rides were a favorite topic of the Slice. The man took unseemly risks that most thought of as bordering on indecent. Yet the words of chastisement were often laced with sighs of longing.
"Marquelle... Green, it is good to see you here." He gave her a broad smile of greeting, his perfect white teeth flashing in the daylight. One naughty dimple curved his cheek, making him altogether too alluring a sight for such an early hour.
He won't be smiling much longer. Green thought. He stripped off his shirt and hung it over his Klee's saddle. Bending over the fountain, he ducked his head under the spray. He flung his head back as he straightened, letting the droplets slide down his neck and chest. Then he turned to her as he ran his fingers through his wet hair, slicking it back. Water glistened off of his lashes; the black crescents framing the pale azure color of his eyes.
Green had never seen such natural beauty in her life. And it was now hers.
"I must speak with you about something, Jorlan. May we go somewhere out of the view of the servants?"
Jorlan arched his brow, giving her a sensual look from beneath his jet-black lashes. "Of course," he whispered.
Obviously, he had completely misinterpreted her request as her desire for them to experiment some more. And he was not opposed to it in the least, she noted, taking some comfort from the reaction.
She hoped she had the strength to guide him in the ways he needed.
"We can go over to the mesh-pond again. Come." He took her hand in a natural gesture and led her through the gardens. Green marveled at how warm his grip was, how sure. His large hand completely surrounded her smaller one, but the hold was not overbearing. It was comforting and right.
He brought her to the same bench they shared the other day and sat them both down.
"Now, what is it that is so important that you need to speak to me about?" He leaned forward, getting closer to her.
A droplet of the cool water fell on her mouth. His pupils flared as he noticed it. Slowly he reached up to let his fingertip glide across her lower lip, wiping it away. "Excuse me," he murmured in a raw voice.
Green's hand captured his wrist, stopping his action. "I have something to show you."
His mouth lifted at the edges. "Really?"
"Yes." She reached into her pouch and retrieved the scroll. His brow furrowed in confusion as he watched her.
Unwinding the ancient pattern, she showed him his name next to Anya's seal.
At first he did nothing but stare silently at the parchment.
Then he raised his eyes to hers. He tried to hide the hurt shadowing them, but could not. "Why?" He spoke hoarsely. "Why did you do this?"
She observed him coolly, shielding the truth from him. "Because I can. And because I want you."
Jorlan flinched as if slapped.
"And because I want you, this is the only way I can have you." She finished succinctly.
He clenched his jaw. "I made it plain to you that I did not want to be bid on! I ask you again: Why did you do this?"
"You knew it was only a matter of time. Your grandmother had to accept a bid for you eventually. Surely you realize this? You are the last of the Reynard line. You have a responsibility not just to your family but to our community. Your ancestress was the Captain. Your line must continue."
"No! It was to be my choice—not hers! I never wanted this, Green. You must release the bind. It is not that I don't... care for you; it is simply not the path I see for my life."
"I'm sorry, Jorlan, I cannot. You know as well as I that once the scroll is signed, it is irrevocable for you." She placed her hand on his arm in a gesture of compassion. "Perhaps in time you will see this is for the best."
"I will never see it that way, Marquelle Tamryn." He yanked his arm away from her hand.
"Think again. There will be much you can gain from this alliance. My name will protect you always and, in some ways, you will have much more freedom than you do now to pursue your pastimes. I am not as conventional
"Marquelle... Green, it is good to see you here." He gave her a broad smile of greeting, his perfect white teeth flashing in the daylight. One naughty dimple curved his cheek, making him altogether too alluring a sight for such an early hour.
He won't be smiling much longer. Green thought. He stripped off his shirt and hung it over his Klee's saddle. Bending over the fountain, he ducked his head under the spray. He flung his head back as he straightened, letting the droplets slide down his neck and chest. Then he turned to her as he ran his fingers through his wet hair, slicking it back. Water glistened off of his lashes; the black crescents framing the pale azure color of his eyes.
Green had never seen such natural beauty in her life. And it was now hers.
"I must speak with you about something, Jorlan. May we go somewhere out of the view of the servants?"
Jorlan arched his brow, giving her a sensual look from beneath his jet-black lashes. "Of course," he whispered.
Obviously, he had completely misinterpreted her request as her desire for them to experiment some more. And he was not opposed to it in the least, she noted, taking some comfort from the reaction.
She hoped she had the strength to guide him in the ways he needed.
"We can go over to the mesh-pond again. Come." He took her hand in a natural gesture and led her through the gardens. Green marveled at how warm his grip was, how sure. His large hand completely surrounded her smaller one, but the hold was not overbearing. It was comforting and right.
He brought her to the same bench they shared the other day and sat them both down.
"Now, what is it that is so important that you need to speak to me about?" He leaned forward, getting closer to her.
A droplet of the cool water fell on her mouth. His pupils flared as he noticed it. Slowly he reached up to let his fingertip glide across her lower lip, wiping it away. "Excuse me," he murmured in a raw voice.
Green's hand captured his wrist, stopping his action. "I have something to show you."
His mouth lifted at the edges. "Really?"
"Yes." She reached into her pouch and retrieved the scroll. His brow furrowed in confusion as he watched her.
Unwinding the ancient pattern, she showed him his name next to Anya's seal.
At first he did nothing but stare silently at the parchment.
Then he raised his eyes to hers. He tried to hide the hurt shadowing them, but could not. "Why?" He spoke hoarsely. "Why did you do this?"
She observed him coolly, shielding the truth from him. "Because I can. And because I want you."
Jorlan flinched as if slapped.
"And because I want you, this is the only way I can have you." She finished succinctly.
He clenched his jaw. "I made it plain to you that I did not want to be bid on! I ask you again: Why did you do this?"
"You knew it was only a matter of time. Your grandmother had to accept a bid for you eventually. Surely you realize this? You are the last of the Reynard line. You have a responsibility not just to your family but to our community. Your ancestress was the Captain. Your line must continue."
"No! It was to be my choice—not hers! I never wanted this, Green. You must release the bind. It is not that I don't... care for you; it is simply not the path I see for my life."
"I'm sorry, Jorlan, I cannot. You know as well as I that once the scroll is signed, it is irrevocable for you." She placed her hand on his arm in a gesture of compassion. "Perhaps in time you will see this is for the best."
"I will never see it that way, Marquelle Tamryn." He yanked his arm away from her hand.
"Think again. There will be much you can gain from this alliance. My name will protect you always and, in some ways, you will have much more freedom than you do now to pursue your pastimes. I am not as conventional
Similar Books
