Trusted (8 page)

“Apologies,” he said shortly. “For Sarea has already claimed me for the first two dances.”

Sarea felt all the color drain from her face. She stiffened on his arm and he felt it. He looked at her curiously and she looked away.

“If you will excuse us, Sarea’s mother awaits her,” the king said, moving to step around the couple.

“Oh do let Goddrick take her,” Gersa said patting her escort’s arm. “That way you and I can enjoy the gardens together a while longer.”

“No, I thank you,” the king said firmly. “I took her away from her mother and so I shall return her to her. As is good manners. And I am nothing if not polite. A skill many in my court could stand to learn.”

The king gave the couple a curt nod and then led Sarea away. As they climbed up to the terrace he asked her, “Have I done something wrong?”

“Oh. N-no. N-not really,” she stammered.

He stopped, pulled her into the shadows and tipped her face up to his.

“We have a pact you and I. We are to be wholly honest with one another…whether the other person wants to hear it or not.”

“It’s not that. It’s just…” She sighed as a blush crept over her cheeks. “I cannot dance. I most certainly cannot dance in front of others and here you have told her that I must dance the first dance with you! You who everyone will be watching! And not just
one
dance but two!”

“But all young noblewomen can dance. They practically live for dances. Look at how eager your friends are to put on the masque.”

“My tutors tried to teach me, but my feet never went in the right direction! I could never remember all of those complicated steps to all of those intricate dances. Well, I remember the gliding one. That one is pretty and simple. Perhaps we can just do the glide. Although I do tend to trip over my own feet. Oh why did you have to tell her that we would be dancing!”

“Because we will be dancing,” he said, calm in the face of her frazzled nerves. “And you will be beautiful and graceful and perfectly lovely as you do it.”

“But I can’t--!”

Whatever else she was going to say was cut off when he suddenly jerked her body against his and seized her mouth in a blinding kiss. Her breath was arrested in her chest as heat speared into her alongside the thrust of his tongue deep in her mouth. Both of his hands went to cradle her head, holding her in place for the attack. Her body bent into his, attaching itself to him from chest to toes, and her arms clung to him desperately, her hands gripping his biceps helplessly.

He stole her breath away, made her head feel light and dizzy. She had never been kissed so passionately before. It was a very different kiss from what they had shared in the garden.

He pulled himself off of her with a jerk. She stared into his now violet eyes, seeing the dark heat of his desire for her. He was drawing hard for breath, as was she. His hands gripped her around her head as he stared hard into her eyes.

“You did not know how to kiss a man before today, am I correct?”

“I-I have shared kisses with—“

“Boys?”

“Y-yes.”

“But never a man.”

“No. Never,” she said, her voice soft and small.

“And yet now you can kiss like that. Kiss well enough to drive me insane with need.”

“Oh! I—did not mean to!”

“My point, Sarea, is that all it takes is the right partner. With the proper partner, learning becomes much easier.” He blew out a steadying breath. “I will teach you to dance. You will not trip over your own feet and you will look elegant and beautiful as you dance. This I promise you. But I must ask a barter in return.”

She swallowed, never knowing what he was going to do next. “What is it you would like?” she asked softly.

“More of these,” he said, swooping in to kiss her again with the same blistering heat. He kissed her so hotly that her body came alive and began to crave things. Wild things. It craved the feel of his hands on her. But all he did was hold her head between them, his fingertips rubbing and tunneling into her hair.

When he broke from her they were both drawing hard for breath. Then he seemed to remember where they were, how nearly public they were standing in the shadows of the terrace. He stood straighter, his body having bent to make more secure contact with hers. He rubbed a thumb longingly across her bottom lip.

“Do we have a bargain?” he asked, his voice deep and husky.

All she could do was nod. She should have said no. She should be denying him access to her, not granting more. But she was lured by the tempting whisper of more searing kisses. Kisses that made her body and her soul come alive. Her heart was pounding at the very thought of it.

He put her a step away from himself then took a deep breath. He took in the sight of her from head to toe and then seemed to shake himself to attention.

“Come, let’s take you to your mother before I pull you back into the shadows,” he growled.

She flushed, but for some reason felt infinitely pleased with herself. Then she realized it was because he found her too tempting to resist. What a powerful feeling that was! Perhaps he was right. Perhaps she did have all the power in their relationship.

She had a feeling she was about to find out just how true that was.

Chapter Eight

Garrick couldn’t sleep. His mind was whirling with images of a fair face and impressions of a hot kiss. Their encounter in the gardens and on the terrace consumed his thoughts. Though she had left him hours ago it was as though she had not left at all. He had gotten nothing done the rest of the afternoon and he could not explain it to himself.

Here was a girl, an innocent no less…and he definitely believed her to be innocent. It was not an act. Those shy blushes were real enough. But here was an innocent girl standing in the face of his experience and his boldness, and she had all but brought him to his knees with a kiss. Just a simple kiss.

No. There had been nothing simple about those kisses. And the innocence of them had quickly burned off. She was full of passion. It thrived inside of her like a seed thrives beneath the touch of the sun. And the idea of nurturing that nascent passion had him hard and wanting her.

He astounded himself. He had done things and had no idea why he had done them. Why had he told her of Areela? He had never told anyone of his daughter outside of the Trusted. They were sworn to keep all of his secrets, she was not. She could spread gossip about it and it would sweep through the court like wildfire, Areela’s anonymity gone for all time. There was no telling the kind of pain that could create.

Yet he told her.

But he did not fear having told her. He knew, somehow, that she would rather die than betray his trust. How did he know this with barely a full day’s worth of contact with her? Where was all of this trust coming from? Because, outside of his Trusted, he trusted no one. He could not afford to risk throwing his trust about. Very often lives were at stake. The welfare of thousands of people rested in his hands.

No. He did not trust easily.

And what was he thinking, exposing a girl so innocent to the workings of his court? All of the gossiping, maneuvering and grasping. Women like Gersa who would just as soon tear Sarea apart as look at her. Was he truly that selfish that he would string her up like a lamb for slaughter?

Perhaps he was.

No. He definitely was.

What kind of man did that make him? He should be protecting her, not throwing her in. And he wanted to protect her. But he also wanted to see what she could withstand. He wanted to see her strength.

She would either sink or swim, and for some reason he needed to know which it would be.

He lay in bed, naked but for the sheet covering the lower half of his body, and the urge to run came over him. He needed to sleep, but even more he needed to run. He got up and walked out onto his balcony, a good three stories from the ground. With a growl he let the change come over him, let his truform out to play. The massive black lion with startling purple eyes leapt from the balcony fearlessly and hit the ground running. Breath chuffed out of him as he ran deep into the gardens, loped across the manicured lawns and into the wilder grasses beyond. He wished to be in the Red Forest, the great forest that stretched for miles between their lands and the lands of the Umam. To run in the Red Forest was to truly run free, but it was as dangerous as it was wild. The Umam would not think twice about hunting them in either of their forms. The Umam’s hate was supreme and unequivocal. The feeling was mutual. Although Garrick’s people were told not to instigate any altercations with the Umam, incidents did occur…usually started by the Umam. Garrick wanted his people to protect themselves at all costs, but any altercation could be blown out of proportion and the cold war that existed between the two nations could develop into a violent war. There had been true war during his father’s reign, and all Garrick could remember was the names of the dead. Every day someone else they had known had died in a battle with the Umam. Garrick did not want that for his generation. He did not want that for his sons or the sons of his Trusted…when they ever decided to have them.

It was past time they were settled, he found himself thinking. His Trusted were all bachelors, in his image. He kept them all so busy they didn’t have time or, apparently, inclination to marry. The king wasn't doing it, so why should they?

He was aware it was well past time for him to find a queen and get sons on her to carry on his name. To carry on his house. His brother had died, leaving only Garrick to inherit…and to pass on the legacy of his rule.

Garrick ran up into the mountains that were nestled at the castle’s rear, protecting it from invaders in that direction. He passed mines, now laying quiet as the miners slept in their beds. He climbed higher and suddenly was aware of movement shadowing him. He went to a ledge and looked down below himself to see a large golden cat padding along in his footsteps. He roared, gaining the cat’s attention. Then he leapt from the ledge and onto the golden cat’s back. They skidded down the mountainside a little bit, rolling and tussling. The golden cat threw him off and then, with a speed that had always impressed Garrick, the cat turned into a man.

Jesso.

Garrick changed as well and the two men met.

“Why are you following me?” Garrick asked.

“Isn’t it my duty to protect my king from all things?”

“We’re in the mines. There’s nothing to protect me from out here.”

“There could be danger from any quarter. There’s no telling where the Umam might strike.”

“Are we to live in paranoia?” Garrick asked bitterly.

“I am more keen since the disappearance of your cousin. He was your heir. Now it is left to me, who does not deserve it by blood.”

“My only remaining family are my cousins. Mostly female. One a sister to Ulric. And title cannot be handed down to a female and my other male cousins are not fit to rule.”

“As we all know. But Lord Tyron is looking for a reason to dethrone you. Do not give him opportunity to do it the easy way.”

“It would not be easy, I promise you,” Garrick said darkly. “He would have to send a cadre of assassins if he wishes to take me that way.”

“Still. Give no one opportunity. Neither the Umam nor Tyron.”

Garrick found a smooth boulder and took a seat. He looked down the vista at his castle and all of the city laid out before him.

“I feel I am walking a precipice a vast canyon all around me, ready to tip over into it at the slightest push in the wrong direction. Who will be the one to push me first? The Umam or Tyron? It is a struggle to stay balanced day in and day out. Especially when things like Ulric’s disappearance happen. Did whoever take him know he was my only heir? Was it the Umam or was it someone closer to home like Tyron? Has Tyron knocked the support out from under me and is now waiting for me to fall?”

“He would have to go through every last Trusted to get to you,” Jesso said fiercely.

“I know,” Garrick said with a sigh. He reached out and clapped the other man on the shoulder. “I have that at least.”

They were silent a moment, then Jesso asked, “What is with this girl today?”

“Ah, don’t ask me that,” Garrick said with a wry laugh. “For I do not have the answer for myself.”

“Don’t get me wrong, she’s a pretty thing by and by, but that virgin’s noose is the real thing I’m thinking. She blushes every time you look at her. And it isn’t like you to go for the virgins.”

“I know. Believe me, I don’t see myself in this situation. But here I am nonetheless.”

“Just be careful. I know it is considered to be an honor to be the king’s lover, but not everyone sees it that way. These girls can either gain or lose a husband the moment they become your paramour. Is she promised to anyone?”

Garrick frowned. “I had not thought to ask. Seems she would have mentioned it.”

“You can be a bit intimidating and overwhelming. Make sure you ask her.”

“I’ll do that,” he said, his frown deepening. Sarea promised to someone? Someone
else
? He didn’t like the idea of it. Not in the least.

“Let us talk of Trusted,” Jesso said.

“What of them?”

“Not those who are Trusted…those who might become. I see several promising candidates. But we won’t really know until we spend time with them. A lot of time. Choosing Trusted can become quite consuming. We were lucky in the beginning. There was the six of us from the start, all your companions since childhood. When your father died and it came time for you to choose Trusted it was like we were ready made to the task. This is the first time we are bringing an outsider in.”

“Don’t be too hard on them,” Garrick said with a chuckle.

“Pah! I’m going to run them down like dogs! They need to be put through their paces. I am determined to see at least two of them drop out of contention on their own.”

Garrick laughed. “You’re a mean bastard.”

“I know who my father is,” he joked back.

Garrick stood up and stretched. “Come,” he said. “Run with me.”

Jesso grinned. “It would be better in the forest. We could take down a stag together.”

“Time enough for that at the hunting party tomorrow. Come on. I’ll race you once around the grounds of the keep and then back to my room.”

“You know I’ll win!” Jesso called after him as Garrick changed on the fly in a ripple of muscle and gleaming black fur. The horta lion loped down the incline leading away from the mines and back onto the castle grounds. Jesso, once again the beautiful gold kinka leopard, fell into pace beside him. As they moved, lean, powerful muscle moved with grace and strength. As soon as they reached the border of the castle grounds, Garrick took off running.

It was a run just for the glory of running. Garrick knew Jesso was faster than he was…but only by a hair. What he lacked in speed he made up for in power and determination. They chuffed into the cool night air as they ran, their paws barely touching the ground. They weren't silent, not in the least, and at the end of the trail Jesso circled beneath Garrick’s balcony, waiting for the king to catch up. It wasn't a long wait and as a greeting the king tackled Jesso to the ground. They tussled, rolling and playing for a few minutes, each trying to pin the other. In that contest, Garrick was the winner. There was no competing against Garrick’s weight and size for the lighter leopard.

Jesso gained his paws and with a parting roar, he left to leap onto his balcony, which was only a short distance from Garrick’s. Garrick bounded upward, great muscles bunching then stretching. He was on his balcony moment’s later, getting up being much more trickier than getting down had been. Getting up he’d had to jump first to a second story balcony and then up to the third. Still, the ascent was quick and nearly seamless.

The run had exercised every part of him, stretched him and worked him. The castle grounds were vast and running the rim of them took no small amount of effort…especially at full speed. But he was only tired because he’d had such a long, tumultuous day. For the hunt tomorrow he would run and chase prey and wouldn’t notice a single moment’s weakness.

He changed back into a man, padding naked to his bed. He climbed in, pulled up the covers, and laid back with a sigh. For the moment he was content. He might be surrounded by danger, but he was also surrounded by Trusted. As long as he had them, his life and safety, and the life and safety of the kingdom, were assured.

Sarea did not sleep well at all that night. Every time she drifted off memories of the king’s kiss haunted her. She imagined him kissing her again, imagined him putting his hands on her body this time. What would that feel like? Would the touch of his hands be as memorable as the touch of his lips?

Then she would tell herself she was putting herself in danger. Yes, he was not the man she had imagined him to be in some ways, but in other ways he was just as demanding as she had expected. He was a masterful male, a man used to getting his own way, but not spoiled and not to the point of running roughshod over everyone else. He was far more thoughtful than she had anticipated. He seemed somehow more…real. There were emotions there. He had not shown her much of them, but enough for her to know there was far more depth to the man.

But it was hard to separate the man from the king, and she didn’t think she should. They were, after all, one and the same. She barely had an image of what kind of king he was. Her only image was what was generally perceived by all. He was strong, capable and not to be trifled with. But now she could see that he was thoughtful as well. Whenever they argued a topic he always chose the opposing side in order to see it from all directions. Only a truly intelligent and considerate man would feel the need to do that.

Sarea arose with the dawn, unable to pretend to sleep any longer. She woke her maid and they dressed her, the young girl carefully braiding Sarea’s virgin’s noose. She watched in the mirror, a serious pall falling over her.

“Fere, you do not wear your hair in a noose,” she noted. The girl was young and unmarried. It would seem that she should still have the right to wear it…unless…

“Oh, I’ve not been a virgin for some time. And unlike other girls, I’ll not pretend otherwise.”

“So you’ve had sex with a man not your husband?” Sarea’s eyes went wide, a forbidden sense of excitement slipping through her. Suddenly it felt as though they were sharing important secrets.

“Several, actually,” Fere said with a wink.