Fynn shrugged, shouldering open the door and entering the room. He slouched in the chair.
“Did you draw the short end of the stick?”
Through Ghedi, I had learned the restrictions had been lifted on my brothers and me, and Maven Lourdes had given us leave to wander the nest at our leisure. They had spent the past week exploring the Araneidae clan home and indulging in excess until they came staggering back here to their beds.
His grin was sly. He shrugged again.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
He stretched his legs out in front of him and got comfortable.
“Ghedi seems fascinated with Araneidae society.”
Fynn rolled his eyes. Females.
I chuckled. “Where there are skirts, there are those who would chase them. I hope whichever females they set their sights on give them a good run for it. Those two could use some exercise.”
Wiping his mouth, Fynn covered the slight flash of his teeth that was more his usual smile.
“Before he left earlier, Ghedi told me that Kaleb and Tau were more interested in joining the hunts aboveground for stray risers than tasting the delicacies made available to them in the nest.”
Fynn made a twirling motion beside his head.
I sighed. “They aren’t crazy for wanting to clean up a problem we helped bring here.”
He snorted and dusted his hands. The topic was closed for discussion.
“What about you? What have you been…?” I tensed when he stood. “What is it?”
Delicate knocks rang through the room. Fynn glanced over his shoulder. He pointed a stern finger at me and mouthed, Be ready.
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” I muttered. The closest weapon I had was the water pitcher, if I wanted to break another to use its shards. I held off on that. I didn’t want to develop a reputation.
Another glance at me and Fynn made a quick gesture.
I cleared my throat. “Who’s there?”
“Maven Lourdes,” a warm voice replied. “May I come in?”
“Of course.” I adjusted my covers and ran a hand through my hair.
Fynn slowly opened the door, revealing a slight female with honey-blonde hair and Henri’s blue eyes. Her smile matched the warmth of her voice, but her stride was purposeful. Her posture said she was used to commanding the attention of all those around her and that she expected mine as well.
When she noticed the chair, she asked, “Do you mind?”
“No.” I forced a smile. “Please, help yourself.”
She grasped the back of the chair with one hand and its seat with the other.
“Put that down,” a harsh voice barked from the hall.
Fynn spun behind the maven and drew a sword, aiming it into the darkness. Sparks flew. Metal clanged. Faster than my sluggish mind could follow, a male stalked Fynn into the room. He sent Fynn’s blade skittering to the floor, then angled his sword tip at the hollow under Fynn’s throat.
“Don’t step between me and my wife and you’ll live longer,” the male growled.
“You should be thrilled he was protecting me. At least he had the good sense to know a real threat when he saw one.” She settled her hands on her hips. “You were snarling at a poor chair.”
“The physician ordered you to be careful.” He glared at the chair. “That is not careful.”
“No,” she countered. “You ordered me to be careful. He said we were doing just fine.”
The male’s hard eyes softened. Black eyes. Mimetidae eyes.
“You must be Paladin Rhys,” I said, using the opportunity to distract him from my brother.
“I am.” He grunted in Fynn’s direction. “This is one of your brothers. Fynn, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” It worried me that the paladin recognized him. “Would you mind releasing him?”
Shoving Fynn into the far corner of the room, Rhys sheathed his sword and lifted the chair.
“Where do you want it?” he demanded.
Lourdes patted his arm. “By the bed, please. I don’t want her to have to shout to talk to me.”
Rhys angled the chair so he had room to stand behind it and keep his back to the wall.
“Forgive me,” she said. “I tried sneaking off without him, but he’s been my shadow lately.”
“These are dangerous times,” I said to counter his warning scowl. “And you are the maven.”
Twisting in her seat, she elbowed Rhys’s hip. “Stop whatever you’re doing back there.”
He grunted and turned to his left so he glared at Fynn instead.
“We don’t have much time.” Her smile was slight. “I’m afraid my husband refuses to let me walk more than two tunnels’ lengths each day, and I surpassed that coming to see you.” She shifted in her seat. “Let’s not waste each other’s time.” She tapped her nails on her knee. “May I be blunt?”
Cautiously, I admitted, “I would prefer it.”
“I am sorry for what you have endured and grateful for the sacrifices you made to protect my clan. I thought having a true harbinger specimen might help Henri hone the cure for the plague…and unlock the secret of the sigils. Bear him no ill will. All he kept from you was done so at my request.”
“I understand.”
“I owe you more than simple thanks.” Her hand hovered at her navel before she clenched her fist and dropped her arm, flashing an apologetic smile. “Henri tells me that you and your brothers are exiled from Halcidia. He has also vouched for each of your characters personally. I came to offer your family a chance to start fresh. If you would consider joining my guard, I would be honored to have you. Erania would be honored to call you her own.”
My jaw must have dropped because she leaned over to tap my mouth shut.
“I—I would have to speak with my brothers.”
“Of course.” She patted my cheek. “Take a few days to consider my offer.” She winced, and in a heartbeat, Rhys had taken her arm and helped her to her feet. “There is one more thing. I trust we can keep this between us?” She waited for my nod before she said, “You are very special to Henri. When he thought he had lost you…” She exhaled. “As his sister, if it’s not too forward of me, I would like some assurance that you return his affection.”
“You don’t mind that I’m…?” I forced out the rest. “I’m only a mercenary.”
Her response was to snuggle under her husband’s arm. “I rather enjoy being married to my mercenary.” She winked at him. “I see no reason why Henri won’t be just as happy with his.”
The rush as her blessing registered left me dizzy.
“Am I to assume by your relief you’re as smitten with Henri as he is with you?” she asked.
“Yes.” My cheeks tingled. “Smitten is one word for it.”
Behind her, Rhys coughed, or maybe it was a laugh. It was hard to tell without looking at him.
“Oh, Zuri.” She smoothed a hand over her slightly rounded stomach. “Discretion, if you please.”
“I won’t breathe a word,” I vowed. “I swear it.”
Rhys jerked his chin toward Fynn. “What about him? Can we trust him to hold his tongue?”
“He won’t break his vow of silence.” Despite all that had occurred, none of my brothers had.
“His hands work just fine,” Rhys countered. He narrowed his eyes at Fynn. “Well?”
Fingers flying, Fynn signed his answer. His gaze begged me for help while Rhys bared fangs.
“He won’t tell a soul. If he tries, I’ll cut out his tongue and chop off his fingers for you.”
Fynn made a universal gesture that made me scowl.
“I’m all that stands, um, sits between you and Rhys the Cold,” I snapped. “Be grateful.”
“Experience with my own brother has taught me siblings are merciless.” Rhys nodded. “I accept your offer. Be aware, I will hold you to it. If Fynn makes a sound, it will be his last.” Rhys kicked Fynn’s sword into the corner. “If he decides he wants to learn to wield
it properly, send him to me.”
Fynn scowled.
I cleared my throat. “I’ll do that.”
“Then we’re settled,” Lourdes said brightly, tugging on Rhys’s arm. “Let’s leave Zuri to rest.”
Still glaring at Fynn, Rhys led his wife from the room. Once the hall was clear, Fynn slammed the door closed and threw the bolt, locking us inside. He glowered at me while propping on the knob.
“What?” I played innocent. “It’s not my fault you pulled a sword on the Araneidae paladin.”
He made a half-circle gesture over his stomach and then threw up his hands.
“You couldn’t have known she was pregnant.” She barely showed. “All in all, I think that could have gone a lot worse. I bet you’re the only male alive who can say you stepped between him and his wife and lived to tell the tale. You might want to leave out the cowering bits and gloss over the part where he knocked the sword from your hand. If you’re nice, I might not tattle to the others.”
He pointed to my head and then to my pillow.
“Stop bossing me around.” I pulled the covers up to my ears. “You’re worse than Ghedi.”
The truth was, I craved a moment of solitude to consider Lourdes’s offer. I doubt she’d press for an answer, but my brothers and I had been guests in this nest for weeks. They would be antsy for our next assignment. That would change once they realized how dependent I had just become on Henri.
No matter how kind the gesture, I wouldn’t remain in Erania out of pity.
If I stayed, I wanted it to be because Lourdes was right, that maybe I had a chance of building a life here. This grand citadel was not my humble Halcidia. These people were artisans, not fisherman.
All the same, they were not mercenaries, even if they kept company with them.
Henri had made me realize I no longer wanted to be one either.
The mattress dipped, and I rolled groggily onto my side. When I hit a warm wall that shouldn’t have been there, I cracked an eye open and found Henri sitting on the edge of the bed, glass in hand.
I grumbled, “You didn’t wake me for that, did you?”
“No.” He held the glass out to me. “I woke you for breakfast.”
“Morning already?” Pushing to my elbows, I groaned at his hand. “There must be a better way.”
He shook the cup until I took it. “There are several alternatives, but none are as palatable.”
I sniffed the contents.
“Drink it.”
“Fine.” I did, but I wasn’t happy about it. “Your sister visited me.”
“Did she?”
“She did.” I punched his shoulder. “She told me what you did.” I smiled. “Thank you.”
“I would say I approached her for altruistic reasons,” he said, “but that would be a lie.”
“And here I thought we worked so well together.” I swirled the contents of my cup.
He pegged me with a questioning look. “You enjoyed working with me?”
“Yes.” I mulled over the past several weeks. “What you do matters. You save lives, Henri.”
“You saved several hundred lives.” He took my cup and set it aside. “Your work—you matter.”
I waved his seriousness aside. “Now you’re just trying to flatter me.”
“Is it working?” He put his hands on my shoulders and guided me back until my head hit the pile of pillows. Leaning over me, he pinned my wrists to the mattress on either side of my head.
“A little.” My pulse leapt when his body covered mine. “I like your laboratory.”
“Wait.” He withdrew a fraction. “I thought I was the one doing the flattering?”
“It just seems to me that a male in your position—brother to the maven, harbinger wrangler and brilliant herbologist—could use a security detail of his own.” I paused. “One guard would suffice.”
“Are you volunteering?”
I shrugged. “That is how it sounded.”
“Guarding me is not as prestigious as protecting the maven.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I tested his hold on me. “I think it’s a matter of perspective. You did save my brother with a cure that no one else knows exists. That’s much more impressive than a birthright.”
“I appreciate your vote of confidence.” His lips grazed mine. “Even if it is misplaced.”
I sighed into the hot press of his mouth when it closed over mine, savoring his taste.
“There is one small problem with that plan,” he informed me between kisses.
“Hmm?”
He gazed down at me. “I don’t want to be a job for you.”
I held very still. “It wouldn’t be work. I mean, I would enjoy it.”
“I don’t want gold or status or duty between us.” He shook his head. “I want us to build a life together based on this.” His lips brushed mine. “Only this. You and me.”
“I like that idea,” I spoke against him, “especially the part about you and me. Together.”
“Take the job with Lourdes or don’t. We can find you another position.” He nipped the shell of my ear. “Whatever you want, as long as you stay.”
“For how long?” I scrunched up my face. “As I recall, you felt four weeks was a serious commitment.”
His voice softened. “For as long as you’ll have me.”
“Are you sure?” I asked just as softly. “I have grown rather fond of you. I may never leave.”
His laugh blew hot air tickling across my neck. “I’m counting on it.”
Warmth blossomed in my chest, expanding up my throat until I choked on the words to tell him how I felt. Perhaps I would show him instead.
“Henri?” I wiggled beneath him.
His breath caught. “Yes?”
I lifted my head enough to kiss my way along his jaw. “I’m curious.”
He groaned when I nipped his chin, and his eyes rolled closed. “About?”
“Over the past several weeks I have cultivated a certain appreciation for laboratories and the males who occupy them.” Biting my lip, I won control of my right hand from him and flattened my palm against his chest, sliding down until my fingers brushed the metal buckle of his belt. “I have never gotten the chance to study the physiology of an Araneidae male. Since you are male, and Araneidae, it seems only logical that you allow me to examine you.” I slid my hand lower. “For science.”
His breath rushed loud past my ear when I rubbed my palm down his length. “For science?”
“Don’t worry.” I pried my left hand from his grip and unfastened the buttons of his shirt. “I have credentials. I worked in a laboratory under the tutelage of an ingenious herbologist—Henri of the Araneidae. Ever heard of him?”
He wore a hungry expression while my fingers flew. “The name does sound familiar.”
“I thought it might.” I shoved the fabric down past his shoulders, exposing his ropey biceps and sinewy chest. I smoothed my hands down his arms, admiring the compact muscles his work had earned him. His chest was carved from bone and muscle, his stomach clenched tight and flat beneath my palms. I hooked his belt with my pointer and tugged him closer. Imagining his hipbones made me salivate. Let males indulge in their fascination with soft breasts. I preferred hard, masculine hips.
Trapping my shoulder under his hand, he pinned me back against the mattress. “I was thinking.”
I watched his eyes darken when I lifted my hips to his. “About?”
He buried his face at my neck. “I should lock the door.”
We both jumped when a throat cleared.
“Don’t stop on my account.” Asher looked comfortable enough to have been standing there a while. “Keep going. Really. I could use the distraction. Ah well. I tried.” He pushed off the wall with a smirk. “Edan’s waiting for you in the laboratory. He’s gathering Marne’s things from your office.”
Henri scowled at Asher while shrugging back into his shirt. “Tell him I’ll be right there.”
Glanci
ng at Asher, I said, “I see you survived your brush with Lailah.”
That wiped the grin off his face. “You did too.” He turned. “I’ll wait in the hall.”
I helped Henri fasten his buttons. “So that’s what all the sneaking around was about. You were hiding Marne in your office.”
“From the day you arrived,” he admitted. “It was the only way to ensure she received her injections on schedule.”
“Antivenin is clear.” Even I knew that much. “Why did you have that vial of blood?”
“I test her blood periodically to determine the amount of venom building in her system. Then I adjust the amount of antivenin she receives.” He sounded amused. “Any more questions?”
As a matter of fact, I did have one. “What do you think Edan wants?”
“He must have heard about your recovery.” Henri stood, tucking his shirt into his pants, heading for the door. “He hasn’t pressured me to make arrangements for Marne since I had more critical matters on my mind, but now that you’re well, he will be eager to make decisions about continuing her care once they leave Erania.”
“I understand.” I straightened my own shirt. “You should go.”
He hesitated at the door. “I could tell Edan to come back later.”
“Tempting…but you should speak to Edan while he’s here. I’ll even drink this while you’re out.” I reclaimed my cup of now-lukewarm tea and raised it in a toast. “Thank Asher for ruining the moment.”
“Can I bring you back anything?” Henri waited for my answer. “It’s not too late for breakfast.”
Resting a hand on my stomach, I debated what the odds were of getting solid food. I was tired of tea being poured down my throat, and no doubt I had been broth-fed for weeks. “What are my choices?”
“What do you want?”
I stared at him a little too long, and his cheeks flushed bright crimson.
“Surprise me.” I chuckled while he seesawed over the threshold. I shooed him on.
“Behave,” he warned. “If you need anything, I’ll place Malik outside your door.”
“All right.” I stared into my cup and took a whiff. This brew was more pungent than what he had given me before, but I supposed I hadn’t been half-dead before either. Once Henri left me, I held my breath and turned up the glass, gulping it down as fast as I could without choking. When I finished, I wiped my wrist across the back of my mouth and smacked my lips. Gods it had a vile aftertaste.
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