Page 9 of Bride of the King
“Not likely,” I murmured, wrapping my fingers around the hard muscle of his upper arm. “I am your wife, and now I have a purpose. Besides, I have nowhere else to go.”
Moving his thumb up and down, circling the swell of my cheek, he leaned closer. I took a shaky breath, my heart thrumming widely. I wondered if he could hear it, if he knew how much his presence aroused me. “You never have to be shy with me, Nesrin. If your desire to stay is because of me, I would accept it. I did not need much convincing to marry you. When we met in the woods, I had hope. But now you are my wife, and you have choosen to be my wife, does it mean I can kiss you anytime I’d like to?” He leaned closer.
“Anytime,” I repeated, glad I was lying down because my knees felt weak. A hint of hot heat made me want to squeeze my legs together.
When his lips met mine, they were gentle and sweet, sending trills of excitement up and down my spine. I clung to him as he parted my lips with his tongue. It was probing as he swept into my mouth, deepening the kiss. I’d experienced nothing like it. My body arched up, pressing against his and something hard pressed against my belly. My breath caught as I realized what it was, but instead of nervous fear, I only felt anticipation.
I closed my eyes just to feel, to delight in the pleasures he pulled from my body. His hand pressed against my side, near the curve of my breasts, and his groan of delight made me all the more excited. Encouraged that he wanted me.
But the sound of his name made me stiffen. “Zander!”
One of his men stood outside the tent, calling out, his voice low, urgent. “Zander!”
Zander broke the kiss and lifted his head, eyes alert. A low groan of disappointment escape from his lips and he kissed me again before whispering in my ear. “I will have you, my queen, naked in my bed when I return.”
7
After Zander’s hasty exit,I lay in bed a while longer, catching my breath before rising. With him out of the way, I knew I needed to do two things. One was to return to the river and see if the goddess would speak with me again. The second was to somehow, someway, sneak back to my father’s home. I refused to think of it as now belonging to my step-mother, but I needed my father’s notes if I were to craft a potion that would give the Rovers extraordinary strength. Thus far, I’d gathered roots and herbs, all with properties of strength, and I made my way to the tent where they were stored. I wasn’t ready to crush and boil them yet, for although I had ideas of my own, I needed my father’s notes first.
Naomi was waiting for me when I slipped inside, her white hair pulled back in a bun at the nape of her neck. “Lady Nesrin,” she greeted me.
She pointed to a plate of food. Perching on the edge of a chair, I wolfed down the food while Naomi moved around the tent, organizing jars and baskets, even though they were in order already.
“Naomi?” I asked between bites. “I have a question.”
“Ask,” she encouraged.
I warmed to her. “I need to return to my father’s house. There’s something there of great importance that I left behind. Zander is busy today and I’m not sure who else to ask. Do I need to seek permission to leave these lands?”
Naomi’s face went pale, and she twisted her hands together. “Leave? My lady, it is not wise without the king’s permission. . .” she trailed off, hands on her hips.
“Yes,” I lowered my voice. “He told me about the tribes that attack from time to time. I am aware of the danger but, no one knows who I am, and it is perfectly safe in Geben.”
Naomi frowned. “You are precious to the king, I will not have you leave on my watch. When he returns, it will be safe.” Moving closer, she placed a hand on my arm and gently squeezed. “He is happy with you, don’t give him reason to grieve. Again.”
There was no one else in the tent, but still, I lowered my voice. “Again? Did something happen?”
Naomi’s bottom lip trembled, and her eyes filled with tears. She turned her back to me and there were some moments before she spoke. “Aye, during the last attack they stole his family. He never intended to be king, at least not this young, and he’s determined they won’t have more.” She spun back around, taking my hands, a desperation on her face. “You will help him, won’t you?”
Thoughts tumbled and twisted in my head. His family? Did it mean he’d been married before? And I’d never asked where his parents were, or if he had siblings. Embarrassment rose. What must he think of me? I’d been so concerned about myself I hadn’t asked him, hadn’t pried deeper.
“His family?” I repeated, woodenly.
Naomi stared off. “I’m not sure I should tell you this.” Her voice caught. “I don’t intend to frighten you.”
I lifted my chin. “I am not frightened,” I assured her.
“They came one night, weaving through the celebration like the shadows of trees. They always take the women first, and this time was no different. They stole Zander’s mother, Lilith, and his sister, Lavender, and left us stumbling in the wood, fighting off warriors with their tricks. Their magic. By the time we fought through, it was too late.”
A strangled cry came from her throat, and even though I didn’t know her, the empathy in me rose. I threw my arms around her, squeezing her tight, reminded of when my father passed. The overwhelming sorrow had been too much, had threatened to bury me with the numb sense of hopelessness. Why go on, when life would never be the same? Was there hope in the face of death? Would the tears ever dry? And then I understood why Zander had done what he had done. Right or wrong, I understood his pain, his need. I blurted the words out, “I’ll do whatever it takes to help, but I need my father’s notes.”
Naomi squeezed me back. “It shall be done.”
Later that afternoon, pulse pounding, I rode out with Naomi and two of the warriors. The feel of a wild horse beneath me reminded me of days when my father taught me how to ride. I’d gallop across the fields, shrieking with laughter, my hair flying out wildly behind me. The way the wind blew made me feel light as a feather, as though I could fly away, like the birds that migrate during the winter, flying away to warmer places. Whenever I rode a horse, it made me feel alive.
The Rovers weren’t as far from the village as I expected. All too soon, our quick ride ended, much faster than a carriage ride, and we pulled up in front of the house. It was just the same, hard to believe I’d left it only seven days ago. I thought about what I’d say to my step-mother, and my mouth went dry. Slowly, I dismounted, and Naomi rested a hand on my shoulder. The bruises had faded under her care and yet haunted memories hung around that house. Both good and bad. Together we walked up to the door, and I swallowed hard at the thought of seeing my step-mother’s deceptive face again. But when we reached the door, it stood ajar.
I swallowed hard, and raised my hand to knock, but Naomi pushed it further open. Immediately I saw an empty room, and the silence was deafening. They were gone. My thoughts returned to the pouch of money Zander had handed my step-mother. She must have used it to return to the kingdom, to leave the backward village of Geben where hopes and dreams died. A sense of relief passed over me, and even though the house held ghosts of the past, vague memories, I walked through it, waving Naomi away.
