He wanted to give Anin time to get out of her soaked garments. He had learned that remaining in wet garments could bring illness and his task was to protect the future Queen from all things and once again reminded himself that that included him as well.
He shut his eyes a moment not only at the thought of her naked, but at the thought of how he and she had enjoyed the kisses they had shared. How much she had wanted to kiss him. How much he wanted her kiss. Her blue eyes had been heated with such strong desire, her lips so moist and inviting that he could not deny her.
He shook his head. He had betrayed the King by kissing the woman who was to be his Queen, but if he confessed he would not only be condemning himself, but Anin as well. That he could not do. This would all be over soon. He would deliver her to the King and it would be done. He would see her rarely. The thought troubled him more than relieved him. He would miss her. Miss her curiosity, her smile, her touch.
The thunder struck so hard and unexpected that Paine jumped, startled, and Bog cringed as if in fear, a rare response for him. Then Paine realized why, more thunder was about to follow.
Anin.
Paine took off running, Bog trailing.
Another clap of thunder sounded as if it split the earth in two and his insides twisted.
Anin.
His only thought was of her alone and full of fear. He ran faster.
~~~
Anin stood frozen in place. The small dwelling shook from the thunder or was it her shaking with fear.
Paine.
Where was he? Why had he not returned yet?
Stop, Anin, you must stop this! Thunder cannot hurt you!
Her mum’s scolding voice rang in her head. How many times had she heard it? How many times had she tried to fight against it? How many times had she tried to tell her mum how the sound of the thunder made her feel? It was as though the thunder itself rippled through her and she could feel its urgent need to strike the earth again and again. She envisioned an angry giant pounding the earth over and over until his temper abated. But no one would listen and her mum would scold her repeatedly until finally she would run and hide from the angry giant.
Another clap of thunder had her cringing and her body trembling badly.
“Paine,” she whispered, “Paine, please, I need you.”
She covered her ears at the next loud clap of thunder, the blanket falling away from her as she did, leaving her naked. “Paine!” she screamed not only for him but to stop the endless pounding that echoed through her.
The door burst open and Paine rushed in along with Bog.
Anin did not stop to think, she stretched her arms out to him.
Paine gave no thought as well. He rushed over to her and threw his arms around her and her slim arms went around him, pulling him tightly against her. Her trembling worsened and Paine realized his wet garments were doing her no good. He pushed her away, but she fought against him, refusing to let go.
“My wet garments. I need to get out of them.”
Reluctantly, she released him, but remained so close that the rainwater from his garments splashed over her as he hurriedly pulled them off. She was back in his arms as soon as he was naked, pressing her body against his before he could grab for the blanket. She was far too frightened for him to push her away again. She needed comforting. She needed to feel safe.
His arms tightened around her and held her firm.
“Do not let me go,” she begged.
“Never.”
His voice was strong and confident, his body solid against hers, and his arms snug around her. Never. Never would he let her go. Nothing could harm her when he held her, not even the mighty thunder giant.
Thunder broke again, sounding louder than before and Paine ran his hand soothingly down along her back and up again. He continued stroking her back and it was not long before he felt heat returning to her chilled skin. It was then he realized how smooth and soft her skin felt and how delicate the slight curve in her back. If he allowed himself to follow it all the way down he would...
He warned himself to stop, not go any further, but the need to touch her intimately warred with reason. It took all his strength to ease his hand off her.
Shortly after, she began to shiver once again and his hand returned to stroke her back without hesitation. Another warning echoed in his head and if he did not pay it heed, they both could very well lose their heads for betraying the King.
He pushed her away so quickly that she had no time to protest. He reached down and grabbed the blanket and hastily wrapped it around her. He left her for a moment and grabbed the other blanket on the sleeping pallet and tucked it around his waist.
She was back in his arms as soon as he did and just in time, for another clap of thunder sounded. She buried her face against his naked chest and he was relieved that she hugged her arms tight against herself. Her hands and arms would dig into him rather than her breasts that tempted.
He stroked her back again, though through the blanket this time, all the while thinking King Talon must never learn of this. The King would find nothing unfitting in Anin seeing Paine naked, he and his warriors, women warriors included, having gone into battle naked at times or practiced on the practice field naked. There was nothing like painted people, as the Picts were called by others, rushing at their enemies naked, screaming, and weapons raised high, to instill absolute fear and complete confusion in them. But Paine, holding the future Queen naked in his arms, was not something the King would abide.
He waited until the thunder rolled off in the distance and felt her body ease before stepping away from her. She did not want to let him go and he had to be more forceful than he cared to be as he pushed her away from him.
“The thunder is far off now. There is no more to fear,” he encouraged firmly, though felt a twinge to his chest when he saw the fright that continued to linger in her eyes and how pale she had grown.
She nodded and stepped reluctantly away from him, though not as far as Paine would have liked.
“We should eat.”
“I am not hungry,” Anin said her insides upset as always when a thunderstorm rolled around.
“You should sleep. We leave at first light,” Paine said. “We are on Pictland land now and the King’s warriors will spot us soon enough and an escort will be sent to take you the rest of the way.”
“You will leave me?” she asked the thought sending a fright so strong through her that her legs weakened.
“Once I present you to the King, you will see me rarely.”
She stepped away from him and though it was not far, he felt as if there was a chasm between them and this time he felt as if his insides were being torn apart. He turned away from her and saw to feeding the fire, keeping the flames plentiful and the small dwelling warm against the chilling rain.
Anin did not know what to make of how she felt. The thought of being separated from Paine hurt so deeply that she wanted to cry. What was it about this man that stirred these feelings in her? Why had she found more comfort in his arms than she had ever felt before? Why did she have this overwhelming need to remain with him, never leave him? How was it that she had whispered, tuahna, expressing how deeply she felt for him? And how was she ever going to wed the King when she felt as she did for Paine?
She fought the tears that threatened at her eyes. She had to stay strong. She would not cry. She could not cry. She swiped roughly at the first tear that spilled from her eye.
“Anin,” Paine said softly and she turned. His chest tightened when he saw a tear slip down her pale cheek. He took a step toward her.
Anin raised her hand, stopping him. “I must fight my tears. Lammok woman do not cry. My mum would be terribly angry with me if she knew I showed any weakness. She tried so hard to make me strong, scolding me every time I shed a tear, every time thunder rumbled. And here I am failing her twice.”
“You cried often?” he asked, taking a step toward her.
She nodded. “Over fooli
sh things as my mum would remind me, but for some reason I could not stop my tears. They were always the victor.”
“There is no shame in shedding tears.”
“Do you shed tears?” she asked, wiping another one away.
“Not for many years.”
“At least you have cried. I believe the last time my mum cried was when she was born.” She could not stop the next words that came to her lips. They rushed out of her as if worried she would stop them. “I will miss you.”
Her words struck him hard in the chest, though he responded harshly. “No one misses the executioner.”
“You are not the executioner to me. You are a man who made me feel safer than I ever felt before, and I will miss you terribly.” The tears came then. She could not stop them.
Paine could not stop himself from taking her in his arms. He wanted to wipe her tears away and let her know that she could cry in front of him anytime she wished and he would not think any less of her. Most of all, he wanted desperately to kiss her and claim her for himself. He restrained himself from doing any of that and simply held her close and let her shed her tears.
How would she ever walk away from him, never to feel his arms around her again? She purposely pressed her hand against his chest, wanting to feel what he felt, know what was deep inside him, and know if it hurt him to part from her as much as it did her?
She stopped herself from gasping, feeling something unexpected. She felt an ache similar to hers. He would miss her as much as she would miss him.
The words rushed out as before. “You will miss me.”
Paine pushed her away. “Do not speak such nonsense or you will suffer for it.”
“I am to be Queen,” she said with heavy sadness.
“And you forget that too often,” he said harshly. “Now go and sleep.” He pointed to the sleeping pallet.
Anin did not bother to argue. He was right. It did not matter how either of them felt. Fate had decided for them. She lay down, turning her back to him and let silent tears fall. At least the thunder had rumbled off and hopefully it would not return.
Paine sat with his back braced against the wall, keeping his eyes on the fire pit. Her words had disturbed him. How did she know that he would miss her? He never let anyone see how he felt, but then he had not allowed himself to feel anything for a very long time, not until he met Anin.
He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall, trying to chase all thought away when his remark to Anin’s mother suddenly struck him. I will learn your secret and may mercy be with you if I must return here.
He opened his eyes and looked over at Anin, her back to him. There had been more to her mum’s refusal to have her daughter wed the King, but his task had nothing to do with that and so at the time he had paid it no heed. But now after spending time with Anin he began to wonder.
She was nothing like a Lammok woman warrior, not in features, height, skills, or strength, and a Lammok woman would never fear thunder. Her long dark hair was the only likeness to the Lammok Tribe. Then there was the way she was so aware of how the older couple felt toward him that she could not finish eating. And how often had she seemed to know what he felt? Esplin’s words suddenly returned to him.
The Wyse women and men listened and became sensitive to the land, sensitive to touch. The land and all on it speaks to them and one touch allows them to feel what others feel. There are some that are born more sensitive than others. They usually become our leaders.
Could Anin be one of the Wyse? But how? Her mum was Lammok.
His thoughts scrambled around in his head until he reached a conclusion.
Anin was her mother’s secret.
Thunder suddenly split through the silence. Paine was on his feet as Anin called out to him and was at her side and had her in his arms before she finished his name. He stretched out beside her, keeping her close and stroking her back. The thunder continued, though not as loud and by the time it rolled away Paine and Anin were asleep—in one another’s arms.
Bog’s growl woke Paine and Anin the next morning, but not quickly enough.
The door burst open, the latch breaking, and in walked a warrior. He stared at them naked together on the sleeping pallet, and angrily demanded, “What goes on here?”
Chapter Twenty-one
“Are you a fool?” the warrior yelled at Paine.
Bog stood, his teeth bared at the man and a deep growl rumbling in his chest.
The warrior ignored him, continuing to yell. “Poking the future Queen? The King will have your head for this.” The warrior turned dark eyes on Anin, “But first he will have you take her head.”
Anin spoke before giving her words thought. “Paine would never hurt me.”
The man’s dark eyes bore into her for a moment, and then he looked to Paine. “Outside and shut that wolf up or I will.” He turned and walked out the door, closing it forcefully.
Bog stopped as soon as the warrior was out the door.
Paine stood and Anin stared at him, but it was not his naked body that had her thoughts churning, but what could possibly happen to him because of her foolish fear.
As he hastily donned his garments, she hurried to say, “We did nothing wrong.”
Paine grabbed his battle axe and looked at her. “We may not have joined, but it was wrong of us to sleep together—naked.” He went to the door. “Have no fear, Anin, I will keep you safe.”
He would keep her safe, that she knew, but at what cost to him?
She hurried to slip into her garments, some still damp, though she paid no heed to the discomfort, her thoughts on the man who had angry words for Paine and had completely ignored her.
He was one of King Talon’s personal guards, one of the finest, fiercest, and most skillful of warriors. They were as equally admired and feared and many preferred to keep their distance from them.
The one who had burst into the dwelling had fine features and dark eyes that matched his long, dark hair plaited at the sides then drawn back to knot at the back of his head. He was tall, though not as tall as Paine and his body lean, though muscled. He wore the dark garments of the King’s personal guard, which meant his body markings were specific to his back, chest, arms, and neck. And there was a forceful presence about him which led Anin to believe he was in command, meaning?
He was Wrath, the powerful leader of the King’s Personal Guard, the warrior who rode at the King’s side and was like a brother to the King. He was named such, for once he let loose his anger few remained standing.
~~~
Once outside Bog ran off, though he knew the animal would remain close in case he was needed. Not that any of the King’s guard would dare touch Bog. They knew Paine would kill them if they did.
Wrath stood beneath a pine tree, his arms folded across his chest and anger still simmering in his dark eyes. Wrath and Paine were more friends than foes, having fought in endless battles together with the King before he was King.
“Tell me that that beautiful woman bewitched you so that we may save you from losing your head,” Wrath said when Paine came to stand in front of him.
“Nothing happened between us.”
Wrath threw his hands in the air. “Oh, so all is well because you did not poke the future Queen, you only slept beside her naked.” He glared at Paine. “King Talon will not be happy to learn what went on here and he will learn of it.”
“I will tell him myself, though I believe he will be more interested to learn that we were attacked by Drust warriors and that I saw someone garbed in the hooded-cloak of the King’s warriors speaking with the Drust and if that isn’t enough, a small troop of dal Gabran has been slaughtered on our land by the Drust.”
Wrath took a quick step toward him and lowered his voice. “Tell me all.”
Paine explained all to him and Wrath was pacing in front of him by the time he finished.
“There have been rumblings about dissent among a few who believe that King Talon will never produce a
son to continue Pict rule and so he should be removed from the seat of power and replaced with a man capable of continuing the Pict reign.”
“Then I would suggest there may be some who wish to hasten his departure by showing that he cannot control the Drust.”
“The King needs to know of this.” Wrath placed his hand on Paine’s shoulder. “And hear why you found it necessary to sleep with his future wife.”
Paine kept his voice low. “There is more to Anin than the King knows.”
“Do not tell me she is not fit to wed the King,” Wrath said annoyed. “The search will have to begin again and will only give those who oppose the King more reason to incite others.”
“That will be for the King to decide.”
“Which means you do not intend to share with me what you know?”
“I do not know enough yet.”
Wrath gave a nod toward the door. “She is beautiful, though I thought she would favor the woman of her mother’s tribe. I see no Lammok in her except for the dark hair. And she appeared fearful when I entered the cottage. A Lammok woman warrior would have attacked me as soon as I entered. Do her mother and father need to be called before the King?”
“Possibly, but not at the moment.”
“Tell me why you slept with this woman who will, or was, to be Queen,” Wrath demanded more than asked.
“That is for the King to know,” Paine said firmly.
Wrath’s brow pinched and his eyes narrowed. “What are you not telling me?”
“What I choose not to tell you,” Paine said and turned away.
“I will find out.”
Paine gave an abrupt laugh. “I have no worries about that.”
“And what does that mean,” Wrath asked, walking up beside him.
“Your quick anger blinds you to what is easily seen.”
“My anger saved your arse more than once,” Wrath reminded.
“And my calm attention saved your arse far more.”
Wrath grabbed his arm and brought them to a halt.
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