Ravenborne

by Chandra Ryan

  “And you were a tempting package. A bit of Raven blood would’ve probably been enough for them to ensure being royalty for at least another three generations—if they could’ve gotten the children married into other royal families that is. It would’ve also granted them favor with the king. Yes, they were more than a little keen to get you into the family.”

  “Favor with the king?” That seemed a bit ridiculous seeing how little favor the king had for her. “How do you figure?”

  “It would’ve been a triple victory for him. The Ravens have always kept their line pretty pure. If the Livingstons would’ve mixed their line with yours, it would have diluted the Raven blood enough that the king wouldn’t have to worry about a challenge to his line for generations to come while at the same time reestablishing the Livingston line and giving them back some of their credibility at court.”

  “I can see you’ve thought long and hard about this.” Try as she might, she couldn’t keep the sharpness out of her tone. Yes, she’d known the betrothal was about the game and not her, but she couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen all of the implications when she’d agreed to it.

  “Trust me, I wasn’t alone.”

  “Wait, they don’t have credibility as it is? With all their money…” As she lifted a leg from the soapy water, she thought she heard Kavin clear his throat. But when he spoke, he sounded fine.

  “What does the king need with money? He has everything any man could possibly buy. Power’s another story though. He can’t buy that. If the Livingstons had power, they would be an asset. And since the king was the one to suggest the betrothal, the Livingstons would be beholden to him.”

  “So it was the king who arranged my betrothal to Ashlyn.” That was very interesting indeed. Seems she didn’t know as much about the game of politics as she believed she did. Dropping lower in the tub, she pulled the pins out of her hair and then massaged the scented soap into her scalp as she thought about everything he’d just said.

  Feeling clean and refreshed, she stepped out of the tub and picked up a soft towel to dry off before touching the delicate dress uniform. It was much like her regular uniform, except the leather had been replaced with a silken cloth that had an iridescent sheen to it. It couldn’t be described as beautiful, but it was elegant.

  She was delighted by the slippery, yet crisp, texture of the cloth as she slid the breeches over her freshly scrubbed skin. The tunic proved to be a bit more difficult, though. Keeping it from clinging to her damp skin was a struggle. But, finally, it fell into place, the hem sweeping gracefully around her ankles.

  Stepping out from behind the screen, she noticed how easy movement was thanks to the long slits that ended at her hips. That was convenient. As was Kavin’s current position—stretched out on the bed with his eyes closed. She could lie down next to him. Kiss him lightly.

  She brushed a fingertip across her lips as she imagined it. No. There would be nothing light about a kiss from Kavin. She smiled at the wicked turn of her thoughts as she remembered their last kiss.

  “Damned if you aren’t trying to drive me insane today.”

  His voice was enough to bring her back to the moment and make her cheeks warm. He had caught her fantasizing about him. And, judging by the gleam in his eye, he knew. She wasn’t a harlot. Honest. But he had a way of bringing out a side of her she didn’t know existed. “A woman’s allowed a hobby, isn’t she?”

  His eyes narrowed as if he was weighing her answer. “If that’s your idea of a hobby, sweetheart, you’re darker than I imagined.”

  “I am a royal. We’re known for our dark sides.”

  “No truer words…” He smiled at her as he tossed her satchel in her general direction. “Go get ready while I order another bath.”

  Laughing, she rummaged through the satchel and pulled out an old hairbrush before crossing into the sitting room. Being around him felt right. More than that, though, it felt good. Her friends at Keep Drake were wonderful. And she loved that she could be herself around them and not worry that a word might be intentionally misunderstood or twisted to their advantage. But even though they tried, they’d never understand her. Kavin did, though. He knew what it was like to lose your entire family, to have your entire life stripped away from you in one night. And that was oddly comforting.

  Her smile was hopeful as she stepped in front of the mirror, but it quickly changed to daring as she saw herself in the dress blacks for the first time. The tunic had a high neck so she’d assumed it would be modest. But it wasn’t. The way it stretched over her breasts combined with the almost translucent nature of the material made it more revealing than some of the low-cut ball gowns she’d worn in her youth. That was nothing compared to the way it flared at her hips, though, giving her slender figure the illusion of curves. It brought out a daring, seductive side she’d never realized she had.

  For the first time, she could see herself as Kavin’s partner—as his equal.

  Pulling the brush through her hair, she was happy to see that, clean and still slightly damp, it fell into tight black curls around her shoulders. She considered using the pins she’d worn the night before, but decided against them. The reckless style matched the woman she wanted to be. She only hoped it maintained some of the curl and shine when it was fully dried.

  By the time she turned back to the sleeping room, it was already abuzz with servants. They were busily working to remove the old bath and bring in the new one. “Rank does have its advantages,” she whispered to herself before stepping into the chaos.

  “That be all?” The elderly servant’s attention was focused on Kavin. Sara didn’t exist as far as the other woman was concerned. And that didn’t bother Sara at all. She would have done exactly the same thing in the woman’s position.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Sara watched the maids leave and waited to hear the door click shut before turning to Kavin. “Do you really think money will be enough to sway the Livingstons?”

  He looked at her, his brow wrinkled in confusion. “What?”

  “The Livingstons. Much like the king, they have enough money to buy anything they desire.” Thanks to the firestones mined on their lands, the Livingstons were one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom.

  “It’s not the money that’s going to appease them. It’s that the money is from the king. The king is paying them for a favor. And that, my dear, is something the Livingstons are starved for. It’s power. And if giving them power doesn’t work, he’ll take what little they have.”

  “Can he do that?” It sounded like the king would be overstepping his authority.

  “Not usually, but in this case he can. Seems there’s some dispute about lineage and the title.”

  That helped to set her at ease. The Livingstons would never do anything that might threaten their title. No matter how much they hated her. “Okay, but what about the others?”

  He looked confused once more. “How many sons have you held at knifepoint?”

  She laughed at the misunderstanding. “Only the one.”

  “Then I think we’ll be fine.”

  “No. There will be other houses upset by my return.” It was a certainty that had to be planned for. “Last night’s attack won’t be the end of it.”

  He looked at her seriously for a moment. “Some houses will be upset. Others will try to court you. But you’re under the king’s protection. No one will be able to touch you.”

  His answer wasn’t as comforting as it should be. “My family was supposed to be under the king’s protection.” That was the king’s role, to protect his citizens.

  “Being in the guard is different.”

  “It shouldn’t be.”

  He stood in silence for a moment as if considering her words. “I would never let anything happen to you, Sara. You know that, don’t you?”

  She had to look away from him when she heard the answer echo in her heart. As much as she wanted to feel protected, she didn’t. Once they got to King’s Keep, he
would be back to his life and she would be on her own. His protection was temporary at best.

  She wouldn’t hurt his pride by saying the words out loud, though. Making a noncommittal gesture, she sat down on the corner of the bed. “Being here just has me on edge.”

  “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.” The mischievous smile he shot her set off warning bells. There was something he wasn’t telling her. “Now I’m going to get washed up.”

  As he stepped behind the screen, she saw his shadow through the tightly stretched fabric panels. Unable—or unwilling—to pry her attention off his silhouette, she watched as he undressed. She couldn’t make out details, but there was no disguising the well-defined muscles of his chest and arms.

  Then a sudden realization hit her. This was where he had been when she’d undressed. Her face warmed as she remembered his comment about driving him insane. Maybe he had decided to take up her hobby. It was an interesting thought.

  “You comfortable?” His voice pulled her out of her stupor, allowing her to turn away from the screen. But she still had to clear her throat before she trusted herself to answer.

  “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “No reason I can think of.”

  At the gentle splash of him stepping into the tub, she turned her attention back to the screen. “Can I ask you a question?” So much had changed. There were things she needed to know if she was going to understand what was going on around her.

  “Always.”

  “Why were you made King’s Right and not Jar? I thought he was a higher rank?”

  There was a heavy sigh. “Rank isn’t always important.”

  “It isn’t?” She really had a lot to learn.

  “Not when magic is thrown into the equation.”

  “Magic changes everything.”

  “That it does.”

  “How did you explain it to Jar?” She could only imagine how much the move had bruised the other man’s ego. And it’s not like Kavin could’ve told him why the king picked him. On second thought, though, it was probably better than Kavin couldn’t tell him. Jar didn’t exactly have warm feelings toward magic.

  “Didn’t have to. He serves the king. The king tells him I’m Right—then I’m Right. No discussion.”

  “And you didn’t try to turn the position down?”

  “That wasn’t really an option.”

  “Because the king named you Right and so you had to take it.” Much like her new life.

  “It’s not within my power or rank to question the king.” The frustration in Kavin’s voice made her wonder how many times he’d told himself the same thing. “Don’t misunderstand, I’m proud that the king thinks so highly of me and my skills. It’s nice to be appreciated. But I didn’t ask for this title and, truth be told, I didn’t want it.”

  “Of course.” It made perfect sense. Especially since she’d never particularly wanted any of the titles life had thrown at her. “It’s only… Jar had nothing. He spent his childhood thinking he was nothing. The guard was his chance to prove he was worthwhile—an equal.”

  “Life isn’t fair, Sara. And people aren’t equal.”

  She snorted sarcastically at the comment. It was the royalty propaganda she had been force-fed since birth. And she couldn’t believe he, of all people, had bought into it. “Of course not. We’re somehow better, right? Our ancestry makes us better.” A lot of good that’d done her.

  “It’s not about the ancestry or the titles or the money, Sara. It’s about the magic. It’s about the blood.”

  “Well, I guess that’s good since the Raven blood is all that’s left my line.” She was all that was left. Her gut still twisted with the injustice of it.

  He stepped out of the tub and began to dry off, revealing the shadow of his naked body to her once more. She knew she should look away, but she couldn’t force her attention away from his body. “You sure of that?” His tone had changed. Where he’d sounded patient before, now he was teasing. It was too much of a change for her to follow.

  “Yes, I am,” she replied quietly. She’d watched her life burn until all that was left were charred bones and a gutted shell. “There’s nothing left of that life.”

  Still behind the screen, he slipped on his breeches before stepping out into the room. Averting her eyes from the tempting sight of his arms and chest, she focused on his face. “Come here.” He slid his tunic over his head as he stood waiting.

  “Why?” Her voice was filled with challenge she didn’t know she felt.

  “I have something to give you.” The wicked sparkle in his eyes made her heart skip a beat but she shook her head.

  “No thank you.”

  He laughed wholeheartedly at her answer. “And they say men have a one-track mind. Stop being such a baby and get your ass over here.”

  Baby? She’d be damned if he’d call her that. “I’m no baby, Right Hunter. And I think I’ll keep my ass right where it is, thank you very much.”

  He leaned over and picked a package up out of his pack. “Fine, have it your way. If you don’t want to know what piece of your Raven past I’ve found, I would be happy to keep it.” He held the box just out of her reach. She would have to go to him if she wanted to know what part of her former life he had managed to retrieve.

  She growled softly as she climbed off the bed and snatched the box away from him. Damn him for having the upper hand and for holding it over her.

  There was a layer of tissue paper under the lid but, as she pushed it out of the way, her fingers brushed against cold metal and her irritation with him completely disappeared. “Are these really…?” She wanted them so badly but she refused to believe her eyes. It wasn’t until she traced the Raven Crest on the teak hilt of the familiar daggers that she believed it. “How did you find them?”

  “A fluke. A couple years ago we were passing through a little town somewhere between here and King’s Keep, and there was a hawker selling trinkets. Really not much of a story, I know.”

  Tears welled in her eyes as she stared down at the blades she’d grown up with. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure. But I will point out that this is the second time I’ve given them to you. I hope there won’t be a third.”

  She was so happy she didn’t even mind his rebuke—that much. “I won’t let them out of my sight. Not that I had a choice the last time.” They’d been the first things taken from her when she had been arrested. And getting them back at the keep that had stripped them from her held a balance she liked.

  “Here, let me help you.” Taking the belt from her, he fastened it around her waist under the silky material of her tunic. “I believe this goes here.” He slid the first dagger into the belt at her hip, his knuckles brushing against her rib cage lightly. Fighting off the shiver his contact provoked, she closed her eyes and leaned toward him. “And this,” he said, slowly sliding the second one into the belt at her other hip, “goes here.”

  He was so close she could smell the mint on his breath and the faint aroma of sandalwood in his hair. But he wasn’t going to stay that close for long. He was already stepping away from her. She had to bite her lip to keep from objecting.

  “And here I thought you didn’t want to play games.” She couldn’t resist the taunt.

  He closed the space between them with a single step and pulled her to him before dropping his mouth onto hers in a savage kiss. Passion and hunger hummed through him, refusing to be ignored. And Sara was consumed by it instantly. This time when he stepped away she did let out a noise of objection. She didn’t want to lose his heat. Didn’t want to lose his strength.

  “No games. Not with you. But you haven’t made up your mind and I’m hungry.”

  Hungry. The word echoed though her desire-fogged mind. Was it for her or for the feast? Some small spark of sanity whispered that the latter would be the safer of the two. “Food. Right—of course.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Well then, lead the way.”

  He shook hi
s head, but moved away from her without argument. She suspected she’d made the wrong choice, but it was too late. There was nothing to do but follow him out the door. Still, her fingers unconsciously searched out the hilt of a dagger as she moved. He had thought of her during those years. He had carried her daggers knowing how important they were to her. And, in her heart, she knew that was worth more than a hundred visits.

  They made their way down to the foyer in silence. Kavin was the picture of a relaxed captain, but the controlled tension that crackled in him called to Sara. She wanted to touch him. Just once. Just to see what would happen.

  She couldn’t though. As their companions came into view, she had to focus on the impending dinner.

  “There you two are.” Jar’s voice cut through her thoughts. “We were about to send a search party.”

  Shemeek, however, gave them a soft smile. “It takes time to make ourselves beautiful for the men we care about. You look gorgeous, Sara.”

  Sara smiled stiffly. “Thank you.” Good gods, the woman would never forgive her if she ever figured out what was really going on with her and Kavin. Thankfully since Sara hadn’t figured it out yet and she was right in the middle of it, she was pretty certain that Shemeek probably never would.

  “Yes, you look nice.” Kemah was doing his best bored impression as he leaned against the doorjamb. “Can we eat now?”

  “I think the boy has a good idea.” Kavin linked his arm with hers. “I, for one, could use a decent meal.”

  His touch brought with it the urge to lean into him and, just this once, she didn’t resist. She just didn’t have it in her at that moment. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Together they marched through the door and out into the night.

  Chapter Six

  Sara enjoyed the comfort of light conversation as they made their way through the gardens and courtyards of the keep. It was nice not to have to think for a bit, nice not to have to worry about the consequence of each action or word. But, as they reached the entranceway, her stomach started to turn nervously.

  “They’ll take the king’s offer. You’ll be fine.” Kavin’s breath tickled her neck as he leaned into her and the stubble that shadowed his chin scratched the shell of her ear, sending a delightful shiver through her.