The Charmer (39 page)

Plucking a leaf from the hedge, Jasmine
started to shred it. “I don’t think it would matter right now. He’s
pretty well convinced I’m a reckless fool up to no good. I think
the hang glider stunt really shook him up.”

A snort of amusement escaped Rihlia, but she
didn’t take the bait. “Have faith. Even reckless fools can change.
Heck, before you came here you thought shaking hands during flu
season was taking an awful risk. I have faith you’ll revert back to
normal in no time.”

“A phase, huh?” Jasmine asked doubtfully. She
shrugged. “Well, that’s as good of an explanation as any. I promise
you though, I’m through taking risks, and this time I mean it. From
now on, it’s the straight and narrow path for me, all the way.”

Virtue was very boring.

Jasmine caught her attention wandering again
and yanked it back to Sousa, her domestic instructor, who was
teaching her how to make an lemon sauce for the seafood they’d just
laboriously cooked and shelled. It was fascinating, really. It was
just that her difficult husband had just entered his glassed in
office with Raziel and Jackson, and she really couldn’t pay
attention to something as mundane as cooking when something so
interesting was going on across the room.

Keilor looked up, saw her, noticed she wasn’t
paying attention to Sousa, and gestured to Raziel. The shades came
down, blocking Raziel’s amused face and leaving her nothing to
stare at.

“I raise my bet two more prismatic silver.”
Raziel said, turning from the closed blinds. “She’ll never last the
week.”

Keilor snorted as he drew a folded map
forward and opened it. “Two weeks. I’m giving her the benefit of
the doubt.”

“I have doubts my sister will last as long.
Already I’ve caught her twice sneaking off towards the rooftops
with her symbiont, seeking to go scouting for Yesande,” Jackson
muttered. “Regardless, tomorrow is the day she purges the pheromone
from her system, and we can’t stay much longer. I don’t like the
reports from home.” He did not share what might be in those
reports, and no one asked.

“You won’t need to,” Keilor assured him,
spinning the map so he could see. “We’ve found her camp, and it’s
only a day’s ride from here. We would have taken it already, except
she is not in it.”

“A decoy.”

“Yes.” Keilor pointed to the map, drawing his
finger across two routes. “The only roads past the volti are on
this river here, and over these mountains here. The mountains are
treacherous, especially with the storm season coming, but if
Yesande could master them and get out with her prize, no one could
come after her until after the storms. Should she dare the river,
she’ll have to contend with the water beasts, as well as row
upstream.”

Jackson shook his head. “Unlikely, even with
a symbiont boat. You’re focusing on the mountains?”

“We are. Isfael and Mathin are out there
right now. I only wish Fallon hadn’t gone off on business again. We
could use him right now.”

Raziel snorted. “What business is it that
takes him away for weeks at a time, just when he could be of the
most use?”

“Family business,” Keilor said, staring his
friend down. He was well aware of Raziel’s opinion of Fallon as
useless for anything other than entertaining women, but Raziel was
ignorant of several important facts. He couldn’t share those facts,
even with one of his best friends, but he wasn’t about to let his
cousin be slandered.

Raziel broke eye contact first, mostly out of
politeness. “You would know. About those mountains—we estimate
Yesande has twenty men with her, give or take one or two. Whatever
she plans, you can depend upon it, she already has help lined up
inside this citadel. How are we going to combat that?”

Before Keilor could answer, there came a
knock on the door. “Come.”

Jasmine opened the door, balancing a tray
bearing tiny cookies with one hand. “Thought you might be getting
hungry,” she said with an innocent smile.

“How thoughtful. Thank you.” Keilor came
around the desk, a suspicion of humor twitching at his lips, took
the tray, and then remained to block the doorway. “Dinner smells
delicious, too. I’m looking forward to it.”

When he refused to budge, her eyes narrowed.
“You’re welcome,” she said, and then very, very carefully shut the
door with a soft click.

Raziel took a cookie and popped it into his
mouth with a grin. “One week, ha! I’ll have my money tomorrow, my
friend, and you’ll be that much the poorer.”

Keilor only smiled.

Later that evening, as he watched his
virtuous wife nearly bite her tongue off during dinner to prevent
herself from asking about his meeting, he had to admit he was
enjoying this contest of wills. Wild curiosity was such a part of
her nature, and suppressing it was clearly killing her. Just for
the thrill of it, he’d been prolonging her suspense, but now he
took pity on her. “Yesande is near. We were making plans to ensure
her capture and the safety of yourself and Leo.”

Her head snapped up. “Yeah?” Her eyes
sparkled with questions, and he could see her holding her
breath.

Laughing, he tossed down his napkin and moved
to her side, taking her hand and pulling her into his arms. “You’re
trying too hard.” Offended, she scowled and tried to pull away, but
he had a secure hold on her. “Not that I haven’t been impressed,
mind you, but I don’t like to see you suppressing yourself like
this.”

When she stared at him, unsure, he smiled and
stroked her hair. “I want you to be yourself, Dragonfly. Do the
things you love to do, just do them safely for our baby’s sake. Do
you see? Can you do what I’m asking?”

Wounded, she answered, “I said I would,
didn’t I?”

“Yes.” He kissed her lightly. He lingered,
teasing at her lips. “You did,” he murmured, distracted.

She pulled away, a bit breathless, and
demanded, “What about Yesande?”

“We will take care of Yesande when she
comes,” he reassured her, meaning his warriors and himself, but
avoiding an argument by letting her think she would be included.
When she still looked troubled, he led her to the couch, sitting
down and arranging her on his lap. “I assure you I won’t be taken
unawares twice. You’ll be as safe as the Master of the Hunt and a
citadel full of soldiers can make you.”

Jasmine smiled. “I’m sorry, I just get
worried. Every time that I think about

”

He touched her lips, silencing her. “I feel
it, too, Dragonfly. But don’t let the past rule you. You are safe,
here and now, and I’m here and whole. We will win this time, I
promise you.” He kissed her hand, offering comfort and support.
When she nuzzled into his touch, seeking more, he slid down on the
couch, prepared to deliver.

His summons box clicked.

He sat up and grabbed it off of his belt to
check the code. Adrenaline poured through him as he saw it was the
one he’d been expecting.

Jasmine’s hand tightened on his hip. “What is
it?”

He gave her a quick kiss before bounding to
the closet to collect his battle gear. “Nothing to worry about, but
I want you to stay here. No visitors until I get back, all right?
That includes family. Rihlia won’t be visiting at this time of
night, and there is no one else who needs to see you. I don’t even
want you opening the door unless I give the all safe code, is that
clear?”

She only hesitated a heartbeat. “All right.
But what if

”

”Terza is here, and Isfael is just on the
other side of the door, along with reinforcements. If you need to
see what’s going on for some reason, you may use the view screen to
watch the hall.” He buckled on his weapon’s belt and took her in
his arms for one last kiss. “Keep the bed warm for me, Jas.” And
then, with the click of a door, he was gone.

It was a moment before her mind cleared
enough to assimilate what he’d said. Her eyes narrowed. Great.
Stay home, be a good wife, and don’t worry about me maybe
getting my head blown off, little lady.

Rolling her eyes, she cleared the table and
settled down with a deck of cards for a game of solitaire.

It promised to be a long night.

Keilor raced through the moonlit night, his
long legs pumping with exhilarating efficiency, sending adrenaline
charged blood through his pounding heart.

Battle. At last.

Taking a deep breath of the sultry night air,
he checked the scents of those who ran beside him

all friends. As he neared the stable, he saw his stag
among the many battle-ready mounts, his night vision equal to all
but the deepest of shadows.

In her arrogance, Yesande had assumed she
would be safe if she clung to the mountains until the very last and
then used the river to carry her nearly to the walls of the
citadel. She’d strike near dawn, forcing the series of gates
guarding the ground level seafood hatcheries that helped assure
fresh meat in times of siege or storm.

She hadn’t reckoned on the prowess of Jaymes’
scouts.

He reached the aqueduct gates just as Yesande
and her men docked their boat. Their feet no sooner touched ground
than the surprised group was surrounded by silent Haunt who melted
from the shadows on every side.

“Good evening, Yesande. Rather late in the
year for boating, isn’t it?” His voice lowered to a rough growl.
“I’m sorry to inform you that Tor Maphin won’t be joining you this
evening. He’s been...delayed.” He flashed her a smile of challenge
as he took on the Haunt, his sharp white teeth gleaming in the
light of the triple moons.

A silent roar of rage was her only answer as
she and her men dashed for the woods as one body, firing as they
ran.

They were cut down like so many scurrying
bugs.

Mathin personally took his sister’s head.

A kink in her neck woke Jasmine. She stood up
and stretched. If she was going to be bored to sleep then she might
as well do it while lying comfortably on the bed.

She was determined not to worry about Keilor.
She’d learned enough about Haunt honor and the male mind in recent
months to know he’d find her lack of faith distressing.

She knew he still tormented himself over her
kidnapping and that he viewed the capture of Yesande as his
redemption. His unwillingness to forgive himself for that tore at
her. It wasn’t his fault, but he was too good a man

and too much in love

to easily
believe that.

Determined to show her trust, both in him and
the men he’d surrounded her with, she prepared for bed.

It was the least he deserved.

“I’m sorry to see you here, cousin.”

Urseya stopped, startled by the voice in the
shadows.

Jayems melted out of the darkness of an
alcove in the only corridor leading to Jasmine and Keilor’s
suite.

The corridor she was just turning down, with
flash grenades hidden in her suddenly sweating palms. Jayems’
nostrils flared, and she knew he’d scented them as his eyes flashed
golden fire.

Evasion was useless, so she drew herself up,
shifting the glass grenades carefully to her left hand and settling
her weight on the balls of her feet. “You don’t have to be a part
of this, cousin. Your wife needs you, doesn’t she? For her sake, if
none other, remove yourself.”

His teeth gleamed in a humorless smile. “Your
fate was set the moment you came here, Urseya, but I’ll make this
quick, for your mother’s sake.” With blinding action, his blade
cleared its sheath, flaring into a blue arc even as her hand came
up. There was a hiss, a shriek, and a blinding explosion of blue as
his blade shattered the glass balls, negating most of their
destructive energy. Urseya’s thumb went flying through the air, but
she barely had time to feel it before Jayems reversed the arc of
his blade and severed her head.

Sounds of battle erupted just down the hall
and were almost immediately extinguished. Raziel rounded the
corner, retracting his blade. “Such poor sport,” he complained,
glancing behind him with contempt. “All clear.”

Haunt spilled out of the hallway behind him
and checked, disgruntled at being left with nothing to do but clear
the bodies. One of them slung Urseya’s body over his shoulder and
bent to scoop up her head by the hair, carrying what was left of
her off.

“Shall we see how Keilor fares?” Jayems
suggested, leading the way. The sooner this night was over, the
better.

Keilor entered the rooms he shared with
Jasmine, careful to do so silently. If she were sleeping he didn’t
want to wake her. She didn’t need to see him as he cleansed away
the blood of battle. It would only upset her.

He eased the door quietly shut and paused a
moment, listening. Her respiration remained steady and deep,
unmistakably that of deep slumber. Satisfaction brought a smile to
his face. It pleased him greatly that she would trust him so
well.

She’d left a light on for him. It was a sweet
gesture, and wholly human, for no Haunt would ever stumble in the
shadows. Still, the thoughtfulness warmed him. He had a very good
wife.

It was just as he was finishing his bath that
Terza lifted her head and growled. Keilor froze in the water,
listening. His eyes narrowed. Something was scrabbling down the
chimney.

Still naked, he slipped from the bath, water
dripping from his body to slick the tiles. A motion of his hand
warned Terza to silence. He retrieved his blade, staring at the
chimney above the still smoldering fire.

A long reptilian head emerged from the
chimney, its slitted yellow eyes blinking to clear the smoke.

Keilor didn’t give the poisonous lizard time
to focus. One swipe of his sword and its head thumped into the
fire, followed closely by its body. The coals sizzled as blood
dripped and flowed over them, evaporating in a cloud of noxious
smoke.