At the same time, an odd, out of place sensation surged in her as their stares began to bother her. The men's eyes on her were disturbing in a manner she had trouble expressing.
"This is strange, Kylor. I'll need time to get used to men."
Across the table, he cocked an eyebrow while helping himself to another platter of stew.
"How so?"
"They’re all watching me, and it's disturbing. I guess it's my imagination, but I don’t feel comfortable."
"It has nothing to do with your imagination. They are looking at you."
Considering his reply, she struggled to come up with a logical explanation for the men's strange behavior.
"Why?"
A hint of a smile wavered on Kylor's firm lips. He put his spoon down and leaned toward her.
"You don’t realize how lovely you are. They find you attractive and they all want to stick their dicks in you."
She gasped. Certain he wouldn't lie to her, she tilted her head toward them, her gaze rapidly sweeping around the room.
"Do they?"
"Without a shadow of a doubt."
Enlightened, she now recognized the twinkle in their eyes, for she had seen that same look when Kylor stared at her naked body.
"I'd never have guessed."
Her surprise didn't escape her guardian's notice. Frowning, he looked down at his stew and spoke in a funny voice.
"Would you let them, Anya? Would you allow these strangers to put their cocks inside you?"
"Would it be bad?"
"Not really."
His denial sounded false to her new sense of hearing, yet she didn't interrupt him as he added an explanation.
"As far as copulating is concerned, there is no good or bad. Only attraction and satisfaction."
"Copulating?"
She added this new word to the list she'd started making in her mind. The record still contained few entries, but given time and lengthy consideration, it would be much longer soon.
"You've always lived on a farm. Don't tell me you haven't seen dogs mounting bitches or bulls riding cows?"
"Of course, I have."
She never was blind to animals, male or female, but that didn't mean she understood everything.
"I just wasn’t sure what they were doing."
Jaws tight, Kylor drained his goblet with two long gulps then poured more wine into it.
"It's called coupling, or mating. Sometimes fornicating."
"Then you and I have coupled?"
"Yes, Anya."
"I really like mating with you."
"The pleasure is mine, but you didn’t answer my question."
She looked at the men sitting around the tables: all similar, yet different, and none of them Kylor. She pushed her hair back, letting her gaze drift across the room but not one of them stirred any emotion in her.
"The only man I want to copulate with is you. Why do you ask?"
"Because the mere idea of another man touching you and enjoying your beautiful body . . ."
His intense blue gaze drilled into hers while he tightened his fingers around the goblet.
"I'd feel angry, jealous, and sad. Do you understand?"
"I think I do."
She realized her life up to now had been far too secluded. She wasn’t familiar with many emotions, and she resented it.
The curse had protected her in a peculiar way, but that same spell also deprived her of sentiments and practical understanding regarding simple facts of life. Although the knowledge would come in time, she felt like an infant trying to stand on tottering legs. Kylor’s teachings were engraved in mind however, and an idea blossomed.
"Would you like to mount me like a bitch?"
His eyes darkened instantly and he just stared at her, speechless. Waiting for his answer, she perceived her question excited him. Then he took her hands in his to stroke the tender skin on the inside of her wrists.
"What if I undressed you, Anya? What if I touched you breasts and caressed your sweet pussy? Would you like me to mount you?"
The mental picture of their naked bodies turned her special place into moist warmth. She thought of a great bull riding a cow. She thought of Kylor riding her, and the words flowed out.
"Perhaps later I can . . . ?"
"You turn me on, my devilish lady."
He cut her short, but she didn't mind in the least as he let go of her hands to reach under the table.
"My cock's so hard, I long for your touch."
She felt hot all over, her skin tingling. She might have said more, but Kylor’s friend appeared and placed two slices of pie in front of them.
"Straight from the oven."
As she'd learned earlier, his name was Barley, a charming man whose open smile lit his whole face.
"I’m very proud of my pies."
About Kylor’s age, both men seemed to get on well. She tasted the pastry before looking at Barley who was clearing up the remnants of their supper.
"It's a very savory dish."
"Thank you. I hoped you’d like it."
As he went back to his kitchen, she wished she knew more about her protector and his life before they came together.
"How long have you known your friend?"
"Since we were children. We used to train together, but even back then, the life of a warrior didn’t appeal to him."
"What about you?"
"My father told me once I was born to fight. I guess he was right."
This was yet another word to add to her list. Listening to her guardian always proved to be interesting and exciting.
"What’s a father?"
"My mistake, Anya. I forgot you wouldn’t know about that."
Kylor brought a piece of pie to his lips and chewed with eagerness. He curled his mouth into a grin but set his spoon down.
"It takes a man and a woman to have a child. They're the father and mother. I told you one of my relatives hid you and brought you back to your rightful mother. Do you remember?"
How could she forget such an important part of Kylor's earlier revelations? When she nodded, he breathed in.
"He was my father."
"Dear spirits, I owe him my life. I'd love to thank him."
She touched her guardian's fingers, a wave of profound gratefulness swelling her heart. As though he feared she'd ask him a question he wasn't prepared to answer, he stared at his dish. But she wouldn't let him off the hook.
"Do I have a father?"
She instantly sensed a new tension in him. Kylor retrieved his hand from hers and dipped into his pie. An uncomfortable silence lingered between them until he muttered under his breath.
"I think you do."
"Who is he? Do you know him?"
Her protector appeared decidedly embarrassed but was saved from answering as Barley came up to them once more.
"Kylor, your visitor's in your room."
"Thanks, we'll see him now."
Barley nodded. She waited for him to leave them before she looked at her warrior.
"Who is it?"
He ignored her enquiry. He stood up instead, circled the table and offered her his arm to lead her up the stairs to their room. When he opened the door, a man stood beside the bed.
He was tall, quite old, with a short, white beard giving him an air of wisdom and blue eyes which reflected both kindness and severity. After closing the door, Kylor bowed and performed the introductions.
"Anya, this is my father, the wizard Xandor."
Was she supposed to bow? To kneel? A single thought running through her mind, she jumped to the older man’s neck and hugged him.
"Thank you. You saved me and I'll be eternally grateful to you."
"You're most welcome, my child."
Despite her tight embrace, he managed to extract himself from her arms and quirked his eyebrows just as Kylor commented for his benefit.
"She's an impulsive young woman."
"Indeed, she is."
"Are you a rea
l wizard?"
Although she butted in with more enthusiasm than politeness dictated, Xandor seemed to be amused.
"Before the curse was broken, didn't you ask yourself why you were able to see my son?"
"Of course, I did."
"And I trust he didn't reveal my secret because I asked him not to. It's a simple matter really, I just put a spell on Kylor enabling you to see and hear one another. Now, I need to know when the curse was lifted."
"Not long ago."
She replied hastily, happy to be of service and to tell him something she knew.
"It happened while Kylor and I were copulating."
Chapter Twelve
"A yellow light glowed and came out of my body. Believe me, it was all very strange. I felt—"
Xandor raised his hand, interrupting her. Only then did she notice his expression of renewed amusement as well as Kylor’s awkward grin. Her protector took hold of her hand to pacify her zeal.
"Father knows how the curse was broken."
Unsure as to why he looked somewhat embarrassed, she turned to the wizard who dismissed the moment.
"We need to act, children. Anya must be presented at court tomorrow but her presence has to be kept secret till then."
"What do you suggest, Father?"
"We must sneak her into the castle tonight. The royal guard is searching for her all over the land yet I'm fairly certain the fortress is the last place the soldiers will look into."
"Good plan. We should bring her up there at once."
When she heard the wizard would take her to the castle of Palance, eager anticipation coursed through her. She'd finally see the castle she had dreamed about so often. Kylor's hand strayed to the hilt of his sword but Xandor grabbed him by the shoulders.
"No, my son. You aren’t coming with us."
"Of course I am. I don't care what—"
Her sudden step forward cut him short. Fearing an unseen danger, she pointed a finger at the wizard.
"I'm not going anywhere without Kylor and I won't change my mind. Why would he not come?"
"Because he broke the curse and—"
"Enough, Father!"
Kylor lashed out in a forbidding tone. As he stood his ground, his defiant stare sent flutters down her belly.
"I need to see Anya safe in the castle. I don't mean to undermine your authority but I will disobey you if I have to."
Father and son stared at each other, yet not as enemies. The intense look of concern in the wizard’s eyes disturbed her. Sensing great peril, she grabbed her protector’s arm and stepped closer to him.
"What is it, Kylor? What are you hiding from me?"
"Nothing."
Though he gave her a reassuring smile, he replied much too quickly for her taste. Her mixed feeling of apprehension and anxiety lingered even when he circled an arm around her shoulder.
"Don't worry. I'm not leaving you."
She moved into his safe embrace and let him stroke her cheek. A strong emotion swelled up in her as he placed a brief but tender kiss on her lips. Caught in the net of his love, she barely registered the wizard’s anxious eye on them. Yet, she did. Her prior uneasiness grew, probably because Xandor accepted defeat with a gloomy face.
"May I suggest we don’t lose any more time?"
Kylor let go of her with a soft sigh. He checked his scabbard while his father walked to the door and opened it for them. She donned her cloak, pulling the large hood over her face. Although scared, she knew her time had come. Time to let her fate unravel.
They crept along dark streets, shadows among shadows. Keeping to tenebrous alleyways as much as possible, they soon reached the inner wall of the castle. Xandor led them forward and they followed the massive wall to the back of the fortress, walking soundlessly in the high grass.
At some point, they all fell flat on their stomachs as a royal patrol passed them by without noticing their presence. Her heart lurched. She kept her eyes closed, undisturbed by grass tickling her mouth and nose. Legs weak, she hang on to Kylor when he helped her up.
The wizard touched the wall ahead of them, fingers probing, looking for something. The dark summer night offered them good cover but possibly impeded his progress.
They tagged along behind him until he sighed with satisfaction. Pushing a little black door set in the wall, he then stepped aside to let them in and lit a torch before closing the passage.
"Where are we?"
Kylor whispered and his father also murmured in answer as he raised the torch high.
"That's the north wall of the castle. Few people know about this door, and even fewer use it. It's proven very useful to me over the years when I had a need for secrecy. Like tonight."
"Where does it lead?"
"To all parts of the fortress, providing you know your way around. We'll head for my apartments."
Kylor faced the way ahead, prepared to plunge into whatever awaited them. Not so ready, she blinked while her eyes adjusted to the light from the torch. Now that she stood inside the sturdy walls, the obscurity outside paled in comparison to the darkness within.
"Xandor, do you live in the castle?"
Already on the move, the wizard halted his advance to glance back at her with a slight frown.
"I have to, I'm the king’s personal wizard. Hush now, we might encounter guards on the way."
They did, but thanks to his intimate knowledge of the place and customs, they reached his apartments without being seen. Once safe, she felt like she was about to burst with questions.
"What’s a king?"
"A man who rules over a particular territory. In the Four Kingdoms, His Highness King Harfayn is master of Palance and its lands."
"Does he know about me and the curse?"
"He does."
Although the wizard spoke of his ruler with an air of deference, he took a deep breath.
"He was already king when you were a baby."
She wondered what kind of man this monarch was. He'd been aware of her situation at the time, yet he hadn’t done much to help her.
"So why didn’t he stop the witch? Surely, he must have been able to do something."
"He couldn’t. Try to understand, Anya. By the time Melisande uttered her prediction, it was too late to do anything. People believed her."
Xandor shook his head, lips tight, without acknowledging the fact that she crossed her arms over her chest.
"They had been struck by fear, and fear is a most powerful weapon. I think even King Harfayn accepted the prediction. You can't blame him for his actions, he's only a man."
What kind of feeble excuse was this? Regardless of the king's lack of response at the time, a recent discussion stayed clear in her mind.
"Kylor told me you didn’t hold faith in the prediction. How come you didn’t try to fight the witch?"
"I was young back then, and no match for a woman with such powers. I'm much stronger today and she's older."
That she could understand. Yet she held Xandor's gaze while her mind returned to the master of Palance.
"Has the king searched for me?"
"He appointed me head of the inquest. As you can imagine, I easily led him astray over the years."
So, the wizard had provided protection for her mother and her while lying to his ruler. Their relationship was confusing at best.
"Don't you trust him?"
"That's a delicate question, Anya. I trust him but disclosing your whereabouts would have been unwise and pointless. On any account, we had to wait eighteen years. Now, the time is right."
"What are the king's intentions?"
"I've no idea."
She may not be certain of the wizard's commitment when the prediction was foretold, but she believed he kept the king in the dark all those years. Somehow, she didn't want to meet this ruler. A man who didn't fight for the life of a newborn didn't deserve forgiveness. Heedless of her train of thought, Xandor shrugged before resuming his story.
"We've talked a lot abou
t you, the prediction, and the eventuality of breaking the curse. I'm sure he's come to share my views on the matter. King Harfayn is a sensible man but it's not my place to point out his errors. I'm his personal advisor, I don't order him around."
"Do you think he'll—"
A loud knock on the door cut her short and a man barged in before any of them could move. His rich, long garment enveloped him from the shoulders down to his shoes. Of medium height and stocky build, gray hair thinning, he might have appeared rather plain if not for his eyes taking in the three people present. That icy gaze was razor-sharp.
Unannounced, he strode in the room as if he owned it. She just stood there, taken aback by the unexpected entrance, and observed the distinguished stranger. Kylor and Xandor instantly bowed, hands on their hearts.
"Your Majesty."
"What is the meaning of this private gathering, Xandor? Why have I not been informed your son was here?"
She didn't make a move but studied the haughty features matching the coldness of his tone.
"And who is this girl?"
"Her name is Anya, Your Highness. She's the cursed child."
As King Harfayn turned his sharp gaze on her, she was reminded of a hawk soaring above unchartered territories.
"She doesn’t look cursed to me. I can see her."
She trusted the wizard knew his master well. As if to confirm her guess, Xandor's features shifted to convey peace and reassurance while he took a step toward his sovereign.
"The curse has been broken."
"And might I ask who achieved that feat?"
The icy undertone in his voice caused her to shudder. In spite of her apprehension, she was about to answer him when he called out to the guards standing by the door. Her heart lurched when the four men took position on both sides of her protector and King Harfayn pointed a finger at Kylor.
"Arrest him!
Chapter Thirteen
The ruler of Palance faced Xandor. His anger palpable, he glared at his advisor as he would an enemy.
"It is one thing to counsel me, wizard. It is quite another for you to overstep those boundaries. Am I wrong in assuming your son is the tortfeasor?"
"No, Your Majesty."
Unable to decide if the king would indeed arrest Kylor, she watched him shift his eyes from father to son.