She grinned at him, and for a moment, his face lit up. “Let’s race,” she said. “Close as many as you can, and I’ll do the others. When there are six left, you’ll tell me which ones you know well. Those will be yours to close. Whoever closes the last entrance to the inner tunnels accepts defeat.”
“What will I win?”
“You’re rather confident.”
“It is my castle, and strategy is my strength. Felip taught me that.” At the mention of Felip, his grin fell.
Kambry strode to him and lay her hands on each side of his face. “Russal, don’t give up on me.”
He pulled her against his chest and rested his forehead on her shoulder. Hands pressed to her rib cage trembled as he drew her close.
“Is this strategy, Russal? Do you think weak knees and a trembling heart will slow me down?”
He laughed, and his breath brushed her neck, giving her shivers. “Am I making your knees weak, my love?”
She turned her head, their lips brushing together.
Russal inhaled, his mouth parting.
He didn’t move, and Kambry decided she would. With tender slowness, she ran her hands up his arms and around his neck. When she clasped her hands together behind his shoulders, he kissed her, tucking her so snugly against him, her back arched. She wasn’t sure, but either their hearts were beating in unison or his heart’s frantic thud drowned hers out.
Russal pulled away from her and backed up against the podium. He stopped when it tipped and thudded back down. He shook a finger at her, his voice carrying a breathlessness. “You have a very overwhelming counterstrategy.” He looked at the room around him as if remembering where he was. “Let’s get them closed off before you completely disarm me.”
“And then?”
His head swiveled back at her, eyes bright and focused on hers. “The winner gets to decide the ‘and then.’”
She ran to the wall and called to Kavin. With trembling fingers, she traced out a hidden doorway and refused to admit who she hoped would win the race.
Chapter Twelve
Kambry paused with a hand on an entrance to the passages when she heard a scuffle at the door. They were both rushing to close off the last six entrances, and she was at her final one. Was someone in the outer map room? She looked at the door of stone standing open. On the floor of the threshold lay a gold box on its side, a green ribbon holding it shut, an elaborate bow draping the floor.
“Russal?”
“Done,” he said.
She twisted around, her brows pulled together.
With deliberate slowness, he folded his arms across his chest, leaned his shoulder on the section of labyrinth beside him, and crossed one ankle over the other. A self-satisfied grin graced his face. “I believe I’ve won. Now what shall be my prize?”
Kambry looked at the gold box and then again at Russal. “You deliberately sabotaged me.”
“Distracted you. I am a wily king. I gave you something else to put your attention to.”
“You stopped me from closing the last entrance.”
“You said you wanted to leave one open.”
Kambry reexamined the carved diagram. She turned in place. He was right; there was only one exit remaining now. It wasn’t the one she had planned. She remembered this one. It opened into one of the receiving rooms, the very one she had leaped into when she was evading Covey and his companion. “Then I won as I closed off the only two available.”
“Are you going to be that kind of queen, finding loopholes to take advantage of your subjects?”
“What? You just threw a box to distract me.”
“I was stopping you from closing off the last entrance to the passages which you had been adamant should be left open,” he said, sauntering toward her, his head tipped suggestively. “Do you want it closed now?”
“No.” She backed up a step.
He moved forward two steps, now only one quick stride from her. “I want my winnings.”
Kambry stepped back again, excitement making her hands and feet tingle. The hair on the back of her neck rose. “You haven’t stated what that will be.”
“I’m considering my options.”
Kambry’s skirt brushed the box, the ribbon catching on the stone floor as it slid aside. They both gazed down at it.
“Why don’t you pick that up before you step on it?”
“What is it?”
“A present.”
“I know that. What is inside the box?”
“Open it.”
Kambry squatted and gathered the box in her lap. Sitting down against the wall, she pulled on the ribbon. Russal joined her on the floor, looking eager to see what was inside, too.
She giggled and lifted the lid when he leaned forward, giving her a mischievous glance. Tissue paper covered what was inside, and she shook her head before pinching it between two fingers and tugging it away. She dropped the tissue and tipped the box. “Um.”
“Do you like it?”
What is it? “It’s a gold square.”
“No, it’s not. Pick it up.”
“It’s a gold square, Russal.”
“I didn’t know what to get a queen.”
“So you gave me gold square?”
“It’s not a gold square,” he said, a giggle keeping his raised voice from sounding as exasperated as it might. “You’re also a scribe. This is something for a scribe.”
“Scribes don’t use gold squares. You know little about lettering, do you?”
“If that is a veiled attack on my penmanship, I might just take this present back.”
Kambry slid a finger under the square and lifted the edge. With thumb and finger, she raised it out of the box. “You should practice your letters. A king should be able to write easy-to-read prose.”
Russal took the box from her and set it aside. “Stop with the criticism of my scribbles. Do you like it?”
“I love your crabby scrawl.”
“The present, you annoying woman.”
She turned it between her thumb and finger and smiled. Master Muntrac kept one in the scriptorium, but she had never had one of her own. She’d always used a blade to sharpen her lead. Though there were some lead angles far more useful, a clean point had many purposes. Cupping it in one hand, she rolled it over her palm, noting the imprint of a proilis flower on top and bottom of the square. “This lead sharpener is a thoughtful gift, Russal. Thank you.”
He sighed and leaned back. “You can make a fine point now.” He looked at the gilt tool in her hand. “You’re very hard to please. Do you know you have never used an endearment when you talk to me? It’s always just Russal.” He took her hand and flattened it on his knee. “Not that I mind the sound of it on your lips. Do you love me, Kambry dear?”
Had she never said “my love” or “darling” to him? She swallowed. Did that mean she didn’t love him? Maybe she wasn’t comfortable with endearments. Or she had little practice with them. She rolled the sharpener between her fingers and slid it into a pocket.
“Kambry?”
His voice had taken on a fearful quality, and she faced him, her heart thudding at the thought that he believed she might not love him. “Of course, I do.” She did. “I’m not in good practice loving someone.”
He seemed appeased by her words and nodded. “I know what I want for my prize.”
“What?” she said, her exhilaration tightening her throat. She feared he hadn’t heard her at all when he didn’t speak right away.
“You will call me loveykins.”
Kambry blinked. What did he just say? “Huh?”
He closed her mouth with a finger at her chin. “Loveykins. I want you to call me loveykins. That’s what I won when I beat you closing the entrances.”
“I can’t say that. It’s too silly.”
“It’s what I’ve won.” He leaned toward her until barely a breath could pass between their lips. “Say it, my love.”
The tingling in her hands flowed up her
arms and filled her chest. Her stomach fluttered. “Loveykins.”
“Say ‘Kiss me, loveykins.’”
She laughed. “I will not.”
His hand cupped the back of her head. “Please, my love.”
The laughter in his eyes clouded up, and she was certain the cloudiness was passion. Was that what she was feeling? “Kiss me, loveykins,” she whispered.
“I will.” His hand pressed her forward, and he kissed her, an arm pulling her around and into his lap.
Kambry shifted, getting comfortable, and running her hands up his chest. She could feel his heart thundering, and her own raced to catch up. So much filled her senses. His hand cupped her hip, and her dress made hushing sounds as she pressed herself to his velvet doublet.
She lay on her back, her legs across his slanted lap, Russal leaning over her, thoroughly intent on kissing her breathless. The cold stone floor wasn’t comfortable, but everything else about the situation was, and she ignored the chill at her back.
Russal drew back, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths. Kambry rose with him, keeping their lips together. He cupped her face and drew away. With each breath he took, he looked about the room. “Not here, my love. Not here.” He pulled her up and arranged her on his lap.
She tried to kiss him again, but he dipped his chin away.
“You tempt me, but this is not the place for where this is going.” He deliberately straightened her bodice and tugged her skirt down about her legs. “That was much more than I was hoping for. You’d better save that endearment for occasions when we’re alone.”
“We’re alone right now, loveykins.” She giggled and dug her hands under his doublet.
“Kambry.” He laughed and pulled her hands out. “Anyone could enter the map room and find us.”
“How often do people need a map?”
He wet his lips. “Well, I don’t know. But I imagine Burty needs one now and then.”
“I think he would quietly leave.” And we could close the hidden door.
“After we had thoroughly embarrassed him. I don’t think you have any idea what was about to happen, my queen.”
She had been running her finger along his jawline and stopped, imagining what was likely to happen had they continued. Burty would not have been the only one embarrassed. “I concede your point.” The tingling faded a bit, and she imagined it would take little to raise herself back to a mindless pursuit of pleasure. She crab walked off his lap and stood, her hands brushing at her skirts. A flush warmed her face, and she turned her back on Russal. Was that love or lust? She couldn’t stop pressing her skirt smooth as she walked around the pillar, placing it between them.
“Kambry, don’t run away.” He stood. “I didn’t mean to make you think your behavior inappropriate. We are married. You are my queen, I your king. Nothing would have happened that was wrong. But I would like you to be comfortable and where you can feel secure and be able to...” His words trailed off. “There are things....”
She turned to face him, pinching her lips between her teeth on one side.
He tugged at his doublet. “At least, we’ve closed the passages. It may be too late to set up a guard to catch them exiting.” His gaze locked on her.
She raised her hand as if to stave off him accusing her. Did he think she had been distracting him, giving Felip time to escape? “Russal, if we hurry.”
“No. It’s too late. They’ll know we were closing off entries. The queen’s ring may not work for whoever has it, but it will reveal the use of magic and probably the purpose. They’re out by now.”
Kambry rested fingertips on the wall and pulled at the magic. Were they out of the servants’ passages she had found Felip and the other figure in? “They’re gone,” she said and slumped. “I’m sorry.” At least, she didn’t have to worry about the two meeting.
He was beside her and wrapping his arms around her. “I wouldn’t feel too bad. You love me and that is tremendously pleasing.” His hands ran down her back.
Was that love? Maybe it was lust. The tingle of desire galloped inside her. She trembled, and he held her tighter.
“Come back to our chambers, Kambry.” He trailed his lips along her neck, continuing until his mouth lay on her check. One small shift would bring their lips together.
“I need to talk to Sybil,” she said. Had it only been since yesterday that they had met? She needed to know who this woman was that was going to betray her. She needed time to figure out if she believed Felip was protecting her, and she needed distance from Russal. Loving him and feeling passion for him had considerable merit and motivation. But she didn’t want to give up independent action and choice. One more kiss from him and she’d pack both up in the box and gift him with it. She definitely needed distance.
Russal backed away. “Alright. I’ll see you this evening.” He strode out of the map room. She hurried to follow, but he had already exited the outer room when she stepped over the stone threshold. His steps echoed in the hall for a moment, then stopped. She heard him returning and waited inside the wide stone doorway for him to appear.
After a moment, he stood at the entrance to the map room, a contrite expression on his face. “I’ll close the wall and walk you to Sybil’s office.” His hands fluttered at his sides. “I don’t mean to act like a child having a tantrum.”
She stepped out of the doorway and walked to the table. Fiddling with the pages of an open book of charts and graphs, she traced her fingers around the boxed edge of the legend for the symbols used. The grinding sweep of the stone door sounded behind her, along with its thump into place.
Russal raised her hand off the book and entwined their fingers. “Come along.”
They passed through the rooms of the old keep in silence. Russal’s fingers caressed her hand. At one point, he seemed to tug her close, but the pressure disappeared as quickly as she noted it.
A guard stood at the corner, close to Sybil’s door. Russal took both her hands in his. “I would like to order the guard to examine the ceiling, if you don’t mind.”
“Okay.”
He glared at the guard, who turned away and whistled softly as he took a penknife to his fingernails.
Russal kissed her softly, clearly wanting to deepen the kiss. She raised her chin, giving him full access to her mouth. He groaned and rushed in. It was all she could do to grip his collar and keep herself from sliding down the wall to the floor. Love or passion. She still didn’t know, but when he kissed her, she didn’t care which it was. She needed distance. If only her gripping hands would stop tugging him closer.
He drew back and touched a thumb to the corner of her mouth. “I’ll see you this evening. Make sure Sybil calls a guard to escort you when you are ready to leave.”
She nodded. Her hands pressed the wall behind her. She hadn’t dropped her chin and his gaze strayed to her lips, and he leaned close for a moment, his exhalation tickling her cheeks. His hands ran down her ribs to her waist, but then he leaned around her and knocked hard on the door before striding away.
The door opened, and one of Sybil’s assistants stood at the threshold. His auburn hair glinted in the light of the oil lamp mounted by the door. “Please enter, Your Highness. The sybil will see you.” He stepped past her and exited the office.
Kambry slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. She dropped into the chair in front of Sybil’s desk.
“Hello, my queen,” Sybil said without looking up from a piece of parchment she appeared to be doodling on. The point of her quill turned round and round in a nearly inkless scrape on the parchment.
Her words drew an echo of Russal’s endearment through Kambry’s mind, bringing a warm flush to her face. He too had referred to her that way but with entirely different emotional underpinnings. Sybil may have been making it clear where her loyalties lie, but the words could not have been more charged with meaning, given the emotions tingling along Kambry’s skin. “I need a drink of water.”
Sybil drop
ped the quill, shook her head as if clearing it of cobwebs, and stepped to the serving tray atop a low bookshelf and poured a glass. She set it directly into Kambry’s hand as if she knew Kambry couldn’t get her limbs to do any bidding at the moment. The seer sat again across the desk from her. The chair creaking was the only sound in the room.
Kambry gulped the water and set the cup on the desk, her fingers keeping their grip as if it might slide away from her. “Were you expecting me?”
“I thought it best to avoid you for a while.”
“Not expecting me?”
“No. We just had our meeting yesterday.” Sybil set her quill in the mount on the marble base holding the inkwell. She capped the well, dropping a silver lid onto its open mouth.
Kambry dove into the first concern that came to mind. “How do I know I can trust that you are not the woman that betrays me?”
Sybil snorted and gave her a humorous stare. “A quandary, isn’t it? I’m the one that told you that a woman would betray you, but that could be to keep you from suspecting me.”
Kambry grimaced.
Sybil grinned and continued in a teasing tone. “Of course, I had to be certain that you would view me innocent if I warned you.”
“You’re not helping.” Kambry leaned forward and slid the glass of water to the side. “Is Felip still a danger to me?”
Sybil tipped her head and gazed at the sheet of squiggles and swirls before her. “I think I’ve missed something.”
“Several somethings.”
“I’m not your only dilemma, am I, Your Highness?”
“I’ve a pile of the annoying things.”
“Tell me.”
“I believe Felip was at the coronation, or at least at the reception after. They attacked my parents and the Laurents in the maze of the royal gardens. Gordy was gravely injured during that attack. Felip showed up in our chambers while Russal was out checking the condition of the guards. He claims Maizalyn has plans for me he is actively thwarting.”
Sybil raised a hand. “I have a feeling this list continues. Is it Felip or Russal that is doing the thwarting?”
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