Prince of Spies (17 page)

“Is that blush for me, sweetheart?” Nico whispered in her ear a moment before burying his lips in her neck, tickling and sensually teasing at the same time. She squirmed and giggled, so unlike her usual somber self, enjoying the moment and the man. Nico pulled back and shifted, looking deep into her eyes. “How are you feeling this fine day?”

She felt the heat rise again in her cheeks as he grinned. “I’m a little sore.”

“That’s to be expected and I’m sorry for it, Riki, but I have to tell you—you made me the happiest man in the world last night. Thank you for your precious, selfless gift. I will treasure it—and you—always.”

Riki caught her breath. Could he mean—?

“And was I right about your magic? Still there, right?”

His grin was endearing as Riki gasped. Taking quick stock, she found not only was the magic still part of

her, it was stronger than before. “It’s there and it’s…connected…to you.”

Wonder sounded in her voice, but he just smiled wider. “We bonded a bit last night, sweetheart. It felt magnificent, didn’t it? I hope you don’t mind.”

Mind?
The thought raced through her brain. Nico didn’t seem to be bothered by the idea that they could

be bonded so closely. She was about to gather her courage to ask him if he might want more than just a

short affair, when Drake banged loudly on the side of the wagon. “Rise and shine, sleepyheads!” Drake’s ebullient voice sounded from the other side of the small door to the wagon. “I have breakfast almost ready and then we need to be off. We have a long way to go today and no time to tarry.”

Nico’s knowing chuckle sent the blood creeping up her cheeks again, but he just kissed her and smiled.

“He knows?”

“Of course, he knows. The walls of this wagon are only thin planks of wood, after all.” Nico sat up and

began dressing, an all-too-pleased masculine smile on his face. “You could’ve warned me.” Riki tried hard to be angry with him, but she just felt too good to hold a grudge.

“I wouldn’t have missed one single moan or breathless sigh for the world, sweetheart. Drake knows me well enough to tease me, but if he makes you uncomfortable, I’ll tell him to bugger off.” Riki couldn’t help but laugh at his cavalier attitude. Oh, he was in a fine mood this morning, and she felt some satisfaction for having put him there. She stood from the bed and threw on her dress. “If he makes me uncomfortable, perhaps
I’ll
tell him that.” With a saucy grin, she headed for the door, only to be caught around the waist for a long, deep, satisfying kiss. Nico let her go eventually, and

together they marched out to face the morning and Drake’s teasing grin.

Chapter Eleven Nico took the reins as they started on the road for the Jinnfaire. Breakfast had been a friendly, tasty affair. Drake was a good cook and an even better friend. He knew instinctively how far to go with his

teasing and didn’t cause Riki any undue embarrassment. For that, Nico would thank him later. Drake wandered back into the wagon, emerging moments later with a few small musical instruments. Nico knew the bard would begin to test the limits of Riki’s powers and help set some basic foundations to protect her, if he were right about her magical, musical gift.

“Do you play an instrument, milady?” Drake asked politely, as if simply curious.

“No,” Riki replied wistfully and Nico could hear the longing in her voice.

Perhaps Drake wasn’t far off the mark in his suspicions about her gift. “I’ve always loved music, but have never had the opportunity to learn. Oh, I had a little tin whistle when I was a child, but that was long ago. My sister used to dance and I’d play a tune. I think it was called ‘The Washerwoman’.”

“Ah, I know that one.” Drake launched into a complicated pattern on his small traveling lute, impressing even Nico with the dexterity of his fingers as they flew over the fret board.

“That’s it!” Riki sounded breathless with excitement, reminding Nico of how she’d gasped his name in the night. But such thoughts were dangerous. He had to pay more attention to the road and less to the beguiling woman who had stolen his heart.

“As you can see, it’s more suited to a whistle or pipe, but I can fake it on the lute as well.”

As Nico drove the horses, Drake taught Riki the rudiments of both lute and hand drum. She was a natural, even Nico could tell, though he’d had to work very hard himself to master even the first few chords on the lute when he was taught as a child. Riki picked it up almost instantly, having a natural sense of rhythm and pitch that helped her immensely. Nico was duly impressed.

He was also impressed by the way she used her voice the few times Drake encouraged her to sing. No matter what she was singing, Nico was affected deeply by the words and moods of the selections. When she sang a lament, he felt as if his heart would break, when she sang a jig, he wanted to dance and sing along. And when she sang a fight song, he felt ready to take on Lucan and his entire army single-handed.

She could sway people with the magic of her voice, just like Drake had claimed. Nico became a believer during that long ride, as Drake put her through her paces, all without ever pushing her or letting her realize she was being tested. Drake’s pointedly raised eyebrows spoke eloquently to Nico of the depth of their discovery. Riki had a powerful gift that impressed even Drake, who was used to such things. That alone brought home the importance of her gift to Nico.

As twilight rolled over the land and barren rock gave way to alpine trees, Drake indicated they were nearing their destination. They traveled a bit more slowly then, watching for the challenge Drake assured them would soon come.

The trees grew thicker and the road more narrow, when suddenly their path was blocked.

“Who seeks to enter here?” A Jinn warrior materialized out of the mist.

Nico stopped the wagon, but it was Drake who took the lead, standing in the seat to put himself between any possible arrow and Riki who was still in the back of the wagon.

“Drake of the Five Lands,” he announced in a strong voice.

“And who is this with you?”

“I am Nick, Swordmaster of Melnibown, Swordsinger of Eastbourne, Knifemaster of Westerdown… Shall I go on?” A raised eyebrow challenged the Jinn warrior who was smiling now, widely.

“I have heard of those three men. Interesting to see them all before me claiming to be one person. Can you prove your titles?”

Before the soldier could blink, a knife thunked into the ground at his feet.

He bent to pick it up, then threw it straight at Nico, but he was prepared.

Shifting lightly, he raised his hands and caught the flying knife between them, without flinching, evading or drawing a single drop of blood. Nico held up his uninjured palms to show the man, then sheathed the knife back into its hidden resting place over his chest.

“Well met, Blademaster,” the Jinn warrior finally conceded. “I am Zachari. I lead the warriors of the Black Dragon Clan. You will be welcome among our people for Drake’s sake and your own.”

“There is another. Possibly, the One we seek.” A woman’s voice rang through the mist-shrouded trees off to the side of the track. “Bring her forward.” A tall, raven-haired woman strode from the trees. She was stunning and had emerald green eyes. She wore the gold jewelry of her Clan, a pendant shaped into a dragon, wings stretched in flight. Nico’s gaze lit upon it and he smiled, despite the demand to see Riki.

“You have a woman with you?” Zachari demanded, looking from Drake to Nico and back again.

“She’s mine,” Nico growled, making his possession clear.

But the woman raised her eyebrow, grinning at him slyly. “Isn’t that for her to decide?”

A hand on his back urged Nico to stand aside so Riki could make her way out from the back of the wagon. Nico jumped down and offered his hand to help her alight. Bravely, she faced the other woman. She was shorter and thinner than the voluptuous black-haired beauty, but they both had a regal bearing that was unmistakable. Nico was never prouder of her than in that moment.

“I’m Riki,” she said simply. “Nico’s mate.”

The dragon inside him roared while Nico took Riki’s hand in his and raised it to his lips. How he loved her! His brave, beautiful mate.

Turning back to the Jinn, Nico was shocked to see both Zachari and the woman lower themselves to one knee before them. Riki looked similarly surprised, allowing Nico to pull her backward, into his embrace as they waited to see what was afoot.

“Friends, what means this?” Drake spoke into the silence.

The woman looked up and smiled, though tears leaked down her face.

“We welcome you, Arikia, the one who was foretold. We’ve long awaited your arrival.”

“How do you know my name?” Riki breathed.

The woman laughed. “The Jinn have ways of knowing. We of the Black Dragon Clan have our own additional methods of learning things…cousin.”

“Cousin?” Riki was clearly confused, as was Nico.

In answer, the woman chuckled, raising her arms as a black mist enveloped her body. Within moments, she stood before them—a black dragon. Nico felt the threat she posed and without thought transformed himself, facing down the female black who threatened his mate.

The Jinn warrior jumped back and suddenly a legion of Jinn soldiers emerged from the trees to surround

the wagon and the two black dragons who now eyed each other warily.

They faced off, tension clear in every line of their sleek bodies, each unsure of the other’s motives, until a small, brave woman strode between them. Riki.

She put her small hand on Nico’s scaled knee, the connection comforting even as he watched the other dragon. He had no idea of this startling woman’s intentions. But no one shifted to dragon form without good reason.

Riki faced the dragon-woman bravely. “Please, can we talk about this as humans? We have no idea what’s going on here and we need to understand.”

The tension diffused as the woman shifted back to human form. Nico followed suit, though he still eyed her warily. But the woman only smiled.

“You, then, are our cousin as well. Be welcome, Prince Nicolas, and forgive me for alarming you. I have dreamed of this day. We have all dreamed of this day.” She gestured to the warriors watching all around. “I am Estella, Steward of the Black Dragon Clan.”

“You can shift,” Riki observed with wonder.

“Of course, can’t you?”

Sadly, Riki shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

But Estella only laughed. “Don’t worry, little cousin. It comes to females later than males.”

“Really?” Riki looked so hopeful, Nico hated to get her hopes up in case this startling woman was wrong.

“Enter and be welcome, dragon-cousins. Now I understand why the seer guided us to include Drake among the Brotherhood. He was the instrument that would lead us to you. Thank you, Drake.” She turned to Drake, who had also come down off the wagon when the warriors appeared, and kissed him soundly. “We are again in your debt. Come, let us find comfort. Zachari, have your men take the horses and wagon while I show our new friends to the camp.”

Riki was startled to find an entire city of brightly colored tents as they emerged from the line of trees. She felt a tingle against her skin that warned her magic was in the air. No other way could this many people and tents remain hidden, she reasoned. The Jinn were rumored to have a great deal of magic and Riki could easily see and feel the rumors were true. She had always been sensitive to the use of magic and her senses had only grown more acute as Loralie had done her dastardly work with Lucan.

Each time the North Witch used her power, Riki had felt it like a blow to her senses. Dark and evil magic was what skiths thrived on and the feel of it tainted all they touched. But this Jinn magic was pure and bright. It felt happy and it welcomed Riki like the arms of a mother. She felt Nico bristle next to her and put her hand out to hold his.

“Don’t worry, Nico,” she said softly. “We’re among friends. I can tell.”

Are you certain?
She knew he spoke in her mind to avoid detection and realized it was a good idea.

I can feel the magic of this place and these people. It isn’t evil. They
have no evil intent toward us. At least not right now. I would feel it if they
did.

Truly?
Nico sounded skeptical and she moved to reassure him.

Yes, truly. Having spent so much time around Lucan, don’t you think I’d
recognize evil magic if it faced us? I’ve felt it on our trail from time to time,
but this isn’t it. In fact, this is protective magic. Nothing can harm us here.

Estella led them to a large, central tent in one section of the huge encampment, inviting them in with a flourish and a warm smile. The woman was gorgeous and she could shift to dragon form too. Riki felt a pang, wondering if Nico would prefer Estella to her. It was clear the woman was much more accomplished than she was.

“Sit here, please, and I’ll have food and wine brought in. I know your road has been long to find us, as has ours to find you. The seer will want to speak with you, I know, and I’m sure you have many questions. Just give me a minute to arrange things.”

Estella left the tent and the three of them were alone for a few moments.

“What do you think?” Drake asked quietly.

“Riki seems to think there’s magic in the air and I’m inclined to agree.”

Nico pulled her hand into his lap as they sat at a low table.

“But it’s good magic,” Riki insisted. “Not evil. They use it to hide their encampment, for one thing. I felt it as we walked through the barrier, didn’t you?”

Drake shook his head, blue eyes wide. Nico seemed to consider before responding. “I felt a kind of tingle, but shrugged it off. Was that the barrier?”

“Probably. It felt like a million butterfly wings tickling against my skin.”

She smiled at the memory. “It was friendly and benign.”

“At least to you.” A new voice sounded from the entrance to the tent. In the doorway stood a stately older woman in long, colorful robes. She walked with a slight limp as she moved toward the table and the men rose in respect until she was seated across from Riki. “I am the seer, Arabetta.