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Immediately upon returning to my tent on the fae side of General Falcon’s sprawling war camp, I wished the brass tub in the corner full of hot water at my favorite temperature—if only all magic was so simple—and immersed myself, dunking my head, too, and savoring the burn. What I really missed at times were hot showers, just standing there and letting the water pound the headache out of your skull. I should try to make one.
But this was good. The hot water felt like heaven, warming my chilled extremities. My myriad scratches stung, especially over my scraped chest and my shoulder where the Dog had latched on. Bruised and battered, but nothing time wouldn’t heal. As I soaked, I mulled over what had happened.What did we learn today, kids?
Starling came in and handed me a glass of wine without asking. She had managed to find a white that I liked and kept it in supply for me. One of her many thoughtful ways of making my life easier. I couldn’t decide if the half-fae, half-human young woman was my friend, maid or babysitter. She and I had been through a rough spot recently. The whole being-looked-after-by-servants thing didn’t always sit all that well with me. Particularly when it leaned toward feeling chaperoned.
But that was water under the bridge. For better or worse, I’d gotten myself bonded or something to Rogue, and there would be no more sneaking off and dallying with handsome human officers again.
Besides, it was really nice to have someone hand you a glass of wine after a hard day at work. And flirting.
She scooped my now-ragged dress off the floor and held it up, scowling at it. “What in the name of Titania happened to you?”
“Her,” I replied in a sour tone, “among other things. But most of that damage came from being dropped in the ocean by a dragon. The rocks around here are sharp.”
If I’d expected horrified sympathy, I was out of luck.
“I heard Lord Rogue rescued you from the sea monsters.” Her caramel-brown eyes were wide and soft with romance. “I knew he’d come back for you. Does this mean we’re moving to his castle now?”
Starling’s fixation on my supposed happily-ever-after romance with Rogue had to come to an end. Clearly I needed her as my friend, if I was going to find my way through this tangle with Rogue and Titania. I set down my glass and grabbed the little vial of scented shampoo.
Starling moved to help me.
“No—stay there. I can soap myself. Pour yourself some wine. There are things I need to tell you.” Closing my eyes against the suds, I lathered my scalp and thought about how to explain this to her. “I know you have ideas about me and Lord Rogue. Mostly things other people have told you. I don’t know if you precisely understand the nature of the bargain between us.” I squinched open an eye to see her interested look.
“Nobody really explains anything to me, you know?”
I sighed in agreement and dunked back to rinse. “Idoknow.”
“So, here’s the deal.” I got out and dried off with one of the rosemary-scented towels Starling left stacked on a little table next to the tub. “It’s a long story, but in essence, I owe Rogue a life debt.”
“Ooh,” Starling breathed.
“Exactly. When I first got here, I was badly hurt. Rogue saved my life and claimed my firstborn child in return. And, through a complicated trade involving Puck that I don’t quite understand, Falcon ended up paying for my healing. So I owe him seven years of war service forthat. Six and a half-ish now.”
Starling nodded as if this was perfectly normal. Their version of medical and life insurance.
“Upshot is, after I perform my war service for Falcon, I’m to report for impregnation by Rogue. After which, I guess he gets the baby and I don’t know what happens then.”
“I guess I knew some of that.”
I dried myself off and shrugged into a nightgown and then a red velvety robe with a high collar and full sleeves. “So, as much as staying here sucks, it’s all that’s keeping Rogue from starting the clock early. That, and a certain set of rules that keeps him from seducing me early.” I plopped down on the pillows next to her and they lit up in rainbow colors at the impact. I smacked the one under my elbow into a softer glow. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
A line formed in her smooth forehead. “Yes. But…”
“But what?”
“Why would that be so terrible? Don’t you want a baby? Isn’t Lord Rogue your one true love, destined to be yours until the end of time?”
She sounded like the sidekick girlfriend in the standard rom-com flick, asking the heroine to explain again what’s so awful about the obviously delicious love interest. I rolled onto my back and studied the tent ceiling. Rain pattered on the silk in a steady pattern, making the interior cozy. Especially now that I was all warm and relaxed.
“Okay, explain this to me—why does Rogue want my firstborn child? Specifically one he’s sired?”
“Well!” Starling opened her mouth and then slowly closed it again. Cocked her head to the side. “Maybe he needs an heir.”
I turned onto my side and propped my head on my hand. “Okay. Let’s take that as an operating hypothesis.”
She giggled. “Sometimes you say the funniest things.”
“No, really. Let’s say that’s true. Rogue needs an heir. In order to have an heir, he needs a female, preferably willing, cuz that makes everything easier. Now—does he lack for willing females?”
