AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s forbidden. Just as is leaving. Just as is being anything other than a weapon whose purpose is to defend the bridge. Just as is this conversation.”
Her voice was edged with bitterness, but Keris wasn’t very good at leaving well enough alone. “That wasn’t my question.”
Silence. “Yes,” she finally whispered. “If it were my choice, I’d do all of those things.”
Pushing away from the wall, Keris faced her, lifting one hand to curve it around her cheek. And when she didn’t pull away, he slipped his thumb under the leather of her mask, easing it upward.
Her breath caught. “I can’t.”
“Can’t?” he asked. “Or won’t?”
Raina didn’t answer, but her fingers caught hold of his other hand, interlacing them. She pulled him closer so that her breasts pressed against him; their eyes locked in the faint light.
“I’ve a ship meeting me at Northwatch.” Keris leaned closer, a loose tendril of her hair brushing his cheek as he said into her ear, “You could come with me.”
It was madness to make such an offer, tempting the ire of both his father and the Ithicanian king. But Keris knew what it was like to be a prisoner to circumstance. What it felt like to want to escape.
“They’d hunt me down and execute me as a traitor.”
All for leaving. “Is Ithicana a kingdom or a prison?”
“Both.”
One of the men in his entourage let out a loud snore that echoed down the bridge, but Keris ignored it, focusing on the shadows of her face. On the way Raina gripped his hand. On the ache of desire building in him.
Then Raina reached up, and together, they drew off the mask, revealing her face. It was hard to see clearly in the gloom, but he traced his fingers over her rounded cheekbones, over the arch of one eyebrow, then bent to kiss her bow-shaped lips.
A ragged breath escaped her, then her arms were around his neck, dragging him closer, their hips pressing together as her tongue slipped into his mouth. He caught his balance against the wall of the bridge, the rock damp beneath his hand, lifting her, groaning as her long legs wrapped around his waist.
He moved from her lips to her throat, and her breath was hot against his forehead. “Take me with you,” she whispered. “I want to go with you.”
“I will.” To do so would infuriate two kings, but neither would do anything for fear of aggravating the other, so what did it matter?
He felt her tangle her fingers in his hair. The juncture of her thighs pressed hard against him as he tugged at the laces holding the neck of her tunic together, pulling the fabric down to expose her pert breasts. He kissed them reverently, then drew one peaked nipple into his mouth, satisfaction filling him as she whimpered, her hands drifting down his body to tug at his belt.
Then the sound of hooves reached them, and Raina tore her lips from his, sliding down his body to land with a thud on her feet even as her hand went to the weapon at her waist. In the distance, a pool of light appeared, revealing a donkey pulling a wagon under the escort of four masked Ithicanians.
Lifting her fingers to her mouth, Raina gave a series of whistles, then straightened her clothes.
“Your mask,” he muttered, and she jumped, swiftly retrieving the leather from where it had fallen.
But it was too late.
They’d seen.
The Ithicanian leading the donkey opened her mouth as they approached. “Aster’s going to beat you bloody if he finds out you were messing around with a Maridrinian, Raina. Especially if he hears you were doing it while on duty. Get your ass back around the corner and I might consider keeping my mouth shut about what I just saw.”
Not waiting for a response, the woman hauled on the donkey’s lead, slowly walking around the bend, none of the other Ithicanians saying a word as they followed.
“Who’s Aster?” Keris asked.
“My father.”
“All the more reason for you to get on that ship.”
Raina didn’t answer, only tugged on his arm, leading him after the wagon. Ahead, all of his entourage had sat up in their bedrolls. As Keris watched, several stood, pulling on their boots, appearing entirely more sober than they should, given the wine bottles scattered about them. And all of them were looking anywhere but at the approaching wagon.
Keris’s skin prickled. “What’s in that wagon?”
