Lia had no doubt she'd be getting grilled about the incident once most of the prying ears had gone.
With as much care as possible, she wrapped the wound, making sure to completely cover it without binding the shoulder or restricting his movements.
Wyn smiled up at her when she moved to the front of him in order finish wrapping and secure the fabric.
"I can't decide if you make a better nurse or general." His laughter cut off with a grunt when she gave a final test tug.
"I'm very good at both." Her mouth twitched in response to his amusement. This close, she felt it as well as saw it. "Along with a great many other things."
Wyn's eyes blazed and a reverberation of passion slipped along their link, making her shiver and sway forward before she caught herself. The heat in his eyes tempered with a gentleness that made her want to forget her responsibility and take one more taste of what she knew she couldn't have.
In the next instant, the look was replaced by something else. Something fierce.
Faster than she could process, Wyn jumped to his feet and pushed in front of her. He turned to face vacant lane leading to the village road. His hand moved to his side, flexing impatiently when it encountered empty air and Lia had to wonder if he was used to wearing a sword. And why he no longer did.
Before she could ask any of the questions flitting through her head, the sound of running feet reached them. A second later, a group of men rounded the curve and came into sight.
The bare muscles in front of her flexed and tensed more. He stepped back, crowding her closer to the steps and positioning himself solidly between her and whatever danger he perceived.
Keneally and his group also moved forward to flank them. Still she managed to peek around the wall of muscle and her own ramping tension subsided.
"It's just Gui," she said, dismissing the threat. At least, the physical one. That he approached with three elder farmers vocal in calling for her to share her responsibilities with more experienced valley dwellers was a threat of a different kind altogether.
Most of the laborers relaxed at her words. Keneally and Wyn remained rigid.
"Lia," Gui gasped, puffing for air. Behind him, his cohorts gasped and grasped at their knees.
"Lia," he said again, when he'd recovered enough to add more words. "Are you all right?"
"She's fine," Wyn answered before she opened her mouth.
Her brother-in-law narrowed his eyes to glare at the man, then returned his attention to Lia with a dismissive flick of his hair.
"We came as soon as Elwyn ran to tell us what happened."
Lia's eyes flickered toward the teen, who ducked his head and stared at his feet. He was the son of one of the manor's gardeners. Apparently someone else in Gui's cabal she had not been aware of.
Gui tried to push between the wall created by Keneally and Wyn but neither man budged. Frustrated, he stepped back.
Refocusing on his attention on his obstacles, Gui attempted to stare down Wyn, whose face remained impassive.
"Shouldn't we be getting Lia inside until we know who is responsible?" Gui asked, a significant glare aimed at Wyn.
The taller man just crossed his arms. "The danger’s passed for now. More important is figuring out where everyone was and what they might have seen so we can try to ascertain who is responsible."
He shifted his eyes over to Gui and his group, then back toward the lane. "I take it you weren't on manor grounds when the arrow was fired, so you won't be much help right now."
For the first time ever, Gui was speechless. His eyes bulged, his face flared red.
It took everything Lia had not to let loose the chuckle that tickled at her throat. Her cheeks ached from the effort to keep her face neutral.
Seamus Mackie, a third generation farmer, but the oldest of those who backed Gui, stepped forward. "Keneally, what have you found so far?"
He didn't even bother to acknowledge either Wyn or Lia.
Enough was enough.
This was her manor and her valley.
She pushed against Wyn, who resisted for a moment before shifting a little to let her pass. She faced Mackie squarely, the man only an inch or two taller than her. Behind her, Wyn and Keneally closed ranks to guard her back.
"So far, we have the arrow that was aimed at me and grazed Wyn when he pushed me out of the way. There're signs the archer was waiting in the trees and he ran as soon as the arrow missed. I've sent several men to track him or, at least, try to find any hint of who it was. Did you have any other questions, Mackie?"
His face sucked in as if tasting something unpalatable. "I will send some of my own men—"
"You will do nothing of the sort. The men I sent are experienced in the woods around the manor and know what signs to look for and what to ignore. They are all men I can trust and can account for. Your farm is miles on the other side of the valley and your men would just lumber through and interfere with the others." She narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing so far from your farm in the middle of the day?"
He sputtered and Gui, who had recovered his temper and his urbane smoothness, stepped in to field the question.
"Many in the valley have been concerned about recent…developments." His eyes slid significantly between Lia and Wyn. "Now, with this incident, we have to seriously consider outsiders may be trying to influence the valley."
She noted how he avoided saying what they were doing. And conveniently forgot, yet again, he had only been a resident of the valley for six short years.
"Oh, for the love of the Goddess. Wyn saved my life."
Again he passed a sly look toward the tall stranger and then to his cronies.
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps? Turn around," she ordered Wyn. He chuckled and complied. "Does that look like 'perhaps' to you? That could have been me."
Several of the farmers gasped but Gui only shook his head. He tried to draw her away but both Wyn and Keneally remained tight by her side.
Frustrated, he compromised by lowering his voice though there was no doubt the others heard him.
"He's already tricked you into initiating the moon-bond. Is it so far-fetched to believe he could arrange a dramatic little scene to impress you with his bravery? Or to make you feel indebted?"
Unbelievably, the elder farmers sagely nodded in agreement.
"Tricked me? Do you understand it wasn't me that allowed him into the Circle? Only the G… Only the magic of the Circle could have let him in."
"But once he was in, the choice was yours."
The smile she gave him was bland. "Yes, I suppose it was, in a way. Since you were never allowed in the Circle, though, you wouldn't understand the forces or the magic involved."
Lia knew she shouldn't enjoy the flinch when she nonchalantly twisted that particular knife. She was also satisfied by the uneasy fidgeting that passed among his cronies when they remembered their leader was never given that blessing. Now a stranger had been gifted with it after only a few days in their company.
"For the moment, he's my bond-mate. I will not tolerate anyone speaking against him."
"You can't tell me what to do." She wondered if he realized how much like a petulant child he sounded.
"Actually, I can. I am the Handmaiden, at least, until Tanis's eighteenth birthday. That makes me the authority in this valley. The only authority, in case you've forgotten."
A resonance rose in her voice when she spoke, underscoring her words until the last one echoed around them all like a threat.
Gui looked stunned and, behind him, the farmers lowered their head in deference to the reminder of exactly what power she could wield, should she chose.
"I don't know about you but we're a bit behind on the manor chores today. So, if you'll excuse us?"
Her voice had returned to normal, but it still had an instant effect on the farmers. They bowed and retreated nearly in one motion, leaving Gui to scramble after with one last baleful look at her.
She turned with deliberate
slowness to look back at Wyn, steeling her spine and her resolve for the alarm or confusion she expected to see after her little demonstration. Instead, there was only a flitter of speculation, followed by warm approval.
Then he reached out and draped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her close.
She should pull away but, after the stresses of the day, the serene comfort of his embrace was more than she could resist.
*****
Caerwyn let himself enjoy the way she relaxed against him, allowing herself be comfortable in his arms without stressing about the repercussions.
A rush of pleasure and satisfaction had slipped around him when she claimed him as bond-mate. And, oddly, when she'd cast the mantle of her protection over him. Not that he needed it.
But the thought, the connection and attachment it implied… It made him warm and happy. Emotions opened up in Caer that had been closed off since the death of his parents.
He should rein in the runaway feeling she stirred up in him. Especially when he still didn't know for sure whether she was a witch. Whether or not he'd be honor-bound to unleash his Attribute against her.
The more he saw, the more he learned, the more he pieced together, the more he was sure that that particular outcome would never come to pass. Whatever was going on in the valley, he strongly believed it had nothing to do with sorcery.
Still, at the moment, a great many secrets and half-truths stood between them. He should be helping her keep her distance, not trying to reel her in.
None of that seemed to matter, however, to his arms, when he pulled her more snuggly against him, wrapping her up and holding her close. Or to his lips, when they brushed across her cheek and came to rest against her ear.
"No one can threaten your bond-mate, huh?"
She shivered when he whispered against her skin and he let his mouth curve into a smile.
"Yes, well, I'm tired of Gui flouting my authority at every turn. Diplomacy has never been my strong suit. I just thought they needed a reminder of who I am."
"I don't suppose you want to tell me exactly what that was, that you used to remind them?"
He knew it was a mistake as soon as the question left his lips. Instantly, Lia's body stiffened against his and she shifted her weight away.
The space between them was more than just the few inches she moved, it was an impassable moat, again. One backed by insurmountable walls. He even felt her shifting away in his mind, doing her best to close off as much of their connection as the bond would allow.
"Or not," he muttered. He flexed his hands, wanting to hold on, but he knew that wouldn't to do either of them any good.
He blew out a long breath of air. "Look, we all have secrets. I don't expect you to tell me anything you're not comfortable sharing. But you can't blame me for being curious."
He tried to keep himself as still as possible while she looked him over, weighing his sincerity.
"No. I suppose I can't blame you for that." Then she flashed an impish smile. "What secrets are you keeping?"
Cold and warmth battled in his blood and he considered coming clean. Telling her everything about who he was and why he was really there. But he had a responsibility to Daen. He'd made a promise, and he had no facts, yet, only his gut feeling. One deeply influenced by growing attraction and affection.
Instead, he flashed a grin. "If I told you, they wouldn't be secrets, now would they?"
She smiled back and relief eased the tight knot in him. "No, I suppose not."
He stepped into her space again, reaching out to sink his hand into the wild, silky curls.
"You know, I was right, before. We can't go on like this. You're exhausted, stressed and hurting. So am I. You need to be at your best if you're going to take Gui on."
She didn't pull away, but her face pinched and her eyes glanced to the side to see who was watching them. "I know. But he has half of them convinced I need a guiding hand. I don't want them to transfer their loyalty and expectations to you. I can't lean on you in front of them."
The twinge of rejection was unexpected. He wanted to help, wanted to protect her. Her strength and stubbornness, though, were who Lia was. He had to respect that and do everything possible to support her without stepping on her toes.
"So lean on me behind closed doors. I'll come to your room tonight. Trust me. I can be sneaky when I need to be." His enhanced sense meant he'd hear anyone who could catch him long before they did.
"I… don't… know…" Her words were hesitant but a flare of heat and want lit her eyes.
He stroked the strands of hair in his fingers. "You're the Lady. You're in charge. Only what you want."
"Right." Her lips pressed tight then curled into a smile full of knowledge and hunger that inflamed his own need until it nearly swallowed him whole. "Fine. Tonight. Try not to let the entire manor see you coming."
-7-
Lia smoothed the soft linen shift one more time when she passed the dressing mirror that had been in her family for generations. The one, thin layer of fabric all that stood between her and the air around her. She reached for the heavier knitted robe hanging in her wardrobe and pulled it on. As soon as she wrapped it around her, she removed the lumpy garment with a frustrated tug. Again. Indecision had been her constant companion since she'd retired to her room after dinner.
Despite what they'd said, Lia had no doubt she and Wyn would be having sex. The heat, the connection, the need flaring behind them could not be ignored. Not for an entire night alone together in a room with a bed.
She hung up the robe again and smoothed it out. Nerves made her hands shake. It was ridiculous to be nervous, considering they'd already made love. But spontaneous passion in the midst of a magic Circle was one thing. Deliberately inviting the sexy, secretive man to her room was something completely different.
Yet, despite the nerves, she wanted this. Her body thrummed in anticipation, her skin prickled with goose bumps and her hearted pounded every time she thought about getting her hands on him again. Inviting his hands onto her.
A soft knock made her jump and she grabbed the robe. She left it hanging loose, though, when she opened the door.
Wyn smiled down at her and Lia's throat constricted. Her mind refused to work. She blurted out words without thinking them through.
"Did anyone see you?"
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No. You might want to let me in before someone catches me hanging around your door though."
"Right. Yes, of course." Her cheeks warmed and she stepped to the side.
Just the brush of his shoulder against hers when he walked in sent a shiver through her. Lia took several deep breaths and closed the door before turning to face him.
Wyn, however, still had his back to Lia. He glanced between the huge carved bed and the delicate looking chairs clustered near the fireplace, weighing his options. Somehow, his uncertainty eased her own.
Rolling her shoulders, she chuckled a little. "They're sturdier and more comfortable than they look."
He glanced at her doubtfully before sinking into the pink upholstery, then raised an eyebrow in surprise.
She sat down in the second chair across from Wyn and realized, for the first time, how close the furniture was situated. Awkward silence grew while they both studiously stared into the banked coals of the hearth.
"Thank you." She let the words slip out into the quiet between them. When he looked up at her with questioning eyes, her lips curled slightly.
"For understanding about my responsibility to my people. For…" Lia waved her hand in a futile gesture, unable to find the words. "Just for understanding."
Wyn's mouth twitched down into a frown and he stared at the soft shadows shifting on the floor.
"I understand responsibility better than you think. It's why I'm out here. Instead of home."
She shouldn't ask, not when they'd both agreed to keeping their secrets. But he looked so lost, she couldn't help herself.
"Why are you he
re? What are you hoping to find?"
"The man who murdered my parents." A mask of hard-edged anger took over his features and Lia leaned back a little at the abrupt change. Remembered the hint of darkness she’d touched in him and wondered if this was the cause of the cold resolve she'd felt.
"Oh." She had no idea what to say. What to ask. Whether she should speak at all.
But her soft breath pulled him back. The edges softened though anger and sadness remained in the lines and shadows.
"Will you tell me?"
She hadn't meant to ask, but Wyn’s shoulders eased, and he settled deeper into his chair. He didn't look at her when he spoke but she got the feeling he'd been holding the darkness at bay for a long time.
"It was my fault. I was young. Naïve. So cocky and sure I understood the ways of the world. My foster brothers were annoyed by it. My parents were amused." He crossed his arms across his chest and shook his head. "Irana came to our…home and asked to be apprenticed to my mother in the healing arts. My mother never turned anyone with a hint of the gift away."
Lia had a feeling she knew where this story was going. A dark, twisting string of jealousy spiked in her chest and swallowed hard against it.
"She was beautiful. Sweet. Seemed as innocent as I pretended not to be. We would walk in the moonlight. Whisper secrets and dreams. She wanted to be the greatest healer. Was sure that if she created a particular healing balm, she would become a Master Healer more quickly."
"You wanted to help her." Lia smiled to keep the envy out of her voice.
"It's an age old story, isn't it?" Wyn asked with a self-mocking lift of his eyebrow. "Yes. Of course, the flower she needed to make it work was far away, in a distant, dangerous place. She insisted I take my brothers with me. To protect me. Out of her profound and abiding love and concern for my well-being."
He spit the last of the words out, like a bitter spice. Then, he remained silent so long, Lia wondered if he'd decided not to tell her the rest. Eventually, though, he spoke, his voice rusty and soft and full of anguish.
"I was better than she anticipated. Smarter, faster and more motivated. I returned in half the time she expected. But I was still too late. I had left my parents alone with her, unsuspecting the viper in their midst. I had taken my brothers and left them unprotected."
By Vengeance Guided (The Lost Shrines Book 1) Page 9