She eyed his bright red vest with its liberal weave of gold thread and medals. Smiling, she said, “You must be Captain of the Palace Guard.”
Momentary surprise lit the man’s eyes before he answered in a deep, rumbling voice, “I am.”
“Good morning, Captain.”
He bowed, arms still crossed. “My name is Clarke, Mistress.”
“That’s unusual. I like it.” She gave him a bright smile. The corners of his dark lips twitched.
Wanting to start the day with an exploration of Wulf’s home, Sapphire ran a hand over the fine fabric of her red gown. She wondered if Wulf had noticed her decision to dress in his colors. He might have been too agitated. His father had instilled some doubt in him about her, which she’d expected, considering who she was.
Much as she hated the new tension between them and the desperate edge it had added to their lovemaking, Sapphire knew it was important for Wulf to face the facts—they were together on stolen time.
Regardless, she would always treasure Wulf for following his heart last night. He’d planned to send her away. Instead, he had wrapped himself around her and never let go. A vague memory of a tender kiss before he departed this morning left her defenseless. Heartache was inevitable but worth it. She’d experienced her grand passion and felt it returned. Wishing for the impossible—more time, and less impediments—would only detract from what they did have.
As she slid out of bed, she returned her attention to the captain. “Is there something I can do for you, Clarke?” Seeing the inquiring lift of his brow, she elaborated. “Why are you here?”
“His Highness, Prince Wulfric, ordered me to accompany you today.”
With a contemplative nod, she walked into the bathing chamber and washed quickly, emerging a few minutes later attired in a long white robe. “I need to dress. What should I wear?”
Clarke frowned. “My orders are to follow you wherever you wish to go.”
So…Wulf thought she might flee. Her mouth curved wryly.
“Poor captain,” she lamented on Clarke’s behalf. “What a miserable assignment.”
She laughed at the captain’s ready nod of agreement and was delighted at his answering smile. Perhaps she could make another ally. Security and military stratagems were two of her interests. It would be fascinating to study those aspects of the D’Ashier royal palace—and ascertain ways to escape. Of course, she would have to be careful in her curiosity…“What would you normally be doing today?”
“Overseeing the training of my men.”
“Excellent.” She rubbed her hands together. “I love training. What do you think about me following you wherever you go today?”
Clarke hesitated.
“I don’t have anywhere to go. I don’t particularly relish the idea of spending all day in this room, do you?” At his answering look of discomfort, she smiled. “That’s settled, then. I’ll see if I can find a dammr-suit in the mass of clothes Sabine brought me last evening.”
Unfortunately, there weren’t any practical garments among the lovely gowns that were set aside for her use. It took almost an hour to locate a dammr-suit in her size, but the delay was fortuitous. By the time she was suitably dressed, the captain was positive that he had no wish to take part in female activities. Whatever doubts he’d harbored about her accompaniment were set aside.
As they traversed the arched stone corridors, Sapphire jogged to keep up with Clarke’s massive stride. She was warmed up and limber by the time they joined his men on the training field, which was located in a large, open-air courtyard.
The captain was quickly in his element, overseeing the disbursement of the guards into several groups, each focused on a specific area of combat training. One group practiced with glaives, another with bio-filter masks, and another with fire readiness. The group that most interested her, though, was the one engaged in hand-to-hand combat. She watched them carefully, noting their strengths and their weaknesses.
She turned to Clarke. “Which of these men are directly responsible for the protection of Prince Wulfric?”
“The men wearing red and black stripes.”
“I have something to show you that you might find interesting. Would you call them over to us, please?”
Eyeing her curiously, Clarke did as she requested. Soon, twenty men stood in a semicircle around them. With her chin lifted and shoulders back, she asked, “Did any of you fight in the Confrontations?”
Five men stepped forward, and she took note of the special braiding on their uniforms that the other men lacked.
Walking the length of the gauntlet, Sapphire inspected each man carefully. “I suppose at least one or two of you lost your glaive when you riposted like this…”
She reached the last man, grabbed his weapon, and engaged the blade. Lunging forward gracefully, she demonstrated the complicated footwork/attack combination common to the D’Ashier military force.
“It happens to the best of men,” one of the guards said, somewhat defensively.
“True. But I can show you how to make it happen less often. Anyone care to demonstrate with me?”
After a brief hesitation, Clarke nodded his approval, and one of the five guardsmen engaged his blade and faced her. Sapphire bowed at the waist, then attacked. The man parried with restraint at first, then with more vigor as he recognized her skill. Within moments, she knocked his glaive from his hands using a technique she and her father had perfected.
“Damn,” he muttered, wide-eyed as the blade disengaged and the hilt skidded to a halt a few feet away.
Wulf’s guards began to speak excitedly.
“…just like that…”
“…happened to me…”
She faced them. “Since you protect Prince Wulfric, I’d like to show you not only how to do what I just did, but how to avoid having it happen to you.”
Training Wulf’s men in the style of her father wasn’t the most loyal thing she could do, but since she intended to learn how Wulfric transferred them from her palace without a pad, she told herself that it was only fair. The knowledge she imparted wouldn’t put Sarian troops at any more risk than before, but it would make successfully attacking Wulfric harder. As guilty as her offer to train them made her feel, she was decided. She would acquire valuable information from her lover, but she would also leave a valuable piece of herself behind.
Clarke scowled down at her. “Where did you learn how to do that?”
“Never ask a woman her secrets.” Retrieving the fallen glaive, Sapphire returned it to the guardsman she’d separated it from.
As the captain internally debated whether to accept her offer or not, the silence lengthened.
Sapphire shrugged and turned away. “If you decide to accept my offer, I’ll be over there relaxing in the shade.”
“Mistress?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Yes?”
Clarke tossed her his glaive. She spun neatly on her booted heel and caught it.
“Great.” She offered him a wide smile. The thought of reinforcing Wulf’s protection filled her with joy. Perhaps her knowledge might save his life. It eased her melancholy and guilt to think of it.
She threw herself into the training with vigor.
As Wulf strode down the stone corridor in search of his father, his mood was grim.
He’d spent the day catching up on everything that had been neglected in his absence, but his heart wasn’t in the task. Katie lingered in the back of his mind, a sensual puzzle he needed to solve. His concentration eluded him. Four of the men responsible for the attack against him had been captured and were being interrogated. He hoped that soon he would have enough information to resolve the mystery surrounding his ambush and subsequent “gifting” to Katie.
Rounding a corner, Wulf stepped out onto the semicircular balcony that overlooked the central courtyard of the training barracks. His father stood at the railing, his back rigid.
Flanked by stairs on either side and covered with a ca
nopy, the landing was shielded from the heat of the setting sun, which bathed the guardsmen below in a reddish light. Wulf joined Anders at the edge and looked down, attempting to discern what bothered the king.
“What is it, Father?”
Then he saw her.
Katie was crouched within a circle of palace guardsmen, preparing to spar with one of his personal guards.
“What the hell is she doing?” Wulf barked, tensing at the sight of her in danger, real or otherwise.
His father turned to him, revealing features distorted by fury. “She’s sabotaging us from the inside! She’s been down there all day, retraining the men on the use of glaives. Now she’s going over hand-to-hand combat. She’ll be the death of us all. Her father will come for her and our men will be useless, retrained by that bitch to fail.”
The guard lunged for Katie and they collided in a tangle of dammr-suit-clad limbs. The surrounding guardsmen scrambled out of the way as the two rolling bodies grappled furiously in the center.
“Halt!” Wulf’s voice echoed through the courtyard.
Everyone froze and looked toward the balcony, except for the two oblivious fighters in the center of activity.
Wulf lunged toward the stairs, racing to end the confrontation before Katie was injured. A dark form darting across the lawn caught the periphery of his vision. His steps faltered as his brother, Duncan, rushed toward the crowd. Charging through the guardsmen, the prince yanked Katie free of the fight by the scruff of her dammr-suit and viciously backhanded her across the face before Wulf perceived the threat.
“No.”
Filled with bloodlust, Wulf charged down the balcony steps and across the grass, tackling his brother. Katie fell to the ground.
Wulf drew his arm back and struck hard. The blow was followed by another, then another, both fists raining down in a barrage delivered too swiftly to be repelled.
“Wulfric!” his father roared. “Cease!”
But he didn’t, too enraged to heed the command. A multitude of arms restrained him, yanking him from his prone brother despite his substantial resistance. Duncan cowered in the face of his fury, but the sight of a crumpled and wounded Katie stemmed any hope of mercy.
Wulf shrugged free of those who held him back. “You have no right to touch what’s mine!”
The king gripped him by the shoulder with bruising force. “What the hell is the matter with you? The woman refused to heed a direct order. Discipline was necessary and appropriate.”
“She couldn’t hear me and you damn well know that.”
He twisted free of his father’s grasp and moved to kneel beside Katie. With a gentle grip on her chin, he angled her face to ascertain the extent of her injury. Her right eye was swelling shut and her cheekbone was discoloring, but not one tear fell.
The fierce look Wulf shot Duncan’s retreating back promised retribution. His brother was heading toward the healing rooms, a route the young man would find familiar, if he ever thought to touch Katie again.
Assisting her to her feet, Wulf tucked her protectively into his side. His gaze burned over their audience. “No one is to discipline this woman but me. Do I make myself clear?”
The king’s lip curled. “And what do you consider a suitable punishment? Fucking her into submission?”
Wulf turned away in disgust and gestured to the captain of the palace guard. “Take her to a healing chamber.”
It pained him to part with her now, but he had no choice. His insubordination to the king had to be addressed and Katie needed medical attention immediately.
As the captain led her away, Katie said nothing to anyone.
Anders ran both hands through his hair. “Do you realize what you’ve done, Wulfric? You’ve undermined the authority of your king and your brother in order to defend the enemy.”
“She’s not the enemy.”
“Would you feel differently if I told you she deliberately selected your personal guardsmen to retrain? She’s a serpent waiting to strike. Ransom her or send her to a detention facility. That’s a royal command.” Anders marched away.
Wulf was left alone in the center of the courtyard, struggling with a riot of emotions he had no clue how to deal with. The last few weeks of his life had changed him in ways he could never have prepared for. He’d almost died, then found himself in the arms of a beautiful woman. The life he’d regained was irrevocably altered by his affection for her.
“Katie.” Irrational though it was, he wanted her promise that she would stay with him. He could manage the worst of days, if she soothed his nights.
He headed toward the medical wing of the barracks with rapid, impatient strides. Turning a corner, he walked directly into Duncan, who emerged from a healing room.
“Wulfric, damn it.” Duncan stumbled before regaining his footing. “What the hell was that all about?”
Wulf inhaled a calming breath before responding. “Don’t ever touch her again. Do you understand?”
“Father said she’s the enemy!”
“She is a woman first and foremost. I won’t tolerate the beating of women. And regardless of who she is, she’s mine. I will see to her.”
The corners of Duncan’s lips dipped petulantly. “You didn’t have to beat me half to death to make your point.”
“I lost my temper, but I won’t apologize for it. You were wrong to strike her.”
Lifting his gaze, Wulf looked over Duncan’s shoulder at the next healing room, where the captain stood guard at the door. His brow furrowed. As he attempted to pass, Duncan blocked him.
“In lieu of an apology,” his brother said, “how about a boon?”
Wulf returned his attention to Duncan. “What kind of boon?”
“I’d like to purchase some contracts of my own and have my own seraglio.”
“Fine,” Wulf agreed gruffly. “You’re old enough now.”
“Can we go to the trader’s in Akton tomorrow?”
“No. I have too much that needs to be attended to. But you may visit my concubines and see if any of them would have you. You may begin your own seraglio with whichever ones are willing. I will release them from their contracts.”
Duncan’s face was almost comical in its astonishment. “Are you jesting?”
“You’d be doing me a favor.”
The next door slid open. Katie stepped out, attired in a white robe. Her gaze locked with his, devoid of any emotion. Then she turned, heading rapidly away from him. Clarke obediently fell into step beside her.
Wulf brushed his brother aside. “Katie.”
Her pace quickened.
“Discipline, brother.” Duncan’s tone was snide. “The prisoner doesn’t seem to know who’s in charge around here. Her insubordination could be contagious, if you’re not careful.”
Katie pivoted abruptly and stalked back toward them. “Run, boy.” Her voice was filled with soft venom. “Before I finish what your brother started.”
Duncan stumbled backward a few steps. Wulf shoved him aside to intercept her. “Go, Duncan. Now.”
With a steely grip on her arm, Wulf jerked Katie away from danger, dragging her in the opposite direction. “You forget yourself,” he said curtly.
“Excuse me?” She gaped at him.
“He is a prince of D’Ashier.”
She stopped and ripped free from his grip. “I don’t care if he’s the king! He’s nothing to me.”
Wulf pinned her to the wall. His hand wrapped her neck, careful to be gentle, but needing to drive his point home. His mouth dropped to her ear so they would not be overheard.
“You must obey,” he ordered in a furious whisper. “You must be courteous. You must show respect. For your own safety.”
“I will not. I am not a slave or a prisoner.” She attempted to push him away, but he held tight.
“Your position here is perilous. Your connection to your father and the King of Sari makes you suspect.”
She began to struggle against him in earnest. Her robe fell op
en, exposing her nakedness to his gaze. The sight of talgorite adorning Katie’s nipple and navel rings heated his blood. He pressed the heated length of his body against her, remembering the sight of her outside the healing chamber that first day. And last night, when she’d worn red. His color.
As his cock swelled against her belly, she froze.
“Let me go.” She looked at him with luminous dark eyes. “Send me home.”
He waved Clarke’s towering presence away.
Her throaty voice throbbed with emotion. “You know we’ve run out of time.”
“We can’t be out of time. I still want you.”
“You can’t always have the things you want, Wulf.” Katie began to struggle anew, her lush body writhing against his aching cock.
Inhaling deeply, he attempted to calm the need that clawed at him. Instead, he found his nostrils filling with the scent of her skin. Cleansed of the fragrance of Draxian lilies by the healing chamber, she was still uniquely appealing to him.
“Katie, stop. I’m not…myself. I’ll fuck you against the wall, if you don’t stop rubbing against me.”
She pushed against his shoulders. “You can’t keep me here against my will. I’ll find a way to go home.”
His heart thundered in response to her words.
“I’ll make you want to stay.” His tongue rimmed the shell of her ear. He reached between them and pushed down the waistband of his trousers, freeing his dick. It bobbed between them, straining and so hard it hurt. “I’ll make you burn as I do.”
Sapphire’s gaze was riveted by the sight of Wulf’s penis, so thick and long, thrusting brutally upward between them. He was so blatant in his desire, baring himself shamelessly out in the open air.
As Wulf’s free hand drifted beneath her robe and cupped her hip, she gasped in both fear and pleasure. His sensual threat hung in the air between them, causing her to shiver. It made him doubly dangerous that he knew how much she desired him and didn’t hesitate to use it against her.