The Reckless Oath We Made(51)

I took half a step back to give him some space, but he brought his right hand up to my jaw, so his thumb touched my chin. His other hand hovered like he couldn’t decide where to put it, but he finally settled on my arm, below my elbow.

I thought, Is he actually going to kiss me? right before he did. Whatever base that was, he had definitely Frenched somebody before, because he knew the basics. It lasted about thirty seconds before he dropped his hands and took a step back, almost into the side of the tent.

“My lady—” He was going to apologize.

“You’re okay. It’s okay. Come sit down and tell me the story.” I sat down on the bed and patted the space next to me, but he stayed standing where he was.

“’Twas many years past,” he said. Then he took a deep breath and started over.

“’Twas many hundred years past and the king of Alba was a man called Elynas. One day he rode out hunting into the greenwood, where he came upon a lady called Pressyne. So fair was she, her lips bedewed, that he bade her marry him. The lady assented but bade him swear never come into her chamber while she bathed or birthed.”

“Birthed? He wasn’t supposed to see her bathing or giving birth?” I hated to interrupt him, but I wasn’t sure I understood.

“Nay, and he swore this oath. Ere they weren wed many years, she bore Elynas three daughters. Palatyne, Melior, and Melusine.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Tho the king swore, as holy a troth as his marriage vow, suspicion entered his heart. What secret kept the lady from him? And wherefore? Soon he broke his vow. At the door of the lady Pressyne’s chamber, he knelt and looked through the keyhole.”

Gentry acted it out, kneeling down and putting his hand up to his eye like it was a keyhole. It was so cute, I laughed. Then he started giggling.

“You’re stoned,” I said. He shook his head. Then he nodded, still laughing.

“I am happy, my lady, but shamed it is at the cost of thine own happiness.”

“How do you figure?”

“Thou art here only because of thy distress, but thou art here.”

“How long have you been planning to bring me here?”

“From the day the Witch told me I was to be thy champion.”

He was still smiling when he brought both his hands up and started scratching. First his neck, then his shoulders. After a minute or so, he stopped scratching and put his hands flat on the tops of his thighs.

“Lo, the king looked and saw Pressyne disporting in her bath—”

“Disporting?”

“The lady was playing in the water, but she was no lady.”

I bit my tongue, even though I had a bunch of questions. If she wasn’t a lady, how had she given birth to three daughters?

“Above her navel, she was like as any lady. Soft of shoulder. Full of breast. But below her navel, she had a great split tail atwinkle with silvered scales. The king meant to spy her in secret but, in his surprise, he cried out. Pressyne heard his cry and knew he betrayed his hest to keep the privacy of her bath. In a fury, she flew thence. She carried her three daughters to the enchanted Isle of Avalon, and swore King Elynas never see her nor them again.”

“Okay. Wait. Pressyne—” Those crazy names, like my mother was in charge of naming mysterious women from the forest. “I thought Melusine was the one whose husband spied on her while she was taking a bath, but it’s Pressyne with the spying husband? I’m confused.”

Gentry scratched at his neck and his shoulders again, frowning the whole time.

“Nay,” he said, but nothing else. I felt like I’d screwed up the whole thing, the story and him being there with me. Like I’d peeked through the keyhole at him taking a bath. I wished we could go back to the part where he was laughing at his own jokes.





CHAPTER 25





Gentry



I promised to scratch your back while you told me a story. Come lie down,” Lady Zhorzha said.

By such enticement she drew me on, but I withstood. Upon my knees, beside the pallet I made for her, I was reminded of my proper place. When she saw I would not lie with her, she rose before me, her hair about her like a cloak, and reached for me with her dragon’s talons. I meant to take no more than was offered, but she scoured my shoulders in slow circles so that I lost the thread of my tale. I gained upon her til my brow rested against her belly, and all that lay between us was the cloth of her chemise. Soon, twixt her flesh and mine, there was kindred warmth. I breathed upon her and breathed her in. She smelled of darkness and cool water and full sun all at once.

“Why don’t you put out that light and come to bed?” she said.

“Nay, I shall keep the watch this night.”

“So you liked kissing me, but you don’t want to sleep with me?”

“Wert thou only a woman, and I only a man, I would swive thee.” I drew back from her, for I would be ruled by the oath I swore to protect her, and not by my desire.

“You would what?” she said.

“Wert thou a doe and I a stag in rut, I would mount thee.” I spake plainly that she might ken me.

“Wow, Gentry. I don’t know if you’re reciting poetry or talking dirty to me. But what am I, if I’m not a woman?”

“Thou art the daughter of a dragon, and above all, thou art the lady I swore to protect and champion.”