariel can disguise you with her magic, as she has done for us so often.”
“All of you?” Itolas asked in amazement. “For long periods of time?”
Tariel nodded. “It is one of the few things I can do very well with my magic.”
“That is incredible,” Itolas said. “You must be a very strong mage indeed.” He cleared his throat. “I would be honored to join your harem, your band, if you will have me.”
Tariel grinned at him. “Welcome, then,” she said, patting the ground in front of her. “Now come sit, and tell me what you discovered in this investigation of yours.”
The three of them sat in silence as Itolas recounted his visit with Prince Raglar. Tariel, in turn, told him what she had learned from the queen, and the two compared notes.
“If I had to guess,” Calrain said
after they were finished, “I would say that Princess Allia is your mother, and that you are Princess Tariel, daughter to the king’s brother and the Maroyan empress’s niece.”
Itolas nodded. “I concur. It is the only logical explanation.”
Riann shook his head, amazed. “Who knew we’ve been traveling with royalty this entire time?” He could hardly believe it was true, and yet the way Tariel carried herself, and the strong magic she possessed, was undeniable. That, combined with the fact that Princess Allia’s mother-in-law , Queen Relissa, was also Tariel’s warden, made for far too much of a coincidence.
But Tariel bit her lip, uncertain. “You are forgetting that Prince Raglar is six months younger than me,” she protested. “How could I be his older sister, with such a small gap between our ages?”
“That is a good point,” Riann said. “Perhaps we are missing a piece of the puzzle.”
“There is no denying the resemblance between you and Raglar, now that I have met you both,” Itolas said. He leaned in, cupping Tariel’s chin. “You have the same eyes, and very similar jawlines.”
Riann tensed as he felt the spark of passion between the two, and he sensed Calrain stiffen beside him. An irrational fear that Tariel would lose interest in him and Calrain rose up, but Tariel squeezed his hand, sending a pulse of reassurance down the bond.
Riann smiled, squeezing her hand back as he relaxed. Whatever happened, no matter who came into their lives, Tariel would always be his. And he, hers.
29
Three days later
“Well, that business is over and done,” Yarim said as they left the ranch. They had rid themselves of the additional horse, and their purse, combined with Yarim’s, was significantly fatter. “We should definitely have enough coin to get us to the capital.”
“And from there, we should be able to hire a ship to the Empire,” Tariel said, feeling hopeful for the first time in more than a week. The weather in Carliss was significantly warmer than in Fjordland, and when they had stopped at an inn for the night, they had learned the Virian Sea was not frozen this far south. The passage to the Empire was clear from here.
Yarim smiled, his violet eyes sparkling. “Soon enough, you will be standing on Maroyan soil. I cannot wait until you get your first taste of the Empire. The food, the language, the people…it is like nothing you have ever experienced before.”
Tariel smiled. “I am certain I will love it,” she said, reaching for his hand. She squeezed it, and a little thrill of desire rushed through her when he squeezed back, his thumb brushing the sensitive spot on the inside of her wrist.
She had not bedded Yarim yet. Even though she had declared him a member of the harem, she wanted to give Riann and Calrain time to get used to him. She had felt their insecurities the night Yarim had joined them, but had also felt their resolve to do whatever was necessary to protect and make her happy, and that had warmed her heart more than any flowery words or praises could have. Over the past few nights, she had given them both equal attention in bed, but now…perhaps it was time to turn her attention elsewhere and properly bring Yarim into the fold.
“Tariel,” Riann said urgently, distracting her from her lustful thoughts. “There are riders coming our way.”
Tariel tore her gaze from Yarim and back to the road. They were on an incline, so she did not see anything, but her sensitive ears heard the thunder of hooves, and her skin prickled. Her horse pranced nervously beneath her as she instinctively tightened the reins, her gut telling her that whoever was coming was not friendly.
“Let’s get off the road,” she said, urging her horse to the left.
Her men followed her lead, forming a protective circle around Tariel. The sound grew louder, and within minutes, a group of ten men crested the hill. Their mounts were on the lean side, they wore black cloths with red stripes over the lower halves of their faces, and at their waists hung strange, thin-bladed swords.
“Bandits,” Calrain muttered under his breath. “Of course they’re bloody bandits.”
“Well, well, well.” One of the men approached, his dark eyes glittering from beneath the brim of his hat as he looked at Tariel. “Looks like you boys have brought us a gift. Why don’t you leave her with us, along with whatever coin you’ve got, and we’ll be on our way?”
“Or, you can be on your way, and escape with your lives,” Riann said calmly, his gauntleted hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
The bandits laughed, forming a tight circle around their group. But when Tariel lifted her hand, they flinched back as a ball of glowing magic pulsed from the center of her palm.
“A witch!” several of the bandits shrieked, yanking back on the reins of their mounts. The horses let out distressed cries as they backed away. “I’m not fighting a witch!” one of them shouted.
“Bloody hell,” the bandit leader groused. He tried to turn his horse about, but Tariel wasn’t having it. She let the ball of magic fly, and the bandit cried out as it slammed into him and knocked him off the horse.
“Attack!” she cried, and Riann and Yarim spurred their mounts forward. Anger built inside her, fueling her magic, and she swiped her hand again and again, throwing the bandits from their mounts to either be trampled underfoot or finished off by Riann or Yarim.
“Are you sure that was really necessary?” Calrain asked once the carnage was finished. Several of the bandits had run off, escaping Tariel’s wrath, but six lay on the ground, their lifeblood soaking into the dirt. “They would have retreated.”
“Only to attack another innocent victim,” Tariel said tightly. “I am quite fed up with allowing ruffians to roam the land unchecked, targeting those too helpless to protect themselves. It is high time someone did something about them.”
“Too right,” Riann agreed, wiping his sword on the back of one of the bandit’s shirts. “The more of these scum we kill now, the less we will have to worry about them later.”
Calrain still looked a bit doubtful, but nevertheless, he got off his horse and helped the others search the bandits for belongings. They left the weapons, as they were too heavy to carry, but did take a sizable purse from the leader. Tariel felt a bit guilty about profiting off stolen money, but it wasn’t as if she could return it to its rightful owner. If they left it here, someone else could come along and take it.
Finished with the bandits, they continued their journey until nightfall, then camped near a waterfall in the shelter of the woods not far from the road. There, they took turns bathing in the icy water, then climbed up to the top, where they found a large cavern with sufficient room to pitch Yarim’s tents. Tariel used her magic to mask the fire they lit, and they roasted a brace of rabbits that they had killed along the way.
“You know,” Riann said, getting to his feet. He stretched his arms overhead and yawned loudly. “I think I’m going to have a bit of a walk before bed. All this riding has made my legs stiff.”
“I agree,” Calrain said quickly, standing as well. “Mind if I come along with you?”
“Certainly.” Riann caught Yarim’s eyes, and something passed between them. “You’ll take good care of her while we’re gone?”
Yarim nodded. “I will guard her with my life.”
The two exited the cave, leaving Tariel and Yarim alone. For a minute, the crackling fire and the slow exhale of their breaths were the only sounds in the place. Tariel met Yarim’s gaze, and warmth spread through her limbs as he stared back at her. His violet eyes were even more captivating than usual as they reflected the firelight.
“Come here,” he said softly, reaching for her.
Tariel did, her pulse fluttering in her throat. Yarim gently pulled her into his lap, then ran his fingers through her hair, loosening the braid she had hastily plaited that morning. The inky black locks, identical to his own, spilled freely over her shoulders, and Yarim followed their trail until his hand was resting at the curve of her back.
“It seems as if I’ve been waiting forever to touch you like this,�
� he murmured, his voice deep and resonant. “But in reality, it has only been a few days since I first laid eyes on you.”
“I feel the same,” Tariel said, reaching up to trace the curve of his cheekbone. She loved Riann and Calrain, but there was room in her heart for more, and it seemed to swell every time she looked at Yarim. “There was a…connection between us when I looked across the room at you.”
“Mmm, yes,” he agreed, brushing a feather light kiss over her lips. Tariel sighed, and he did it again, and again, until she was melting into him, her arms wrapping around his neck. Then he kissed her deeply, his tongue stroking hers as he saturated her with his spicy-sweet scent. The warmth in Tariel’s limbs grew into a slow burn, and the space between her legs ached with sweet, persistent need.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Yarim said, catching her wrist as she reached for the waistband of his trousers. “I intend to fully ravish you before you lay a finger on me.”
Tariel laughed as he stood and carried her into the tent, where his bedroll had already been laid out. “I believe I’ve already laid a finger on you,” she said, tapping the side of his neck as he laid her down.
He grinned. “That is not the ‘me’ I am referring to,” he said, rocking his hips into hers. Tariel moaned as his bulge ground against her sex, increasing the ache. She reached for his hips, wanting more, but he grabbed both her wrists in one hand and pinned them over her head.
“You’re a sneaky one,” he said, nibbling on her neck. She whimpered when he dragged his tongue along the same spot, stoking the fire within. “Have you ever used your magic to make a privacy bubble?”
Tariel shook her head. “What is that?”
“It is a way to block out the sound, so that no one hears you as you scream my name with pleasure,” he said in a silky voice that made her even wetter. “It also muffles the sounds outside, so you are not distracted. Do you think you can make one?”
