A Kiss of Fire (A Kiss of Magic #2)(11)

Oh but what kind of man would do something like this? Something so heinous and utterly wicked? And once he had her, what was he planning to do with her?

She pushed away the immediate answer that sent more heat blooming beneath her skin. What was wrong with her? This was a violation, pure and simple. And he had dragged Mariah into this as well. She would never forgive him for endangering her and the guards who had been protecting her.

How long had he been waiting for her? How long had he been lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to snatch her away? One month? Two? Oh why had she made it so easy for him? Why hadn’t she gone out with a full contingent of guards like she was supposed to?

Because she hated feeling like she needed protecting from her own people. Because she had felt safe among them. She had never considered danger from a source outside of her own people. Well…perhaps she had considered it, but she had also considered that anyone who would be damned fool enough to do so wouldn’t for risk of creating a war.

However, if anyone were fool enough it would be Raja Sin. He had gone to war for land. He had thought little of throwing lives away in the goal of what he had wanted. He would easily do so again. And now that they had their land, the borders between their countries were much increased. They would have an even stronger foothold than they had when first they had gone to war. Now here was Sin doing whatever he wanted to get whatever he wanted and damn all the consequences. He would be throwing away lives both Kiltian and Saren and for what?

For what?

What did he want with her really? This couldn’t possibly be about…Raja Sin was many things, but he was not a fool. This was a foolish act. It was impulsive and poorly thought out.

Then again, maybe not. He might have been planning this for a lot longer than she realized. Maybe this had nothing to do with that kiss in the gardens and everything to do with wanting more land. During their initial bargaining he had wanted the entire Triagle Territory. In the end he had settled for half. Still that half had increased his country in size by half. If he had gotten the entire territory it would have double Kilt’s size.

Regardless of his reasons, they were rooted in selfish greed. He thought to satisfy his own needs and to both hells with everyone else. It made him a terrible leader.

She had misjudged him. She had thought him to be, regardless of his barbarity, a thoughtful leader. A man who was looking out for his people’s best interest. But now she realized he was none of that. He was barbaric, plain and simple. No complexity. No intelligence. And certainly no moral right or wrong.

Well, he wouldn’t get away with this. Her fellow triumvirs would move the heavens aside in their search for her. When they found her they would do the same to reclaim her. Sin may have her now, but it would not last.

That is…if they could ever discover what had happened to her. They were no longer in the city, so clearly they had made it that far. But once news of her abduction reached the right ears the city would be locked down and all roads leading away from it would be searched for clues to her whereabouts.

They hit another rut in the road and it knocked her off her feet. She sprawled back onto her bench gracelessly and when she caught her balance she threw a little frustrated tantrum.

“Oh! I’m going to burn him to a crisp when I get hold of him!”

Only she wasn’t going to be able to do that. He was just like her. Impervious to fire. Able to call fire with his bare hands, transforming the raw majic channeled through them. And he had an Aspano majji—no wait, they called them Jadoc shamans—with him and was thus controlling her mind using him. Her defenses of the mind were as adequate as any majji of her ability, but it was clearly not enough to stand up against this shaman.

That last jolt had been strong enough to awaken Mariah. She blinked blearily and then focused through the dimness to see Ariana sitting across from her.

“My lady!” she cried, sitting up quickly. She swayed a moment, her hand going to her head.

“Easy,” Ariana soothed. “They’ve been using very powerful mind majic on us. Being a non, it will leave you with some after effects.”

Mariah was a non, what Ariana’s people called those who cannot use majic. Something in a non’s genetics kept them from being able to create majic. These nons usually served to fill many menial or proletarian jobs. Ariana could have asked for a majji for a lady maid and hundreds would have fallen over themselves for the opportunity even if it was a servile position, but she had chosen sweet little non Mariah and had been grateful for her every day. Mariah had always been discreet and a very good listener and friend. Mariah knew things about her that even her most intimate acquaintances did not know. And Mariah was loyal to a fault. She did not gossip like many other servants did. She did not speak out of turn or betray any confidences. Ariana had depended on her greatly for being the sounding board in her life where she could show any and all emotions, share her worst moments, share her most unattractive qualities which she kept strictly hidden from all those who would judge her.

Whenever she began to feel fake or devoid of her own character as she smiled and acted the part of the perfect triumvir, Mariah had been there to remind her of herself. Of who she was on the inside…and how valuable it was to keep in touch with herself.

And now this was the thanks she was getting. Being kidnapped and dragged…who knew where. Kilt, she thought. Where in Kilt was anyone’s guess, but she had no doubt Sin was going to bring her into the safety of his own borders.