Prince of Swords

by Linda Winstead Jones

  She had never danced. Reading about it was not the same as witnessing the vigorous activity. The dancers, so briefly glimpsed, seemed gloriously happy.

  Two brightly dressed women who wore an excess of cosmetics stepped from the building and toward the party which moved slowly down the street. “Would you care for some company, gentlemen?” one of them asked. Then they both smiled widely and the other bright woman said, “We’ll be right here all night.”

  Tiller looked at the ladies and his eyes sparkled. Swaine smiled and blushed. The pale complexion which suited his wiry red hair reddened easily, she had found. Lyr and Segyn ignored the women. Neither of them blushed.

  Though she did glance at the women, Rayne made a point not to look too hard. Innocent as she might be, she knew what they were offering. If they weren’t moving straight through this village, would any of the men take the bright women up on their offers?

  Of course they would.

  Lyr had said they’d buy supplies, but Rayne was certain that when that was done, they’d continue on for a while longer. It was not yet dark, even though the sky was gray and night would soon be here. Lately they had been traveling well into the night, and she suspected tonight would be no exception.

  But instead of taking them to a shop which would supply what they needed, Lyr led the party to a large building at the end of the street. Three stories high, it was almost as large as the home where Rayne had been born and raised, though it was not nearly as nice. Like the other buildings in town, it was made of wood and was plain in design, though there were pretty curtains in all the windows. Someone had expended some effort to make the place hospitable.

  Lyr looked past Rayne to his most senior officer. “Obtain two adjoining rooms. If such rooms are not available, we will continue on.”

  “We’re stopping for the night?” Segyn asked as he dismounted. “We get to sleep in a real bed?”

  “Only if they have adjoining rooms,” Lyr responded, and then he glanced at Rayne. “It wouldn’t be wise to be separated. We’ll sleep in shifts and there will be no drinking or whoring.”

  The two younger men looked disappointed, and Rayne suspected they were not saddened because they could not drink.

  Segyn returned moments later, nodding his head to let Lyr know that the rooms had been obtained. The men all dismounted, and even though they could not have their fun, they were glad of the chance to sleep indoors on a soft mattress. The food would likely be significantly better than the dried meat and hard biscuits which had become their daily fare.

  Lyr assisted Rayne from her saddle and handed the horses over to Swaine for tending. “You go nowhere without an escort,” he said in a lowered voice as he led her into the inn. “One of us will keep watch on your door all night, so you need not be afraid.”

  “I’m not afraid,” she said, and it was true. As long as Lyr was with her, she had nothing to fear. Who could get past him? No one. He would not allow anyone to harm her.

  He collected keys and directions to the second-story rooms from the innkeeper, a stout older woman who was pleased to have the guests. Perhaps this village was not a popular place for travelers to stop. In any case, she seemed almost giddy as she announced that she’d serve supper in three-quarters of an hour.

  Lyr took Rayne’s elbow as he guided her up the stairs to the second floor. She enjoyed the possessive sensation of his hand on her arm, the strength that radiated from him to her in a way that was somehow very personal. The touch elicited an unexpected tingle that crept up her arm and warmed her entire body.

  They were alone, the innkeeper left behind and the men taking care of other chores, so she felt free to ask him a question which might otherwise be embarrassing.

  “Those brightly dressed and painted women we saw on the street, are they available for the purposes of sexual relations?”

  Lyr’s hand instantly grew hot, and she was certain she felt a twitch. “You need not worry about such women. They will not come here. They will not bother you.”

  “I’m not bothered by them, just curious.”

  “Such curiosity is unnecessary.”

  They reached a door, and Lyr chose the correct key. Rayne put a hand on his arm to stop him from opening the door. “To give oneself so freely, without love or commitment, do you think it a great sin?”

  Lyr’s narrowed eyes met hers. She had never felt that gaze so intently. “You’re not thinking of joining them in order to tarnish your soul, are you?”

  “Of course not,” she said primly. “As I said, I’m simply curious.”

  “Women and curiosity are a dangerous mix,” he mumbled, and then he crossed his arms over his chest. “If you must know, such women do not give anything. They sell.”

  “They sell sex?”

  “Yes,” Lyr said through gritted teeth.

  “Why? If they enjoy sex so much, as they certainly seemed to do when they issued their invitation, then why do they not simply get married?”

  She could see the coiled tension in Lyr’s neck and shoulders, in the cut of his fine jaw and the flaring of his nose. “When we reach our destination, you can ask one of my cousins. This sort of questioning is best asked of a woman.”

  “But I wish to ask you.”

  “What have I done to invite this regrettable circumstance?”

  Life was short, achingly so. She did not know what tomorrow would bring, so why was it necessary to live by strict rules which might not serve her at all well? “It occurs to me that if I am not a virgin, Ciro might not want me. Perhaps that is part of the…” She stopped, as Lyr’s face was turning an odd shade of purple. “Are you all right?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Are you sick?”

  “No.” The shade of purple seemed to lessen slightly.

  “Good. Jiri mentioned that Ciro wished me to be pure in all ways. Soul, heart, and body. In any case, it has occurred to me that I can’t be considered entirely pure if I’ve had sex with another man. I don’t know with any certainty, but Jiri was quite adamant about keeping the other soldiers away from me. I know I take the risk of finding myself with a child and no husband, but wouldn’t that be better than the alternative? In fact, that might be best. If I’m carrying another man’s child, I can’t carry Ciro’s. Demon or no, I can only carry one child at a time.”

  “You’ve given this some thought,” Lyr said in a lowered voice.

  “Yes. There isn’t much to do as we travel but think.” She did her best to keep her voice detached and cool. “Since you saved me, perhaps you wouldn’t mind having sex with me so as to make me unacceptable as Ciro’s bride.”

  “No,” he whispered.

  Rayne wrinkled her nose. She had not expected him to refuse. “I can pay you,” she said with a touch of excitement. After all, he had said those bright women received money for their sexual companionship. Perhaps Lyr expected the same.

  “No!” he said again, more adamantly than before.

  She looked away from him and to the lamps that burned down the long hallway, trying her best to hide her disappointment. “Then perhaps you would be so kind as to order one of your men to do the deed. I will close my eyes, and I promise not to peek. We can do what needs to be done in the dark. I don’t even have to know which man you send if he doesn’t speak, so there will be no awkwardness in the days ahead.”

  “Do you really believe that losing your virginity will save you from Ciro’s intentions?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t know what else to try at this point. Will you help me? Will you send one of your men to me?”

  She was disappointed that Lyr had refused the chore himself, but she wouldn’t let that disenchantment show. She had begun to consider the others friends, and surely it was better to lie with a friend than to blindly choose a man at her final destination, wherever that might be. Once she was no longer fit to be the mother of Ciro’s child, maybe she would be safe. When that was done, she could begin her simple life. Did it really matter which man did
the deed? Surely not.

  Lyr opened the door to her room and ushered her inside. He examined the room thoroughly, which took mere moments as it was small and had only one tiny window which overlooked an alleyway. She had begun to think he wouldn’t even answer her question, but as he was exiting the room, he stopped in the doorway and looked directly at her. A muscle in his jaw twitched.

  “After supper, I will send someone to you, if that is what you wish.”

  She could not speak, so she nodded once.

  “Be certain, as there will be no turning back once this is done.”

  Again, she nodded. “Who will you send? I…perhaps it’s silly of me, but I’ve changed my mind. I would like to know.”

  “I haven’t decided.” Lyr slammed the door behind him so hard Rayne felt the walls around her shake.

  HE COULD AND SHOULD SEND ONE OF THE MEN TO Rayne’s room. It wasn’t as though Til or Swaine would refuse such an order. They were already smitten, and what man would refuse a beautiful woman when she made such a request? Maybe she was right, and losing the purity of her untouched body would be enough to save her from Ciro. Even the possibility was enough to give it a try. It wasn’t as if she had decided to soil her soul with murder or hate.

  No, she wished to taint herself with physical love. Perhaps it would be enough that she was no longer a virgin, but he doubted her soul would suffer. Everything she undertook was open and honest, and there was no darkness in that. Would it be enough to take a lover? Would knowing another man had touched her make her unattractive to Prince Ciro?

  It was Lyr’s watch, and he paced the hallway making almost no noise. The others slept, crowded together in one bed and happy for the comfort of a mattress, even if it was just for one night, even if that bed was shared. Rayne slept alone…or was she waiting for the man he had promised to send to her? Was she awake behind that door, perhaps naked, perhaps anxious, perhaps scared?

  Perhaps she had changed her mind.

  He unlocked and opened her door, slipping silently into the darkness. There was no light. The lone window at the back of her room was covered by a thick and dark shade that kept out the little bit of moonlight that otherwise might’ve seeped into the room. Lyr waited for a moment until his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and then he moved toward the bed in the center of the small room. He could see little in this darkness, where no moonlight lit his way. Lamplight from the hallway through a crack in the door, and a small amount of moonlight through a slit in the shade, were all that lit the room.

  Rayne’s breathing was even, and he suspected she’d fallen asleep. After all, it had been a while since she’d eaten a good meal and rested upon a mattress. He could walk away and she would never know he’d come…but he didn’t walk away.

  Lyr sat on the edge of the bed, and Rayne’s breathing changed. She sat up quickly. “I dozed off. I thought no one would come.”

  “Have you changed your mind?” he asked softly.

  She gasped, and then breathed deeply. “It’s you.”

  It would be best if she did not know he couldn’t bear to send anyone else to this place. He couldn’t explain that oddity, but it was undeniable. If he could’ve come to this bed and made love to her without ever revealing his identity, that would suit him just fine, but that didn’t seem practical—or even possible. “Yes.”

  Rayne drew her covers down. “I came to bed without clothes,” she said, obviously nervous. “I thought it would be best. Easiest, I suppose, is the right word. It might be difficult to wrestle with clothing in the dark, but I suppose we will have to deal with yours. Some of them anyway.” Her voice was soft, quick, and high. “You’ll have to tell me what to do, or show me. Guide me, use your hands or…whatever…”

  His whatever was hard, and he could think of nothing but sliding inside her soft heat.

  Lyr leaned forward and silenced Rayne with a kiss, taking her mouth with his and swallowing her surprised gasp. Yes, she gasped, and twitched, and moaned. She moaned like a woman pleasantly surprised by the sensations of a kiss. She was naked beneath him, and while he could not see her as he’d like, he could feel her very well. One hand rose up and settled on his arm, warm and soft, with a woman’s gentleness. In no time at all her mouth began to move against his. She needed no instruction when it came to kissing.

  Segyn was right about this one; she could burn him well.

  THE KISS WAS MORE PLEASURABLE THAN RAYNE HAD EXPECTED it would be and she threw herself into it heartily. Lyr kissed her with skill and gentleness, but also with a passion she’d not expected. This was a chore which could be quickly done without any kissing. At the moment it did not feel like a chore, not at all.

  Lyr had apparently shaved since leaving the supper table. His face was smooth. She touched his face and his jaw as they kissed, allowing her fingers to trace the sharp ridge of his jawline and the unexpected softness of his cheek. He was wonderfully warm, and she even liked the simple sound of his breathing so close.

  She was no longer alone. For the moment she was a part of something larger and better, as if nothing mattered but this bed and this man who had come to it. Lyr placed a hand on her breast and caressed, and she was taken aback by the sensations that danced through her entire body. He brushed a thumb over the nipple and her response was so intense it surprised her.

  In the midst of the pleasure, Rayne suffered a moment of doubt. Even though he touched her with such tenderness and skill, Lyr did not care for her. This was a task to be done, a necessary action which might save her from Ciro. It didn’t feel like a necessary action and nothing more. She’d been grabbed in the past by men who cared nothing for her, and this was different. She and Lyr shared a bond. Man to woman, in the dark, there was something beyond what she knew to be real. Flesh to flesh, his hand on her body and their mouths linked, they shared something powerful. She felt it, but did he? Was she anything more to him than one of the bright women who offered themselves to any man who passed by?

  Her doubts did not last. Lyr was kind and thoughtful, and at the moment that was enough. It had to be enough.

  He laid her back on the bed and continued to kiss her, while his hands explored. She’d not expected this much attention. She knew the basic hows and wheres of sex, thanks to overheard conversations among the female servants, but no one had ever talked of what happened beforehand. Her body felt very warm and heavy, her heart beat steadily but too fast. And inside…inside she trembled and ached.

  A man you barely know is about to be inside you.

  The thought crossed her mind but was easily dismissed. She knew Lyr as well as she knew any man. He was noble and strong, he was serious and dedicated. His eyes were unflinching and as sharp as those of a hawk, and his touch revealed a kindness he did not express in any other way. Yes, he would one day marry a princess, but he was not married now. Now he was hers.

  Lyr removed himself from her and very quickly undressed. She had wondered if he would simply open his trousers to take her virginity, but apparently he did not believe in half-measures in any area of his life. He had devoted himself entirely to this necessary deed, and she could only admire him for that. She could only be glad that he was the one.

  She could confess to herself, though not to him, that she’d caught herself fantasizing about Lyr on occasion. Not about this, which was a new experience for her, but about small things like seeing him smile at her, or having him take her hand as she stepped across a rugged patch of land…or of being held by him. She had fantasized more than once that he might wrap his arms around her and hold her close, offering a much-needed comfort.

  Lyr not only undressed, but set aside his weapons—including the crystal dagger, which was always on his person. When he was naked and the implements of death had been put aside, he joined her on the bed. He pressed his naked body to hers and kissed her again, only this time his mouth was on her throat, and then on her tender breasts. Rayne forgot everything else and allowed herself simply to feel. She felt as if she were falling, f
alling quickly toward something she could not wait for. Her body rocked toward his, her hands settled on strong shoulders and gripped the flesh which was like and yet so unlike hers.

  He was determined to leave no part of her body untouched, unkissed. He had fine, full lips, and he knew how to use them very well. Those lips trailed across her chest and her belly, on her throat and the side of her neck. Soon she could not see or think, she could only feel, and what she felt was beyond her imagining.

  Lyr spread her legs and touched her where she was wet for him, where her body pulsed and ached and screamed. A finger slipped inside her and she caught her breath as her back came up off the mattress and her hips jerked. A deep tremble grew and fluttered. Lyr did more than ensure that her body was ready for his, he aroused her. He teased her entrance until she shook to her bones and could not take a proper breath.

  And then he was there, above her, pushing himself inside her, filling the aching emptiness slowly. His size was unexpected, but she did not hesitate to accept him and, indeed, to demand all he had to give.

  He didn’t move quickly, as he could’ve, but gave her body time to adapt before pushing deeper and breaking through her maidenhead.

  Nothing mattered beyond this room, beyond this bed, beyond these two joined bodies. He stroked her slowly, moving in and out, almost leaving her and then plunging deep. The tremors she experienced grew sharper and quicker, and she found that her hips naturally moved in a rhythm that met his thrusts and urged him deeper and faster.

  And then it happened. A powerful release fluttered, not only there where Lyr touched her but everywhere. She gasped and then lost her breath. Her body lurched and quivered, and she found herself holding her lover tightly as the pleasure she had not expected wiped away every other thought.

  He drove deep again and then went still, quivering and filling her with the seed that might save her from the fate Ciro had planned for her, finding his own release and pleasure. As he gave her that gift, her hand settled possessively on the back of his head, and her fingers touched short strands of thick hair.