FORBIDDEN TALENTS (44 page)

“
Possibly. But Saeun did break the law. And if law is to have any power, then even a Kon’s son must be bound by it.
”
He sounded so noble.
We won’t talk about the fact that I had planned to defy the law and help her escape
.

“
Then change the law!
”

Ragni smiled.
“
Perhaps in time I will. But at the moment, I am second to the man who is charged with enforcing it: Father Wirmund, the Overprest of Baldur. And he enjoys enforcing the law. Very much.
”
Too much
.

Grov’s brows drew together in a frown.
“
You
are
in a tight spot, then.
”

Ragni was silent, watching the older man consider the situation. Ragni felt Grov’s stubborn determination, and his flash of satisfaction.

The smith’s brows lifted.
“
Then stay here. The Elves don’t care about mortal laws.
”

The sharp tug of temptation startled Ragni with its intensity. Could it really be so easy? To live with Saeun without worry. To hold her in his arms every night, and wake to her smile every morning. To someday feel their child growing in her, to shelter them both in his embrace. It was more than he’d let himself hope for.

It was more than he could have. The truth of it grated like a millstone grinding his heart.

He shook his head.
“
I cannot. I am foresworn. Betrothed to another. And there are many who depend on me.
”
He thought of Dahl, fighting a siege, dealing with Wirmund, facing a broken alliance with Magnus if he ran away with Saeun. Not to mention all of Nuvinland needing a voice of moderation and reason among Baldur’s priests. Wirmund wouldn’t live forever, and Vali, the Overprest’s new third, was an ambitious sycophant who would cheerfully carry out Wirmund’s bitter vision. He forced a smile.
“
Privilege and responsibility are a mated pair, I’m afraid. I cannot please myself in this, not even to have Saeun.
”

Ragni felt the sorrow that rose in Grov and shut it out. It was too much to bear along with his own.

“
I’m sorry, my lord. I’m just a blacksmith, but I understand honor. I shouldn’t have poked my nose into your business. I grieve for you.
”
Grov shook his head.
“
I couldn’t choose as you have. Nothing could have kept me from my Anna.
”

“
Grov?
”
Saeun’s voice was thick with sleep.

“
Now see what I’ve done.
”
The old blacksmith moved like a much younger man as he knelt beside the bed across from Ragni.
“
Aye, it’s me. I’m sorry, I’ve gone and wakened you with my blabbering. Are you all right?
”

*

Saeun smiled and blinked the sleep from her eyes. Grov’s country manner was a comfort, but why was he here?
“
I’m fine. Why the fuss?
”

“
Don’t you remember?
”
It was Ragni’s voice.

Ragni
? Saeun turned to look at him, and memory rushed back.
“
You’re here!
”

“
Where else would I be?
”

Saeun just stared at him, savoring the sight of his crooked smile, the twinkle of his blue-gray eyes. His beard, always carefully trimmed, was starting to get shaggy and his hair was in disarray.

“
Well, I’ll just be taking myself off, then,
”
Grov said, standing.

With an effort, Saeun pulled her gaze away from Ragni.
“
Oh, no! You don’t have to go.
”

Grov just grinned and gave her shoulder a little pat.
“
Aye, my lady, I do.
”
He nodded a bow to Ragni and they exchanged a mysterious look.
“
My lord. I wish you well.
”
Then he slipped beneath the moss and was gone.

Her attention returned to Ragni. He was here, by her side, smiling down at her. His thumb caressed the back of her hand. The world felt whole and right again. Almost.

“
I shouldn’t feel so happy with so much trouble facing us, but I can’t help it,
”
she said, smiling.
“
I never thought I’d see you again.
”

Ragni nodded and squeezed her hand.
“
I thought you were dead. Celia couldn’t Find you. And when you collapsed after I’d just found you again
…
”
He blinked hard and glanced away.

Saeun pulled her other arm from beneath the sheets and reached up to turn his face back toward hers. She was naked beneath the covers and wondered for a fleeting moment who had undressed her.
“
It’s all right. I’m fine.
”

Ragni smiled and drew her hand up to his lips, kissing the palm. A trill of pleasure spread warmth through her chest. She smiled wider and pulled him down into a kiss. She could tell he was trying to hold back and keep the kiss gentle. She didn’t want gentle. She felt fine. Better than fine. She’d thought she would never again have Ragni in her bed, and now he was here, in her arms.

I might never again
. They might never have another chance to make love. She could never return to Quartzholm, and that was where Ragni belonged. It was harder, knowing that this was probably the last time.

She pushed the thought away, but a painful residue of it lingered, lending a greater urgency to her kiss.

Ragni pulled back, searched her face.
“
Saeun? Are you sure?
”

“
Yes. Can’t you tell?
”

“
You just woke up. I don’t want to hurt you.
”

“
You won’t. Please. I need to feel your arms around me. Unless
…
”
Unless it was something else that stopped him.

“
What?
”

“
You’re betrothed now. Perhaps you don’t want to upset Utta?
”

Ragni laughed.
“
Trust me. This won’t upset her.
”

Saeun sighed.
“
Then come here,
”
she said, lifting the covers and inviting him with what lay beneath.

*

Ragni groaned as the erection her kiss inspired strained against his trews.
Down, boy
. Freyr and Freya, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. He felt no hesitation in her, just a frisson of anxiety—and passion. His blood thrummed. He leaned forward to kiss her again. His hands found their way to her lush curves as he trailed little kisses along her jaw, licked the fullness of her lips, dropped a tiny peck on her nose. Saeun’s hands were on him too, moving restlessly, stroking his back, his buttocks, running her fingers through his hair. He started to ease away so he could divest himself of his clothes. He hungered for the feel of her against his skin. She pulled him back and her tongue sought his. He felt her desire flare, inciting his own. Gods! He felt like it might burst from under his skin.

Saeun’s hands tugged at his tunic.
“
Too many clothes,
”
she complained.

Ragni gasped out a laugh.
“
I know. Let me go for just a moment, dear heart. I promise I’ll come back.
”
Oh, yes, I most certainly will
.

She sat up as he stood. Shadows caressed her breasts, cast by the dim light of the glow globes. His fingers stilled on his laces. Her nipples were already peaked. His palms itched to feel them.

Clothes, fool
.

He shucked his tunic, boots, shirt, and trews faster than a boy eager for his first summer swim.

Somewhere he found the self-control not to pounce on her. He eased between the sheets next to her, trying to employ at least a fraction of his skill. He wanted to take his time, to please her, but desire was singing through Saeun, and when she pulled him over her, all his supposed finesse vanished.

She was open for him, and when he entered her he felt her flash of satisfaction, echoed by his own. It felt like coming home. He wanted this, but fulfilling Saeun’s desire meant more.

He began to move and her hunger doubled. He bent his head to her breast, drawing her nipple into his mouth, savoring the taste of her, and the feel of her aroused flesh against his tongue. She made soft needy sounds as her hands fluttered over his back.

He couldn’t tell where her desire began and his ended. Every inch of his skin was on fire, and only Saeun could quench it. He needed her, needed to be in her, deeper, deeper. Saeun wrapped herself around him, arched her neck. Finesse was not what she wanted now. It was not what he gave her.

He felt her tension mount, her yearning toward completion. Her heat grew, hot and tight and hungry.
“
Please, please, please,
”
she gasped. His answer was hard and quick. A moment later she spasmed and cried out, and he fell too, shouting along with her. He didn’t care who heard; all thoughts, all emotion submerged in molten pleasure and white hot joy as he poured himself into her.

She was still shuddering in reaction when he came back to himself. She had no coherent emotions, just a quivering muddle of happy pleasure. He grinned. That was fine with him. He took a little more of his weight from her, moving within her as he did. She tightened and whimpered. He did it again with the same result.

“
Ragni!
”

“
Saeun.
”
He kissed her eyelids, her nose, her mouth. Then he teased her again.

“
Aren’t you
…
tired?
”
she gasped.

“
No. You?
”
He made her twitch again.

Her answer was to push him over onto his back. Then she rode him until rapturous lightning struck him blind, and they collapsed in languid bliss.

Saeun still lay across his chest when a semblance of thought began to return.
Is it possible to feel such ecstasy, and live
?

Saeun began to surface, and he enjoyed her feeling of lazy contentment—until anxiety and an aching resignation overtook it.
“
Did Lord Kaeron say when we’d leave?
”
she asked.

Baldur’s Balls
. He didn’t want to think about that now.
“
Soon. But
we
won’t be going anywhere. You’re staying here.
”

“
But my vision showed—
”

“
All the more reason for you to stay behind.
”
Ragni rubbed her back.
“
I won’t risk you.
”

Saeun lifted herself to look him in the eye.
“
It’s not your decision to make. You need me. I’m going.
”

Ragni laughed.
“
We’ll see about that.
”

“
Yes. We will.
”

*

“
You aren’t looking at the facts,
”
Celia said. She stood almost nose to nose with Ragni in the Elven dining hall. She and Ragni and Fender were the first to arrive for the meeting where they’d plan the assault on the Dark Elves.

“
You’re not going,
”
Ragni repeated in a voice he no doubt meant to quell further discussion.

“
Absolutely not,
”
Fender added.

Arrogant jerks
!
“
What gives you the right to tell me what I can and can’t do?
”

“
I’m your brother-by-marriage,
”
Ragni answered,
“
and the man who stands next in line to inherit the Jarldom if anything happens to that boy you’re carrying.
”

How dare he imply that she’d foolishly risk the life of her child?
“
Number one, I am not yet married to your brother, so that cuts you right out of the job of dictating what I do, and even if we
were
married already, you still wouldn’t have the right to order me about like some kind of
…
possession. And two, I am more than a walking womb. Besides, there won’t be a Jarldom to inherit unless we stop the Dark Elves.
”