ARC: Assassin Queen (30 page)

She did make it up to her feet this time, and halfway to the door, before she faced him again, popping into her way as if out of thin air. She frowned, cursing her poisoned limbs for not being able to move any faster. Jamal
’
s reflexes were definitely far superior to anything she had ever expected to encounter outside of the Majat Guild. She didn
’
t know how this was possible, but there was no time to wonder as he advanced on her. She stumbled over his leg, which grew in her way as if sprouting out of the floor. He grasped her across her chest and threw her over his hip, the fall knocking the wind out of her. Before she could catch her breath, he landed on top of her, pinning her down. More weight piled on her legs and arms, then the brief wisp of the smoky smell enfolded her, making her feel as if she was falling into a dark, bottomless void.

30

Hope

Kyth was sitting in his tent, getting ready for sleep, when shifting shadows by the entrance signaled the movement outside. Kyth lifted his head. Alder? Unlikely. His foster brother still spent his nights with Ayalla, arriving in the morning, dazed and distracted, to catch up on sleep when Kyth departed for his lessons. He felt worried how long Alder
’
s stamina would hold up. It was a marvel how Ayalla always arrived at their lessons fresh and unperturbed, as if spending all nights in a healthy beauty sleep. Perhaps that was how she viewed their nightly activities? Kyth could only wonder.

He peered at the door curtain, wondering if he should go outside and take a look, but quickly decided against it. Here, in Ayalla
’
s realm, even wild animals never bothered them at all. The movement was probably wind, or trees shifting around at Ayalla
’
s bidding.

He was settling down on his bedroll when the door curtain wavered and moved aside. Kyth sat up straight, surprised to see Celana step through the doorway.

“
You had a lantern on, so I knew you were not asleep,
”
she said.
“
I hope I haven
’
t disturbed you.
”

“
Not at all.
”
Kyth tried to rise up to his feet to greet her, but in the cramped space of the tent standing straight wasn
’
t possible at all. She smiled at his efforts, then lowered to the floor and crept inside.

Her long silky dress looked so light, more like a night shift than an outer garment. Her loose hair falling down her shoulders framed her slim body like flames, its fiery-red tongues licking the skin of her bare arms.

“
I couldn
’
t sleep,
”
she said.
“It
’
s overwhelming to think that we are departing in a few days.
”

Kyth felt overwhelmed too. Under Ayalla
’
s tutelage, his power had grown so much that at times he was finding it hard to contain. His previous experiences at handling his magic seemed feeble, a pale shadow of everything he was truly capable of. Still, even with this power at his command, the task he was facing seemed enormous. He hoped he was up to it.

“
Do you feel you
’
ll be ready by then?
” Celana said.

He shrugged.
“
I don’
t know. Ayalla believes so. But whether I can actually do what she expects of me
…”
He spread his hands.

She smiled.
“
Only one way to find out.
”

“Yes.”

She edged forward and lay down by his side, leaning on one elbow. He lowered too, so that their faces were level. This position seemed natural, the most comfortable one in the low tent. But it also made him aware that she was now sharing his bedroll, a thought that made his cheeks warm.

She blushed too, but her eyes gleamed with mischief.
“
If you forgive me saying this, I find you so adorable when you blush like this.
”

His blush deepened.
“
Adorable?
”

“Yes. It
’
s as if you worry about my virtue even more than I do.
”

Her virtue.
He swallowed. The thought
did
worry him, especially when they lay so close to each other.
“
As your traveling companion, I feel it is my duty to protect you.
”

She grinned.
“It
’
s very sweet of you, if somewhat old-fashioned. I hope, though, you don
’
t doubt at all that I have no need of your protection. I can protect myself just fine.
”

He nodded. Celana was an adept archer. She was also far more fit than could be guessed by her slender build and delicate upbringing. He knew she could defend herself in a tight spot. Yet, he just couldn
’
t stop feeling responsible.

“
Besides,
”
she said,
“
I hardly need any protection from you.
”

His blush was instantly back as he peered into her face.
“
Perhaps you are giving me too much credit? I
’
ve already taken advantage of you, once.
”

Her eyelids trembled.
“
Yes, you did. And I gave you my permission to do it again, remember?
”

He opened his mouth to turn this into a joke, but her expression stopped him, a mix of shyness and expectation in her gaze freezing him to the spot.

“I…
I want you to,
”
she said quietly.

“
Is this why you came to my tent?
”

“Yes.”

He peered closer, feeling the heat rise into his face.

It came to his mind that during their entire stay at Ayalla
’
s he hadn
’
t thought of Kara even once
–
not romantically, at least. At the same time, the kiss he and Celana had shared back at the Majat camp before their parties separated came to his mind often, even if with his intense training schedule he never had a chance to pursue this train of thought very far. He missed her scent, the feeling of her smooth skin under his hands, the boldness with which she had given herself to him, inexperienced but eager. He kept telling himself he had no right to her, not with the way he had given his heart to another. But now that they were so close, lying together in a tent, he found himself wondering if he was taking his restraint around her a bit too far. He didn
’
t want to lead her on or give her false hopes. But it was different if the hopes felt real, wasn
’
t it?

Their faces were so close that he didn
’
t even need to reach forward to cup her cheek. She briefly closed her eyes as she turned her face into his caress. He brushed her lips, tentative at first, until she responded, opening her mouth to invite him inside.

His hand slid into her hair, then down her back as he pulled her into an embrace. Her scent enfolded him, a fresh Lakeland wind that carried his mind out of bounds, beyond the smothering walls of the forest around them.

Her dress was thin and silky, and as he ran his hands over it he detected no garments underneath. The thought of her naked body so close, separated from him by no more than a thin layer of cloth, made him sweat.
Her virtue.
No matter how eager she seemed, he couldn
’
t allow his desire to overcome his senses and take this encounter too far. He had to stop himself before it was too late.

He gasped as he drew away from her, holding her at arm
’
s length as he tried to quiet his racing heart.

“
We shouldn
’
t,”
he said.

She peered into his eyes.
“
Why?
”

“You… You are a virgin, aren
’
t you?
”

“Yes.”
She looked at him curiously, as if puzzled.

He kept her gaze, caught in a conflict he didn
’
t know how to deal with. His body urged him on, wanting nothing but to ravage her and claim every bit of her. His mind pulled him back, telling him this wasn
’
t the right way.

“
If I went on right now,
”
he said,
“
I would be taking advantage of you in more ways than I believe I should.
”

“Didn
’
t I already give you permission to do it?
”

He heaved a breath.
“
With your inexperience, you don
’
t even know what you are asking me to do.
”

Her lips curved into a quick grin.
“
However na
ï
ve you consider me to be, I think I have an idea.
”

He looked down at her helplessly, summoning all his strength to will his body into stillness.
“
It could hurt. I heard it does, the first time.
”

“
Are you suggesting I remain a virgin for the rest of my life for fear of a brief pain?
”

He shook his head. Put like this, it did seem ridiculous.

“
What if I get you with child?
”
he asked.

She laughed.
“Haven
’
t you ever heard of warding spells?
”

“No.”
He frowned. Looking at her, he was beginning to feel as if he was the na
ï
ve one.

“
In wealthy families, every girl receives one at birth, to be removed by a priest on her wedding day. This was introduced as part of the Church
’
s breeding law, after the Holy Wars.
”

Breeding law.
The law imposed strict rules on everyone, giving the Church power to approve marriages and prevent the birth of illegitimate children with magic. Of course, it made sense that wealthy families found a way around it to allow their girls more freedom. Kyth
’
s own inborn magic led his father to hide him among commoners when he was growing up, which was likely why he had no idea at all about such things as warding spells.

“
We are headed to a war,
” Celana said. “
No one knows if you or I will even survive. Before the worst happens, I want to make sure that I have a chance, at least once, to be with the man I love.
”

Kyth went very still, looking at her. She wasn
’
t smiling, not even blushing as she looked at him with a mix of openness and vulnerability that sent his heart racing.
Love. She can’t possibly mean it, can she?

“
I am not asking you for anything more,
”
she said.
“
Not until you are ready. Not ever, if this is not meant to be. Just for this.
”
She glanced down her outstretched body, then back up to his face.
“
Assuming, of course, that you find me desirable enough to consider it.
”

Kyth felt his head spin as he leaned forward and kissed her again. This time he let his hands go all the way down, caressing her, lifting her dress, pulling it off to expose her naked beauty. He stripped off his clothes too, so that he could feel her with every bit of his skin as he stretched beside her, submerged in her silky smoothness and warmth.

She was so responsive, each of her shivers echoing through him too, each of her movements forcing down another restraint in his mind. He held back, taking it as slowly as she needed, giving her time to adjust, waiting for her body to signal him each time she was ready for more.

His fingers stroked her stomach, then slid between her legs to trace the sensitive skin on the inside of her thighs, tentative as he sensed her hesitation. She briefly clenched her knees, then relaxed and let them fall open, letting him inside. Her wetness beckoned as he stroked her there, lightly at first, then more steadily as she turned into his touch, pressing into his hand to show him that she wanted more. She trembled as he built up the tension, her moans echoing through him with an arousal so intense that he could barely contain it. When she gasped and fell back, convulsing, he felt her release echo through him too, as if he was a part of her.

He hesitated, still unsure if he should go any further despite his raging need, but she gave him no time to think. Clinging to him, she shifted in his embrace, pulling him over her parting legs until he was poised for entry. Her hips turned up into his thrust, a movement that took him by surprise, forcing him to push deeper inside her than he intended to go.

He froze as he felt her stiffen, cursing himself for not being able to exercise more control. He had planned to take it much slower, if at all. And now that he was inside her, holding back seemed even more impossible than before, even if he knew this was what he must do. He felt so conflicted again, his body screaming for him to go on, his mind telling him to wait until another time. He clung to the reasonable part, stifling his need, holding still with every last bit of resolve. He had just taken her virginity, he was sure of it. He should leave her alone and give her time to cope with this change before he took it any further.

Just as he thought he had gotten a grip on himself, she shifted under him again, her legs wrapping around him to push him deeper inside her. His body reacted before he meant it to, his next thrust followed by another, and another, answered by her moans urging him on. As he picked up speed, her head rolled back, her inner muscles clenching around him in a building release that forced away the last bits of restraint. He spiraled out of control, only vaguely aware of her gasps, of her fingers raking his chest. Her body erupted in convulsions that took him too, shaking him all the way to the core and into oblivion.

He held her close as they rode through the aftershocks, finally finding the strength to ease out of her and lie down by her side. The lantern had gone out and he couldn
’
t see her face, but he could sense her smile against his neck as she curled into his hold. He wanted to ask her if she was all right, if he had caused her pain, but he knew this was a wrong time to say anything at all. She kissed him lightly, nuzzling him as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.