Warrior (65 page)

until you’ve settled this business.”

She referred to the happenings

between Vulcan, Bael, Varian, and

Isolde. He hadn’t told her any more

than he wanted to, but she’d figured

some of it out. With Varian whisking

Isolde onto the dance floor, and for a

waltz at that, she knew that somehow

the two were involved. She hoped it

was nothing scandalous, but was

uncertain. Isolde had not mentioned

Varian in the months she’d spent with

Jaisyn. As she thought of that, she

found it strange. Usually, Isolde was

the first of her sisters to offer

criticism, but she stayed clear of any

topic dealing with Varian. Jaisyn now

understood why. She would have to

speak with her sister, and soon.

“If you would release me, liege, I

would retire to my rooms now.”

“This is not over,” he replied softly

as he let his fingers slip from her

waist. Jaisyn curtsied and walked

away, her ladies following behind her.

***

Jaisyn had just been helped into her

bed gown, and was sipping quite

gingerly at the herbal tea that Magda

had prepared for her when there was

a

knock

at

the

door.

Asha

immediately held up her wrapper and

Jaisyn pushed her arms through and

tied the front.

Magda opened the door and Jaisyn

recognized Lydia. She too was

dressed in a wrapper, and she passed

Asha and Magda stern looks when she

entered. Asha was already heading to

the door but Magda walked over to

Jaisyn and lifted her brow. Smiling,

Jaisyn nodded.

“I came because I wished to discuss

further what I told you weeks ago,”

Lydia began once they were alone.

Jaisyn became alert instantly. She’d

wanted to discuss it as well, but Lydia

had seemed unwilling to broach the

topic again.

Jaisyn stood and walked over to her.

“Yes, I think a continuation of the

discussion is warranted.”

Lydia smiled and nodded, before

stepping past Jaisyn and over to her

bed. Jaisyn turned to stare after her in

confusion but Lydia turned and lifted

the silver cup to her.

“Your herbal tea. I know that it

keeps your child sickness at bay,” she

said, handing the cup to Jaisyn, who

took it.

“Come. I will feel better discussing

this in my room,” she looked

pointedly at the semi-open door that

led to Jane and Anne’s quarters.

Jaisyn lifted the cup to her lips and

took a deep drink of the warm liquid,

before settling it on the tray in the

middle of her bed once more.

“Will you not take it with you?”

Lydia asked, staring at the half-empty

porcelain cup in confusion.

Jaisyn shook her head. “I will drink

it when I return.”

Nodding, Lydia turned and stepped

to the door. Jaisyn followed behind

her.

***

“Take her arm—we must hurry—

lift her leg a bit more. Right there.”

Harsh

breathing

followed

those

words. “Now, go and check to see if

the passageway is clear.” She

arranged a limb, pulling it over

another,

and

turned

to

her

accomplice. Wide, frightened eyes

stared back at her.

“There are no guards outside.”

“Good. Douse your candle lest we

be caught. And hurry. We must not be

seen.”

They left the room and closed it

behind them, hurrying quickly down

the dark passageway and into their

chambers.

***

“I am her guardian, Varian!” Vulcan

thundered, a loud thwack erupting in

the study as his large hand slammed

down on the desk. “She is my ward

and I have decided to give her to Bael

for the sake of a stronger alliance! It is

a political arrangement and I will not

have you thwart it!”

Varian lifted a dark, unruffled brow.

“With all due respect, brother, making

an alliance with Bael is equivalent to

making a deal with a devil.”

“How so,
brother
? And think with

the head on your shoulders and not

the one between your legs!”

Lips quirking upwards, as if amused,

Varian responded, “Bael does not like

you. And he does not like the fact that

Morden controls Montak. Regardless

of what you do, he will always think

that way. He’s only waiting for an

opening that will get his kingdom from

under your control.”

Vulcan had thought of that before.

Many times. He took a seat once

more. “So what do you suggest as an

alternative, brother?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Varian

replied, “You have always had two

alternatives, Vulcan. You can replace

the king of Montak with one of your

loyal followers, a loyal general or

untitled cousin, or you release Montak

from Morden’s oversight and seek to

make Bael an ally.”

Vulcan stared at his brother and

sighed. Running a hand across his

brow, he shook his head angrily.

“You could have simply sent a

messenger with your answer. Who

have you left in control of Lytheria?”

“I couldn’t be certain that you

would heed my answer if I sent a

missive. And Hector and Urian

currently have control of Lytheria.”

The king nodded and pinned his

brother with a withering glare. Varian

lifted a brow and waited.

“I am very angry, Varian. You’ve

sullied the name of one of my wards

with what you’ve done this night.”

“I am fully prepared to make right

the situation,” Varian replied solemnly

but Vulcan wasn’t fooled. His brother

was a tactician. He always planned

well before he did anything. Varian

had waltzed with Isolde with the

intention of being called upon to

marry her.

Varian suddenly stood and stared

down at Vulcan. With a bow, he

turned and headed to the door.

“And Varian,” Vulcan called after

him, his voice cold and hard. “Do not

undermine my authority again. You

are my brother but I will not have this

happen again. Is that clear?”

Turning to face his king, Varian

nodded and asked a question of his

own. “Have I ever undermined your

authority

before

this

day,

my

brother?”

“You have not, and that is why it is

easy for me to pardon you this time.”

A smile touched Varian’s lips. “I

could not let you give her to Bael

when I wanted her for myself. It is

why I had to come in person to

answer the question you posed:

‘
Would I oppose the betrothal of

Isolde of Lytheria to Bael of

Montak?
’
I feel for her as you do for

your queen.”

“
Rika
forbid,” Vulcan muttered,

remembering that his queen was quite

infuriated with him and he’d been told

in specific terms not to venture into

her chambers tonight.

Varian laughed and approached his

brother’s desk once more. “It is good

to see that you two have worked out

most

of

your

differences.” At

Vulcan’s glare, Varian laughed again

before taking long strides to the door.

Vulcan shook his head. It was late.

There was no doubt in his mind it was

sometime in the early morning.

With a sigh, he pushed back the

chair and left his study. The guards

standing before the door stepped aside

to let him pass before followed after

him. His mind was on his wife and the

surprise he would see on her face

when she woke in his arms in the

morning. A sly smile touched his lips

as he made his way up the torch-lit

staircase.

Chapter 17

Jaisyn swallowed audibly and tried

to ease the scratchy dryness in her

throat. Her eyelids felt heavy and she

struggled to lift them. It was pitch

black in the room, and chilly, as no

fire countered the cold of the stone

walls. A small whimper escaped her

lips and she stretched her legs, barely

covering her mouth with her hand as a

yawn escaped. She blinked sluggishly

and swallowed again, trying to

remember entering her chambers and

falling asleep. She couldn’t. She only

remembered speaking with Lydia and

—nothing else, not even dreams.

She moved again, this time rolling

onto her back, and looked around the

darkness of the chambers.

Why was there no fire in the hearth?

A groan came from next to her and

she

started

momentarily

before

relaxing once more. Vulcan was in

bed with her. Moving closer to him,

she snuggled against his warm body.

A hand reached out and caressed her

hip, and she sighed and prepared to

drift back to sleep. She was warm

once more. As she was drifting off,

something tugged at her memory,

making it hard for the much needed-

sleep she craved to come. Her brain

began to work and she stilled

completely as she figured out what it

was. Something in her recognized the

difference in the touch. Vulcan’s

touch was always so possessive,

gentle but at the same time firm. Why,

then, was he lazily tracing his hand

along her hip?

Her eyes widened as she leaned

back in the dark and ran her fingertips

down her husband’s torso. Lean. She

reached down and removed the hand

at her hip, lacing her fingers through

it. Hands… not right. Smaller.

A shriek tore from her lips and she

scrambled from the bed, tripping over

a piece of cloth that was on the

ground before righting herself. What

she would have given to have her

sword nearby.

“What—?” a groggy male voice

asked from the bed.

Jaisyn felt the bile rise in her

stomach. That was not Vulcan’s

voice.

“Who are you and why are you in

my bedchamber?” she demanded,

glad for the darkness that kept her

nudity from this man who was not her

husband.

The man groaned and she heard the

shifting of the bed as he moved against

it.

“You are in my chambers, lady,” he

replied curtly. Another groan tore

from his lips. “What in the name of

the Gods did you give me to drink?”

His
chambers? Confusion erupted in

her brain and she reached down and

picked up the material at her feet.

Was that her nightgown? With a heavy

heart, she lifted it over her head and

pulled it down, before crossing her

arms over her bosom.

“I did not give you anything to

drink,” she bristled, her heart thudding

painfully against her chest. “Who are

you?”

A dry chuckle followed that

question. “A woman with a man’s

mind. You didn’t even know my name

when you lay with me. I am Bael,

King of Montak. No doubt that had

something to do with your infatuation

with me. And you, forgetful lady,

what is your name?”

If the earth could have opened up

and swallowed her at that moment,

Jaisyn would have been glad. She was

nude in the king of Montak’s

chambers? Her hand flew to her

mouth and she desperately searched

her mind for any indication of what

had happened. She found nothing.

Tears built in her eyes and she rapidly

blinked them away. She couldn’t have

—she wouldn’t have—

“Have you left already?”

Shifting noises followed but Jaisyn

was locked in her own mind. She’d

been alone, in a bed chambers, naked,

with Bael of Montak. And he’d said

that she’d lain with him? Her

breathing became erratic as her hand

fell to her belly. She hadn’t lain with

Bael, had she? Her memory refused