stop for another tankard, but after a very little thought decided against it. The king might decide he wanted to speak with him again and the conversation they’d already had had agitated him enough. He
rather thought he would make himself scarce for a few days--more than a few if he could not come up with a solution to the problem Talin had presented him with.
* * * *
The more Talin considered the matter, the more certain he was that Silo was right
about Aliya. A great part of Aliya’s unhappiness was her loneliness. It would not be enough merely to lose her fear. She must be happy, comfortable. She needed people who were familiar to her, not just things.
Talin was beginning to think the elder’s wisdom was of far more use to him than
that of his council, for they were never in agreement over anything. In any case, he would not have wanted to approach them with this particular problem. For once, they
had united--in disapproval over his actions. Not that they were against the war, or
avenging the slight. They had, in fact, demanded that something be done. He had been more inclined to simply ignore it. After all, it was not even acceptable for him to take a mate outside his kind. What did he care if the man children comforted themselves in
THE DEVIL’S CONCUBINE
Jaide Fox
48
their weakness with the mistaken belief that they were somehow better than their
superiors, the man beasts?
They had not been satisfied with merely ignoring it, however. They had gathered
for weeks to argue over the best way to teach the man children a lesson, working
themselves up to a fever pitch until he could see he would have no peace if he allowed the slight to go unchallenged.
In truth, he had found that he was intrigued after a time by the tales of the
princess. Not one report indicated that she was less than perfection and the more he thought about that, the more indignant he was that he had not been considered suitable and the more certain he became that, if she truly was so exceptional, then she was far too great a prize to end up in the bed of some wizened old lecher who had the coin to hire the best warrior to compete.
He did not regret his decision. If the council members were less than enthusiastic
over the manner in which he’d provoked the war they had been clamoring for, then that was their problem.
His beast had spoken. From the moment he had set eyes upon her, he had known
that she was the one and that no other would do. He was willing to bow to tradition and choose a queen among their own people to produce the heir to his throne, but he would give no further. Aliya would be his concubine, the mate of his heart and soul. It could not be otherwise. His beast did not make that sort of mistake. Instinctively and
inexorably, it was drawn to the female most perfect as his match.
Unfortunately, as a man child, she did not understand her own instincts. She
relied upon emotion and logic to guide her when there was nothing at all logical about choosing the perfect mate.
He decided he would lead his men in the raid to retrieve those things she felt she
had lost. He would know what was most important to her, after all.
Besides, his gift to her might not be as appreciated if he merely sent others to do
his bidding. He wanted to be able to bask in the fullness of her joy and appreciation.
THE DEVIL’S CONCUBINE
Jaide Fox
49
Chapter Ten
Princess Aliya would have liked to blame her restless night on most anything
except the true reason she’d had so much difficulty sleeping, but she was not prone to trying to delude herself. She’d grown restless and achy every time she recalled the things that Talin had done to her and that strange neediness had invaded her dreams when she’d finally drifted to sleep.
She felt no better when she woke and wondered if there was any real reason to get
out of bed as early as she customarily did. She was still tired and it wasn’t as if she had anything of interest
rather thought he would make himself scarce for a few days--more than a few if he could not come up with a solution to the problem Talin had presented him with.
* * * *
The more Talin considered the matter, the more certain he was that Silo was right
about Aliya. A great part of Aliya’s unhappiness was her loneliness. It would not be enough merely to lose her fear. She must be happy, comfortable. She needed people who were familiar to her, not just things.
Talin was beginning to think the elder’s wisdom was of far more use to him than
that of his council, for they were never in agreement over anything. In any case, he would not have wanted to approach them with this particular problem. For once, they
had united--in disapproval over his actions. Not that they were against the war, or
avenging the slight. They had, in fact, demanded that something be done. He had been more inclined to simply ignore it. After all, it was not even acceptable for him to take a mate outside his kind. What did he care if the man children comforted themselves in
THE DEVIL’S CONCUBINE
Jaide Fox
48
their weakness with the mistaken belief that they were somehow better than their
superiors, the man beasts?
They had not been satisfied with merely ignoring it, however. They had gathered
for weeks to argue over the best way to teach the man children a lesson, working
themselves up to a fever pitch until he could see he would have no peace if he allowed the slight to go unchallenged.
In truth, he had found that he was intrigued after a time by the tales of the
princess. Not one report indicated that she was less than perfection and the more he thought about that, the more indignant he was that he had not been considered suitable and the more certain he became that, if she truly was so exceptional, then she was far too great a prize to end up in the bed of some wizened old lecher who had the coin to hire the best warrior to compete.
He did not regret his decision. If the council members were less than enthusiastic
over the manner in which he’d provoked the war they had been clamoring for, then that was their problem.
His beast had spoken. From the moment he had set eyes upon her, he had known
that she was the one and that no other would do. He was willing to bow to tradition and choose a queen among their own people to produce the heir to his throne, but he would give no further. Aliya would be his concubine, the mate of his heart and soul. It could not be otherwise. His beast did not make that sort of mistake. Instinctively and
inexorably, it was drawn to the female most perfect as his match.
Unfortunately, as a man child, she did not understand her own instincts. She
relied upon emotion and logic to guide her when there was nothing at all logical about choosing the perfect mate.
He decided he would lead his men in the raid to retrieve those things she felt she
had lost. He would know what was most important to her, after all.
Besides, his gift to her might not be as appreciated if he merely sent others to do
his bidding. He wanted to be able to bask in the fullness of her joy and appreciation.
THE DEVIL’S CONCUBINE
Jaide Fox
49
Chapter Ten
Princess Aliya would have liked to blame her restless night on most anything
except the true reason she’d had so much difficulty sleeping, but she was not prone to trying to delude herself. She’d grown restless and achy every time she recalled the things that Talin had done to her and that strange neediness had invaded her dreams when she’d finally drifted to sleep.
She felt no better when she woke and wondered if there was any real reason to get
out of bed as early as she customarily did. She was still tired and it wasn’t as if she had anything of interest
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