I barely made it out of the room before it closed. With my back against the wall, I listened for footsteps or voices, but heard nothing. My footsteps barely made any sound, thanks to the rough leather soles, and I leaned over the railing to see if there were any guards downstairs. There didn't seem to be any, and I hurried down the large staircase.
Trying to remember as much of the layout as I could, I turned towards a dark corridor that would lead to a small side entrance. The servants' entrance. The front door would have been easier, but those were bound to be guarded.
The servants' entrance was close to the kitchen, and if Queen Solanta's servants were anything like our own, they would leave that side entrance propped open, so they could sneak out for a quick smoke without anyone hearing the door. If not, I'd have to wait for the servants to open it.
I shuffled through the corridor, staying in the dark, ready to hide should someone come my way. As I neared the kitchen, I heard loud voices amongst the clatter of pots and pans, and my heart pounded as I crept around the corner, but the kitchen door was closed. As was the side entrance. I pushed against it, hoping it wasn't latched, that they left it open just a smidge for easier access, but it didn't budge. So much for getting out the easy way.
Finding a spot where I couldn't be easily seen from either side of the corridor, I pressed my back against the wall and waited.
It took a while for one of the servants to appear. As tempted as I was to run after her when she went outside, I didn't. I counted the time between her exiting and the door closing again, and again when the servant came back in and disappeared into the kitchen. My best shot was when someone came back in, just before the kitchen door opened for them. They'd be turned away from me for a short while. If I waited too long, the kitchen door would be open, light would flood the corridor, and anyone would be able to see me.
I didn't have to wait long before another servant entered the corridor and went outside. I clenched my hands to keep them from trembling as I waited for him to come back. By the time the servant came back in, my nails were pressed deep into my palms and all I could think of was sprinting across the gardens until I reached the nearest wall.
He walked more slowly than the woman had, and if I didn't go now, I'd have to wait for the next one. With one last look at the man, I pushed myself off the wall and sprinted towards the door. I made it outside, but didn't dare look back to check whether I'd been seen. I had to run. I had to make it to the wall before I could stop. There would be nowhere to hide, nothing but grass and low flowerbeds, until I reached that wall.
Noises came from behind me, or perhaps from somewhere to the side. I didn't know who or what made those noises, but I couldn't stop, not until I finally reached the wall and could duck behind the bushes.
Whatever that healer had given me seemed to be wearing off. My head pounded as I rested on hands and knees to catch my breath. Only when I could manage the pain did I dare peek through the bushes. I noticed something at the back of the castle, but no one moved towards me, and I sat back against the wall in relief. I had made it.
Of course, this was only the inner wall.
Chapter Eight
I HADN'T DARED ask Orna about guards, but I had expected there to be more in the outer gardens. The soldiers' quarters were all on the east side, at least, but I expected to see them guarding the entrances, even those of the inner wall. I crawled towards the narrow opening in the inner wall that would lead to a large walled–in garden with a fountain. Now and then, I stopped to peer at the servants' entrance. Not that anyone would be able to see me, but I felt better for checking.
There were no guards near the opening, and I slipped into the fountain garden without trouble. There were more openings in the wall, on both the south and north side of the garden, and I made my way to the north side, sticking close to the wall.
The fountain was as lovely as Orna had made it sound. The marble bridge across it, carved to look like wood, had been done beautifully, and I liked how the water flowed off the sides. Most of all, I loved the statues of the water nymphs sitting on top of the bridge, looking as if they were splashing water at each other. Whoever made it was clearly as fond of water nymphs as I was, and in other circumstances, I would have loved to paint the fountain.
Painting. That was what had got me here. No, that wasn't true. Queen Solanta didn't want me for my painting skills, she wanted me for my lack of magic.
When I reached the opening, I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, waiting for my head to stop throbbing. When I'd overheard my parents talk about not allowing me to go to Atan, I had wanted to show them I wasn't as helpless as they thought. This wasn't quite what I'd had in mind. I could barely believe that only a couple of days ago, I had been in the forest painting Neia at the waterfall, and now I was trying to escape a queen intent on betrothing me to her daughter. My parents were never going to let me out of their sight again.
I cautiously peered through the opening. Dark shadows surrounding the castle kept me from seeing much, but there didn't seem to be any guards near. I ran to the first tree, the second, third. I could see a little farther now, could see movement down the garden. I hoped it was just the wind playing with the leaves of a tree.
Keeping my eyes on whatever was moving, I made it to the fourth tree and the fifth, only to freeze as a voice rang out behind me.
"Prince Llyskel? What are you doing in our gardens?"
I rounded the tree and peered at the speaker from behind it. Prince Vik, flanked by Royal Consort Rass. I had no idea where they had come from. Had they been behind me all along? What should I do? I looked behind me. Nothing but the same movement, which had to be a tree. I couldn't see the east gate yet, but I couldn't stay here, so I ran.
Vik cursed, and both of them called after me, but I kept running until I finally saw the gate, and froze. Guards. They didn't seem to have seen me yet, so I slipped behind a tree, even though that put me in full view of Vik and Consort Rass. I looked around, desperate for another way out. So close, I'd been so close, and now I was trapped.
As I turned around to face Vik and Consort Rass, my head started pounding again. Barely noticeable at first, but louder, harder, with every step they took towards me, with every breath I took. I leaned back against the tree as I tried to get my breathing under control, tried to keep from throwing up when the pain became unbearable, tried to keep from sliding to the ground.
A sudden commotion behind me caused Vik and Consort Rass to stop, but I didn't look around. I knew I would fall if I even thought about it. So I stayed still and waited for the guards to reach me and take me back inside.
"What…" Vik started to say, but he wasn't looking at me.
A hand touched my arm, and I jerked, tried to pull away, and turned my head too fast. My vision turned black around the edges as I saw the face I loved close in on me. I smiled, or tried to, and let Ariv pull me against him. My stomach turned at the movement, but Ariv's warmth, his familiar scent, made up for the queasy feeling.
I looked into his eyes, feeling my knees buckle, and was glad Ariv was strong enough to keep me from falling.
"I knocked out a guard," I told him as my world blacked out.
MY HEAD HURT. It was throbbing, following the rhythm of my heartbeat, and I wished it would stop. I couldn't think. There was something in the back of my mind, something about Vik and Consort Rass chasing me. Ariv had been there as well. He rescued me. Had I been dreaming?
The pillow smelled familiar, of home, and Ariv.
I opened my eyes and sighed in relief. The image was a bit fuzzy, but I could clearly see green walls. My green walls. I was in my own room. I closed my eyes again. Not a dream.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
I didn't open my eyes, but reached out until my hand was caught by Ariv's strong, warm grip, and sighed again.
"So, knocked out a guard, huh?"
"Yes," I whispered hoarsely. My mouth was dry, and I smacked my lips.
&nb
sp; Something was pressed to my lips, a cloth, a moist cloth. I sucked at it, enjoying the cool water as it wet my mouth.
"You rescued me." I remembered now.
"Of course."
"The queen wanted to betroth me to Orna." Orna. I needed to go back. Someone needed to go back and save Orna. I tried to lift my head, only to be pressed back into the bed.
"Stay still, you idiot. You have a concussion."
"Orna. She's too young. I…"
"Princess Orna is safe."
"Promise?"
"Promise. The queen has stepped down, and King Vik has taken the crown. We received word this morning."
"Stepped down?" It couldn't have been that easy.
"Well, that's the official version." Ariv lowered his voice. "But I overheard your brothers saying King Vik gave her no choice."
That made more sense. I frowned. This morning? "How long have I been home?" It was strange to think of Vik as the king of Atan, but it made me feel a lot better for Orna, knowing Vik would look after her.
"Two days."
Two days. The memories seemed too fresh for that. So did the pain in my head. "But I was healing. I didn't feel any pain after the queen's healer gave me something for my concussion."
Ariv snorted, but it sounded off. "Of course you didn't. What that healer gave you may have numbed your pain, but it didn't heal the concussion. And your escape attempt only aggravated it. You shouldn't have been on your feet at all. You've been in and out of consciousness for the past two days." Ariv's hand tightened around mine.
I opened my eyes to look at him. As much as I loved my room, the green seemed to dance in front of my eyes, and I could barely even see Ariv. I blinked. He dimmed the light, but his face remained blurry. I reached out with my free hand. Ariv caught it and held it against his cheek as he moved his face closer to mine. I could see his eyes now, tinged with concern. Ariv was worried, had been worried. "Was it that bad?"
"Yes. You wouldn't wake up at first."
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault."
"But it is."
"Llyskel—"
"I saw the shooters, Ariv. I saw them, and I froze. I…" I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see Ariv's disappointment. I should have ducked, run, jumped into the water. I should have done something. "I did nothing. I could have escaped, but I just kept staring at those shooters and did nothing."
When Ariv let go of my hand, I expected him to go, but he didn't. He caressed my cheek and sighed. "There were three of them, Neia told us. You were ambushed. They weren't going to let you run away."
"But I could have tried!"
Ariv put a finger against my lips. "You sound like Neia. She hasn't stopped blaming herself, not even when we got you back."
"How is Neia?" I asked, liking the way Ariv's finger brushed my lips as I spoke.
"She's fine. Angry and slightly bruised, but fine. She was there, you know, when we came to get you."
I remembered only Ariv. "I felt powerless," I confessed. And I hated it. "All my life I've been sheltered, but I never felt that powerless before. Frustrated, but never as powerless as when I saw those shooters and couldn't stop myself from reacting."
"Neia told us she saw you fall like you were stunned. So, you didn't do 'nothing'. You adapted."
I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it when it dawned on me that Ariv was right. I had done something.
"When Neia told us that, I knew that you'd be fine. That you'd find a way to protect yourself until we could get to you," Ariv said as he trailed his finger across my bottom lip, following it with a kiss.
I shuddered as his dry, warm lips touched mine. I'd missed him, missed his touch, and I wanted more. It didn't take much to drag his body on top of mine, and he came willingly. Though I could feel him, he managed to keep his weight off me. I pushed my body into his as he deepened the kiss, burying my hands in his short hair. It wasn't enough. Pushing, pulling, it didn't matter what I tried, Ariv wouldn't budge. Worse, he drew back completely.
"No…" I grabbed at him.
Ariv shook his head. "We can't."
"I need you."
Ariv swallowed. "I know what you need. But I can't give it to you now. You need to heal first."
He was right. Of course he was right, but that didn't mean I had to like it. "Don't go."
A quick peck on my lips, and Ariv was stretching himself out next to me, lying on his side, his head close to mine. "Not going anywhere."
I wriggled even closer and entwined my fingers with his, moving our hands to rest on my stomach, and closed my eyes.
FOUR MORE DAYS of bed rest, and I felt the walls closing in on me. My head had finally stopped hurting, and I had been allowed to sit up for small stretches, but not to walk or go outside. Not until now.
I sat on the balcony, easel in front of me, paintbrush in my hand, watching Sirr play in the garden. She knew I was here and kept looking up, pointing, calling out, telling me what she was doing. She seemed less restless, less out of control, but Inau feared more outbursts were to come. For now, she enjoyed watching her daughter play with only the minimal shielding needed.
Inau sat on a low bench next to the annex, leaning back against the wall, exactly as I was painting her. It felt like my first painting—new, awkward. I couldn't get from line to brushstroke, at first, couldn't get my hands to move the way I wanted them to. It was like learning to paint all over again.
Halfway through the painting, I seemed to regain my flow. My movements were more fluent, I didn't have to think what to do next, and I could breathe again. The painting looked all right now. It was not my best work, but not my worst either, merely…different. Inau looked beautifully relaxed, with her face soaking up the sun's rays, a soft smile playing around her lips as she watched her daughter play. Carefree.
"You captured her well."
Just that voice was enough to make me shudder. Four days since I woke up, and I was itching for him to take me.
Hands rested on my shoulders, and I felt their warmth spread through my body.
"You're early."
"Yes. We finished clearing these fields. We start on the last two fields tomorrow."
Plenty of time to play, then. I grabbed Ariv's hands and rose. Ariv nodded and led me back into my room and up the stairs, walking backwards until he reached my bed. The rope and shooter lay on the covers. Yes. I shivered. Yes, please.
Ariv grinned at my reaction. He opened his mouth to speak, but I kissed him instead. No more talking. There was no talking when we undressed each other, dropping clothes left and right, and no talking when we kissed each other again until we were both breathless, not even when he grabbed the rope and started binding me.
I couldn't take my eyes off him as he knotted the rope in place, couldn't stop shivering and moaning as he trailed his fingers over my skin next to the rope. It felt so good.
When he was done, I expected him to push me back onto the bed, but he didn't. Instead, he kneeled in front of me and blew puffs of air across my cock, looking straight into my eyes, a grin on his lips. I let my head fall back and was glad Ariv was holding onto my hips or I would have fallen. When he licked my cock from root to top, I bit my lip to keep from screaming. The balcony doors were still open, and I didn't want Inau and Sirr to hear me.
Moist warmth enveloped my cock as Ariv took me into his mouth and I groaned, pushing my hips forward, wanting more. Ariv's hold on my hips prevented me from reaching my goal, however, his movements slow and teasing. I shuddered and moaned with every swipe of his tongue, with every scratch of his teeth.
"Please," I begged as I looked down at him, but Ariv just winked, looking beautiful with his wetted lips around my cock.
I closed my eyes as he sucked. I opened my mouth, but there were no words for the way he made me feel.
Suddenly, Ariv's mouth left my cock, his hands released my hips, and when I opened my eyes, he stood before me, aiming his shooter at me. Mouth still open, I shivered, unable to look awa
y from it. My body reacted instantly, and my muscles pulled taut against the rope.
"Gorgeous," Ariv whispered. "So inviting, so open."
Ariv's hand on the shooter was as strong as I remembered, and I wanted him to stun me, wanted to smell lingering scent of his spell as he fucked me.
"Your expression is so easy to read. I knew what you wanted when I caught you out in the forest. The way you looked at my shooter. The way your eyes followed it like they are now. I wanted to have you."
I tore my eyes away from the shooter and looked at Ariv, his eyes dark and full of desire.
"But I knew even before that. You never saw me looking at you as you painted them, the shooters, the hands. Back when you were still too mortified to admit what you wanted. So young, so open… It was hard to stay away from you."
He had always known. Was I that obvious?
Ariv shook his head, and I realised I'd asked it out loud.
"They don't know what to look for." He moved his hand, and I was drawn to his shooter again. "Llyskel."
I looked up, slowly, my eyes not leaving the shooter until the last possible moment. Ariv didn't say a word, but merely grinned.
"What?" I asked.
"That's twice, now."
I frowned. Twice, what? Ariv's question made no sense, not until he held up his shooter and hid it behind his back. Then I glared at him. He was testing me. I thought he was teasing me with his chatter, but he was testing me, and looking far too pleased with himself.
"Don't pout," he said. "You needed to know you could do it, could resist the pull of the shooter."
He was right, again. With the shooter behind his back, it was easier to concentrate on him, and I looked into his eyes. "Did you mean what you said?"
He stepped up to me, wrapping his free arm around me as he kissed me, quick and demanding. "All of it."
A bit dazed, I leaned into him, resting my head against his shoulder. "Good."
The Fifth Son Page 7