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What if he wasn’t?
He opened the door just enough to slip through and then shut it behind himself. Egan glanced his way, his arms still folded, and resumed his stance. Richard peered down the hall, to Berdine, in her red leather, leaning against the wall. She was watching him.
Richard crooked his finger, gesturing her to come to him. She straightened and then strolled up the hall. Berdine glanced to the door as she stopped before him. She frowned up to his eyes.
“The duchess wishes to be with you. Go back to her.”
“Go get Cara and Raina, and the three of you get back here.” His voice took on the heat of his glower. “Right now.”
“Is something—”
“Right now!”
She looked to the door again and then strode off without further word. When she had disappeared around the hall at the end of the corridor, Richard turned to Egan, who was again watching him.
“Why did you let her come into my room?”
Egan’s brow wrinkled in puzzlement. He lifted a hand toward the door. “Well… the way she is… dressed. She said you wanted her tonight, and that you told her to put that on and come to you.” Egan cleared his throat. “It was obvious why you wanted her. I thought you would be angry if I kept her from you after you had told her to come to you in the night.”
Richard turned the knob and flung open the door. He held his arm out in invitation. Egan hesitated and then entered.
He stiffened as he stood over her remains. “Lord Rahl, I’m sorry. I saw no mriswith. I would have stopped it if I had, or at least have tried to warn you—I swear.” He groaned. “Dear spirits, what a way to die. Lord Rahl—I’ve I failed you.”
“Look in her hand, Egan.”
He glanced along the length of her arm, to see the knife still clutched in her fist. “What the…?”
“I didn’t ask her to come to me. She came to my room to kill me.”
Egan’s eyes turned away. He clearly knew the implications. Any past Lord Rahl would execute a guard for such a failure.
“She fooled me too, Egan. It’s not your fault. But don’t you ever let a woman, other than my future wife, into my room again. Understand? If a woman comes to my room, you get my permission to let her in, no matter what.”
He clapped a fist to his heart. “Yes, Lord Rahl.”
“Egan, please roll her up in that carpet and get her out of here. Put her in her room for now. Take up your post in the hall, and when the three Mord-Sith return, send them in.”
Without questioning the instructions, Egan bent to the task. With his strength and size, it was only a minor effort.
After he had inspected the broken door bolt, Richard pulled out a chair from the table and turned it around, next to the fireplace, and sat facing the door. He hoped he was wrong. What was he going to do if he wasn’t? He sat in the quiet, listening to the fire crackle, and waited for the three women.
“Come,” he called out in response to the knock.
Cara entered, followed by Raina, both in their brown leather, with Berdine bringing up the rear. The first two glanced about casually as they crossed the room. Berdine swept the room with a more focused search. The three came to a halt before him.
“Yes, Lord Rahl?” Cara asked without emotion. “You wish something?”
Richard folded his arms. “Show me your breasts. All three of you.”
Cara’s mouth opened to say something, but she closed it and, setting her jaw, started undoing the buttons running up the side of her ribs. Raina glanced to Cara and saw that she was doing as ordered. Reluctantly at first, she started undoing the buttons, too. Berdine watched the other two. Slowly, she started slipping the buttons at the side of her red leather outfit.
When finished, Cara gripped the top of the leather at the side, but didn’t open it. Smoldering resentment settled in her expression. Richard rearranged the unsheathed sword in his lap and crossed his legs.
“I’m waiting,” he said.
Cara took a final breath of resignation and pulled the front of her outfit opened. In the flickering light coming from the recently stoked fire in the hearth, Richard studied each nipple and the wavering shadow cast by each raised knob in the center. Both had the proper contour of flesh, and not the flat profile of paint put there to mimic.
He shifted his gaze to Raina in silent command. He said nothing as he waited. He could see her fighting to keep silent, and at the same time fighting to decide what to do. She pressed her lips tight in indignation, but finally reached up and yanked the leather aside. Richard gave her breasts the same careful appraisal. Her nipples, too, were both real.
His gaze slid to Berdine. She was the one who had threatened him. She was the one who had lifted her Agiel to him.
It wasn’t humiliation, but rage that had her face as red a her outfit. “You said we didn’t have to do this! You promised us! You said you would not—”
“Show me.”
Cara and Raina shifted their weight uncomfortably, not liking this one bit, as if they expected he was choosing one of them for the night, but at the same time neither was willing to do anything to go against the wishes of the Lord Rahl. Still, Berdine didn’t move.
He hardened his glare. “That’s an order. You are sworn to obey me. Do as I say.”
Tears of anger leaked from her eyes. She reached up and tore the leather aside.
She had only one nipple. Her left breast was smooth and unbroken. Her chest heaved with ire.
The other two stared at her smooth left breast in open astonishment. By the looks on their faces, Richard knew they had seen her breasts before. When their Agiel suddenly spun into their fists, he knew that this wasn’t what they had expected to see this time.
Richard came to his feet, addressing Cara and Raina. “Forgive me for doing that to you.” He gestured for all of them to cover themselves. Berdine stood shaking in rage, not moving, as the other two began to button their leather up the side.
“What’s going on?” Cara asked him, her dangerous eyes on Berdine the whole time she worked at the tight buttons.
“I’ll tell you later. You two may leave.”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Raina said in a grave tone as her eyes, too stayed on Berdine.
“Yes you are.” Richard pointed toward the door. He lifted a finger to Berdine. “You stay right there.”
Cara stepped protectively closer to him. “We’re not—”
“Don’t argue with me, I’m not in the mood! Out!”
Cara and Raina flinched back in surprise. With a final furious sigh, Cara motioned to Raina and left the room, closing the door behind them.
Berdine’s Agiel spun up into her fist. “What did you do with her?”
“Who did this to you, Berdine?” he said in a gentle voice.
She stepped closer. “What did you do with her!”
Richard, his mind now clear, could feel the spell around her as she put herself close to him. He could feel the distinctive tingle of magic, its uncomfortable, prickling sensation in his gut. This was not benevolent magic.
In her eyes, he could see more than magic; he could see the fury of a Mord-Sith unleashed.
“She died trying to kill me.”
“I knew I should have done it myself.” She shook her head in disgust. “Kneel,” she commanded through gritted teeth.
“Berdine, I’m not—”
She lashed out with her Agiel, striking him across the shoulder, knocking him back. “Don’t you dare address me by my name!”
She had been faster than he had expected. He gasped with the pain as he clutched his shoulder. Every memory of an Agiel being used against him came stunningly fresh to his mind.
He was abruptly flushed with doubt. He didn’t know if he could do this. But his only alternative was to kill her, and he had sworn he wouldn’t do that. The bone-burning torture searing through his shoulder made his resolve falter.
Berdine stalked closer. “Pick up your sword.”
; He stiffened his will as he regained his feet. Berdine laid the Agiel on his shoulder, forcing him to his knees. He struggled to maintain his focus. Denna had taught him to endure this. He must now. He picked up the sword and staggered to his feet again.
“Try to use it on me,” she commanded.
Richard looked to her cold blue eyes, fighting the tug of panic within his soul. “No.” He tossed the sword on the bed. “I am the Lord Rahl. You are bonded to me.”
She screamed in fury as she drove the Agiel into his gut. The room spun as he realized he was on his back. Breathless, he again struggled to his feet when she commanded it.
“Use your knife! Fight me!”
With shaking fingers, Richard pulled his knife from the sheath at his belt and held it hilt first to her. “No. Kill me, if that’s what you really want.”
She snatched the knife from his hand. “You make this easy for me. I intended to make you suffer, but your death is all that is required.”
