Impending Reprisals (3 page)

She had expected the lord to lead her back inside, but they walked past the door of the hall and continued along the side of the building, circling around to the front. He then lead Anya to an elaborate black carriage stationed in the shadows, the driver hopping down and yanking open the door when he saw their approach.

“See to her escort, and fetch a blanket. Warm it by the fire.” The lordship held Anya’s hand as she stepped into the enclosed cabin.

The driver nodded and ran into the hall while the lord climbed in after her. Anya settled on the blue velvet padded seat, wrapping her arms around herself as the lord sat opposite, sure to keep his distance in their confined setting.

“Are you all right, Miss Anya?”

She nodded numbly at the handsome man, and then whispered, “How do you know my name?”

He issued a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. “One does not dance with a woman as beautiful as yourself and not seek out her name.”

Anya blushed as another shiver racked her frame. His brow furrowed as he unbuttoned the jacket of his uniform and shrugged it off his broad shoulders. She averted her gaze when she saw his bare chest, an unintentional reaction fluttering in her stomach. He was not as sharply defined as Kael had been, but the lord was pleasing to the eye nevertheless.

He leaned forward, wrapping the warm garment around her shoulders, then quickly retreated. “I do apologize. It is highly inappropriate for me to be in your presence as such,” he admitted, gesturing to his shirtless torso. “However, I cannot tolerate to witness you shiver as you are.”

“Thank you,” she offered in a small voice, her eyes darting to him and then to the floor of the carriage as she pulled the jacket tight. “And thank you for your…” Anya swallowed hard, pushing back the bile threatening to return with her memories.

“No need to thank me, of course,” the lord assured, his jaw flexing with his own thoughts. “I regret you were not better guarded. As host of this ball, I should have seen to it. Please, forgive me for my grievous judgment.”

Anya was about to protest, to assure him she cast no blame in his direction, but the driver returned then, interrupting her with a knock to the carriage door.

The muscles in the lordship’s chest flexed as he pushed the door open. It struck Anya as odd that she even noticed, considering the ordeal she had just gone through, but the man’s body was a burst of sunlight through the ugliness of the night; a pleasant distraction from the vulgarness of the alley, and a purity in comparison.

She could not look past it.

The driver handed the warmed blanket to the lord and pushed the door closed. Anya let the jacket slip off her shoulders as the lordship wrapped the plush material around her, folding it lightly across her chest, but leaving it to her to pull close. He leaned into her for a moment longer, his face near hers, as he reached behind to retrieve his jacket. She shivered from his proximity and his eyes locked on hers while he pulled back.

“Is the blanket not warm enough?”

“It is, My Lordship.”

He shook his head as he put his jacket on, lurching as the carriage began to move. “Please, my name is Merivic.”

“I cannot—”

He held up a hand to halt any further argument. “At the very least, Lord Merivic.”

He looked at her expectantly as she nodded in hesitant agreement, full well knowing there will be very few instances when she would be in a position to utter his name, but more than willing to oblige if it pleased her rescuer.

They traveled the rest of the way in silence. Anya, still disorientated from the shock, stared out the window in a daze, falling into apathy from the droning motion of the carriage ride.

Lord Merivic kept a sharp, although not obvious, eye on the shaken girl. He watched for any lingering signs of stress or fear from the events of the night, her occasional tears twisting in his gut.

It was not a long journey to Anya’s small manor, and when they arrived in the luxurious carriage, a unit of the guard rushed forward to open the door.

Anya snapped at attention when she noticed an assisting hand held in front of her.

“Miss Anya, we were not expecting you back so soon,” the guard stated as she stepped down.

“She came into a bit of trouble,” Lord Merivic explained as he joined her, standing close to her side. “Please call for Weapons Master Chiberus at once. I would like to speak to him personally about tonight’s events. I take full responsibility for what happened to his daughter.”

The guard bowed low, well aware of whom he was addressing by his uniform alone. He backed away a few steps before turning to run into the structure.

Anya’s eyes widened for she knew her father would likely crush this man, lord or not, for allowing harm to befall her. “I bade of you,” she protested, “please, do not. You do not know my father. He is far too protective to simply—”

Lord Merivic halted her speech by placing a firm hold on her shoulder. “It is the proper thing to do.”

“Anya! What has happened, my girl,” Sedalene exclaimed, racing through the door. “The guard said something happened to you.”

Anya cast an apologetic expression to Lord Merivic as her nanny fretted over her—smoothing out her hair, tucking the blanket tight, and wiping away the remnants of the stray tears that had fallen during the ride home.

“I will be fine, Seda. The good lord saved me.” Anya’s nodded appreciatively at him.

“It was the least I could do, Miss Anya. Though, it should have never occurred at all. And for that, I cannot apologize enough.” He claimed her hand, sweeping low as he kissed her knuckles. He squeezed her hand in a tender, comforting gesture before releasing it to straighten once more.

“I do not blame you for what happened. You must know that.”

“It does not mean the blame does not belong to me alone. You were my guest and yet you were in harm’s way. That will never sit well with me.” He turned to Sedalene with a nod. “Please, take her inside and see she is well taken care of.”

Sedalene bowed as she replied, “Of course, My Lord. Please, accept my heartfelt gratitude in keeping her safe for us.” She draped an arm around Anya’s shoulders and led her toward the manor’s door.

“Oh, your blanket,” Anya murmured, turning to unwrap it from her body.

Lord Merivic held up a hand. “Please, do not. I wish for you to keep it.”

She opened her mouth to object in keeping such a lavish gift, for the material was of the quality only afforded by royalty.

Sensing her intent, the lord spoke quickly. “Please, I bade of you. Keep it.”

Anya wrapped it tight once more and returned to Sedalene’s guiding arm. Looking over her shoulder, she cast a final glance at the blond man bravely awaiting the wrath of her father. He observed her lingering gaze and nodded his farewell, and she found she could not help but appreciate his striking, chiseled features.

And once again, on a night such as this, she thought it odd she would even notice.

Chapter 4

Another Year Later

Anya sat on the hillside, the wind brushing her dark hair back as she stared off into the distance and thought of Kael, as she so often did. It was approaching two years since he had left her, and she had not heard a single word from him. Following the next spring equinox, she would be of age to choose the man she longed to be with, but his lack of communication caused her to question her decision…
and
as to what his own choice would be.

Did he still want me, she wondered. Perhaps he did. Or perhaps she should send word prior to her departure to be certain.

Anya thought long and hard about the various possibilities, then reflected on their past moments together. She could barely remember the gentle caress of Kael’s touch, although she clearly recalled the sensations it had engendered in every part of her restless body. Sensations not unlike what she was beginning to feel in Lord Merivic’s presence, though far less in intensity to be sure.

The sudden thoughts of the lord brought a crease to her brow.

He had been hosting masquerade balls in Liberwood seasonally, and she would see him again that night at the event marking the summer solstice. It will be the fourth time she would see him since he had defended her in the alleyway.

Anya always enjoyed herself at the gatherings, possibly more than she should when dancing with Lord Merivic, but she inevitably felt an unsettling guilt the following day, when the enchantment of the evening had worn away.

The good lord was very attractive—no one would dare argue that—and she had grown to admire the strong, regal man. But no matter how natural it was for her to feel that way, it ultimately felt like a betrayal in her heart to do so. The resulting quandary had left her both thrilled for the magical night ahead, and trepidation for the predicament it would no doubt leave her in.

Anya realized the grand balls now marked the time for her; for the changing of the seasons, her growing maturity as she experienced the amorous attentions of the lordship, and the length of time Kael, her truest love, had been away.

She sighed in frustration as her pondering brought her full circle back to Kael, and with no real solution to her dilemma, she endeavored to focus on something else. Rubbing the blue stone of her amulet, she mentally called for Tajvek. The great white tiger appeared at once, curled up behind her as he came forth in a lazy state. The animal sensed the nature of the summons and understood it to be for companionship only.

Anya nestled back against his muscled form, and the act of doing so drew her attention to memories of her youth. As a child, she would cuddle with the tiger in much the same way, whether it was for warmth or comfort.

Tajvek had been connected to her mother, a powerful priestess, as a spiritual guardian. And when her mother had fallen deathly ill from a mysterious sickness, she had anointed Tajvek to guard over her young daughter. And so the animal had, from that moment forth—serving as a companion to the growing child, and a protector from anything seeking to harm her.

Anya’s father had been furious with her for not wearing her amulet the night she had been attacked. If she had, Tajvek would have appeared and dealt a swift justice before the men had a chance to begin their advance. Not only had Chiberus made her promise to never remove the necklace again, but he insisted she learn the way of weapons and defense, though it was highly improper for a young lady to do so. Of course, if Kael had been there—her long-standing protector alongside Tajvek—the assault never would have occurred either.

Instead, her protection and rescue had come from the unlikely source of Lord Merivic, her champion when she required one most. He had preserved her safety and provided her comfort where Tajvek and Kael had failed, and the importance of that meant more to Anya than she cared to admit. He was quick in becoming the focal point of her heart; a solidity amongst the confusion in her head. But she did not wish it to be that way. It had always been Kael. He had always been the one in her heart, and Anya battled within to refocus on him once more.

He was the love for her, not a lord who dazzled her with charm and valiancy.

Anya snuggled deeper into Tajvek’s soft fur as her thoughts circled around Sedalene’s suggestions of seeking out Kael. The prospect of their paths crossing again was enough to sustain her during these ever-increasing unsure times. Her hopes of seeing him once more, and sensual daydreams of their first embrace after the long absence, all but washed the shining image of Lord Merivic to the back of her mind.

*****

“What has gotten into Father?” Anya exclaimed, tugging at the low-cutting bodice of the sapphire-colored gown.

“I do not know.” Sedalene shook her head as she tried to work the material up at the waist, then grinned. “Maybe he is wishing you to catch a certain lord’s eye.”

“Oh, Seda!” She swatted her nanny in the arm for uttering such a ridiculous notion.

Sedalene knew as well as Anya did that Chiberus could not arrange for his daughter to marry into a higher sect, and it would be overstepping his bounds to even attempt such a pairing.

Sedalene laughed, and then mused, “He does keep sending you with mediocre escorts.”

The light comment, meant only for jest, nudged Anya toward a state of panic. The worry began setting in as her heart beat faster, nervous flutters consuming her stomach. Once she realized how profoundly she had allowed the statement to affect her, she forced out a laugh and attempted to make light of the situation. “Oh, do be serious, Seda.”

“Who says I am not?”

Anya’s emerald eyes narrowed as she looked down at Sedalene, crouched at her feet to straighten her hem. “What do you mean?”

“Has your father told you who your escort is this evening?”

“No. Of course, I did not bother to ask either. Whomever he chose is fine and, I am sure, certainly no one I will get excited over.”

Sedalene nodded, donning a sly expression as she returned her attention to the black lace-lined gown.

“You have me curious, Seda. Who shall be accompanying me? Obviously, you must know, and apparently find it to be quite amusing.”

Sedalene chuckled as she straightened. “It is no one.”

Anya scowled and let out a heavy sigh. “Seda!”

“I told you…no one.”

Anya opened her mouth to plead for answers, but Sedalene interrupted. “Child, listen to me. Literally
no one
is escorting you.”

“Father is sending me without an escort?! However will that appear? Why would he do that to me?”

Her nanny shrugged. “Your father will ride with you to the ball, and introduce you to your escort once there.”

“What kind of a man does not accompany a woman from her home?”

“Perhaps one that is uncomfortable with riding in the lord’s carriage.”

“It is well known by all that the lordship sends his carriage for me out of guilt. He is forever attempting to rectify the events in the alley by sending lavish transportation, and reserving his limited time to dance with me on a few occasions.” Anya had long-since convinced herself of these facts as well, although, even to herself, she must admit the arguments were losing conviction as of late.

“Or perhaps your escort will already be in attendance simply because he must be
in order to greet his many guests
.” Sedalene nodded as she determined this to be the appropriate scenario.

“Oh, Seda,” Anya muttered, biting her lip. “I do hope you are joking.”

Sedalene cradled her face in her hands. “Do not fret, my child. You are young and beautiful. What man would not want to spend time with you?”

“Have you forgotten that I do not wish to spend time with him?”

Sedalene waved her hand in the air as if shoving the comment aside. “Who would not want to be with His Lordship? Enjoy these small pleasures that life offers. What happens now dictates what happens tomorrow, not the other way around. You must live in the present rather than forever looking to the future.”

Anya did not respond other than to stare hard at her nanny, although a thoughtful expression brightened her face in the passing moments.

“Your father is waiting for you downstairs. It is nearly time to go.” Sedalene left Anya to her contemplations.

Perhaps it would do no harm to partake in the lord’s company, Anya thought. Surely it was merely a passing fancy for him until he found a wife of proper standing for his choosing. Or, possibly, Lord Merivic was not her intended escort after all.

Anya held tight to her last thought as she descended the stairs, convincing herself that it was the most valid of her conjectures. After all, Sedalene was always a hopeless romantic and, of course, she would assume the most outrageous situation to be the truthful one. Anya, on the other hand, was more grounded in reality. Or so she hoped.