A Kiss of Fire (A Kiss of Magic #2)(32)

“Raji-mother?”

“She would rule during the autumns my son is maturing.”

“I see. And if you have no sons?”

“Then my brother and his sons would inherit the crown.”

“And how does he feel about that?”

“My brother has no say in the matter. I am Raja. He is not. Not yet anyway.”

“What kind of man is your brother?”

He ignored the question.

“I have chosen you for wife because you fire my blood like no woman ever has before. In my culture, to find such a woman is worth everything. Everything must be done to obtain her. Had you been Kiltian I would have paid a handsome bride price for you. I would have given your family anything within my power. But if that was still not enough, then I would come for you in the night and take you for myself.”

“You mean kidnap.”

“Call it that if you like. In my culture it is a part of our wooing. Even if I paid the agreed upon price and matters were settled between the family, I would still come and take my bride and sweep her away to my home.”

“And doesn’t she get to have any say in the matter?”

“Not usually. But…if there is fire on one side, there is generally fire on the other.”

“You say that because you have never been kissed by a man you hated before,” she said bitterly.

“No, but clearly I have been kissed by a woman who hates me.”

Hate was such a strong word. Did she hate him? Or did she hate him less because she was beginning to understand him? She didn’t want to understand him. She didn’t want to like him or respect him for the passion he had for caring for his people. She didn’t want any of this.

“I never asked for you. I never wanted you nor did I ever ask for you. I won’t apologize for my feelings,” she said.

Sin leaned forward a little, regarding her keenly. What he wasn’t telling her was how deeply his want of her went. What he wasn’t telling her was what his feelings were, even though he was very clear on what hers were. She would not be receptive to his desires and feelings. No more than she was receptive to him in any other way. It frustrated him even as it excited him. She would be a challenge. All he had to do, he thought, was make her see what it was she truly wanted. What it was she could have here…with him. But that would be no easy task. While other women might be lured with promises of power, she already had power. She did not need him half as much as he needed her.

At least…she hadn’t. Now she was dependent on him for everything. He bet this was the first time she had ever been in a position of little power. She would begin to crave what she was used to. He was counting on that. She would begin to crave the power he could offer her.

Him and no other.

He stood up and she immediately leapt out of her chair and backed away from him. The reaction made him frown, but he did not let it faze him. He advanced on her.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said.

“How can I not be? You’re trying to force me to do what I don’t want to do!”

“I told you, I will not force you to do anything.” He held out his hand to her and waited. She shook her head in the negative. “Come with me,” he beckoned her.

She shook her head again.

“You would prefer to stay here locked away in this room?”

“You are the one who has locked me away here. I would prefer to be home!”

“The sooner you resign yourself to the fact that that is not going to happen, the happier you will be able to make yourself here.”

“I will never be happy here,” she whispered.

He dropped his hand.

“Suit yourself,” he said softly. Then he turned on his heel and left the room.

Ariana was shocked he had left. Simply left. He had not tried to push himself onto her like he had the first day she had been there. He had not grown angry with her. Had made no demands.

He confused her.

He was insinuating himself into her good graces, she realized then. He was slowly but surely wearing her down. And it was happening quicker than she would have thought possible. But if he thought she would ever come to him of her own free will, he was going to be sorely disappointed. She might be coming to understand him, but she would never forgive him for taking her away from her life.

But…the longer she was there…the more she realized that there wasn’t all that much she was missing. Oh, she missed her power and the day-to-day demands that came with being a ruler. In fact, she would have thought she would have gone a little stir crazy by now with so little to do. But he had kept her occupied enough so far. But as for missing things…

While she was good friends with her fellow triumvirs, Mason Hittite and Jutsin Felone, there was no one she was close to who she was missing. She had no living family…save a sister whom she was estranged from. A sister whose jealousy over Ariana’s position had blinded her, had outweighed any love she may have felt for Ariana. She loved Gretha dearly, but Gretha did not share the feeling. It was a point of sadness in her life. And without Ariana there, Gretha would be next in line for inheriting the family lands and armies. She would be next in line to become triumvir.

The thought made Ariana shudder. Gretha did not have what it took to be triumvir. She was far too selfish and far too hungry for power. She was always wanting the power, but never considering what it would take to deserve it, and what to do with it once you had it. It was very likely someone would come along and wrest control of their father’s province from her. Mason and Jutsin surely wouldn’t stand for working beside someone like Gretha. They would bring their armies to bear against her and forcibly rip any power away from her that she did not deserve. Then they would find a deserving Heddah—leader of a province—and give Gretha’s territories over to him or her.