A chorus of affirmative murmurs and nods answered him. Leo watched his slaves depart for a moment, then exhaled a slow, shaky breath and staggered his way toward the kitchen. He passed Delia on the way, offering an appreciative nod as she herded the frightened servants back to bed.
“My lord?” said one, before Delia could stop her. “Is everything alright? We heard shouting.”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” he said. “Just an uninvited guest. She startled me is all. I apologize if we woke you.”
The serving girl smiled a bit nervously, then curtseyed and hurried after the others. They resembled a flock of ducklings in the way they clustered and practically tread on Delia’s skirts.
He found Brigit waiting for him in the kitchen, sitting at a small side table and pouring two unevenly sized glass of alcohol from a ribbed bottle. She held his gaze until he sat, then looked away and pushed the larger of the two glasses toward him.
“It’s been a while since we drank like this,” he noted. Taking his glass, he sipped experimentally. “Too long.”
“I don’t know about that, Master,” Brigit said. “It usually means something’s about to go wrong.”
“Well, this time it’s already gone wrong.” He lifted his glass with a wry, insincere smile. “Here’s to new traditions.”
“So what happened? Who was she?”
Leo drank deeply before answering. “Baroness Cirilla Orczy. Or, soon-to-be baroness. She was going to be my next target after Count Terras. I guess she got wind of it and decided to pay a visit first.”
“And?” Brigit prompted. “Why are you still alive?”
“Probably because of Sann,” Leo admitted with a shrug. “And because Cirilla didn’t want me dead. She hates Terras as much as I do. Maybe more.”
“Then what did she want?”
“To propose,” Leo said. When it became obvious that Brigit had not grasped the meaning of his words, he added, “She asked me to marry her.”
“ What ?”
“At knifepoint,” he amended. “She hasn’t been admiring me from afar or anything. It’s a purely political engagement.”
“And, um… you agreed?”
“Well, it’s not like she gave me much choice.”
Brigit appeared to grapple with the implications for a moment. Then she sighed, lifted her glass, and offered an incredulous smile. “Congratulations, I suppose.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha,” he deadpanned. “Instead of joking, how about you help me figure a way out of this?”
Brigit studied him for a moment and slowly returned her glass to the table. There was a curious light in her eyes, one he’d not seen in too long.
“I’m not certain you should,” Brigit said thoughtfully. “You two might actually make a good match.”
“I said to stop joking.”
“I’m serious, Master. Think about it. She risked breaking into the home of an adversary, surprised you with an unexpected offer, and turned you into a potential ally. That takes planning, boldness, and cunning. I know it’s not very… respectful of her, but it does at least mean she’s competent at this sort of thing.”
“I don’t want allies like that.”
“Oh? Would you prefer enemies like that?”
Having no response, Leo merely grumbled and downed the last of his drink. Brigit refilled it immediately, without bothering to ask.
“Tell me this,” she said. “If she’d approached you differently, say at a gala, and proposed this same plan, what would you have said?”
Leo thought about it. “No,” he admitted. “I would have assumed it was a trap of some kind.”
“Exactly. So why do you think she came here?”
Again, Leo considered her words. This time, it was a great deal longer before he spoke again.
“I don’t want to get married,” he said.
“Of course you don’t,” Brigit teased. “And perhaps you won’t. But, honestly, it’s not a bad match. She’s a smart, attractive, wealthy baroness. If you’re still planning to become Duke, you could do much worse. The real question is… why did she settle for you?”
Scowling, Leo rose and swiped the bottle from where it stood between them. Gesturing with it, he aimed a scolding finger in Brigit’s direction.
“I’m going to make you pay for that later,” he warned her.
Chuckling, Brigit stood as well. She stepped forward, brushing against him unnecessarily as she passed through the wide doorway out of the kitchen.
“I certainly hope so, Master,” she purred.
***
Seated in his study, Leo clutched the half-emptied liquor bottle as he dozed. He’d tried to return to bed, but the memories of the night before had proven too vivid. And so, he’d spent the last four hours with his knees drawn up against his chest and a thin blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
Brigit had visited him several times during the night, once to invite him to bed, and the others simply to check on him. Each time, Leo had dismissed her with a smile and a shake of his head.
This time, however, when the knock on the door sounded, he sighed and buried his brow against the leather of his high-backed chair.
“Bri,” he groaned. “I told you, I’m—”
“I hope you don’t expect me to undress, my lord,” Nicolo teased as he stepped into the study. “I mean, I would , but…”
“Bastard,” Leo snorted. Shaking himself, he sat up and set the bottle aside. “What’re you doing here?”
“Do I need a reason to visit my dear friend and most loyal supporter?” Nicolo said.
“Yes.”
“Fair enough.” Taking the seat opposite him, Nicolo eyed the warm alcohol at Leo’s side. “Mostly, I came to share a drink, but I see you beat me to it.”
“Are we celebrating something?” Leo asked, frowning.
“Of course! This morning, I received a letter.” Reaching into his pocket, Nicolo retrieved a small, non-descript envelope. He spun it between his fingers for a second, then returned it to his pocket. “It’s your typical death threat. Cease campaigning or meet your untimely end. Nothing terribly original. I could have written better.”
“And this made you want to celebrate?”
“Naturally,” Nicolo said with a shrug. “It means I’m winning. Olden wouldn’t have bothered unless he thought he might lose.”
“Or maybe he’s just sick of you holding rallies outside his office.”
“You heard about that?” Grinning, Nicolo leaned forward in his chair. “I thought it turned out rather well. He called the Watch, broke a few ribs, and now the only thing anyone is talking about is how oppressive their local alderman is.”
“So I saw,” Leo said. “Well done. But I assume you came here for something other than an update?”
“Right, about that,” Nicolo said. He chewed his lip, then rose and began to pace. “I actually wanted to ask you for money.”
“Already? You haven’t even been campaigning for an entire week.”
“I know,” Nicolo admitted, turning. “But things have taken off like a fire in a granary and I want to capitalize on the momentum we’ve built. I’m planning to hold another rally—a big one, this time. Food, musicians, servants, and anything else I can think of. I want to give the people an idea of the life they could have without Ansiri’s taxes. The criticism of Olden has been effective, sure, but I need to give them something to aspire to as well.”
“Sounds more like a faire,” Leo noted.
“If you like.”
“How much would you need? How big is this event going to be?”
“I’m hoping for several thousand—attendees, not sovereigns. And as for the price… five hundred should be sufficient.”
Leo sighed and slumped in his chair. His head was aching, though he couldn’t be sure whether it was due to lack of sleep, the alcohol he’d irregularly sipped during the night, Nicolo’s exuberance, or some combination of all three.
“That’s quite the price tag,”
he grumbled. “Wouldn’t it be smarter to host such a party just before the election? That’s when all the others do.”
“I’m not like the others,” Nicolo declared, with sudden vehemence. He stared at Leo, his normal humor replaced with sheer intensity. “And don’t expect Jaime Olden to last until the election. I am going to drive him from this city long before that day comes.”
Leo stared at him a moment, then smiled and offered a deferential nod. “Glad to hear it,” he said. “Talk to Brigit. She’ll see to it that you get the coin you’ll need.”
“A pleasure, as always, my lord,” Nicolo said with an extravagant bow. He headed for the door, then paused and turned back around. “I couldn’t help but overhear a few of your servants on my way in. Is it true you’re planning to wed?”
Again, Leo sighed. This time, he actually reached for the bottle beside him, uncorked it, and drank.
“It’s true,” he said. “Baroness Orczy paid me a visit last night and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“I see,” Nicolo murmured. For just an instant, his expression turned thoughtful. Then, just as quickly, his typical grin returned. “Well, be careful with that one, Leo. And congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Leo waited until Nicolo had departed and the sound of his footsteps had faded. Then, with a sudden snarl, he slammed the bottle of alcohol down on the table beside his chair. The wood boomed and the bottle sloshed, splashing out the open top and over his hand and wrist. Rather than clean up, however, he continued to clutch the neck of the bottle until the liquid inside stilled and his wrist dried sticky.
Be careful indeed.
Chapter Eighteen
It was hot and humid in the tunnel beneath his house, far beyond what Leo had expected. When he’d set out alongside Karran, he had been confident and impatient. By the time they reached the half-way mark where the tunnel forced him to stoop slightly, he’d stripped to the waist. And by the time he arrived at their destination, his old estate, the lantern he carried was practically dragging in the dirt behind him.
Karran, on the other hand, seemed almost energized by her time below ground. She jogged the last hundred feet of the tunnel, pushing aside the boards that had been laid across the mouth as a sort of trap door, and climbed effortlessly out. By the time Leo reached her, she was crouching beside the tunnel with her hand outstretched to help him.
He accepted it, too worn out even to bother thanking her. After a few minutes in the cool cellar air, however, he began to revive. Glancing around at the room, empty save for a bit of dirt and few stray kobolds, he nodded approvingly.
“This will work,” he said. “Good job on the tunnel, Karran. I’ll speak to Brigit about getting some wood to reinforce the weaker sections.”
Karran nodded, smiling. Then, flashing a bit of fang, she stepped close and ran a hand gently down Leo’s chest. His skin was slick with sweat, but she didn’t appear to mind. If anything, she almost seemed intrigued.
“Please, Karran, not now,” Leo sighed. “I need a bath.”
He expected a bit of dejection from the ambrosian, but Karran barely acknowledged his denial. Leaning forward, she rested her smooth, hairless brow against his sweaty one. Brows lifting, she tugged gently at his elbow, inviting him deeper into the manor.
Leo chuckled, glancing around the room. The handful of kobolds that occupied it stared at the pair of them like silent, watchful children.
“All right,” he said. “Fine. But don’t blame me if we’re late for lunch.”
The walk through the familiar halls of his childhood home was a surreal experience. Leo had resided in his inherited estate for barely a month, but already it felt more comfortable to him than this place. Perhaps it was the lack of furniture, most of which had been relocated, but he felt oddly like an intruder and soon found himself trying to avoid making noise as they headed for the upper-story master bath.
Adding to his discomfort was the fact that the few rooms that were furnished had not been done so by him. At his insistence, Davin had continued to use the old estate as a warehouse of sorts, until the goods contained within could safely be fenced. Peeking into a few of the rooms they passed, Leo was relieved to see that she had not changed course after their latest spat.
“Let’s make this quick,” he said, as they reached the bath. “I’d hate for Davin’s men to walk in on us.”
Karran glanced at him. She could not speak, of course, but from the way she looked at him, Leo could tell she doubted him.
“What?” he teased. Walking past her, he turned on the tap and was relieved when, after a few seconds of rattling, water began streaming into the large, copper tub. “Don’t you remember what I told you last time we were in here? You’re mine . And I don’t feel like sharing.”
Laughing in her dry, hissing way, Karran joined him at the edge of the tub. Seating herself upon it, she ran a hand down the length of Leo’s chest. By now, most of his sweat had dried or trickled down to soak into the clothes he’d tied around his waist. The tips of her claws, however, stung him ever so slightly.
Growling, Leo grabbed her by the wrist. He leaned her back until she hung, suspended across the width of the slowly filling tub, and was forced to hook an ankle below the lip of it to keep from falling.
“Hold still,” he ordered. “Just like that.”
Karran watched him eagerly. Though she did not so much as nod in acknowledgment, Leo could read in her smile the very obedience he sought. He stood, undressing slowly and enjoying the strain that promptly appeared on the ambrosian’s face when he did neither touched her nor released her from the precarious pose.
Regarding his bandaged palm, Leo hesitated and carefully unwrapped the gauze. To his relief, the wound was healing nicely. It still ached to be exposed to the open air, but the wound itself had scabbed over and he could even see fresh, pink skin around the edges. It had only been three days since he’d been dealt the wound, but whatever poultice the physician had applied seemed to have done the trick. So long as Leo was careful, he would manage.
“Now then,” he murmured. Returning to the edge of the tub, he trailed his fingers tantalizingly up Karran’s thigh to the edge of her armored skirt. “Where were we?”
Grimacing, Karran squirmed atop the edges of the tub. The basin was wide enough that it kept her weight centered on her knees and shoulders blades. And while the flexing of the ambrosian’s muscles was visible through the small gaps in her armor and made it clear that she could support herself for quite a while, the effort required left her utterly defenseless to Leo’s touch.
“Oh, yes,” he said. “You wanted attention.”
Leo slid his fingers higher, traveling along the overlapping seam at Karran’s hips. As he went, he untied the straps that held her armor in place. With each undone knot, the ambrosian’s armor fell more and more open, until the hem nearly reached the bathwater. Then, with a wicked smile, he pulled free the last of the straps.
If he hadn’t been ready, Leo might have dropped the armored skirt directly into the bath. As it was, he nearly fumbled it anyway. Fighting down a scowl, he ripped the garment away and tossed it casually aside.
Karran’s eyes grew narrow with arousal and a tremble briefly coursed through her hips as Leo inspected his handiwork. Her muscles bulged as she held herself flat across the top of the tub, giving the impression that she was thrusting her hips up toward him.
Grinning, Leo guided his fingers slowly across the female’s pronounced hipbones. “Good girl,” he whispered. “You’re doing very well.”
For just an instant, an eager grin flashed across Karran’s face. It faded the next moment as her grimace returned. Her claws gripped the lip of the tub, creaking as they scratched the metal.
Without warning, Leo leaned forward and buried his face between Karran’s thighs. His partner gasped, legs quivering, but the reaction was unfortunately premature. Smirking, Leo kissed the ambrosian’s skin several inches to the left of what she’d obvi
ously been expecting.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said with feigned surprise. “Were you expecting something else?”
Panting slightly, Karran glared at him. The talons of her feet curled in frustration and her tail lashed irritably, stirring the water below.
Slowly, Leo climbed into the tub. Now, as it had when he’d lived here, he found the water barely a few degrees above lukewarm. Not that he cared at the moment. This particular bath was hardly intended for soaking, after all.
“Shame this doesn’t come off easier,” he said, tugging lightly at the back of Karran’s armored jerkin. “Just think of all the fun we could have had.”
Ignoring the glance Karran aimed his way, Leo dipped a hand into the tepid bathwater. Then, his fingers dripping, he trailed a solitary finger down the portion of her back that lay exposed. She stiffened, inhaling sharply at his touch, and her tail curled instinctively around his wrist.
“So much fun,” he murmured, trailing lower. Karran twitched again as his finger brushed the base of her tail. She stared at him, her eyes pleading and desperate.
And then, before Leo had a chance to stop her, she took matters into her own hands.
Hissing, Karran allowed her hips to drop. At the same time, her tail constricted around Leo’s wrist with a strength he had never expected the limb to possess. Combined, the clumsy maneuver succeeded in guiding his finger into place—not toward her pussy, as he’d expected—but against an entirely different sort of orifice.
“Karran, ah, that’s not—” Leo began. At her glance, he fell silent.
Karran stared at him. Her eyes were narrow and passionate, but not with warning. Instead, the desperation he’d glimpsed earlier had grown only more palpable.
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