I moved closer to him. Keir turned to look, and I lifted my face and kissed him, leaning into hisstrength and warmth. I put everything I had into that kiss, using my mouth to reassure him asto my promise. It took a long moment before I felt him relax and bring his arms up to wraparound me.
His eyes were warm and loving when I pulled away. I smiled, and turned to mount my horse. AsI settled in the saddle, Keir took a step closer, and placed his hand on my knee, looking up intomy eyes. "One thing I know. I have no regret in claiming you as Warprize."
He looked so handsome in the sunlight, his hair gleaming black and teased by the wind. Ilooked down, arching an eyebrow. "And I have no regret making you claim me."
Keir laughed, throwing back his head, and roaring his delight.
I leaned down to caress his cheek. "No regrets. Whatever comes."
Keir nodded. My guards came up with Marcus leading Keir's black. He mounted, and withoutanother word or look, led the way to the Plains.
Turn the page for a preview of the final tale of Lara and Keir, coming in 2007 from ElizabethVaughan and Tor Romance…
Warlord
Excerpt
I was terrified.
I shifted my sweaty grip on the handle of my sword, and watched my attacker's eyes. "Watchtheir eyes," they'd told me. "The eyes will tell you their next move."
I stared intently at him, but his eyes told me nothing. My left arm was trembling from theweight of my shield. "Look over the rim," they'd told me. "Look over the rim, watch his eyesand react to hi—"
He came at me in an instant, rushing right for me. I managed to take his first blow on my shieldand tried to stab at him with my blade, but my helmet shifted into my eyes and—
THWACK.
My arm went numb, and I cried out at the pain. My sword tumbled to the ground.
Rafe stood in front of me, horrified, staring at my arm.
'That's going to bruise," Prest commented dryly.
Rafe groaned, looking up at the skies as if for help. "The Warlord will gut me where I stand."
He glared at me. "Warprize, you were supposed to block the blow!"
"I tried!" I dropped my wooden shield, and rubbed my arm. "I watched your eyes and I keptthe shield up, but—"
'Too slow. She doesn't have the speed," Ander offered.
"The shield is too heavy," Yveni added. "She doesn't have the strength she needs."
"Herself doesn't have the sense the elements gave a goose."
We all turned to see Marcus riding up to our group, glaring from under his cloak. "What's allthis now?"
My guards all started talking at once. I sighed, took off my helmet and shook out my braid,letting the breeze reach my damp head. Trying to be a warrior-princess is uncomfortable andsweaty.
Marcus and my four guards were arguing at the top of their lungs, Marcus covered in his cloaklest the skies be offended by his scars. He'd been injured in a battle years ago, his left ear andeye burned away. Prest, with skin of light brown and long black braids, towered over Marcus.
He stood silent, as usual, his arms crossed over his chest.
Rafe, his skin even paler than normal was gesturing, trying to explain. His hair was darkagainst his fair skin, and his brown eyes were filled with frustration.
Anders was gesturing as well, talking at the same time. The sun gleamed on his bald head, andhis thick bushy white eyebrows danced over his hazel eyes. Yveni stood as silently as Prest, talland thin, her skin as black as any
I'd seen among the Firelanders. But she'd a smile hovering on her lips. She and Ander hadreplaced Epor and Is-dra, who had died at Wellspring.
