The Robber Knight's Love (The Robber Knight Saga #2)(161)

“Did I hear right? You wish me to sully your maidenly honor once more? To put your good reputation in danger?”

If she hadn't felt so wonderful in his arms, she might have slapped him in that moment. He looked too smug to be allowed!

Casting her eyes down, she nodded hurriedly.

He bent forward again until his mouth tickled her ear. “You want me to kiss you again? Long, and lingeringly, sensually, in a very elicit, forbidden, and definitely sinful manner?”

“Are you quite finished?” she demanded. He was having altogether too much fun with this. Her cheeks felt like overheated ovens.

“Not quite,” he whispered. “I'd like an answer to my question.”

“What question?”

“Do you want me to kiss you again?”

“B-but I did answer you.”

“You only moved your head, Milady. That is not very polite. Answer me, out loud.” He moved back again so he could stare into her eyes, and no doubt also so she could see the diabolical smirk on his face. “Do you want me to kiss you again? With all the passion I can press on your soft, maidenly lips?”

Had she thought her cheeks had been warm before? How wrong she had been. Heat rose up in them until they were literally burning. Her lips were open, but unmoving—unable to form the fatal words that would seal her fate.

Reuben moved closer. Only the fraction of an inch separated them. She could feel his warm breath on her face—so loving, so alluring…

“Do,” Reuben whispered, enunciating each syllable. “You. Want. Me. To. Kiss. You?”

And suddenly, instinctively, Ayla nodded again. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, please kiss me!”

“Oh, Milady,” he growled, his grin widening. “Your wish is my command!”

He swooped down on her once more, and for a time, Ayla ceased to register the world around her. There was only him and her and the feel of their connection. She didn't notice the birds singing in the trees. She didn't notice the calls of guards in the distance. She didn't notice the squirrel running past them in the grass. She almost didn't notice the yelp of the servant who came hurrying around the corner of the keep into the orchard.

Reuben did, though.

His lips froze. Slowly, he let go of Ayla, and a growl rose from his throat. The servant, who had been about to hurry away again, was frozen in place.

Continuing to hold Ayla with one arm—for which she was quite grateful, because her knees still felt wobbly—Reuben slowly straightened himself to his impressive height and turned to glare at the little man. Angry recognition flashed in his eyes as they fell upon him.

“You again! What is it this time? Let me guess. You've brought a bowl of soup for the earthworms and the songbirds?”

“N-no, Sir,” the little servant stuttered, retreating several steps. “I just…I didn't mean to interrupt… I mean, not that you were doing anything worth interrupting, ahahaha.” He laughed nervously and took another few steps back. “I didn't see anything at all, especially not the kissing, which of course didn't happen. So sorry to interrupt.”

Ayla tried to untangle herself from Reuben. Her knees felt steady enough to stand again, but he seemed reluctant to let go.

“Will you please let go of me?” she whispered.

“Actually, I wasn't planning to, no.”

“Reuben!”

She threw a meaningful glance at the servant, who looked like he was devoutly wishing for the ability to disappear into thin air.

“Um…we were just…discussing something,” she said. “Totally harmless. Your eyes probably misled you. And no reason at all to mention what you thought you saw but definitely didn’t see to Burchard or my father.”

“Yes, Milady. Of course, Milady.”

Beet-red, the servant looked back over his shoulder, clearly plotting an escape route. Yet although, in Ayla's opinion, there was nothing particular to keep him, and although Reuben was still glaring at him furiously, he did not go. Finally, she asked politely, “Was there anything particular you wanted?”

He gulped. “Yes, indeed, there was, Milady. I have been sent to find you on an errand from the Steward. Master Burchard says if you would please come quickly to the great hall? There is a matter that requires your immediate attention.”

“Indeed?” Reuben growled. “And what is this matter that is so terribly urgent that it requires the lady's immediate attention?”

“A herald has arrived, Sir. A herald with a message for Lady Ayla.”

“A herald?” There was a dangerous tone in Reuben's voice now. Actually, Ayla admitted to herself, there always was a dangerous tone in Reuben's voice. But now it sounded especially dangerous. “You interrupted our…discussion for some flap-mouthed messenger?”

The herald gulped again, but he drew himself up and nodded, looking Reuben straight in the eye. Ayla looked at him more closely and saw in his face what she hadn't noticed before: fear.

“Yes, Sir. A messenger from the Margrave von Falkenstein.”





Iron Tidings

This herald was nothing like the last one—that was the first thought that ran through Ayla's mind when she looked down at him from her father's high chair on the raised platform in the great hall. The last one had been small, narrow-eyed, and shifty. This one was large, with a pale, bony face and a mustache that solemnly drooped at both ends. His hands were very hairy and looked too large for the small scroll and leather pouch he carried.