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“We know of the danger that surrounds our king, Tehdra. We work tirelessly to uncover the traitors. Any other enemies found will be eliminated and their respective kingdom notified. We would not assume that the cowardly actions of a few represent the desire of the kingdom. We will proceed with caution.”
Tehdra considered him, wishing that his proclamation included the Darkage. If they knew their most important enemy had been a part of the attack, they would assume it was the wish of her king and condemn the kingdom.
“I understand.” And she did. Pain still lashed at her that he would send her back to her nation so quickly. After their amazing night together.
She walked away, and Gavyn fell into step beside her.
“Ask him, Tehdra.”
“Ask him what?”
“To be what you pretended. A hari.”
She allowed a smile to touch her lips. “I will not. If the king desires me to stay I can do so without being a part of his harem.”
Gavyn halted her and cupped her cheeks. Tehdra lifted startled eyes to his.
“I do not like the pain in your eyes, Tehdra.”
“You do not see pain.”
“Then what is it that I see?”
She slowly withdrew her face from his palms. She smiled at him as gently as she could. “You are a good man, Gavyn. Loyal to those you have deemed so. Your concerns for my tender feelings are unwarranted. I have no tender feelings.”
His rough laughter eased something inside of her. He knew she fibbed, but he pressed her no more.
“Come, Tehdra, you need to confer with the ladies—in-waiting on how to prepare you for attending the games with the king.”
She faltered. “The games?”
“Yes.”
“Am I not to return to my kingdom?”
“Are you now eager to be rid of my liege? He has honored you by making it known that you are his escort for our Game of Fyre. The greatest celebration held in the city of Adara. The ancient games where powerful Amagarians from all six kingdoms compete in challenges to be a part of the Nurian elite army. Thousands have already flocked to the market with their wares and hundreds of thousands of invitations have been responded to. The King normally honors a house in his private box at the coliseum. The house of Assia has been vying for such an honor, and Lady Sascha will rail that she has been supplanted.” His chuckled indicated his pleasure with the developments.
Tehdra looked at Gavyn, breathing in his handsomeness. Laughter had an unusual way of softening the harshness of his features.
“And Ajali has made it known that he has honored me?”
“Yes, a move that will undoubtedly shock millions. You are of a lower house. Not the highest of aristocracy. The court will buzz for years to come at such an unprecedented move.”
She joined in his laughter, absurdly pleased. “But why would he do it if he cares naught for me?”
“I did not say he cares naught for you, Tehdra. He honors you for saving his life. Ajali must choose a kala—a queen for his kingdom. And she must be from the purest of bloodlines.”
She smoothed her face into an expressionless mask, unable to tolerate the idea of her mate eventually taking a queen, one he would touch…taste and worship as he had her. Tehdra bantered with Gavyn as they walked from the atrium into the east courtyard. Its dazzling beauty did little to soothe her. It was hard for her to relinquish rights to her mate without fighting for him. There would be no other for her. While he would be able to move on and find a kala. Someone from the noblest of families.
Sh
e lied to Gavyn. She had feelings for his king, and they were bruised.
***
Ajali had to remove Tehdra from his kingdom and return her to Aria. The desire he felt for her was unnerving. He would not even consider asking her to join his harem officially. As a hari, she might be required to please other kings and princes. That was a thought he could not sustain for long. Jealousy that someone else would ever kiss her lips, lick at the pure perfection of her skin, or sink themselves into the heaven of her flesh was not to be borne. And that was the crux of his problem. Tehdra was compelling, beautiful, honorable, courageous, and she distracted him.
With the threat that existed to his throne and kingdom, he needed a cold and clear head. To carry out retribution. Even now, instead of concentrating on what the attack meant, memory of the tight clasp of her body around his cock, her hot moans, her passion, the obsidian beauty of her eyes teased him. Ajali shook himself. Since he had lost the allegiance with Boreas he had not bedded anyone else but Tehdra. She alone held his interest, his arousal. What the king’s hell should he do in such a situation? Send her away before thoughts of her preoccupied him and he unwittingly crippled his kingdom.
