"Not too close. He may resent any interference at this point."
"I think he'll be too occupied to notice."
"It's the woman who is occupied. He's a warrior and trained to notice an attack."
"I'm not attacking." She edged closer. "I just wish to see his--"
He lifted his head and tossed back his hair.
Vaden.
Even covered with smoke and soot there had been no doubt about the regularity of his features, but she had never realized how comely he was. Those deep-set sapphire-blue eyes were impossible not to recognize. It was his face that was a surprise; it should have belonged to an Adonis or, considering the tawny hair, perhaps an Apollo.
"Well?" Kadar asked.
"It's Vaden."
He must have heard his name. He froze, his gaze left the face of the woman.
Selene instinctively braced herself as she met Vaden's gaze. In the space of a heartbeat she felt weighed, judged, and dismissed.
Vaden returned to his coupling.
She was disconcerted. "What do we do now?"
"Well, we don't interrupt. He should be finished soon."
She hoped that was true. She felt very awkward standing here watching him couple.
And not only awkward.
"No one would notice," Kadar murmured in her ear. "We could find our own corner."
She shook her head.
But watching a man as beautiful as Vaden perform was causing the heat to flow through her. She had never understood the tapestry in the tower room, the excitement of watching others couple.
She did now.
Thank God, they were finishing. A moment later he was rising, pulling the whore to her feet.
He was laughing as he pulled on his tunic and searched in his money pouch. He patted the woman on her backside and pressed a coin into her hand. He turned to Selene and smiled. "I'm a little weary now, but give me time. It's a long night."
Kadar chuckled at the shocked expression on Selene's face. "What did you expect? I told you, only whores come here. She doesn't wish you to rut with her, Vaden. That's not why we're here." He took another step closer. "Do you remember me?"
The amusement left Vaden's face. "Kadar."
"I thought you'd recognize me. We never actually met, but I was with Ware during the many years you watched and stalked him." He pulled Selene forward. "You may not recall Selene. She was much younger when you encountered each other."
"I think he should remember," Selene said dryly. "Considering he pulled me from my horse and threatened to kill me."
Vaden smiled. "I do remember you. You're the sister of Ware's woman."
"His wife," she corrected. "They are wed."
Vaden shrugged. "I cannot remember everything." He dropped into a chair and reached for his wine goblet. "She shouldn't be here, Kadar."
"I know. She insisted on coming. Could I persuade you to leave this place with us?"
