by Linda Mooney
“Because I knew you would think I would head back to Wallis, and I was afraid your men would hurt more of my people, trying to pry my whereabouts from them. Well, I’m not.”
He took another step, and this time she also stepped back an equal distance. “Don’t come any closer,” she warned.
“Atrilan...”
The sound of her full name caused the tip of the arrow to move slightly. Yulen took hope in it and advanced another step. Suddenly she shifted her aim, moving off of his chest and centering on his legs. She didn’t want to kill him, just wound him enough to keep him from coming after her.
“Go back now. Now. Before you force me to fire.”
“Not without you,” he told her firmly.
“No.” She shook her head, lifting her face off the target. “Don’t come after me. Don’t do anything except go on to Alta Novis. Go back to your precious...whore.”
“I’m not leaving without you. If I have to, I’ll send the troops on ahead, but I’ll be back to find you,” he promised.
“Why? Is having me as your secret weapon that damn important to you?” Her voice wavered, then cracked. Yulen heard her draw a raspy breath. “You would never find me unless I wish it.”
He nodded. “You’re right. Your skill as a hunter far exceeds mine. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t try. And keep trying. And never give up until I find you. I don’t care if you go to the great gulf or east to the ruined cities.”
She held her stance for a few seconds, then unexpectedly bolted, turning and running for the wall of foliage behind her. Yulen raced after her, trying to head her off, even though she was faster and closer than he was.
Suddenly, without warning, Atty grounded to a halt, whirled around, raised her weapon, aimed, and fired—all in one incredibly swift motion. Yulen let out a gasp of surprise as the arrow embedded itself in the leather lacings of his scabbard and pinned his weapon to a small shattered stump next to him. He looked up to see her staring at him. The expression on her face was a mixture of expectation—expectation...fear...and hope.
She’d never aimed for his legs. She’d hit what she’d set as her target.
Calmly but quickly Yulen unbuckled his sword, dropping the weapon where he stood. Raising his hands, he continued to advance toward her. He hesitated for a split-second when she lifted her bow, another arrow nocked and drawn quicker than he could have blinked.
She killed the ferret with her left hand. She took out the sword with her right. The realization rocked him to the core. Her skills were equally lethal with either hand.
Any warrior who could fight and wield a sword with equal dexterity was a rare find. Men spent years trying to achieve such agility. The longbow was a very specialized weapon, and to find an expert marksman with one hand was a gift. Atty’s skills were, in a word, impossible.
“You’re coming with me to Alta Novis,” he told her quietly.
“No.”
“I’m not leaving without you. I don’t care if you shoot me in the leg or the stomach or the arm. I’ll come back for you.”
“I don’t believe you,” her voice trembled although her shot sat rock steady.
“Come with me to my compound. To Alta Novis,” he begged softly.
The tip of the arrow wavered again, but this time he was close enough to see the tears glistening on her cheeks. Without the bandages, the fading bruises and swelling on her face were visible, but they didn’t diminish the strength and beauty of her features.
“Why should I?” Her shoulders shook. Her head dipped for a second before lifting and focusing back down the arrow.
“Because I want you to be with me,” he told her honestly, praying she would believe him.
“Liar. I asked to be with you and you turned me away. You even...you even asked me to stay beside you...and you went back on that!”
“That’s true. But that was before you left.” He paused, and noticed she was waiting for him to continue. “You’ve taught me a hard lesson, Atrilan.”
“Don’t...don’t call me that.”
“I will call you that, and I’ll do it whenever we’re alone. Together. In the privacy of our room, or wherever you are with me. Otherwise I’ll call you Atty when we’re with others.” He took a small step toward her, relieved to see her keep her ground. “You’re coming back, tonight, with me, to Foster City. You’re staying with me. In my room. Just you and me. Tonight.”
“As your prisoner,” she whispered with bitterness.
“No. Not any more. Never again. I want to take you to Alta Novis. I want you to meet my people. My mother. Afterwards, if you want to go back to Wallis, I’ll have Mastin escort you back and bring back my representatives on his return trip.” He took another step, then a second, and now he was less than a dozen yards away from her. Yet her aim remained solid.
“Atrilan...”
“What are you thinking?” she asked in a voice he could barely hear.
“I’m thinking of how you felt in my arms after you killed the ferret. I’m thinking about how you tasted. The softness of your lips. About how I want to take you in my arms again, and take you into my bed, and how I want keep you with me for as long as you’re willing to stay with me, because I’ll take whatever you’ll give me, Atrilan. For however long you’re willing to remain.”
“I can’t go there and be just another one of your mistresses,” she told him with a little shake of her head. “I’m not like that. I can’t.”
“No. You’re not. I will never do that to you.”
The arrow dipped a fraction of an inch, until it no longer pointed at his stomach. In fact, Yulen knew it pointed nowhere.
“What happens if I lose my skill?” she whispered.
What if she lost that which had made him want her in the first place? What if she lost her abilities along with her virginity, as she’d been led to believe all these years? Yulen knew she no longer cared. She was willing to give herself to him. Her ultimate sacrifice. Bedding with the enemy. For what reason? Why take the risk? Why even consider it?
“Atrilan, will you love me?”
She lowered her head, lowered her weapon, and lowered her defenses. Yulen walked quickly over to her, pushing aside the longbow as he pulled her against him and claimed her mouth with his. Atty cried out softly as she dropped the weapon and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He held her tightly, dimly aware of her quivering beneath her cold, wet clothing. Her mouth burned as she clung to him, wanting to melt into him. Defiant. Angry. Hungry for his warmth and his strength and his kisses. Her fingers dove into his hair to clutch his face, afraid to let go. Despite her inexperience, Yulen responded to her naked need as he pressed her against his own arousal with one hand, his other hand at her back crushing her firm breasts to his chest.
Dimly in the back of his mind he reminded himself he needed to be careful with her face. She wasn’t mended from her attack, and wouldn’t be for a few more weeks. Gently he released her, cupping her head and capturing her eyes with his. They both were breathing hard, and as the air around them grew colder with the coming night, they could see little puffs of steam with their words.
“Come,” he leaned in and breathed against her fresh, wet lips. She gave a slight movement of her head, then broke away from his hands to reach down and retrieve her things. Yulen took her free hand, lacing his fingers through hers, and guided her away from the clearing, grabbing his discarded sword and belt along the way.
They spoke no more as they left the forest. Mastin’s eyes widened to see the Battle Lord leading the warrior girl hand-in-hand through the thick brush. Silently Yulen hoisted her into the saddle of his horse before handing her both their weapons, then seated himself behind her. A quick jab from his heels sent the stallion into a gallop, making the Second hard pressed to keep up.
Guards at the top of the gate saw the two horses heading their way at a fast pace and mistook their haste as an emergency. Which was why MaGrath, Batuset, and several of Yulen’s men were w
aiting just inside the compound when Yulen’s stallion thundered through the doors.
Reining in, Yulen lowered Atty down off the horse and into MaGrath’s welcoming embrace. The physician cast the Battle Lord a grateful look as he threw his coat over the shivering girl’s shoulders and hurried her into the main lodge.
“Are you telling me that mere slip of a girl is your incredible Mutah bow master?” Batuset queried, eyebrows arched into his forehead.
“She’s a woman of twenty years with the inborn experience of men three times her age.” He tossed the loose weapons to Mastin, who had dismounted and walked over to join them. “Have these taken to my room.”
“I’ll see a room’s prepared for her,” Batuset mentioned, and turned to leave.
“No need. She’s staying with me tonight,” Yulen informed him softly.
Several of the men paused to stare open-mouthed. Yulen acted as if he hadn’t just dropped a lightning bolt on them. However, Batuset wasn’t about to let it go.
“She’s spending the night in your room?” Foster City’s Battle Lord restated.
“That’s right.” Yulen turned his back on the man to concentrate on getting the saddle off his mount.
“In your bed?”
“If she wishes.”
“A Mutah?”
He turned to stare at the man who had been one of his father’s best friends. “If you have something to say, say it,” he snapped.
Batuset gave the young Lord a look that was part disgust and part shock. “What’s come over you, Yulen? Are you ill?”
“Maybe. Or maybe it’s worse than an illness. Either way, it’s none of your business. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get out of these wet clothes before I catch my death.” Giving his Second a cautioning eye, Yulen added, “Remind the men we’re leaving for Alta Novis at first light. And see to it that someone comes to waken me if I’m not already up.” That being said, he walked away from the cluster of men who stared after him in disbelief.
Seeing as how he had just put his two years of leadership to the ultimate test, it would be interesting to see how MaGrath accepted his news.
Chapter Nineteen
Bath
Yulen found Atty and MaGrath stopped before the big stone fireplace in the common room. The physician had replaced his coat with one of the blankets given to the troops when they’d first arrived. MaGrath glanced up as the Battle Lord strode into the room.
“She’s soaked to the bone and needs to be kept warm. If possible, can you order a hot bath and some dry clothes? Where is Batuset billeting her tonight?”
“She’s staying in my room tonight,” Yulen informed him, and proceeded up the stairs, not looking back to see if MaGrath followed. He knew he would.
He reached the landing as a servant was about to let himself into the Battle Lord’s bedroom, an armload of towels and blankets under his arm. Yulen relieved the man of his burden and ordered him to have the tub refilled with hot water. The man hurried off to obey, and Yulen held the door open to let MaGrath lead in the warrior girl. He dumped the bundle on a side table just inside the door as the physician sat Atty on the edge of the bed, facing the small fireplace blazing in the corner, and sat down beside her.
“Yulen, is this a good idea?”
“I’m not going to take any more chances of her leaving again,” he told the man.
“By holding her hostage in your bedroom? I’m sure Batuset has a few windowless rooms where she could be comfortable and still have a guard posted at the door.”
Yulen gave the man a dark look. “Why all of a sudden is your idea of protecting her and my idea of protecting her at odds this evening?” he asked.
MaGrath paused. “I’m sorry, Yulen. I had to be certain.” Glancing down at the shivering girl, he asked, “Are you here of your own volition?”
She nodded.
“Atty, are you sure? Remember what you told me.”
She cut her eyes toward Yulen, then back at the physician. “You told him, didn’t you?”
“He had to know.”
“It’s okay.” She laid a cold hand on the man’s chest and nodded again. “He’s a hard man to kill.”
Laughing softly, MaGrath gave the hand a squeeze. “And an even harder man to love. Are you hungry? Want me to send up something?”
“Something to drink would be nice.”
“Anything in particular?”
She gazed at him with a little-girl expression, as if she were afraid she’d get into trouble for asking. “Do you have any milk?”
“Milk? That’s all?” At her nod, he dropped a kiss to her hand. “Not a problem. I’ll have it sent up immediately. If there’s anything else you need me for, I’ll be downstairs in the room directly below this one.” Getting to his feet, he stopped in front of Yulen and faced him squarely. “And you, if you hurt her again...”
Yulen gave his friend a sincere smile. Amazingly, the cut on his face didn’t give him any pain. “From now on, my sole purpose will be to keep her from being hurt, not the other way around. Don’t worry, Liam. Today she aimed an arrow at my heart, and she didn’t miss.”
MaGrath chuckled again and patted the young man on the shoulder as he headed out the door, passing the woman servant who had come to the room earlier. She carried a large pot of hot water straight from the kitchen. Behind her, two younger women brought empty buckets to scoop out the tepid water from the tub sitting in the wide area between the bed and the far wall. Yulen watched calmly as they tried to keep from casting furtive glances at the girl huddled beneath the blanket. The gossip mill would be working overtime tonight, he realized. Between what everyone had seen and heard in the courtyard, and what the servants had witnessed in his bedroom, he had a pretty good idea what the verdict would be in the morning.
They wouldn’t be returning to Alta Novis soon enough.
Once the water had been refreshed, the servants hurried out of the room, and Yulen closed the door behind them. He walked over to the warrior girl, helping her to her feet, and took away the blanket. “Take off your clothes and climb in the tub,” he ordered.
She stared at him, then proceeded over to the tub and began to shed her wet things. Yulen watched from the other side of the room as she kept her back to him until she was totally nude, then gingerly stepped into the warm water, easing herself down into its depths. He smiled as she settled her head against the lip of the tub and her face broke into a relaxed smile. A little sigh of contentment escaped her.
“Feel good?” he asked nonchalantly. He dragged a small footstool over by the fire and parked himself so that he got the advantage of the warming flames on one side, and a perfect view of her bathing on the other.
Eyes closed, Atty’s reply was a loud sigh. How long had it been since she’d had the luxury of taking a warm, uninterrupted bath? The tub was an old, battered brass one, but it was large enough to easily hold two people—
Her eyes flew open at the realization, and she searched the room to find him sitting over by the fireplace, examining one of her new arrows. There was enough light in the room from the half-dozen candles and the fireplace to prevent her from hiding anything from his sharp eyes.
Not that there would ever be anything they wouldn’t know about each other after tonight.
Yulen noticed her looking over the edge of the tub and surmised what she was seeking. He got up and walked over to where he’d dumped the load of towels and found the bar of soap wrapped in a washcloth.
“Looking for this?” he asked, holding it up. He casually tossed it in her direction. She deftly caught it, but not before she’d had to stretch upward for it, revealing a glistening, round breast. He threw the washcloth directly into the water.
“Thanks.”
He started to return to the fire when a knock on the door alerted him to the servant girl bringing up a covered mug of milk. Condensation had formed on the outside of the metal tankard. Yulen thanked her, and this time he locked the door securely before taking the mug o
ver to the tub.
For a long moment he watched as Atty drank deeply, and the simple act made him realize how different her life growing up had been from his. He always took the food and drink on the main table for granted, where she had been forced to go out and kill her dinner or face going hungry. Turning away from her, he hid the scowl that came over his face. From now on, he swore to himself, she’d never have to go out and kill for food unless she desired to. She’d never want for anything, not as long as he could help it.
He retook his seat and watched as she unbraided her hair, freeing it so she could wash it. Once it was cleaned, he knew its color would be more evident. How will it look in the morning with the sunlight streaming over it? he thought to himself as he visualized her asleep, lying across the sheets, her hair spread unbound across the pillows. The thought of her sleeping naked on the white linens sent a bolt of hunger through him, and he could feel himself tightening between his legs. Without realizing it, his gaze had fastened on the bed, and she noticed him staring at it.
“Are you going to make love to me tonight?” she asked outright, a small quiver in her voice.
His concentration broken, Yulen glanced at her. “Why do you ask?” he teased, giving her a small smile. She had a tiny milk mustache on her upper lip.
She shrugged and lifted a knee to scrub the calf and foot. “I don’t know. Just wanted to know, I guess.”
“Lovemaking is supposed to be spontaneous,” he told her, still amused. “Besides, I want our first time to be special.” He enjoyed the surprised look she gave him.
“So you’re not going to...I mean, we’re not going to, uhh...”
Yulen chuckled. “Do you want us to?”
“Tonight?” she whispered, wide-eyed.
“We’re not going to be disturbed again until the morning. We have all of tonight...if that’s what you wish.”
Her gaze involuntarily went to the locked door before traveling back to him. “I...don’t know what I want,” she admitted honestly. Nervously.
Lifting an eyebrow at her, he leaned back until his shoulders rested against the stone wall. He still held one of her crude arrows in his hand. Holding it up, he commented, “You did a good job making more of these in the short time you had.”