A Kiss of Fire (A Kiss of Magic #2)(101)

“But as his wives and concubines their first loyalty should be to him. Just as yours is to me.”

“Their first loyalty should be to their rightful ruler. But I can see how their loyalties would be torn.”

“I mean it, Ariana. You are not to go near them.”

She reached to kiss his mouth. “I promise I will not go near them while you are gone.”

“Thank you. Now let me see to some missives and then I will join you for dinner and bed.”

“When will you leave?” she asked, unable to weed the anxiety out of her voice.

“The last of the troops should arrive tomorrow. I will leave the following morning provided they are well outfitted and prepared. My last reports put Vich very close to us. Four days’ march. We will meet him about a day’s march out. It will be too close as it is. There can be no delay.”

It all seemed so real so suddenly. She didn’t understand why she was having such a problem with this. She was a leader. She had sent men off to war before. She had seen her own father go to battle when she was much younger. She had loved him no less. But this was different. She had no foothold here. If something were to happen to him, she would be on the run…with an army between her and Saren. But more importantly she loved him as she had never loved before. The thought of losing that, of losing him…she knew she would never recover. Only for the sake of her child could she ever survive the loss of him.

She walked away from him, numb. It was hard to believe that mere months ago she had hated him. She had been wrong to do so. Now she loved him and this felt wrong. Sending him away felt wrong.

Well, she wouldn’t cry about it now. She would wait until he left and she was alone in the privacy of her chambers before she fell apart. He needed her to be strong. And she was strong. She was a strong woman. She was used to people looking to her for strength and it would be no different here. No one would see her as weak. She would own her new position here. Even though she as yet did not have one of power, she was not yet raji, Sin was treating her like she was and was expecting others to treat her equally so. So far all had done as he had asked. But would that change once he was gone?

She would not let it change. She would act as raji. She would command this household. She would also see to it she was ready to flee at a moment’s notice. The safety of her child was paramount, and she would not be caught at the under guarded temple. She knew Vich would not tolerate her to live. And since she wasn't showing yet, no one knew she was breeding save Mariah and Fatima. They were waiting until after his brother was caught before making any such announcements.

Ariana came around the corner and stopped suddenly. She saw Mariah there, her body trapped against the wall by the body of a man. He had one hand braced above her head and the other was drawing a slow, lazy circle on her chest where it was exposed by the square of her neckline. Mariah was pink across her cheeks and her body language suggested she was receptive to the attention.

Ah. This must be the man she had grown an affection for, Ariana realized. It made her throat ache to see it. If they had to run, it would tear Mariah away from her new romance. Unless he came to Saren with them, and that would be asking a lot of a man who was only just beginning to find flirtation with a woman. Mariah noticed her before she could turn and walk away. She pushed the man away and stood up straight. Flushing guiltily, she stammered, “M-my lady. I was just seeing to your bath.”

Ariana finally got a good look at the man Mariah had pushed away. He was like Sin in that he was not a pretty man, not classically handsome, but there was a rugged attractiveness that could easily lure in any woman.

“Mariah I have not even had dinner yet,” she said with amusement, watching her flustered maid.

“Oh. Yes, of course,” Mariah said, her blush deepening.

“Who is your friend, Mariah?”

“This is Georg. Georg, this is my lady Ariana.”

Georg gave her a smart bow. “My lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry if I was keeping Mariah from you. We were just passing each other in the hall and…she’s so pretty, you see. It’s hard for a man to resist.”

She smiled at his politeness and his obvious desire for her lady maid.

“You were not keeping me from her. She is free to do whatever she likes when she is not serving me.”

“Is there anything you need at present, my lady?” Mariah asked, moving toward the door to the master’s chambers.

“No Mariah. Remain here. I won’t need you again until after supper.”

“Are you certain?” Mariah asked skeptically, and Ariana wondered if her distress was apparent on her face. She made certain to school her features.

“You are free to do as you like until bath time.” Ariana took hold of the knob and let herself into the room. She shut the door on the couple. She wondered if they would pick up where they had left off when she had interrupted them. She hoped so. Mariah should be allowed this one pleasure. She had served her loyally and selflessly for long enough. It was time she took something for herself.

And who knew what tomorrow would bring?





Chapter Twenty-Nine


Ariana stood shivering in the cold of the courtyard the next day kissing her husband goodbye. He wrapped his arms around her and using his majic he warmed her. She could have done so herself, but it was better coming from him. Yet she shivered still. Nothing would be able to warm the chill on her soul, not even her husband. Not unless he said he was staying.