She caved and walked beside me. “You can’t just marry the first male who comes along.”
“Oh?” I had no plans to, but I was curious as to her reasoning. “Why not?”
“Males are like chocolates.” She licked her fingers. “They’re meant to be sampled.”
Laughter stopped up my throat. “You can’t say such things.”
“I say them, and I mean them.” She bumped her shoulder into mine. “Don’t be such a prude.”
“You’re right.” I never expected those words to cross my lips. “If I must marry one of Mother’s choices for me, perhaps I should take a lover. I ought to have that much choice, don’t you think?”
“I, um, well…”
“No. For once, we are in complete agreement.” I don’t why the idea had never crossed my mind before now. “I will take my first lover.” I slid my gaze her way. “Are any of the guards handsome?”
Her expression turned pained. “You’ve lived here all your life and never noticed?”
“If we rode through a forest with hundreds of trees, but said you could only seek shelter beneath five of the sturdiest in the woods, would you spare a glance for the others as you passed them?” I let her ponder that. “Or would you keep your gaze focused ahead on the trees you were allowed to use?”
“You’re comparing cones to needles.” She waved her hand. “There’s more to it.”
Ah, yes. Isolde and her elusive more. “What else is there?”
“The burn in your gut when a handsome male smiles at you, or the way your lips tingle before a male kisses you.” She made smacking noises. “You don’t waltz into a room and pick a male, check his teeth and his papers then decide if he’s worthy. You feel it. Your nipples get as hard as stones—”
I covered my ears. “Enough.”
“You’re right.” She yanked on my arms. “It’s really the males who get hard— Oof.”
I elbowed her again, harder. “You’re ruining the appeal for me.”
“If you take a lover, it won’t be all roses and sweet wine.” She chortled. “You realize that?”
“I am very well aware of how sex works, thank you.”
“It’s a messy, sticky business,” she warned me. “You have to get naked and then he pulls out—”
“Isolde.” My face was burning so hot I should have breathed fire.
She patted my cheeks and grinned. “What are friends for?”
“I hope you’re pleased.” I fanned my face. “You’ve just sent me to my future husband a virgin.”
“Aww.” She looped her arm through mine. “There’s more to sex than your mother told you.”
The rest of the way down to the west end, she took great delight in educating me.
Ahead of us loomed the dark tunnel leading to the guards’ quarters. If I squinted, I could just see a male stood in the center with his hand on his sword. He was Theridiidae. All our guards were. That meant he was highly venomous and the prick of his teeth could kill me without a dose of antivenin.
I kept that in mind as I approached him, taking care to stop a careful distance away.
The older male inclined his head. “What brings you here, lady?”
“My friend won this off a guard.” I nudged Isolde until she held up her prize. “Would you be so kind as to locate him for us? I would like to see his property returned to him personally.”
If I left Isolde to do it, gods only knew what she might come back carrying.
“I can’t leave my post.” He narrowed his eyes on the blade. “I will see it to its rightful owner.”
“Ha.” Isolde whipped it out of his reach. “We don’t know you or that you’ll keep your word.”
The guard drew himself up taller. “Are you insulting my honor?”
She glared up at him. “Whether you have any honor is the question.”
“Forgive my friend.” I clamped a hand over Isolde’s arm. “She means no disrespect.”
His scowl slid onto me. “No doubt you believe that, miss.”
“If you can’t leave your post, then let me escort her to the common room. We won’t enter any of the guards’ quarters or private spaces. We won’t disturb them more than necessary.” I smiled at him. “I trust your clansmen to protect my honor as Mother trusts your clan with the welfare of our nest.”
That made his chest swell with pride. “They’re good males. They won’t trouble you.”
Isolde swaggered up to him. “Not if they know what’s good for—”
I slapped my hand over her mouth and dragged her stumbling. “We’ll leave you to your work.”
Vicious brat that she was, Isolde bit my middle finger once the guard was out of sight.
“What did you do that for?” She spit. “He was being an arse.”
“You were being obnoxious.” I thumped her on the head. “You could have gotten us killed.”
“You’re the maven’s only daughter.” Her eyes sparkled. “Your father would cut him to bits.”
Sudden pain laced my heart. “He is not a topic for discussion.”
“Fine.” She danced ahead of me. “If he was my father, I would discuss him all the time.”
“Huh.” I shot her a sour look. “You mean like you do now?”
“He’s a famous swordsman.” Her voice lowered. “I heard he eats the hearts of his enemies.”
I wrinkled my nose. “He isn’t Mimetidae.”
“Can you imagine if he was?” She twirled, sword in hand. “Then he would be a cannibal.”
“You are insane.” I ducked when I got too close to her. “Put that away before you cut yourself.”
“You are the opposite of fun.” She lowered her weapon. “How is it we’re even friends?”
I rolled my eyes. “We are friends because you need a keeper.”
She elbowed me in the side. “I do not.”
“What would you do without me?” I jabbed her back. “Besides run wild and gamble?”
“Bah.” She darted aside. “Everyone needs to run wild once in a while.”
I lunged for her. “What about gambling?”
“No.” She spun out of my grasp. “Only fools gamble when the outcome is unknown.”
Her meaning dawned on me. “You cheat?”
“No. Not exactly.” She bit her lip. “Well, yes.”
“Well that explains it then.”
We froze at the sound of a graveled voice booming down the tunnel.
Isolde ran to my side and drew the sword, aiming it at the shadow approaching us.
“State your business,” she barked.
“I heard two silly girls giggling in the hall and came to escort them back to their playroom.”
Heat ignited in my cheeks. “We came to return this sword to its rightful owner.”
“That would be me.” He sounded amused. “As I’m sure your friend will attest to.”
“That’s him all right,” Isolde groused. “Here. Have your sticker.”
I shut my eyes when she flung it at him.
“Gods’ web,” he cursed. “It’s not a sticker, it’s a fencing sword.”
He sounded…not skewered…so I peeked out at him.
The guard wore his hair cropped so close I was unsure of its color. The minimal style was harsh by Araneidae standards, but it suited his rugged features. His nose was sharp, his chin square and his cheeks were too high. He was not the most attractive male I had ever seen, but his eyes reminded me of the rich chocolates Isolde had so brashly suggested we taste. There was a hint of wildness in them.
He caught me staring and returned my frank assessment. “You’re the maven’s daughter.”
“Her name is Reine,” Isolde growled. “She is more than a placeholder for a title.”
“Excuse me, Reine.” He bowed at the waist. “I should have said, ‘You are the loveliest female I have had the pleasure of insulting since my arrival, and you bear a stark resemblance to the maven.’”
“Then I might have said, ‘Thank y
ou. The maven is indeed my mother, and my name is Reine.’”
“Then I might have returned—” he laughed. “I mean to say, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
Isolde tapped a finger against her lips. “You’re new to Erania, then?”
He nodded. “Just arrived.”
“Huh.” She cut her eyes at me. “Then Reine should give you a tour.”
“Isolde,” I gritted from between clenched teeth.
“It’s quite all right.” He raked his thumbnail across the deep grooves etched in the rapier’s hilt. “I’m sure Uncle will show me around the city in time. He keeps very busy, but he must eventually.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you trying to make me feel guilty?”
“It depends.” His lips twitched. “Is it working?”
“All right.” I let him bask in his victory. “But I must insist my friend accompany us.”
His eyes narrowed on Isolde. “Of course.”
She winked at him. “What’s your name anyway?”
“Ennis.”
“Ennis,” she repeated. “I suppose it could be worse.”
“Yes,” he said dryly. “I could have been named Isolde.”
Her fingers curved into claws, and she lunged. I caught her around the waist, hauling her back as she kicked and screamed and cursed his mother, his father, his siblings, his pets, even his male bits. I spun a strand of silk from my fingertip and bound her hands behind her back. Then I clamped a hand over her mouth and began backing out the way we had come. Ennis rubbed his finger along his nose.
“It’s not too late to change your mind,” I called.
“I want to see you again.” He exhaled at Isolde. “Even if that is the cost of our association.”
Her muffled swearing made my ears blush. “Meet me after dinner in the courtyard.”
“Must I wait so long?” He prowled closer. “Midday meal is but a few hours away.”
“I have lessons until the afternoon.” I eased us back one step for each of his. “Enjoy your day.”
“Oh, I will.” The flash of fang in his smile made my knees weak. “I will count the hours.”
I spun on my heel and dragged Isolde back to my room, ignoring her pleas I free her and certain I had never seen such sharp teeth on a male in my life.
Chapter 2
I jumped when Mother put her hand on my shoulder. I had been leaning out the window, gazing at the bustling city. After living underground for nine months, open air was so…bizarre.
Mother swept the windblown hairs from my forehead. “Are you missing the nest already?”
Given how I had just left it, I was less homesick than she knew.
I rested my head on her shoulder. “It’s silly, I know.”
“It’s understandable.” She kissed the top of my head. “Are you very upset after our talk?”
“No.” I straightened and faced her. “I knew I had to marry one day. It is my duty to our clan. At my age, I knew it would be sooner rather than later. I can’t be angry when I knew this was coming.”
She patted my cheek. “You sound as resigned as I must have at your age.”
I had trouble picturing her resigned to any fate. “Did your mother pick your suitors?”
She nodded. “Oh, yes.”
Our clan was matriarchal, so it stood to reason it was a tradition passed through our family.
I worried my lip with my teeth. “Did you like any of them?”
Her grin was wry. “I am married to one of them.”
“You had to marry one of them,” I pointed out the obvious.
“I had to birth my heir.” She tapped my nose. “I didn’t have to stay married. I chose to.”
“Do you love Father very much?” I asked softly.
“He doesn’t make it easy.” She turned aside. “I love him despite his...”
Her lips flattened, and I knew I had pushed too far. She would not speak of him again.
Attempting to distract her, I asked, “Do I get a list of names? How does it work?”
“If I gave you a list, you would strike through every name before you even met the poor male.” She clicked her tongue. “No. It’s much kinder to all parties involved to let you meet face to face and form your opinion after having spent time together. Chaperoned, of course.”
“Of course.”
“Don’t sound so glum.” Her expression softened. “You might be surprised.”
Surprise was meeting a Theridiidae guardsman in the forbidden west end. Surprise was realizing how eager I was for the day to pass so I might see him again. Surprise was not my Mother’s choice of suitors. They would all be warriors with savage reputations who could protect our clan from harm.
The Araneidae were artisans. We could not defend ourselves. We had to marry for protection.
We did not, however, have to like it.
“When do the suitors arrive?” I knew her style.
The less time I had to sketch an escape plan, the more likely I was to stick to her outline.
“Some already have.” She watched for my reaction. “Others will arrive in the coming days.”
“Ah.” It seemed the best answer I could offer.
“There is someone I would like you to meet.” She added, “Tonight if you’re up to it.”
Tonight I had plans, and they were looking better all the time.
I pasted on sincere regret. “I promised to give a friend of Isolde’s a tour of the city.”
Mother paled. “A friend of Isolde’s?”
Her wince tempted me to laugh. “I promise we will be on our best behavior.”
“You do well to contain Isolde.” She frowned. “Are you sure you can manage her friend too?”
Tempted as I was to embellish the truth by hinting I would have an armed escort, I kept quiet as a thrill raced through me. I had a secret. Me. I was always the secret keeper, the confidant. No more.
As the noose of responsibility tightened around my throat, I was taking one last gasp of air.
“I can manage.” I had no doubt, “Isolde will help. You know how persuasive she can be.”
“That’s what worries me.” She exhaled. “That girl is a bad influence on you.”
This was another old argument of ours. “She is my best friend.”
“I hope she remains so.” Mother stared through my window. “It’s time she grew up too.”
A lump formed in my throat. “What do you mean?”
“When her parents were released from our custody, and they reclaimed Isolde, I gave them gold enough to keep her well until her twentieth birthday. By that age, she ought to be married or well on her way to it. Some of her wealth can go toward her dowry to secure a good match.” She paused. “It was a stipulation that Isolde be allowed to visit you three months of the year. When she marries…”
“She will be twenty next month.” I swallowed hard. “You can’t take her from me.”
“I can’t buy her. She is a person, not a pet. I have no sons to marry her, and you have no cousins of age who aren’t already promised. She will have to marry and make her own way in the world. I’ve done all I can for her.” She reached for me. “I hoped if you both married around the same time—”
“You can pick my husband, but you can’t choose my friends. You will not keep us apart.”
“Reine.”
“No.” I held up my hand. “I will do no lessons. I have choked down enough duty for one day.”
Mother lowered her head. “You will see in time this is the way it must be.”
“You are the maven.” I set my jaw. “What is the point of upholding a tradition that crushes us?”
“Tradition is the framework supporting our clan, our nest and our lives.” She hesitated over my threshold. “Once these trials are over, you will be more able to put these things into perspective.”
“No.” I turned my back on her. “When this trial is over, there will be another and another.”
“It is
the fate of those who rule to suffer for the good of their people.”
“Then let me be the first to welcome the Araneidae into their new age of prosperity.”
I bumped into Isolde outside the kitchen. With my schedule cleared, I thought we might visit the tailor and get her fitted for some new dresses. I had been considering this season’s colors to determine which might suit her when a flash of bridal white in my mind’s eye made my head reel.
She dropped the apple she had been eating and grasped my shoulders. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” I fought stubborn tears. “I fought with Mother. That’s all.”
One of the cooks who witnessed my faint brought me a glass of chilled sweet wine.
“Bet you skipped breakfast again, miss. You’re so pale.” She returned with a tray of cheeses and meats and thrust it into Isolde’s hands. “Take her outside. Get her some sun and see that she eats.”
Isolde snagged a sliced lepus medallion and popped it into her mouth. “Will do.”
The cook thumped the end of her nose. “Keep your grubby mitts off that.”
“Oww.” Isolde rubbed the sore spot. “She won’t miss one bite.”
I stepped between them and nudged Isolde away from the cook. “Thank you.”
The cook smiled warmly at me. “You’re welcome, miss.”
We left the kitchen behind in search of the sunshine the cook had prescribed.
“What did you fight about this time?” Isolde nibbled a piece of cheddar.
“Suitors. Marriage. Monarchy.” You. Though I kept that to myself.
Isolde never spoke of her family or her life when she was with them. We were both aware of the stark differences in our upbringings and our futures. We chose to live in the now, together, as equals.
“There’s something else.” She squinted at me. “What aren’t you saying?”
I bit my tongue.
She nudged me. “What could be worse than marrying you off?”
Never seeing my best friend again.
She put down the slice of meat in her fingers. “You’re scaring me.”
To avoid the truth, I screwed up my face. “The suitors are here, in Erania.”
“Do tell.” Her appetite returned. “Are they somewhere we can spy on them?”
Araneae Nation: The Complete Collection Page 2