***
The Diamond Majat had a status of royalty, and the accommodations offered to Arin at the Order of Keepers reflected this to the full. Egey Bashi had never been to this part of the Citadel before—up the main staircase, at the very top of the Central Tower. The wide passage leading up to the ornately carved door at the end was lined with tapestries, the tall arched windows in between letting in the bright afternoon sun.
Egey Bashi expected to see a guard, but the door was unmanned. Probably Arin had rejected the arrangement herself. And it made sense—who could possibly be assigned to guard a warrior of her rank?
Egey Bashi lifted the heavy bronze door ring and dropped it onto the knocker, listening to the sound resonating within the chamber beyond. He waited a moment, but no response came. He tentatively pushed the door. To his surprise it gave in. He hesitated, then opened it all the way and stepped inside.
Arin was sitting in a deep armchair with her back to the wall, deeply absorbed in polishing her weapons. She lifted her head as Egey Bashi entered and acknowledged him with a brief glance before returning to her task. He paused in the doorway, watching her graceful, precise moves as she ran the polishing stone along her curved narrow blade, her eyes half-closed, as if listening to the resulting sound.
“You can close the door,” she said at length, laying down her blade and lifting up her face. Egey Bashi allowed himself a private moment to stare. By Shal Addim, she was beautiful—even more so because unlike any other woman Egey Bashi had ever seen, she wasn’t playing it up. Her beauty enfolded her as naturally as her weapons, as breathtaking as her muscular grace and the air of calm confidence she emanated.
“Anything I can help you with?” she asked.
Egey Bashi shifted from foot to foot, feeling a treacherous blush rise into his face.
“I came to talk to you...about Mik.” Damn it, when did his voice become so hoarse?
“What about him?”
“His rope marks. I wanted to tell you how he got them.”
She shifted in her chair, laying her weapon aside and tucking her polishing stone into her pack.
“I found him deep in a cave,” Egey Bashi went on. “With no light. No food or water either. He was spread over what looked like a sacrificial rock, the ropes around his wrists and ankles so tight that for a while we thought he was going to lose his limbs. He had ropes across his chest, too. With knots, digging into his skin in the most painful spots. Whoever left him there not only wanted him to die—they wanted him to experience fear, pain, and humiliation to the full. He must have spent days down there, knowing that no one would likely find him in time.” He paused. No matter how much he talked about it, it was impossible to relay everything he felt when he first found Mik. Neither could he possibly explain to her how special it was to see the boy on his feet, handling weapons with the skill that surely made him worthy of a proper training. Heck, he was probably wasting his time coming here. Still, if she was in charge of testing Mik, she had to know.
Arin regarded him thoughtfully. “Do you know who did this to him?”
“We don’t,” Egey Bashi said. “He won’t say.”
She shifted in her chair, leaning on her elbow with the ease and grace of a cat.
“I sympathize,” she said. “But if he’s to become a Majat, he must learn to face even his worst fears. Our training gives a lot of power—but only to those willing and ready to commit to it fully.”
Egey Bashi nodded. “I understand. But perhaps you could give him a chance?”
“I have,” she said. “By coming here. If he can’t use this chance, there’s not much else I can do for him.”
“He’s only twelve.”
“Soon to be thirteen.”
“No bloody difference.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“Please forgive me,” Egey Bashi said. “I shouldn’t be speaking to you like this.”
“No, you shouldn’t,” she agreed. “But it makes for a refreshing conversation, doesn’t it?”
Egey Bashi bit his lip. He was never good at diplomatic talk, which was why the Order of Keepers normally excluded him from official gatherings. Not that an Initiate of the Outer Circle would be expected to talk to any important visitors anyway. Mik’s case was an exception. Still, the Council of Seven would have his hide if they knew he had sneaked into Arin’s chambers to talk to her right now.
“You’re not making it easy on him, Aghat,” he said.
“Do you think the Majat training is supposed to be easy?”
“No. But...”
“But what?”
“It’s not about training, is it? Not weapon training, in his case. He is damned good with weapons, especially for his age.”
She smiled. “’Damned good’ in your sense means nothing to a Majat, Keeper. But you happen to be right in his case. It’s not about weapons. It’s about character. I need to know he has what it takes. If not, I won’t be doing him a favor by taking him along, trust me.”
“Look,” Egey Bashi said. “You must have been in his shoes, once.”
A shadow slid over her face. “Not quite like this. No.”
Egey Bashi held her gaze. “Like what, then?”
Her expression shifted, her outward calmness acquiring a touch of challenge.
“You’re still young,” she said.
“I’m twenty-two.” Almost as old as you, I’ll bet. “And by the way, the name’s Egey Bashi. I know you don’t like names, Aghat, but since we’re having this conversation I felt a formal introduction might be warranted.”
She watched him intently. “If I’m not mistaken, this name means “’Thunder and Lightning’ in old Algarian.”
“You’re good at languages.”
“Among other things.”
But not at modesty or humility. Egey Bashi had to stop his eyes from wandering down again. Look at her face.
“Why do your top gem ranks call themselves assassins?” he asked.
A quick smile slid over her lips. “It reflects the nature of the assignments we most commonly get.”
“Not protection services?”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Did you ever assassinate anyone?”
Her gaze became distant and Egey Bashi felt as if he had been instantly hit with a cold draft.
“We don’t discuss our assignments with outsiders.”
“Of course not,” he mumbled. “Please forgive me.”
She nodded. “As I understand it, you’ve been an apprentice here since twelve and you’re now an Initiate of the Outer Circle, are you?”
“Yes.”
“The lowest rank in your Order, isn’t it?”
Egey Bashi lifted his chin. “I assume with these questions you are trying to make a point, Aghat?”
She slightly inclined her head, eyes fixed on him with disconcerting intensity. “I began my training when I was four and received my Diamond rank at twenty-one. Two years ago.”
Egey Bashi forced the smile back to his lips. “Clearly, your training was different from mine.”
“Clearly so.”
“And you believe your rank makes you better than anyone else?”
“In using my body, yes.” She shifted in her chair, the beam of the setting sun briefly licking the skin of her bare stomach.
Using her body. The blush rolled up Egey Bashi’s neck, burning his cheeks. It was worse from the way she was watching him, as if aware of every thought going through his head.
Keep your eyes on her face. Her face, damn it. “Are you deliberately trying to disconcert me?”
“Is it working?” she asked.
“Yes.” You can see it, can’t you?
“You have a lot to learn, Keeper.”
“You have no idea.” His voice came out thick and breathy. He bit his lip, hating himself for falling so easily for her trick.
“I suppose not.” Once again, that appraising glance that sent another wave of heat all the way down his body.
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“Does your training involve this?” Egey Bashi heard himself saying. “Seduction?”
She laughed. “You think I’m trying to seduce you?”
“For a moment, it kind of looked this way.” And clearly I must have been dreaming to believe it.
She shook her head. “If you were my opponent in a fight, you’d be dead.”
He sighed. “If I was your opponent in a fight, I’d be dead the moment you first moved, Aghat Arin. And...you didn’t answer my question. Does your training involve using your beauty to gain advantage over men?”
“My beauty?” She seemed surprised.
“You are a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Don’t tell me you are not aware of it.”
She shrugged. “I never thought of it this way. And yes, it is part of my training to use any means necessary to win.”
“And you never took it beyond that?”
“Beyond what?”
He took a breath. “Beyond fighting. To...closeness.”
She went very still, her face unreadable. “You seem to be far too curious about me.”
“As a Keeper, it’s my job to be curious. And yes, Aghat Arin, I find you fascinating. Is it a crime in your Guild?”
“No. But it’s a dangerous game to play with one of my rank.”
“I’m not playing.”
Her smile faded. “I thought you came here to talk about the boy.”
“Mik. Yes, I did.”
“Is this part of your tactics to convince me to take it easy on him?”
Egey Bashi swallowed. “No. Around you, Aghat, no tactic has even the slightest chance of succeeding. Not in my case, anyway. All I can offer you is my unconditional surrender.”
She slowly got to her feet and approached him. How could she move so fluidly and gracefully while also emanating such power? The sight of her, standing in front of him, made Egey Bashi’s head spin. She was as unattainable as the moon, so far out of reach that even looking at her this way seemed crazy. And yet, she was also so desirable that no sane man could possibly stay away, could he?
Was Egey Bashi still sane?
He reached over and gently touched her cheek.
She stiffened, then relaxed, briefly closing her eyes. From this distance he could catch faint wafts of her scent, wild almond blossoms.
“I’ve always thought Keepers’ activity was restricted to scholarship,” she said quietly.
“It is.” He should stop, he knew. He should remove his hand. Yet, he simply couldn’t break the contact as his fingers traveled down to her neck in a light caress. So smooth.
She stood very still, watching him wide-eyed.
“Are you really making a pass at me?” To his surprise, there was no apprehension in her voice. In fact, her tone was that of expectation, sending Egey Bashi’s heart racing.
“I think I’m doing more than that.” He cupped her chin, leaned forward and kissed her.
It could have lasted a lifetime—or just a moment. She tasted like fresh summer wind, a sweet and potent flavor that instantly reached every part of his body like a jolt of lightning. He held her face between his palms, claiming her mouth, savoring the sensation.
After a while he sensed her stiffen just briefly and dropped his hands to his sides, drawing away. She held his gaze with an expression of wonder. Yet, he was also aware that she still hadn’t touched him—as well as of the way she stayed very still, as if warning him not to reach out to her again.
“I...” he began, her stillness making his heart quiver. “Please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.”
She slowly let out a breath. “That was...bold of you.”
“Insane,” he corrected.
“I could’ve hurt you.”
“Yet, you didn’t.” He held her gaze. From this distance he could still taste her scent, so tantalizing that it took all he had to keep his hands by his sides.
“Obviously not.”
“Perhaps you felt, like I did, that this was the right thing to do?” he said quietly.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“If you were my enemy, I would’ve given you an advantage over me.”
He looked deeper into her eyes. Did she just shiver under his gaze, or did he only imagine it?
“Unconditional surrender, remember?” he said. “I offered it first, before you even approached. Besides, you know I’m not your enemy. You’re the one who has all the advantage over me.”
“Am I?”
He expected her to smile, but instead he saw wonder in her face. Despite her allure, despite how gorgeous she was, she seemed so...uncertain.
What kind of training could create such an impossible combination of power and vulnerability?
“Should I leave?” he asked quietly.
She held his gaze. “Do you want to?”
“No.”
Her eyes darted to the door. “What would your superiors say if you stayed?”
Egey Bashi shrugged. “They don’t have to know. But even if they did, I don’t think I could possibly make it any worse. My superiors gave up on me a long time ago—this is why at twenty-two I am still an Initiate, despite my scholarly achievements.”
“Still. Isn’t this kind of behavior forbidden by your Order?”
“You mean, for our Initiates to consort with important visitors?”
“I mean consorting, yes, if this is how you want to put it. With anyone.”
“Not exactly,” Egey Bashi said. “We are forbidden to form lasting bonds. Later, when we advance in the ranks,” if we ever do, “we are also expected not to succumb to these kinds of desires.” Not so easily, anyway. Except that nothing about you is easy, Aghat Arin.
She smiled. “Sounds exactly like the Majat. Except...”
“Except?” he prompted.
“We still have desires,” she said. “But normally, we channel them into a fight.”
He swallowed. “Is this why you haven’t touched me?”
Her smile widened. “Neither have you. Other than my face, that is.”
He glanced down, feeling the blush rise again. Dear Shal Addim, if he lay his hands on her body, would he ever be able to stop?
“I wasn’t sure you wanted it.”
She laughed. “I wasn’t sure how fragile you were.”
“Fragile?” This was the last thing Egey Bashi expected her to say. While he wasn’t particularly tall, his heavy build made him stronger than other men his age.
Her eyes acquired a thoughtful, calculating look. Then, she instantly came from stillness to action, moving at a speed impossible to follow. Egey Bashi felt a wind on his face as she grasped his shoulder, and another swirl at the back of his knees as her leg connected, sending him down. He barely had time to relax his muscles before landing flat on his back, the soft carpet cushioning the fall. Amazingly, none of this hurt at all. Or was he too smitten to care?
He looked up at Arin kneeling over him, her forearm resting flat against his neck in a gesture that, while in itself not threatening, made it unthinkable to move. He marveled at how she didn’t seem in the least out of breath. His own breath came shallow and ragged, not so much from the fight—too short to tire him out—but from her closeness. He heaved his chest a few times to steady his voice.
“This isn’t exactly the touch I had in mind,” he said.
She removed her arm from his neck and drew back, standing up in one fluid move, then reached down and offered him a hand. He grasped it and clambered back to his feet, far less gracefully.
“Still want to stay with me?” she asked.
He kept her gaze as he raised her hand he was still holding, bringing it slowly and deliberately up to his lips, trailing kisses over each knuckle. She remained still, watching him with a guarded expression.
“Yes,” he said.
“You think you’re up to it?”
Her scent, her warmth, made his head spin. He shivered, his mind no longer driving his actions as he rea
ched down and slid his palms across her bare stomach, around her waist, over to her back, drawing her into an embrace.
“I’ll take my chances,” he whispered.