A Kiss of Fire (A Kiss of Magic #2)(21)

Lindo had made no secret of the fact that he had disagreed with this entire act. But once Sin had set things in motion, once they had gone through with the capture of the triumvir, he had gone silent on the matter. Sin trusted that he would not be seen or heard disputing Sin’s judgment now that the deed was done. From now on all he would get was Lindo’s complete support. It just made him feel better to say it out loud.

“Of course not,” Lindo said, looking almost affronted.

“Good.”

Lindo regarded him silently for a moment. “Are you all right?” he felt compelled to ask.

“I’m delightfully perfect,” Sin said sarcastically. “I’ve just kidnapped the leader of another country. What could possibly be wrong?”

“If you are regretting—“

“No. I’m not regretting it. It’s just…it weighs on me. All of the potential ramifications weigh on me.”

“You already knew this would happen. You went over every possible ramification with me many times over the past few weeks. Ever since you decided to take her.”

“I know. But I had to do it. I tried for two autumns to rid her from my mind…to deny the craving I had for her. But it was to no avail. So now…this. This…insanity. And yet, having her here has made me feel the sanest I have felt in weeks. A part of me has relaxed. It feels comfort in the idea that she is mine now.”

“She is almost yours. You still need to win her over.”

“I am aware of that as well. I certainly don’t need you to remind me.”

“I am here as your sounding board Sin. You can share anything with me. You know it will go no further than me. If you have any doubts or fears, they would be only natural. This will be a trying time for you. You will need my support and I am glad to give it.”

“Thank you. I am very aware of those facts. And it means a great deal to me to know you will no longer judge me on these acts.”

“I never judged you. I only advised against it. Believe it or not I understand your reasons for doing this. What you have done is in the old ways. The ways of our people handed down through many generations. You are not the first to feel in such ways and you will not be the last. But I need only say that I hope it never happens to me. I wouldn’t want to go through what you are going through for all the gold and gems in our world.”

“That’s a pretty hefty sum to turn away,” Sin said with a small smile. “But I will let you know if it is worth all of the gems and gold in our world.”

“You do that,” Lindo said with a laugh. “Though you will have a hard time convincing me of it.”

“Mm. No doubt.”

Sin set his glass down on the sideboard and walked away from it. As he passed Lindo he clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Go. Find your bed my friend, it has been a long journey and the ground was cold and hard to sleep on.”

“And you? Where will you sleep?”

“As I said…it has been a cold and arduous journey. We all require rest and soft beds in which to sleep.”

With that vague answer, Sin left the room.





Chapter Seven


Ariana awoke the next morning when she felt a light caress on her arm. She sat up with a gasp, but when she blinked her eyes she saw only Mariah there.

Damn him. He had let her pace with anxiety over seeing him all night, until, finally exhausted, she had fallen asleep. Now the sun was streaming in the windows.

The windows were at the tops of those very tall walls, and she had no way or hope of getting up to them, otherwise she might have thought about melting the glass and trying to escape that way. But the windows were also quite narrow. She would never be able to squeeze even her slight frame through them.

What was he waiting for? Was this on purpose, this anxiety he was making her suffer?

Yes. Of course it was. Everything he was doing had a purpose to it. He had clearly thought everything through to the very last detail. Including the room she now inhabited.

Just how long had he been planning this? It would have taken quite some time to build a room to these exacting specifications.

She slid out of bed and onto her feet. Mariah tsked as she saw the mess of her hair.

“Come, we’ll fix it,” she said.

After about a half an hour, she had put herself to right, changing into a different colored skirt and blouse, tying it with the scarf from the previous outfit. She was barefoot, bare handed. There were no stockings and no petticoats. There were no drawers. She felt naked without them. She wondered if they had been neglected for her in specific, or if Kiltian women didn’t bother with wearing such accouterments.

She had just finished when the lock in the door tumbled open with a clang. The door opened and…

The man himself walked in at last.

Ariana’s breath caught. He was so big. Bigger than she remembered. Tall…so tall it made her feel small in spite of the fact that she was of unusual height for a woman. His shoulders nearly took up the width of the wide door, and he was imposing in the weight of muscle he carried. And it was muscle. There was no fat on that body. It was common for majic users to go to fat from laziness, from taking their power for granted, when they reached the power level he was at. But whatever he did, it was not from laziness that he had achieved that body. It was a magnificent body. Male and potent it was worthy of note.