To Seduce An Assassin (The Omaja Series Book 2)(100)

“We will find him, Your Highness,” Terak assured her. “We’ll take him back to the monastery. Take care of your survivors here, heal them, and get them inside the fort where it’s warm so they can rest and regain their strength.”

Jiandra nodded. “When you find Rafe, please send word so I can go to him.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

§

Graciella tore away from Yavi, darted through the open gate and circled around the wall of the fort. She saw a hooded figure running away in the distance. “Rafe! Rafe!”

He paused but didn’t look back at her.

Graciella ran to catch up with him. “Rafe! It’s me, Gracie.”

He turned, red glowing eyes glaring at her from underneath the hood.

“Rafe. Brother. I know you can hear me,” she said softly, wanting to hug him but afraid to do so.

He blinked at her. As she watched in amazement, his eyes changed back to their normal intense green color. And then they filled with tears.

“Rafe.” She took a step closer, reaching out a tentative hand to touch his shoulder, surprised at the taut muscles she felt there. He was growing into a man so fast. “You saved us, Rafe.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “No. Ujagar did.”

“No, that isn’t true,” Graciella countered. “Ujagar doesn’t want what’s good for me and Jiandra. You do. You, Rafe. Maybe you used his power to help you, but you are the one who rode down here to help us.”

He stared at her in silence.

“You are a good man, Rafe. I believe in you. Don’t forget that.”

He moved forward to embrace her, burying his face against her neck.

Behind her, she heard the sound of hoof beats. She and Rafe turned to see the Tylvani escort approaching, leading Rafe’s horse along with them.

Terak dismounted and nodded to Graciella, then bowed to Rafe. “Are you ready to go, Brother Rafe?”

Rafe pressed his palms together and returned the bow. “Yes, Master Terak.”

Jiandra came running up to join them. “Rafe! Are you all right?”

“Yes, sister.”

Jiandra folded him in her embrace, tears running down her cheeks. She stroked his hair. “Sweet little brother. Thank you for saving us.”

“I couldn’t do it alone,” he responded. “The emperors and the Black Army fought valiantly, as well as the monks here.”

“Yes.” Jiandra stroked his cheek. “Will you be all right?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about me.” He mounted his horse and joined the other monks. He gazed down at Graciella and Jiandra a moment before he left with the Tylvan escort.

Graciella watched him ride away. She and her sister put their arms around one another’s waists and hurried back inside the fort to help their husbands look after the wounded and the dead.

Later that night servants in the fort provided them with clean clothing, heated water to bathe in, warm bowls of lentils, and a bottle of wine. They washed the emperor’s ruby in boiling water and brought it out to Yavi on a clean cloth on a tray, and Yajna stood to replace it around his brother’s neck.

Servants offered to escort Yavi and Graciella to General Binnaj’s private quarters for the night, but they refused out of respect for the dead, and instead chose a modest, sparsely furnished guest room. The room had a narrow bed, a pitcher of water and a bowl, one towel, and a worn rug. By the light of the fire glowing in the small fireplace, Yavi sat on the edge of the mattress, tugged off his boots, then stood to remove his borrowed shirt. The emperor’s ruby rested between his thick pec muscles, against his tanned olive skin.

Graciella stepped forward to touch his chest, stroking her hand over the smooth texture of his perfect skin. “Miraculously healed up. This is a wonderful sight to see, after seeing you…” She didn’t want to describe what she’d seen when she arrived, and trailed off.

He glanced down, caressing her wrist and forearm as she touched him. “I hated for you to see me like that. I didn’t want to leave you with that image.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked up at his face. “Yavi,” she choked.

He pulled her into his arms, tight against his chest, and caressed her back. “Sweet Graciella,” he murmured. “It’s over. I’m here, and we’re all right now.”

Graciella wound her arms around his neck. “I was so scared.”

“I didn’t want you to see that,” he repeated softly, stroking her hair back from her face.

“Thank the Gods for Jiandra’s stone. It was like a miracle watching her heal you.”

“It felt like a miracle, too, believe me.”

She stretched up to kiss his cheek. “I love you so much, Yavi.”

He tightened his embrace, squeezing her into his torso. “I love you, too, my precious one. Sheir-zin halvon.”

Graciella clung to him, relishing the feel of his strong body against hers, the feel of his heartbeat, his breath, his warmth.

He pressed kisses to the side of her face. “We should rest now. We have much work to do tomorrow.”

“Yes. Yavi?”

“Yes, my sweet.”

“Don’t let go of me tonight.”

“I won’t.” He tightened his embrace again and caressed her back. “Except we do have to get undressed.” He chuckled. “Unless you plan to sleep in your dress.”