Heart Thief (42 page)

Ruis walked with her to the portal slightly south of the one in line with JudgmentGrove. “This morning I rewarded Tal the mole with plenty of earthworms
and
I ordered repairs on your corridor between the HouseHeart and D'SilverFir Residence.”

Admiration and a touch of awe surged inside her. “Be careful, be very, very careful.”

He just smiled down at her and touched a finger to her lips, pressed and released. “The machines aren't large. They trundled to your corridor's service entrance last night.” He tilted his head back toward the Captain's Quarter's and his den. “I have a holo screen running on the progress. It's slow, but thorough. The first layer of outer sheathing is being laid. With a couple more, there's no doubt the corridor can be stabilized.”

All the energy the D'SilverFir spent maintaining the hall could go to more mundane spells. She licked her lips and forced the real question out. “So the corridor will be secure? Without any more spells?”

He touched her eyelids and his finger came away wet. “You humble me with your gratitude.”

“You aren't really a very arrogant man.”

“No? When I think I'm better than the nobles, more honorable? That I can steal for my own purposes and not get caught?”

Ailim embraced him. “You are as honorable as the best noble, and more honorable than many.” Lifting her face, she examined him as she did every time they met, trying to see behind his eyes at the man beneath, and how he was changing.

He pressed her hand on his chest flat, and she felt his steady heartbeat. “I had no reason to live except for my little Earth machines, and even that passion wasn't enough to overcome my resentment and anger, not then.” His watch chimed and he glanced down at it. “I'm working with Shade at FirstGrove this morning.”

“Are you sure?”

“He, too, deserves a chance to fulfil his potential as a man.” Her brows dipped. He caught her close and brought her against him, and the sensation of his hard male body, a body that satisfied her momentarily but left her aching for more, wiped every thought from her mind.

 
A s the week wore on, things proceeded with near normality,
but Ailim felt she was living in an altered reality and definitely on borrowed time. It was a toss-up what would expose them first—the Hollys' return, Zanth's nosing around, Samba's prowling, or the rumors that streaks of light and booming came from
Nuada's Sword.

Every night she'd go to the Ship with Primrose. She and Ruis would study old records, have Ship integrate with other noble Residences, and ask each to review and submit any archived memories they had about Bucus Elder's accession to the T'Elder title. There was precious little. Still, she worked hard to compile an air-tight case against Bucus.

Now and again, Ailim would arrive at the Ship late and alone, having attended a noble gathering. Subtly she tried to widen the breach of doubt that many felt for T'Elder. She wove a complex web of alliances, expected of any head of a Family. But this web was to trap T'Elder, and on behalf of Ruis more than the D'SilverFirs. She introduced Caltha, and helped her and her spouse make the transition to being integral to noble society.

At the Ship most of the time Ruis and Ailim worked in grim silence, but the loving through the nights seared Ailim's soul. Ruis would be sensitive and tender, or so wild, needy and demanding that orgasms shuddered through her again and again until she broke free of any constraint and became a being of pure sensation.

Ailim knew Ruis tried to bind her to him physically and emotionally, but the true binding was to her heart, giving her love as no one else in her life had.

At the end of the work week they'd compiled enough information to tentatively prove Ruis
had
been confirmed in the title and estate. The Elder Family had confirmed him as the next GreatLord and sworn loyalty to him. Bucus convinced the other Family members to all break their oaths when Ruis's Nullness grew evident. Bucus, by breaking his oath and covering it up, violated the most fundamental law of Celta.

“Proof!” Ruis shouted in exultation. He shoved back from the office desk and stretched. “Proof!” His hands fisted and his face grew hawkish. “Oh, yes, Bucus, we've got you now!”

Deep foreboding infused Ailim. She looked at the stack of papyrus. It would take a month or two to build a solidly undeniable case against the Captain of the Council. A month they didn't have.

The Holly brothers had survived the boghole and the mellyck, to the great relief of Ruis and Ailim.

“Ruis—”

He picked her up and spun her around, whooping. Samba trotted over from watching
History of Cats.
“Prrrrrrrrroooooph!” she purred, stropping Ruis's legs.
I am Ship's Cat. I am GreatLord Fam, too, now.
She lifted a regal paw.
I always knew.

Ruis flung back his head and laughed. Then slid Ailim down his body, his eyes darkening. “I am legally T'Elder. Your match in status and wealth.” He snorted. “Knowing Bucus, T'Elder has
more
wealth than D'SilverFir.”

“That wouldn't be hard,” Ailim said, suppressing a shiver.

“I can clear myself and court you.”

“Let's do this right.” Fear chilled her bones. “I'd rather do this right and
final
and have you, than sloppily and quickly and lose you. Can't you consider leaving Druida for a little while?”

His expression hardened. “Run? As I've run all my life? No.” He cut the air with his hand. “No. I will get my uncle and I'll get him soon!”

He gestured again, then lifted his hands to study them, as if seeing the scars. In his eyes old pain echoed and Ailim flinched. She couldn't deny he'd been hurt badly, badly enough to crave vengeance, but she'd hoped he'd risen above that. She'd sensed he carried a destructive anger, but she had been sure that he was overcoming it. Now she didn't know.

“You've told me time and again that you weren't interested in vengeance against your uncle,” she whispered.

He sent her a fulminating stare. His entire face tightened—the noble bone structure evident. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach.

“Because of several things. First, I've always been on the run, with hardly any time to stop, think, or plan.” He raised his index finger. “Next, I had no power. All of my life the balance of power was in his hands—my life was in his hands. He wanted me dead—still wants me dead, but he got me banished.”

Ailim's lips felt stiff. “You allowed yourself to be caught and banished because of your own actions.”

Fury twisted his face, then he smoothed it out, jerked a nod. “Right, as always, SupremeJudge. My anger at my circumstances and the injustice of my life scoured me like acid. It blinded me. Do you know, Ailim, my lover, that you were the first person to ever treat me with kindness?”

“I know—”

“Shade learns from me. Sometimes I think he trusts me, sometimes not. Just when I think his mind and body are Healing, he gets a mad glint in his eyes. Shade doesn't welcome my touch, and when he stays for my company we walk so my Null field doesn't bother him as much. So it's true that I let myself be angry, that I acted on that anger.” He shook his head. “The little records we have about Nulls is that they went mad or committed suicide. My anger was preferable.” His chest expanded in a deep breath and his lips moved as he held the inhalation, counting, then exhaled to another count.

Ailim knew all about anger-management techniques—ones she used, and ones she saw people use in her JudgmentGrove every day. She wanted to go to him, but didn't know if he'd welcome her touch.

“Bucus had control of the Elder Family. He had the title and the gilt, and later even became Captain of the NobleCouncil. Captain.” Ruis barked a laugh. “I had nothing and no one. That isn't true anymore. I have Samba, my Fam, I have the Ship. And I have a beautiful, Flaired noblewoman who has been willing to fight for me since the moment we met.” His eyes looked bright as he reached for her.

Samba sniffed and stalked away.

Ailim grabbed him close. Then he was kissing her with fierce hunger—a need she sensed was as deep or deeper than his anger. Their joining was fast and turbulent and shatteringly satisfying.

They panted together. “Forbidden and dangerous loving is so incredible,” Ailim said, “but I wish it was open and safe to make love to you anywhere, anytime.”

“You worry too much.”

“There's a lot to worry about. We can't escape discovery for long.”

“You haven't heard the latest update. The Holly brothers have reached Lake Meraj,” Ruis said.

They rolled apart.

“Thank the Lady and Lord!” Ailim said.

Ruis stood and pulled up his trous. His expression still brooded. “They'll be back in Druida in an eightday.” He wrenched at the waist tab until it was tight. When he looked at her, his determination was set like armourcrete. “I won't run. And Bucus will pay. Much as I don't want to continue this discussion, much as I would like to ignore it or let it rest, or ride it out, I think you need to hear what I have to say. You asked why I didn't move against my uncle before, I gave you some good reasons.” He shook his head and smiled and for an instant humor moved in his eyes. “We were speaking about power. Lord and Lady knows that what we generate between us is nothing but pure power. You have power over me. You always have.”

Ailim rose stiffly. “I would never betray you.”

“I know that, and it comes of your own sense of honor as a lady as much as it does your indignation at injustice. But I like hearing the words.” He swept a hand around him. “No one can deny I have power now.”

All the pleasure from their lovemaking drained from Ailim. She shook out her skirts. “That's correct. Do you plan on kidnaping Bucus and firing him off in an escape pod to the 271 Range?”

Ruis's lips curled. “And let it hit the crags of ZWZ? A very tempting idea. But there isn't another lifepod ready. Ship lured the Hollys to the only viable escapepod. I'll try hard to wait for you to work within the law.”

He paced the den, “But I'm impatient. I didn't know before that Bucus had actually stolen my birthright. I thought it had been a Family decision, done legally and lawfully.” The flames of injustice burned in him. “Bucus is evil. He has no honor. He'll do anything to gain glory or gilt or power. It isn't right that he's allowed to hold a title or public office. That he's allowed to pursue his plans at the cost of my lands and estate and yours. It isn't right that he goes free.”

“And you stay trapped,” Ailim ended quietly, setting her hands in their opposite sleeves cupping her elbows.

Ruis's gaze pierced her. “My life has been miserable. Much of that I've brought on myself, but most . . .” His tone turned low and deadly, matching the lithe movement of his body. “Most of my life was miserable because of one man. One man who used the system to ensure my life was as wretched as he could possibly make it. Bucus
must
pay. Soon. I'll give you until the end of next week to bring him to justice. Then I'll act.”

“I don't like ultimatums. And I don't like how this predicament is changing you. You're bitter.”

He laughed. “I've always been bitter. When I'm here, or with you, or even with Samba, I can put it aside.”

She tilted her head. “I recall you told me the Ship crafted a psychological anger management program.”

“That was before I knew.”

 
The next dawn Ruis jogged through the dead grass of the
paths and parks on the way to JudgmentGrove, not heeding Samba's puffing whines. After experimentation, Ruis had found a large oak tree branch where he could lay, seeing and hearing Ailim well, even if her bailiff invoked the weathershield. Ruis only had to climb and settle himself in the oak just outside the sacred circle before anyone else arrived at JudgmentGrove.

Ailim hadn't come to him the night before. In the evening she'd left a message that the Hollys had called for allies to attend a ritual to seek their lost sons. Later, Ship had relayed that T'Holly had called in his nephew, Straif Blackthorn—GrandLord T'Blackthorn of the FirstFamilies, the noted tracker, to find Holm and Tinne.

That Straif Blackthorn would soon be trailing his cuzes disturbed Ruis. Blackthorn had great Flair, but how much would his psi talent tell him? How much of Ruis's Nullness would affect the Hollys's route?

Ailim hadn't come to him. No loving arms had cradled him last night. No comforting words had been whispered in his ears. No sensual woman had wrapped around him in ecstasy. They'd said goodbye the previous morning with bitterness between them, and Ruis hated that.

He pulled his cowl low and kept his head ducked to stop it from whisking away in the cold autumn wind. His hands were protected by the light-bending gloves and his boots were grass-stained and mud-splattered for camouflage. The fierce autumnal winds had started, and every step was a struggle to keep the light-bending cloak hiding him. Lately he hadn't been out in the day. Danger seemed to swarm around him.

He needed to see Ailim. To talk with her. He laughed inwardly at his lie. He needed to look into her clear eyes. He needed her to touch him. He was in deep trouble. Heart trouble that could crush him.

At JudgmentGrove he hefted himself up into the oak, careful not to tear his cloak. With grumbling and the jingling of her collar, Samba followed him up, climbing a bit further so she was higher than he—a sop to her pride. She'd catnap until something snared her curiosity, then she'd jump from tree to tree until she was several meters away and finally descend to the Grove to poke her nose into whatever interested her. He scanned the Grove once more before letting himself fall into pleasant fantasies of being with Ailim.