A Hint of Frost: Araneae Nation ( Book One) (9 page)

“Rhys—” The fury banked in his gaze stole my voice.

He continued on as if I hadn’t interrupted him. “Lourdes is
mine
. A hand raised against her is a challenge leveled against me.” His sight lowered. “Trefor, your addiction bested you.” He lifted the sword he’d taken from me. “You are not the male I once knew.” His voice rang clear. “Punishment for addiction is death. I showed this warrior leniency to the detriment of my female.” He swung the sword, and Trefor’s head tumbled clear from his neck. “It’s not a mistake I will make again.”

I scrubbed my palms against my coat. I’d thought myself ready to end another life, and while in the heat of Trefor’s pursuit, I would have. His life in exchange for mine, I accepted. What I’d done to Rhys, though…the way his eyes emptied on the blade’s downward swing…

After wiping the sword clean, he passed it to one of his men and advanced on me. Before his clan, here in the wintry forest, while a body cooled at our feet, I sensed his need to mark me, claim me as his. I steeled my spine, ready for punishment. I deserved no less than his worst for what I’d done.

His large palms landed with such force upon my shoulders, my knees buckled beneath the weight of them. Leaning in close, I trembled as anise on his breath filled me with his scent. Lips I knew to be soft were ice hard now. His voice lowered. “This is going to hurt.”

His fangs grazed my throat before he bit down, and my skin punctured on a crisp pop
.
I cried out as my eyes watered. This was no gentle claiming. This
hurt
. Rhys’s venom was fire in my veins, his poison a brand that threatened to render me to soot beneath his ravaging mouth.

When at last he withdrew, he pressed a chaste kiss to the stinging wound. With a grim smile, he opened his palm, and Trefor’s dagger lay there.

“What a clever male you are,” I said as my eyes rolled back, and the fear etching his handsome face faded to black behind my eyelids.

Chapter Five

Mumbled voices pried me from sleep, but delicious lethargy weighted my limbs. Curling against the noise, I ignored Pascale’s weak attempt at rousing me and nestled beneath my covers.

Pascale
. I bolted upright, head spinning and cotton-mouthed. Tossing the covers aside, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. My attempt at sitting met with a chorus of male groans.

“For gods’ sake.” Armand shielded his eyes. “Pull up your covers.”

My hands flew to conceal my chest as three sets of masculine eyes either tried not to notice I was naked
again
, or drank in the sight of my nudity with such obvious appreciation I cringed.

Henri muttered, “I could have lived the whole of my life without seeing that.”

“On the contrary,” Vaughn said on a dark laugh, “I find the view much improved.”

Humiliation paralyzed me. I may as well have sat upon a pedestal, for I was on display.

“Lourdes.” A growl from behind me hurled my name as a curse as Rhys wrapped me up to my chin in a quilt. Able to drop my hands, I hid behind the barrier he’d erected around me and willed my embarrassment to ebb. Given the fact even my toes burned with shame, it was wasted effort.

Under the fabric, I pinched myself, earning odd looks from my spectators when I jumped. So much for the hope this was a dream. Folding my arms to my sides, I brushed something soft. It dribbled past my hip when I poked it. Was it cloth? Why…

Mortification had made me forget.

I’d snuck out. I remembered now, the woods and Trefor’s chase, his dagger buried in my side. Fabric, then, dampened with healing herbs. Forcing my hand down, I kept from picking at the wound. Other than a slight tightening of the skin, I didn’t hurt. I felt better than expected.

As if reading my thoughts, Henri asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” All things considered, I was grateful to be alive. “Do I have stitches?”

“You were fortunate. It was only a scratch. I’m worried more about infection from what might have been on the blade than your cut. You can wash the poultice off tonight.” He gave Rhys a sour look. “I’d like to inspect it tomorrow. She’ll need a fresh poultice then.”

“Only a scratch?” My hand lifted, but I forced it from the wound before touching it. “No, Trefor stabbed me. His dagger pierced my side.” I spun toward Rhys. “You saw it. You’re the one who removed it.” When he didn’t speak, I urged him on. “Tell them I didn’t imagine it.”

“You were half frozen and being chased by a—” He bit off whatever word he would have used. “The cold intensifies sensations. Fear does the same.” He found his empty hands of sudden interest. “You must have imagined the blade did more damage than it did.” His cold stare rose to pin Vaughn’s smirk in place. “That you survived is a testament to your skill. Be proud of that.”

While his praise spread warmth through my chest, my mind swam with doubt. Yes, the cold’s pain was absolute. Yes, it punished any who faced it unprepared, but the dagger
had
impaled me. Blushing again, I admitted it was less how the blade had entered and more how it had been removed that rang of a true memory. Rhys’s lips on me I recalled with perfect clarity.

Meeting Armand’s frown, I noted someone had kicked a mound of bloodied clothing against the far wall. Henri’s ruined jacket topped the pile. “It seems my scratch bled freely.”

“Rhys and his guards encountered a pocket of Theridiidae holed up in one of the summer spinning rooms. The blood on your clothes came from them.” Armand folded his arms, but his fingers twitched. “It could have been you that met them. I should never have allowed you to go.”

I counted backwards from my age to Channing’s before I answered. “I am the Araneidae maven. You are my brother, whose opinion I value, but I don’t require your permission.” I added softly, “If you think me unfit, challenge me and have it done. Otherwise, ready yourself. I plan to follow in Mother’s footsteps, and I will fulfill my role as maven of our clan, but I will also honor the plans Father and I made. I will not leave our people vulnerable to such treachery again.”

Rhys caught my eye as he brushed past Henri and headed for Armand.

“You knew what she planned.” His voice lowered. “Yet you allowed her to leave?”

My brother kept his ground. “When Lourdes sets her mind to doing something, nothing can dissuade her. You’ll learn soon enough.” He indicated me with a jerk of his chin. “As she said, she’s my maven. I can’t overrule her without a proper challenge.”

At that, Rhys cracked a wry smile. “You’re wiser than you look.”

“Thanks.” Armand’s voice went flat.

“What does he mean?” I glanced between them.

“If he challenges you,” Rhys said, including Henri in his statement, “he faces me.”

“Oh.” I suppose that was the benefit of being bound to Rhys. His sword arm was mine to command, but I hadn’t intended he take a swing at Armand. “He won’t challenge me. Will you?”

Armand shook his head. “I have no aspirations for her title. I promise you that.” He nodded toward me. “She has my fealty.” He added, “I don’t envy you the task of reining her in.”

“I
can
hear you.” I unclenched my jaw. “No male is
reining me in
.”

“She is a spirited one.” Vaughn caught his bottom lip between his teeth.

“I’m bound to your brother.” I stabbed the air in his direction. “Rhys is my partisan, and seeing as how I don’t believe in playing musical bedmates, you’ll have to find some other female to ply with your…” I waved a hand, “…charms or whatever you call what you’re doing. I didn’t like your rude implications yesterday, I don’t like the boldness of your tone today, and I won’t prefer you to Rhys tomorrow. Ask Armand. He’ll tell you my mind is unchangeable.”

“It is,” my brothers chimed in as one.

Vaughn’s eyes sparked with challenge of a different sort. One I hadn’t meant to issue.

“As I said.” His teeth flashed in a sharp smile. “
Spirited
.”

Stalking from my brother to his own, Rhys balled his knuckles tighter with each step. This would not end well. I inched closer to the edge of the bed. “Rhys?” His boots stopped just shy of Vaughn’s. He canted his head in my direction, waiting for me. “You never said what you found.”

His shoulders tensed a fraction, the movement so slight a day ago I might not have noticed. His brother forgotten, Rhys dropped to one knee before me, avoiding the bed as though he were afraid of jostling me. Determination hardened his eyes, but regret filled his expression.

“No trace of her was found in the tunnels or in the city. We’d begun sweeping the vineyard when I heard voices.” His thumb brushed my throat. “After the skirmish, I called it clear. I almost circled back and let the others search.” His voice scraped raw. “I almost lost you.”

I captured his hand and held it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for things to end as they did.”

“Trefor’s death was not your fault. He’d been warned. I knew he was sickened, but he was Mother’s advisor. I’d hoped for a miracle.” Heat crackled behind his next words. “His death will serve as an example.”

The elder Mimetidae may have set both feet on a path to ruination, but I’d nudged his last steps. Rhys might have forgiven the male once more had I not been involved, and that was the rub. Better me than a hapless female with no ties to their clan whose death would have been excused as Trefor’s final warning. Sick to my core, I admitted relief at being his downfall.

Quiet stretched between us, his pained and mine anxious. Hating to push him, I couldn’t wait another moment to say, “There must be a clue, some hint of her. She hid her escape route, but her trick was discovered. We can do so again. You said yourself Araneaeans don’t vanish.”

His earnest expression concerned me. “Vaughn tracked her to the forest’s edge. Beyond that point, her trail goes cold.” When I would have interrupted him, he added, “The area stank of varanus.”

Breath hung forgotten in my lungs. “There was a
dragon
in Erania?”

“They’re not monsters, Lourdes.” His assurance helped me breathe. “They play an important role in the success of the southern clans’ agriculture.” He leaned in. “They’re docile unless provoked. Your sister has nothing to fear from a well-trained varanus, and her companion could have only purchased one this far north at an auction. It was likely a pet and harmless.”

Clinging to the surety in his voice, I accepted he knew what he claimed as fact.

In all my life, I’d never seen a dragon. They are cold-blooded, and our city sat too far north for them to survive. Granted, I’d heard most didn’t live long enough to be affected. An old proverb said
pet for the summer, food for the winter
, and a slaughtered dragon would feed many.

“Even if the Theridiidae weren’t a southern clan, the addition of a varanus to their caravan tells us they’re heading south.” Rhys said, “They have no choice. The varanus will freeze to death.”

“I went south with Father a few times, visiting his old clan home and maven. Siciia is a few days travel from Erania.” I considered him. “Will the varanus
help or hinder their speed?”

He shrugged. “It depends on the age of the beast and the skill of the handler.”

I remembered his earlier hesitation. “Can it be tracked?”

“The stench may mask your sister…” he sounded grim, “…but it leaves its own trail.”

Squeezing his fingers, I dared ask, “Will you go?”

Rhys paused a moment, raising his voice as he addressed the others. “Leave us.”

“Lourdes?” Armand remained in place, Henri by his side.

“I’m fine.” I smiled brighter than necessary. “Thank you both for being here.”

After I collected a round of terse nods, they filed out, leaving us alone with Vaughn, who stared at Rhys in a peculiar way before he followed my brothers into the hall, then shut the door.

“I came to you with one task, and now you would give me another.” Rhys’s expression tightened. “You’re asking me to forsake our bargain. If I leave for Siciia, any number of things may delay my return. Revenge must be served for our pact to be honored before the new moon.”

“Are you saying you won’t pursue Pascale?” My voice cracked. “That you’d let her go, knowing what awaits her once the Theridiidae identify her? They’ll kill her on sight. Or worse.”

“I have no choice.” He stared at our linked hands. “Until we’re wed, my allegiance is torn. I must honor the conditions Mother set between us. Only permanent vows supersede her orders.” Blood rushed from my face. “Even if you agreed, we must wait for the new moon.”

Wed to Rhys
. My pulse raced at the thought. “What if you and I negotiate new terms?”

Thoughts tripping over one another, I had a heartbeat to decide which road to choose. One led to the satisfaction of knowing the male who’d murdered my parents now marked time in the same cold earth they did. The other led to Pascale, but this one looped. It brought her home.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Our deal was for revenge.” I paused. “Would you trade it for redemption instead?”

“The deal you struck with my mother—”

“It will be honored. Isolde will have her armor. I promise you that.”

“You know she had broader ambitions than armor. Mother is the least subtle female I know. She’d have made no secret of her plans to allocate Araneidae funds into Mimetidae coffers.” His expression turned earnest. “She wants an alliance with your clan. Your new offer excludes that option.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I was quick to remind him. “You’ve discounted yourself.”

“So I have.” His forehead creased. “Where do I fit into your scheme?”

“I promised Isolde to wed you if you avenged my parents’ deaths.” I drew in a deep breath. “I vow to you now, on the web of the two gods, I’ll wed you if you return Pascale to me.”

Silence stretched between us as he searched my face for…I wasn’t sure what.

“Could you live with yourself if your parents’ murderer goes free?”

“Yesterday, I would have said no.” My laughter tasted bitter. “Today is a new day, and the new question is whether or not I could live with myself if I let Pascale follow her heart only to have it carved from her chest. That answer is no.” I braced myself. “My parents are dead, and I can’t bring them back.” Even speaking the words hurt. “Pascale is alive, at least for now. She can be saved.”