Kael averted his eyes. “Yes, a distraction. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a matter to attend to.”
She stared after him in disbelief, not understanding what had happened to the person she had once considered her truest love. Maybe it was for the best that the fates had not brought them together after all.
What would that even be like?
*****
“Malik, the timing of this trip to Silktree could not be worse.” Merivic scrubbed his hand over his face.
“It is a necessary cleansing for the promising ceremony.”
“Yes, yes, I know.” He sighed, leaning a hip against the table. “Why did the outlaws have to attack Drak of all people? Anyone else but him. Only he could have saved me the necessity of this journey. It was almost as if they knew.”
“I believe it was simply bad luck, Sire. There is no reason to think they knew of his purpose. I am sure they know now since they procured the documents he was carrying, but they could not have possibly had knowledge of him prior to the encounter.”
Merivic rubbed the back of his neck. “And there is no way we could delay it further?”
“It has waited long enough, My Lord. You must not put it off any longer. No matter what your reasons.” Malik knowingly arched a brow.
The lord grimaced with his responding thought. “I do detest the taste of swine blood.”
“Yes, human blood…human virgin blood…is so much sweeter.”
“I cannot argue with that,” Merivic answered distractedly as he pushed off the table and walked to the scrying bowl across the way, the glimmers of light dancing across the water’s surface catching his eye.
“There is a very lovely virgin in the castle. If you would care for a taste, I am sure it could be arranged.”
Merivic turned on him with a low growl in his chest.
Malik cackled a laugh as he held up his pale hands. “Merely jesting, My Lord. Of course, I would never harm the lovely Lady Anya.” Tilting his head, he studied the lord closer—his defensive posture and defending response. “You really love her, do you not?”
“I do.”
“You have never loved in the past,” Malik pointed out.
“There has never been one like Anya before.”
“I did not know you to even be capable of it.”
“Nor did I, but apparently I can…or something that closely resembles it.” He vigorously shook his head. “No. It is love.”
“Interesting.”
Merivic snapped his head in the cleric’s direction. “While I am away, you had better think of a way for me to win her back.”
Malik bowed low. “I am already contemplating several options. Do not fret about it, Sire. Simply concentrate on the ritual in Silktree.”
Merivic nodded his agreement as he turned toward the door.
“One more thing, Sire?”
“What is it?”
“Perhaps I could get my hands on Lady Anya’s amulet so that I may study its metaphysical properties. I am curious.”
Merivic waved his hand at him dismissingly. “Yes, yes. I am sure Anya will not mind…after I win her back, that is. I will see to it once she has accepted me with open arms.”
*****
Merivic had been gone several days and Anya still had come no closer to determining what she wanted, or rather, who she wanted. She had hoped the distance between her and Kael, and now, her and Merivic, would have allowed her the proper insight into her heart. But it only raised more questions.
In the lord’s absence, she realized she missed him being near. Although she had not surrendered to his gentle manner and soft, guilty glances, she apparently felt comfort deep down by just having his presence known to her.
Here was a man who loved her and wanted her. Yes, he did wrong by her. But, yes, he felt great remorse about it—she could see it in his eyes. Did he deserve to suffer forever for his act of indiscretion, an act she still did not fully comprehend the catalyst of? Of course not. He deserved her final reaction to it, no matter which way it should take her. But how could she make an informed decision?
Kael was the other factor in the scenario, the enigma in an already murky situation. Here was a man who had loved her long ago. But what did he feel now? He had been avoiding her for the better part of a week, since their conversation in the hall. Did it mean something? Was it on purpose, or simply due to a call of duty?
All her thoughts tumbled as she pulled the hood of her cloak lower around her face and ducked her head against the throngs of citizens she was walking amongst. Gerhard had been hovering like a shadow since he had taken charge of her security, and she had finally managed to slip past his watchful eye to sneak out of the castle. How was she supposed to concentrate on important life decisions with such an annoyance hanging about?
Unfortunately, Anya’s walk of freedom did nothing to clear her mind, and she finally decided to head back. She lifted her head and looked around to decide the best course, then darted down an alley angling toward the main road. It was not long before she heard footsteps from behind, pacing her own.
Whirling around, she turned to face her stalker.
“Lady Anya.” Anya nearly snarled as she twisted away from Zabela, and the former servant caught her arm. “Do not turn away from me. I have things to say to you.”
She whipped back around, and did it swinging.
Zabela caught her wrist, Anya’s fist a mere breath away from her face. “Now is that any way to behave? That might have hurt me, Lady Anya.” She spit the words as she tugged her closer. “I am surprised you are still here. Such betrayal my dear Merivic has committed. Such a nasty sting to the engagement, no doubt.” She smiled wickedly, her voice lowering as if she were confiding in Anya. “Do you want to know how good it felt to have him hot and hard inside of me?”
Anya tried to jerk her arm back, but Zabela tightened her grip. “Oh, and such pleasure I gave him. The way he reacted to me, the way his hands touched me, the way his tongue caressed me. Mmm. I know men, and I know I took him to soaring heights no other could fathom. You could never match what I have brought him already.”
Zabela shoved Anya away from her, and took stock of the stunned, yet fiery, woman in front of her. Her mind raced as to how best to end this confrontation, to drive Anya away from Merivic, and therefore away from the castle, so that Zabela’s banishment might be lifted. Only then could things return to the way they once were, when she was with Malik, able to have him anytime she pleased.
Love, she thought slyly, is always a weakness. He loves her—impossibly so—but how could she not doubt it now?
“He does not love you. You must know that by now. He is simply using you so he may ascend.”
Anya’s eyes flashed. “You are full of lies. If it was simply a marriage he wanted, why did he not marry you?”
“Because I am merely a servant, and known as such in these parts. Now, how would that appear? Hmm?” Zabela hitched a hand on her hip and gave Anya a quick up-and-down study. “But you, on the other hand, have all the beauty and anonymity he needs. Honestly, Lady Anya, what do the two of you possibly have in common? What connection do you have now?”
Anya knew Zabela was simply trying to get a rise out of her, but the words hit home regardless of any logic she could come up with. How could she not doubt his intentions when his actions directly contradicted his words? And, truly, what did they honestly have in common. Her and Kael had so much—they grew up together, had the same adventurous spirit, the same lust and thirst to experience life. But what of Merivic?
“Run along now, Milady. There is nothing further we need to discuss.”
Before Anya could even respond, Zabela ducked into a neighboring building, the ruckus sounding from inside encouraging Anya to hasten her departure as well.
Furious that she allowed Zabela to get the best of her, she stormed back to the castle. But that did not stop the contemplations from slamming into her, wave after nauseating wave. By the time she made her way ba
ck to her room, she was determined to end this confusion. She knew who she wanted, where her heart truly lay. And as she dressed for bed, she finally decided she must confront Kael. She could no longer ignore the hold he had on her. She had to be brave enough to confirm it or she would always wonder.
Head high, but with a tremble in her belly, Anya eased out into the empty corridor and crept to Kael’s door. A single, tense solitary sigh was all she issued before holding her breath and slipping inside his room.
Chapter 25
Merivic slid off his horse with a visible weariness.
“Are you well, My Lord,” the stable boy inquired as he took the reins, concern marring his young, round face.
“Twas a long journey, Caleb.”
“We were not expecting you back for at least another two days. I hope your early arrival does not mean it was a bad trip.”
“On the contrary. It was quite successful. I was merely anxious to return to Lady Anya so I rushed through my business in Silktree.” Merivic rolled his shoulders as he stretched. “I am sure she has retired for the night, but am happy to be home regardless.”
“And we are happy to have you back, Sire.” Caleb bowed and led the horse to the stable.
Instead of going to his quarters, Merivic decided to pay Malik a visit. Now that he had the cleansing ritual behind him, it was time to focus on reclaiming Anya’s heart. It was possible Malik had turned in for the night, but Merivic did not care. Either way, he was going to talk to the cleric, and he had better have come up with some ideas. After all, it was his fault he was in this predicament.
Merivic had worked himself up into a good healthy anger as he descended into the bowels of the castle, prepared to drag Malik out of bed if necessary. And he was sorely disappointed when he found him not only awake, but sitting amongst a pile of scrolls and potion ingredients—no doubt hard at work to solve Merivic’s problem.
“Ah, My Lord. I am pleased you have returned so quickly. I trust everything went well with the ritual?”
“Yes, everything went as it should.”
“Good. I was just studying some materials on spiritual guardians.”
Merivic nodded. “You are trying to find out more about Anya’s amulet.”
“Once you have procured the necklace for me, I should know more. What is it you know for sure regarding the tiger?”
“Anya can call Tajvek at will, or he appears when he senses great fear or if she feels threatened.”
Malik drummed his fingertips together as he contemplated Merivic’s explanation. “We will definitely need to disenchant the amulet before the blessing. Unfortunately, her hypnotic state will not halt her fear.”
“And you are positive about that?”
“There is no getting around it.”
“That was what I was afraid of,” Merivic said, running his hand over his shorn hair. “What about after the blessing? Can we re-enchant the amulet? She may need the tiger to protect her in the future.”
“I might be able to. I am not sure. But, Sire, we cannot risk the tiger appearing during the blessing.”
“Agreed. But perhaps we can simply keep her from wearing it.”
Malik glanced at Merivic, then turned as he began rolling up a scroll. “That is an option, but it may raise some questions on her part. I will look into an alternative, a temporary disenchantment if you prefer.”
“I do,” Merivic stated as he began wandering the small room. “Anya will not remember the blessing, is that correct?” He attempted to keep the worry from his voice, but Malik knew him well enough to recognize it for what it was.
“You cannot back away from this now.”
Merivic’s eyes flashed. “Of course not! My love for her changes nothing. I will do what I must.”
“Just see that you do.”
Merivic’s tone turned deadly in an instant. “You forget your place, Malik.”
“I have much to lose as well, Sire. And I simply wish to ensure your success.”
“Your foremost concern at the moment should not be my reluctance in subjecting her to the blessing. It should be how to get her to agree to the promising ceremony. Without that, there is no blessing.”
Malik grimaced as he looked away.
“Need I remind you, of all people, that she needs to be a willing participant in the promising? That it has to be her choice?”
“I am well aware, Sire. And I continue formulating a solution, but since potions and spells cannot be used to alter her free will, my resources are limited. The only thing I can suggest is something to attract her to you, or lure her back in. And hopefully, at that point, you can manipulate her—” Malik paused when he noticed Merivic hard glare. “Very well, if you find the term manipulate to be offensive… Then charm her, sweep her off her feet—whatever you choose to call it—only so long as it is her choice to agree to the promising ceremony.”
“What about the dream powder? That worked before.”
Malik stroked his chin thoughtfully. “It is risky,” he decided. “It is preferable for her to be thinking favorably of you for it to work properly. We cannot know what is going on in her head now. You might come out in a worse light than going in.”
“There is no way to tell what she is dreaming about before I jump into it? Another potion, perhaps?”
“No. It was a safe assumption in the past that she would be dreaming about you, or at the very least of pleasant things, so immersing yourself was seamless. That may not be the situation now.”
“And I wonder why that is,” Merivic stated, sarcastically.
“Yes, My Lord, I showed poor judgment the night I sent Zabela to you, but do not forget how I have helped. The dream powder, for example. She was drugged in her dreams so she would be more physically open to you, loosen her inhibitions. You were able to slip into her dreams and use those urges to sway her mind and decisions. You thought it could not be done without affecting her choices, but I managed it. Just as I will manage to fix this.”
“See that you do, Malik.” A sly smile curved at Merivic’s mouth. “I certainly prefer the physical enticements, like the dream powder.”
He thought back to the dream where she was wandering in a room with teal fabric hanging from the ceiling. It was such a thrill to be connected to her mentally as she physically reenacted the dream. Sadly, he was unable to replicate the same link during her dream of floating in the clouds—although the outcome on that particular occasion was far more satisfying in the end.
The memory of Anya, naked and over him, pleasuring him, stirred his urges and ignited a low burn in his stomach. “Yes. Something along those same lines would work best for me.”
“Sire.” Malik’s tone was edged in caution, but spoke clearly as a warning.
Merivic pointed a stern finger at the cleric. “Stop reading my emotions. It only causes you to react rashly. I know I cannot take her until the blessing, and I would not jeopardize that.” He slowly rubbed his hands together. “But perhaps it is time to approach her and see just how I am received.” He glanced at Malik. “I will be gentle with her, even cautious, but it is time to start closing the distance between us. There is not much time left to do so.”
“She is certainly sleeping at this late hour, My Lord.”
“Mmm. I believe that is for the best, Malik. Her defenses will be down when roused from sleep. Perhaps I will get a better inkling of her true feelings that way.” Merivic gestured to the pile of scrolls spread over the table. “And you continue with your research. I trust you will have something soon.”
“I am doing all that I can.”
“See that you are. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to wake a beautiful woman and begin my amends.”
*****
Anya slid the door open and crept into Kael’s chambers, her eyes roaming over his slumbering form at the far end of the room. She softly padded toward him, but hesitated more and more with each footfall. She knew she should not be there, and was quite aware of the possible repercussions
of her actions. Stalling in her movements, Anya gazed longingly to that in which she loved, that in which she desired most. But the gravity of the situation fell heavy on her chest and she suddenly realized, it could not be, must not be, and it pained her more than she could bear.
Finally turning away, she pulled her eyes from Kael and came to notice the bright beam of moonlight coming through the window. She softly tip-toed into the light and turned her face up, basking in the brightness as a tear traveled down her cheek, her thoughts consuming her as to what she wanted, and what she knew to be right.
Kael, awake from the moment she opened his door, peered at her when he no longer heard her approach, or the sound of her retreat. No man could convince him, even if given a hundred thousand years to do so, that Anya could be even more beautiful to him than she was in this moment.
The moonlight radiated around her causing her entire silhouette to glow in an ethereal light, piercing through the thin fabric of her nightgown and clearly showing him her feminine outline. The tears freely streaming down her prominent cheek glistened as they caught the light and created a disheartening reaction within him. Kael wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but did he dare respond without first knowing why she had come?
Anya bowed her head with a muted sigh and glanced to Kael once more. She was not aware he was awake, for his eyes were hidden in the shadows. Had she known, she might have gone to him right then and there, but instead, resigning herself to her fate, she turned toward the door.
Realizing she could not see his returning gaze, Kael’s mind scrambled. Do I let her leave without explaining her pain, he wondered, or would I cause her more by asking her to stay?
In a swift movement, he lurched upright and swung his feet to the floor, still unsure of what action to take but unable to simply let the moment slip by. “Anya?”
She paused a brief moment, then suddenly rushed to drop to her knees at his feet. Her expression of adoration was apparent to Kael, but he feared to trust his eyes, afraid it was a delusion—what he only wished to see rather than what was truly there.
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