Return of the Warrior (7 page)

There was something extremely surreal about this moment. Something peaceful. Calm. Friendly. It awakened a foreign part of himself, a part of him that desperately craved moments like this when someone cared for him.

Since escaping his prison, he’d never thought about home or family. His only thoughts had been to stay away from any binding ties.

Yet what she offered him this night…

He lifted his hand to his lips so that he could inhale the sweet, feminine scent of her hair. Feel the softness of it against his flesh.

Adara couldn’t breathe as she watched him savor the feel of her hair. It was as if he’d never beheld anything so precious, and that tugged greatly at her heart.

He reached up with his other hand to cup her cheek gently in his roughened palm. His thumb
brushed against her lips in a sensuous caress that caused chills to spread all over her.

“Have you ever been kissed, Adara?”

“Nay, Christian. I have kept our vows most sacred. No man has ever touched me in any fashion.”

He stared at her in wonderment. And then she saw the guilt that came into his eyes as he dropped his hand. “I didn’t know we were married.”

She took his hand into hers. “I know and I don’t hold you at fault.”

“There is no absolution in ignorance. Adultery is punishable by death.”

“I don’t want you to die, Christian.”

“Nay, you want me to return home with you.”

She nodded.

“Would you have waited out your entire life for me to come home?”

She let out a long breath at that. “Honestly? I have to say that I have long grown impatient for a husband and child. Had we not been on such tremulous terms with your country, I would probably have sought an annulment years ago and then married another.”

Christian wasn’t sure if he was happy or not that she had maintained their marriage. But lying here, staring into her eyes, feeling a peace the likes of which he’d never known, he wondered how he could feel anything but pleased.

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the tender flesh over the delicate bones of her knuckles. She stared at him with a guarded look. His body
sizzled with her nearness. Every part of him craved this brave and noble woman who had come for him. She lured him with a snare that was most irresistible.

And yet, like a caged beast, he couldn’t survive in chains. He couldn’t. Not again. His time in prison had taught him well the madness that came with captivity. The price. No matter how gilded the cage, it was still a cage.

Adara saw the light fade from his eyes a moment before he released her.

“I need to rest, my lady.” He rolled away from her.

Adara clenched her teeth in frustration as she stared at his broad, well-muscled back. At least she did until she noted the scars that ravaged the once-smooth skin.

Her heart hammering, she reached out to touch the puckered flesh. “What caused all this?”

“Life, Adara,” he said without looking at her. “It scars us all in some way.”

Nay. Not like this. She’d never seen anything like this in her life and she remembered Thomas’s words about their tormentors. Her hand paused at the bandage where he’d been wounded tonight. No wonder he didn’t complain of it. Compared to the rest of the wounds he’d suffered, it must be paltry indeed.

And in that moment, she had a profound epiphany.

“I am truly sorry, Christian,” she whispered softly.

“For what?”

“For all you have suffered. It was very selfish of me to come to you and expect any more of you. You have given enough for your people. I shall ask no more.” She leaned over and placed a chaste kiss to his whiskered cheek. “Sleep well, my prince. God speed you on your recovery.”

Christian listened as she paused to blow out the small candle on the table beside his cot. She left the room and drew his door shut, but as he lay there thinking, a part of him ached with the loss of her warmth.

He didn’t even know her. But since the moment they’d met a few hours ago, his life had careened into chaos. And yet he’d never felt more alive than he did right now, with the scent of her still lingering in the room. With the memory of her touch still warming his skin.

“Focus,” he whispered to himself. He mustn’t think of her. He had other, much more important matters to think on. Men were out to kill them and he needed to rest so that they could continue on in the morning.

This night had taught him well that there was no escape for them. No escape for her.

He had to get the queen to safety and then get her home again.

Adara’s heart was heavy as she returned to the refectory to find Brother Thomas sitting with Phantom and Lutian, who were passing snide comments back and forth.

Phantom sneered at Lutian. “So you came into her service by falling off a wall because you’d stolen a horse and were running from the guards?”

Lutian made a grand show of chewing his bread, then swallowing it before he answered. “Well, we can’t all be the
king
of thieves, can we?”

Moving like lightning, Phantom shot out with his eating knife and buried it into the table between two of Lutian’s fingers. “I don’t suffer
fools
lightly.”

His eyes wide, Lutian balled his hand into a fist and moved to sit at the other end of the table with his trencher and cup, far away from Phantom.

Adara paid them little heed as she walked into the room. She’d made a mistake by coming here. How simple everything had seemed all those weeks ago when she had set out on this journey.

Now she was a continent away from her homeland and didn’t know what to do.

But one thing was clear to her now. She needed to release her husband from his role and find another way to save her country.

“Phantom?” She waited until he looked up from his porridge. “How much will you charge to take me home?”

Phantom choked on the porridge. Brother Thomas pounded him on the back while Phantom reached for, then drank from a small wooden cup. He gave a menacing glare to Thomas, who immediately halted his hand in the mid-pounding stroke position.

“Pardon?” Phantom asked once he’d regained some composure.

“I wish to go home and I need a guide and guard.”

He cleared his throat. “You’ll get neither from me, Your Majesty. I will not return there. Ever.”

“Why are we returning with Phantom, my queen?”

She glanced over to Lutian. “I’ll explain later.” Then she looked back at Phantom. “I can pay you a fortune.”

Phantom scoffed at that. “Coin is ever useless to a corpse.”

She arched a brow at him. “Are you afraid, then?”

He laughed bitterly. “Hardly, and you’ll never get me to agree by calling me craven.”

“Then what will it take?”

Phantom wiped his mouth, then gave Brother Thomas an almost amused smirk. “You haven’t enough money, power, or influence to buy me, Your Majesty. There are some things—few, I grant you, but some—that are not for purchase. My loyalty, or in this case stupidity, will not be bartered for any price.”

He picked his cup up and lifted it in a mock salute. “Work your wiles on your husband. He’s the greater fool of the two of us.”

Her throat tight, Adara struggled for composure. “And therein lies the problem. I’ve no wish to work my wiles on him, either. He’s suffered enough in this.” She approached Brother Thomas. “Know you who might have swords and lances for hire? I shall need an army to return and I’m willing to pay dearly for it.”

“Aye, Majesty, I know several.
Der Tuefel
is—”

“Don’t bring Lucifer into this madness,” Phantom said, interrupting Thomas. “Leave him be where he is.”

“He is ever after glory and coin. I should think this is just what he would covet. Either he or the
Lladdwr
.”

“We shall go for
Lladdwr
in the morning. He
and his men are in York under the banner of the local earl. I would think Ioan is more than ready to go to war for such a cause.”

All four of them turned to see Christian standing in the open doorway. He wore a pair of black breeches and a black tunic that he’d left untied about his neck, showing her that he hadn’t donned his armor.

His handsome face was pale but determined.

“This is no longer your fight, Christian,” Adara said. “I will raise my own army.”

He scoffed at that. “Aye, but it is. They made it so the instant they traveled here like a pack of wild dogs to kill us.”

Phantom laughed evilly. “No man kills me and lives.”

Christian nodded. “Exactly.”

Adara frowned at them, not understanding the phrase.

“It was a pact they took in prison,” Thomas explained to her. “No one would take their lives without paying dearly for it.”

Christian’s pale blue eyes fairly glowed in the dim light of the refectory. “I never had any intention of going to Elgedera. But they didn’t send a single man to kill me or Adara, they sent an entire garrison or more, and that was their mistake. They have dropped the gauntlet before me and I intend to return it fully met.”

Christian looked at each of them in turn. “Basilli and Selwyn have no intention of letting
this matter end until we are dead. Therefore I shall end it once and for all. The prince is going home to be crowned king and to exact his revenge. Swear your fealty to me, Phantom, and I’ll see to it that you’ll have the choicest land in the kingdom.”

“Why would you choose me?”

“Because you have ever been in my shadow, lurking there and only emerging when I need you. I never understood why, but your loyalty has long been noted and appreciated. I would have no other man at my back for this.”

Phantom seemed to consider his words. “Are you ready for the battle, Abbot?”

He nodded grimly.

Adara smiled in relief. Part of her was grateful, but the other part didn’t like the thought of adding any more grief to a man who had suffered so much. “Are you certain you want to do this?”

Christian turned toward her. “They won’t leave me in peace, therefore I intend to leave them in pieces.”

Phantom lifted his cup. “God save the king.”

“And the queen,” Lutian chimed in sincerely.

Christian rolled his eyes at Phantom’s sarcasm. “Thomas, I shall need one of the monastery’s servants to return to the inn in Withernsea, where I was supposed to meet Pagan, and tell him that I won’t be able to aid him in his quest for Lysander’s killer.”

“Consider it done.”

Phantom’s face was pensive. “What of Stryder
of Blackmoor? Should we send for him as well as Ioan?”

Christian shook his head. “He’s newly married and has too many ties to the English throne. I would rather have unfettered mercenaries to fight this war.”

“I don’t trust mercenaries,” Adara said. “Too often they can be bought by your enemies.”

Thomas, Christian, and Phantom laughed at that.

“Trust me, my lady,” Christian said, “no one could ever buy their loyalty.”

“Many a dead man has made the same claim,” Lutian said from his end of the table.

Thomas made a tsking noise. “He’s right about that. I trust Ioan, but some of his men—”

“Will die if they betray us,” Phantom said menacingly. He pulled his knife out of the table from where he had embedded it and tested the edge against his fingers. “I’ve sent many a man to his grave for lesser things.” His eerie gaze became intense, almost mad-looking. “Death to any who betray our kinship.”

“Aye,” Christian agreed. Suddenly he grimaced, then gasped as if his shoulder were paining him again.

Adara went to him immediately. “You should return to bed.”

He nodded. “I’ll rest tonight, but we have much to do come morning.”

She couldn’t believe he would even suggest
such a thing. “Why not stay here a few days so that you can recover?”

Christian rubbed his shoulder. “The assassins sent after us won’t wait and I’ve no wish to see the monks here endangered in my fight. Not to mention they wouldn’t think kindly on an army being amassed on holy property.”

Her husband did have a point. The Church did tend to frown on warfare.

“I still think you need to rest.”

He smiled at that as if it amused him. “Good night,” Christian said before he turned and left.

Adara followed him. She didn’t speak until he was back in his room, getting into bed.

“I’m sorry that I caused your wounds, Christian.”

“You didn’t cause my wounds, Adara,” he said as he lay down. “The men wielding swords did that.”

She laughed at his unexpected humor. It was the first time he’d made a joke. She crossed the room and tucked him in.

Christian held his breath as she did something he was sure she gave no thought to, and yet for him…

It was a rare caring act. One no other woman, other than his mother, had ever done for him.

She brushed the hair back from his forehead and laid her soft hand against his brow. “You have a slight fever starting.”

Aye, but it wasn’t related to his injuries. His body was on fire from her nearness.

She reached to pull off his tunic.

“I prefer to sleep with it on,” he said in a gruffer tone than he’d intended.

If she pulled his tunic off…

He didn’t trust himself being almost naked with her. Not when his body was this aroused. Injuries or no, he might very well consummate this misbegotten marriage, and that would be disastrous to both of them.

“Very well.” She left the bed to sit on a small wooden chair that looked terribly uncomfortable.

“What is it you do?”

“I’m watching over you. Brother Bernard said that someone should keep an eye on you this night.”

“I will be fine, Adara. There’s no need for you to inconvenience yourself.”

“Inconvenience myself? Why, sir prince, you have twice saved my life. This is the least I can do for you.”

He wanted to argue, but had learned enough about his stubborn queen to know it would be a useless effort. Being careful of his injuries, he rolled over.

Still he could feel her watching him. It made his entire body burn with needful heat. But it was a need he could never sate. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them, since he had no intention of staying with her. He would return and overthrow Selwyn and Basilli, aye, but he wouldn’t stay in Elgedera. Nor would he ever leave his child behind.

There could never be anything between Adara
and himself. Once he had her throne secured, he would petition the Church to grant them an annulment and see her free.

And yet, even as that thought went through him, some part of his heart protested it. What would it be like to have a home? To have a woman by his side to bear his children?

I want more than that…

It was true, even though he hated to admit it. He didn’t want a cold, political marriage. He wanted what Stryder and Rowena shared. When they looked upon each other, the heat of their passion fairly scorched anyone who was near them. They loved each other.

What do you need with love?

But then, it wasn’t a need so much as a craving. His parents had been taken from him so early and since that day he’d never felt that sensation of true acceptance, true happiness. That inner warmth that came to his breast because he knew someone cared for him. Aye, his Brotherhood cared for him, but that was friendship, which was a whole separate matter.

What would it be like to feel the desperate ache of Cupid’s arrow? Just once. That compelling force that could make a man willingly die for the woman who held his heart. In songs and poetry, they likened it to the greatest force under heaven.

Methinks the attackers have addled your brains. Any more of this and you’ll be as useful as Lutian.

Aye, it was true. He didn’t want love. Never.
Sooner or later something would come and destroy it. He’d be alone again.

They could keep their love. Christian of Acre had no need of it.

Grinding his teeth, Christian closed his eyes. He was a man born of an iron will. He could ignore her. He could.

And he would.

Adara sat still for more than an hour before she saw Christian relax in his bed. She’d begun to fear he would never find sleep.

She got up and went to check his fever. It was slightly worse, but still nothing to cause her alarm.

Christian was truly a strong man. Perhaps too strong. And yet as she watched him sleeping, she didn’t see a strong prince. She saw only a handsome man who looked peaceful and calm. A look that wasn’t there when he was awake. Awake he was intimidating and fierce.

Glancing down, she studied the mark on his hand that betrayed his captivity. She traced the lines of it with her fingertip. It must have hurt badly when it was received. How much more did the indignity of it hurt now?

Her heart heavy, she lay behind him on the small cot and snuggled close to his warm body.

She shouldn’t be doing this. Christian would no doubt protest if he knew what she was about. Yet she couldn’t stop herself. She wanted to hold him. Needed to feel his strength with her body.

She felt lost. Alone. She didn’t know what her future held anymore.

Truthfully, that terrified her. Uncertainties assailed her in the darkness and brought tears to her eyes. “What’s to become of me?” she whispered as silent tears started falling. “I need guidance, Lord. Wisdom. My people need a queen who knows what she’s doing, not one who is lost and unsure.”

Suddenly she felt the strength of Christian’s hand on hers. She swallowed in trepidation as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

She pulled back as Christian rolled over to face her.

“Don’t cry, Adara,” he whispered, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I won’t let them hurt you or take your kingdom from you. I know what it’s like to be without a home and I will pledge my eternal soul that you will never know that feeling.”

His words only succeeded in making her cry more.

Christian was at a loss as to how to cope with her tears. He’d never spent enough time with women to witness them often. The only woman he’d spent much time with was Mary, who had been a captive with them in the Holy Land. But Mary had never once wept.

His stomach tightened in hopelessness.

“Shhh,” he breathed, wiping her tears with his hand.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I don’t normally cry. I don’t. I’m j-just at a loss.”

“I’m so often at a loss that it seems my most natural state.” He couldn’t believe he’d confessed that to her. Even when he was at his most perplexed, he refused to allow anyone to know it.

“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

“Nay, my lady. Truly. I am often baffled by life. Struck dumb, point of fact.”

One corner of her mouth lifted at that. “I don’t believe you.”

He watched her eyes glisten from her tears. Before he realized what he was doing, he was tracing the curve of her eyebrow with his thumb. This was the most intimate moment of his life and they were both lying fully clothed.

Yet he’d never felt more exposed or vulnerable.

She looked up at him as if he were some type of hero sent to help her. He’d never felt particularly heroic before.

More than that, he felt her nearness with every part of him. And he wanted nothing more than to taste her virgin mouth.

Adara licked her lips as she watched Christian watching her. It was intense, hot, and it stole her breath away.

He leaned his head closer. Closer.

Then he pressed his lips to hers.

Adara moaned as she tasted her first kiss. The warm, masculine scent of Christian filled her head
as his tongue gently parted her lips to explore her mouth. Her entire body sizzled from the foreign sensation.

His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer to his hard, tawny body. She ran her hands over the rugged planes of his back, taking care not to touch his bandages. His lips and tongue teased her unmercifully.

So this was a lover’s kiss…

She liked it greatly.

Christian struggled to breathe as he felt her returning his kiss with enthusiasm. She stroked his tongue with hers and uttered a soft, murmuring noise of pleasure that made his body harder than it had ever been before.