To Protect A Prince
Page 10
"I was just going to take him. To let you wake up and find him gone. But I couldn't do that to you. I wanted to give you a chance to say goodbye."
"Goodbye? Why? What have you done?” She felt Dan's thumb on her cheek, wiping away the tears.
"I've offered him as novice to an order of holy brothers who will teach him what he needs to know in order to be a true king. Teach him to become a warrior and a great empath. It's a gift without price and he will thank you for it, one day."
"I can teach him all that."
"And keep him safe?"
"You said you were keeping us. Or was that just madness brought on by the marker?"
"You.” His fingers pushed into her hair, curved around her skull, holding her gently in place. “You, Shula. I'm keeping you. I want you to enslave me and keep me by your side. I want to stand between you and the universe. To make a shield with my body that will keep you safe from all harm. If you'll have me."
"I want you both.” Her voice was a bare whisper. “I can't do this. Can't give him up."
"He can disappear here, amongst all the other children. When he's grown, the monks will tell him who he is."
"Will they love him? Hold him when he cries?” She hugged the child closer, ready to fight to keep him. “I can't just hand him over to people I don't know. What if the bounty-hunters track him here? If Sal knew where you were taking him, then won't they be able to work it out? She saw the marks, didn't she?"
"And drew the wrong conclusion,” Dan said. “The dragon is a decoy. No-one knows my real past."
"I have no idea what you're talking about.” She turned her back, shielding Cristan from Dan's waiting arms. “This is happening too fast."
Don't cry. Don't cry. I will see you again.
The words echoed in her head. Words from Cristan the man, not those of the child she would never hold again. He stared at her, waiting for her decision. Dan's hands rested lightly on her shoulders.
"They're coming for him. Welcome them aboard. I want to see their faces when they realise I've brought a woman with me."
"They don't like women?"
"Understatement. This club is strictly men only."
"You lived here?"
"For a while, yes. They're good people, Shula. They'll shield Cristan from harm until he's ready to make his own way. Now, show me how brave you are."
Dan dropped to one knee, dark head bowed. The ancient, bare-chested monk at the foot of the ramp inclined his head in acknowledgement.
"You do us great honour Father Abbot. Will you come aboard?"
The monk gathered up his long sarong and stepped onto the ramp. “Well of course I'll come aboard. Do you think I'm here for my health?” he muttered and regarded Dan for a long moment. With a speed belying his age, the old man closed the distance between them and raised a hand in blessing.
A hand covered in a constellation of stars.
* * * *
"Tell me I did the right thing.” Dan's customary bravado evaporated at the sight of Shula, arms wrapped about her body, locked in shock and grief. “Tell me that one day, you'll forgive me."
"He was so tiny and yet the ship feels so empty without him.” Shula gave him a tight-lipped smile, her eyes the colour of tears.
Dan pushed his hands into his pockets to stop himself touching her. The decision to come back to him should be hers. At that moment, the distance between then felt like a million light years.
"You don't have to like what I did. You can hate me for it. But please say you understand."
"That's what makes it so hard. I want to hate you, but I can't. You made the right decision, I know that. I wish I were as brave as you. Without you I'd never have been able to leave him"
"I'm not brave. You heard Father Abbot giving me absolution? Nice little perk for me, don't you think?"
"Stop it. You would have done it anyway."
Gentle fingers on his arm. Reassuring, reaffirming. He sat beside her, feeling the chasm between them closing. Took one of her hands in his and kissed it. With or without the marker, he was hers.
"I'm no saint, either,” Shula continued. “Don't start thinking I am. I once put nettles in the Lady Arabia's bed. And aga-root in my grand-uncle's tea."
"Sounds like he deserved it."
"I miss Cristan. Goddess, how I miss him.” Her fingers tightened around his. “Promise me we'll see him again. That he'll always be able to find one of us."
"I can promise you that. May I hold you?"
"Please."
"Ship might make it to Stalos minor. How do you fancy being a farmer's wife?"
"You, a farmer?"
"Stranger things have happened."
The soft weight of her at his side felt familiar and right. If he was to fall into her thrall, then so be it. All the better to protect her.
"What?” she said. “What stranger things have happened to you? Tell me."
His face creased into a mock-frown. “Damned if I can think of anything. But I want this. I'm surprised at how much I want this."
Shula raised her head and contemplated him, long and hard. Her scrutiny made him oddly nervous as if he yet had to pass some test to be allowed the privilege of being with her. For a man who took life for granted, it was an unsettling experience.
"It will certainly be different from court-life,” she said and then to his alarm, shook her head. “I can't do this to you. I'll only be holding you back. Find me a safe haven and I will make my own way as best I can. Mark the years until Cristan reaches manhood and then join him when he returns home to fight for his kingdom. You..."
"Hold it right there,” he said pressing a finger to her lips. “It's the whole deal, Sugar. And I'm kind of persistent. Like you, when I want something I usually get it."
She didn't quite cover the small sigh of relief. “I must admit to dreading the thought of going it alone. How can I ever thank you for this?"
Dan arched a brow. “You really want me to spell it out?"
"Ahh,” she said, smiling at last. One of her fingers traced a pattern on his shirt. “You wish me to be your love slave?"
"I wish to be yours,” he said with a laugh. “If you leave, who will keep me out of trouble? I need you, Shula. Let me stay with you."
"A farmer's wife?” For a moment, she closed her eyes and appeared to be contemplating the idea. “I have to tell you, I'm afraid of cows,” She said at length. “Quite terrified of them, in fact."
"Then we'll keep wool-backs, or grow something edible.” Shula's smile trembled, the ghost of sadness shading her eyes. “I'm a poor substitute,” Dan said gathering her close, “But the pain will lessen in time. When he needs us, Cristan will know where to find us."
"I swore to protect him"
"And that's exactly what you're doing—"
Her fingers touched his lips. “No, let me finish,” she said. “I swore to protect him, but I never could have achieved that alone. When I prayed to Lady Fortune for help, she led me to you."
"Remind me to thank her.” Dan angled his head and touched his lips to hers. “And remind me to do this every day for the rest of our lives."
"And this?” Shula flicked open the top fastener of his shirt and slipped a hand inside.
"Yes,” he said on an exhaled breath. “That, too."
Her hand moved lower.
"And especially that.” In one smooth movement she was under him, sprawled across the narrow bench-seat. Her body moulded to his. “Let's disappear together. Change our names. Don homespun. Build ourselves a home somewhere."
Shula moved beneath him, the tiniest hint of marker rippling between them. “I have the best bounty-hunters in the galaxy seeking me."
"And I owe the General a debt I'll never be able to repay. Quite the pair we make, don't we?"
Shula tightened her embrace. “He won't get within ten paces of you. Not if I have anything to do with it."
They were in for a rough ride, that was for sure. Dan held her close and vowed to savour each m
oment, to pledge his life to keeping her and Cristan alive.
"Are you sure, Dan? I barged into your life and forced you to help us, but now..."
Dan stopped her with a kiss that left her too breathless to argue back. “You think I'd miss out on an adventure like this? This is one story I mean to see out till the end."
Her smile warmed him like nothing ever had. Made him want to sing love songs from the top of the highest mountains. The stars flashed by and the marker pulsed between them. Dan felt himself drawn in, falling into something wonderful. He didn't resist.
Why would he when this was the place he wanted to be for the rest of his life?
The End.
Thank you for reading. CN.
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Other books by Candy Nicks.
Moon Child Series—Fantasy Romance
Book One—The Moon Child's Wish
Fictionwise number one bestseller.
A love so alien, it could only be achieved by magic.
When taken by slavers, Moon Child Carine sees her best chance of survival in the Eagle warrior who lies dying in the corner of the dirty slave cage. Trained in magic, she uses her Wish-In-Hand to save his life and then bonds with him, despite the fact that the Children of the Moon and the Tribes of the Eagle are natural enemies...
Book Two—Lupine
Finn has spent his whole life in captivity. Born with a special gift, he's been kept a slave and paraded for the amusement of crowds. Until the day he makes his glorious bid for freedom. At the verge of death, he finds himself at the walls of one of the Settlements and is saved by a young woman called Naima who is determined to keep him alive...
Book Three—Tian's Guardian
When her mother dies, the magic that has protected Tian and cloaked her from the world dies with her leaving Tian vulnerable and alone. With no connection left to humanity, Tian decides to become the wolf and live out her life in the mountains she loves. But the godddess has other plans for her beloved Lupine. Plans that involve sending Sol, her most trusted Guardian, to claim Tian as his own...
Can I Keep You—Historical Vampire Romance
When Kane picks up a runaway on the streets of Victorian England, his only thought is to have a few days’ amusement and a decent meal. He is a vampire, after all, it's what he does. But Laura has to be the most unconvincing whore he's ever met. Soon, she finds out that there are ways other than brute force and strength to bring a vampire to his knees...
Available at www.alinarpublishing.com and
www.fictionwise.com
About the author
I live in the UK at the edge of the Lancashire Moors and I'm married with two children. To date, I've written paranormal and fantasy romance which I publish through Alinar Publishing. I also write contemporary and historical romance as Alexandra Marell.
Thank you so much for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. I have selected free reads available at the Alinar publishing website.
All the best, Candy.
Website
www.candynicks.com
www.alinarpublishing.com
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