Page 32 of Poisoned Empire

Iliana steadfastly refused to admit as much to Marduk. Best to change the topic.

“Will you be so good as to show me how to get off this horse?”

Marduk laughed, winking at her with a knowing grin.

“We can go down the path to where the trees are thicker. There won’t be so many prying eyes.”

“What is the domina doing with aferal?”

“Ifmyfather caught me with a beast mage, I’d be disowned.”

“Shh! Isn’t that the strategos?”

Marduk’s back straightened at the insult, his dark eyes narrowing. Disbelief had Iliana in its grip. Her anger towards him melted away in an instant, replaced with a fierce protectiveness towards the one man who had shown true respect for her skill.

Here stood the most powerful strategos in the empire, a weapon’s master and a prodigy, and petty noblewomen without a single accomplishment between them dared to spit on him for being a beast mage? It made Iliana’s blood boil. If only she’d had a few darts on her person. She supposed she’d have to settle for words. She painted a beatific smile on her face, placing her hand on his cheek.

“My dear strategos, please try to forgive them their ignorance. I’m certain that when the prince hears of their impertinence, he will see that their families are dispossessed. Have mercy and allow them one last day to enjoy their noble lifestyle.”

Marduk’s eyes widened. A slow, harsh smile lit his handsome face. He took one of her hands in his and kissed the palm.

“Domina Sapphire, your beautiful smile could sway even a heart of stone. I will allow them one last day of ignorant bliss. The gods know they will spend the rest of their lives in mindful penance.” He shot the women a lethal glare before they galloped off.

Marduk said no more, leading Iliana’s horse onto the secluded path. When they were out of earshot and sight of the main path, she touched his shoulder.

“Are you alright, Strategos?”

He answered without bothering to face her.

“I have thicker skin than you might imagine, and require neither saving nor coddling by a woman more than a decade my junior.”

Iliana bristled. Thick skin, her foot! Well, if he wanted to take out his frustrations on someone, he could find another target. She’d met a great many men who were charming enough until they were rendered aid by someone they saw as their lesser.

“Fine! Would the prickly old geezer help this needless busybody off her horse?”

Marduk’s stony gaze had her realizing her mistake. Gods, she needed to sew her own mouth shut. She’d gotten brave, seated tall atop the horse, forgetting just how intimidating the he could be. The only solution was to brazen it out.

It was harder than she’d imagined. His large hands made her feel entirely too petite as he assisted her. When her hands braced on his wide shoulders, she did her best not to meet his eyes. Was it her imagination, or had he set on her the ground altogether too slowly? She stood tall and held back her embarrassment, but when she chanced a peak at his face, his intense gaze had her heart fluttering.

“I said it wasn’t required, not that it wasn’t appreciated.”

“Oh,” Iliana replied, swallowing.

Was that a tree at her back? Her cheeks heated, and she wished she could crawl under a rock and hide. He lifted her hand and bushed his lips across it, his eyes never leaving hers. She was pinned to the spot.

“Thank you. But I don’t want you to needlessly entangle yourself with the wagging tongues of arrogant noblewomen. Not on my account.”

“I’m no noblewoman. What do I care if they speak ill of me?”

“You do yourself a disservice, but I-”

He was interrupted by a dark shadow passing quickly overhead. Iliana looked up instinctively. The tail end of large, dark wings flew overhead.

“Wow,” Iliana breathed.

“Surely you’ve seen a winged beast mage?”

“Well, yes, but the magistri are adamant about not allowing them to fly in their provinces. I’m used to seeing wind mages. It’s really a thing to behold when you can see them in all their glory,” Iliana replied, still gazing skyward.

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