Hers to Choose (29 page)

“Wait!”
She couldn’t stop her soft laugh. “I could care less where you put your clothes. It’s just,” she looked at him with an impish grin, “you are such fun to tease.”

Eric grunted,
turned and disappeared down the hall. Sophi leaned over the rim of the tub and watched for as long as she could.
He has such a very fine ass.

* * *

The day was a bittersweet time of saying goodbyes. Sophi semi-reclined on the low banquette in the G’hed’s small, cool breakfast room, nestled in Eric’s arms. Her tummy complained of overindulgence in the fresh fruits, nuts and breads that Mother Lyre had conjured out of thin air. But in her husband’s arms, her body satiated by outrageously good sex and the Haarb threat vanished, the only shadow on her resounding joy was the aching pain of parting from Mother Lyre and
Primus
G’hed.

Her surrogate mother cleared some of the food away and turned to look at them.
Lyre smiled through the tears that welled and trickled down her cheeks. With a sniff, she swiped them away. “Tallen and I are so proud of you. Proud of who you are, of what you and Eric have committed to do for our people. You have stepped into some very large slippers, daughter, and you will fill them admirably.”

Primus
G’hed moved to his wife and took her in his arms with a kiss, then turned to Sophi. His warm brown eyes contained deep joy. “Yes. The great Mother smiled on us when
Segundo
DeLorion brought you here. It has been deeply satisfying to watch the timorous, fledgling chick become a falcon, a warrior secure in her place, an asset to her mate and her world. There will be a large hole in our hearts with you gone.”

“
Oh!” Sophi untangled herself from Eric and flew to them, wrapping her arms around the couple. “You made it possible. Without your love, your encouragement, I could never have done any of this. I love you both, so very, very much. If it were possible, I would never leave
Sh’r Un Kree
.”

Mother Lyre
kissed Sophi’s forehead then pulled away. “This is what we hoped for you, child—for you to find your birthright. Yes, we will miss you but we leave you in very capable hands.” She raised her eyes to Eric. “And you will come back from time to time.”

Eric nodded. “
It would be a great pleasure.”

“You have been such a joy, daughter.” Mother Lyre gave her a firm hug then stepped back. “Now, there is someone who wants to speak with you before you leave. I told her to come after you had eaten
and she is here now.” Motioning to the
Primus
to come with her, Lyre turned to leave.

Eric rose also.
“Your friends will speak more freely if I’m not present. I’ll give you some privacy.”

Mother Lyre stopped him with a motion of her hand. “No. Stay. You are one of the people she most wants to speak with.”

Sophi shrugged her shoulders at Eric’s questioning look. “I don’t know.”

Her parents left and then
Adonia appeared in the entrance to the small room, running her robe back and forth through her fingers—an outward sign of inward agitation. “I’m so sorry,” she blurted, her gaze fixed on her feet.

Sophi shook her head and smiled
. “I don’t understand. You don’t have anything to apologize for.”

Adonia’s eyes flew up.
“Yes, yes, no, I do, but...argggh!” The woman growled in frustration. “I’m making such a mess of this. I want to apologize to both of you. For the way I acted. There.” With a definitive nod of her head, she stood, arms crossed, in the open doorway.

Sophi frowned and shook her head. “I still don’t understand.”

Adonia closed her eyes. “
Flight Leader
. I screamed words of outrageous accusation at you when we were on the Eye and then you saved us all. I was insolent to Commander DeStroia on many occasions. I made no attempt to hide my dislike of him but he was always civil to me.”

She
turned to Eric. “I treated you with a lack of respect, Commander, and you did not deserve it. Captain Biron told me that I didn’t understand but I was certain he lied.” She shook her head. “I didn’t understand and was all too willing to believe the falsehoods spread about aristocrats. I am deeply, profoundly sorry.”

Sophi looked at Eric with a question.
Do you want to speak?
He nodded slightly.

“Adonia, I accept your apology. Over and forgotten. And I’m sure I express Sophi’s feelings, too.”

“Yes, he does,” Sophi added to ensure no mistake.

“Thank you
.” The woman gave a heartfelt sigh. She bit her lip. “I hope you will not think me forward but I have a request. High Lord DeTano has announced a standing guard will travel with you. I would deeply appreciate the opportunity to be part of it. I am a good
medica
but I desperately desire to become a better one. You will have contact with skilled practitioners and . . .” Adonia looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Perhaps I can learn to use diaman crystals to assist my healing. May I please ride with you?” Her eyes swung between Sophi and Eric.

“
Of course. I would value your companionship and your knowledge,” Sophi said. “But what about your lover? We may not return to
Sh’r Un Kree
for years. Will he wait?”

Again Adonia looked uncomfortable. “
That is another favor I wish to ask.”

Sophi smiled. “You want him to come too.”

“Yes. Klaran is a good fighter and tracker. He would be an asset.”

“Eric?” Sophi swung her gaze to her husband.

“I have no objections.”

“Al
l right, Adonia,” Sophi said. “We will meet with you at the village center this evening. Since there is no pressing urgency, High Lord DeTano wishes to travel by night. Pack your essentials, nothing else.”

A smile stretched Adonia’s face from cheek to cheek. “Thank you. You will not be sorry.” As the woman turned to leave she halted and faced them again. “Umm. Umm.”

“Yes?” Sophi asked, eyebrows lifted.

“I was supposed to ask if Maeve and Layna can come, too.” Adonia shrugged.

Eric and Sophi both threw their heads back, laughing.

“And is Maeve’s lover going to join us
as well?” Eric asked when their amusement had died.

“Ah
...
no. Derrick didn’t think you would welcome his presence, Commander.”

“
Derrick? Derrick! Humpf. He’s right. The man tried to kill me. He damn well beat me unconscious, twice.”

Adonia’s eyes turned sly.
“Besides, I think Maeve is half-sweet on Lieutenant Crawford.”

Sophi straightened in surprise. “Crawford and Maeve? When did that happen? Ah, tell me later.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Eric said. “Tell them to come, too.” He crossed his arms over his chest, one eyebrow in a high arch. “Is that it? Is that all of it?”

Nodding her head sheepishly, Adonia walked backward toward the entry door. “Thank you. You won’t regret it.”

* * *

“Let me put you up on your horse, love.” Eric’s voice sounded in
Sophi’s ear and she jumped.

“
Eric! I
wish
you would say something and not just sneak up on me!”

“Sweetling, you were
daydreaming.” He leaned in and gave her a kiss. “Hopefully, of me. Not only did I sneak up on you, I snuck up on you leading two horses.” He shrugged. “Not terribly sneaky.”

I was daydreaming about you.
She sighed and shook her head at herself. “True. You are forgiven.”

She
turned to her mount and exclaimed with joy. “Eric! You found Brio! Until you, Brio was the closest thing I had to a male friend.”

Eric
smiled with pleasure. “
Primus
G’hed shares the credit for finding him.”

She raised her arms to gather her reins
and chirped joyfully. “Up, please.”

His
hands wrapped her waist. He put her atop her small desert horse effortlessly, then mounted his much taller animal.

High Lord DeTano rode up and with a smile at Sophi said, “I need just a few words with you
both before we start out.”

He’s a different man when he smiles.
Sophi answered DeTano with a smile of her own.

“Sophi, even before the events on the Vergaza
Plain you were precious to us, to Fleur, your brother—me. However, since those staggering occurrences on the Plain, you and Eric have become a Verdantian resource to be protected at all cost—whether you like it or not. Commander, I know you can appreciate the military applications of the power inherent in your bodies.” Ari’s eyes held Eric’s for long moments.

“I
, of all people on this planet, appreciate what it means to have your choices taken from you, to surrender any hope of a private life. I will try to give you as much freedom and latitude as possible, but this is the hard truth. From today forward, you will go nowhere without this army at your back.” His arm made a sweep of the hills surrounding
Sh’r Un Kree
covered with hundreds upon hundreds of men and horses standing in organized ranks, their royal purple and gold pennants flapping lazily.

“To facilitate
your change in status, the
Tetriarch
has created a new title. As of this moment, Eric, you are no longer Commander DeStroia of the Queen’s Royal Guard. You are Ducca Eric Destroia, Supreme Commander of the Verdantian Horse of the
Second Tetriarch
. You report to me, none other. This army will fly your pennant bearing
L
a
Potenza Dei Due, The Power of the
Two,
in place of the royal purple and gold of the
Second Tetriarch.
I trust you will design
something appropriate.

“
In addition, Queen Constante has chosen to bestow on you the substantial properties and incomes formerly associated with House DeChaudin. These estates have stood empty since the end of the war. They will greatly benefit from a
living
land owner.”

Sophi gasped. “
I know those properties. That estate shares a border with House DeLorion.” She looked at Ari, unable to contain her gratitude. She had wondered where they might live and how they would support themselves. “Please tell Queen Constante, we thank her very much, High Lord.”

Ari smiled. “I will tell her,
Duchessa
DeStroia.”

Duc
hessa DeStroia, imagine that. I think I still prefer Flight Leader.
Oh, sweet Eric. He looks poleaxed.

DeTano made to turn his horse
, then stopped and eyed Eric intently. “Supreme Commander DeStroia, I would take it as a personal favor if you could work out how to control that infernal glow.”

* * *

The handsome husband at her side hadn’t said two words since High Lord DeTano left them; they followed Queen Constante and her entourage toward the main gate out of
Sh’r Un Kree
. When she and Eric crossed the main square in the village, her
flight
sisters, Adonia, Maeve and Layna fell in behind them. Adonia’s lover, Klaran, joined Captain Jon Biron, Lieutenant Crawford, and the remainder of her former honor guard. As they rode out of
Sh’r Un Kree
, the resounding sound of trumpet fanfare filled the air and the massive army of horsemen began to assemble in formation at their back.

How very, very different this departure is than the one over two months ago.
“Eric?” Sophi captured his attention. “Do you remember the last time we rode through these gates?”

“Yes, love. I remember it well.”

“So much has changed.” Sophi smiled at him softly.

“Yes,” he laughed. “This time I know where you are.”

~ The End ~