Halcyon Rising (7 page)
Authors: Diana Bold
He was most angry with himself, he decided, picking up the shards of glass with a trembling hand. Deep down, he feared an ulterior motive for every kindness he had shown her. The fierce desire to win a kiss, or even more, had clamored within him since he had first taken her out of the dungeon.
If he acted upon those desires, it would make him no better than Sa’id. And he would rather throw himself off the ramparts and crash upon the rocks below than destroy that lovely girl in the irreparable way he himself had been damaged.
Tossing the glass into the trash barrel, he headed back up the stairs. Renewed guilt assailed him when he entered his bedchamber and found her bound arms twisted in an awkward angle as she attempted to sleep on her side.
What a brute he was, to have left her this way.
If only there was a way to make it up to her…
He gazed down at her pale face, noticing again how battered and bruised the journey from the coast to the castle had left her.
She met his gaze, and he saw that all her earlier fire had evaporated. She looked weary in both heart and soul. Despite his tisane, she must ache all over, and her strange garment had chafed her pale skin in dozens of places. A hot soak would lift her spirits immensely, and ‘twas the one gift he could give her.
Leaning forward, he unbound her hands, then slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her shoulders. “Put your arms around my neck, my lady. I have a pleasant surprise for you.”
He pushed to his feet, holding her tight against him. A chill still clung to her skin and dried saltwater had made her odd clothing stiff and scratchy.
“Where are you taking me?” Sudden nervousness roughened her voice as he moved away from the bed and made for the door.
“Be calm. I will not harm you.” Grabbing her light stick from his desk, he handed it to her so she could light their way. Once he had descended to the ground level of the tower, he strode to the back wall of his workroom.
He set her down and slid aside the cabinet, revealing the hidden doorway set into the wall. The staircase to the cavern yawned before them, dark and slightly ominous. Picking her up again, he began the treacherous descent.
She clung to him like a limpet; his every midnight fantasy come to life. For so long he had denied himself even the hollow pleasure of self-gratification, trying to make his body oblivious to the need clamoring inside him. But now, with this beautiful stranger in his arms, he knew he had mastered nothing.
“There is a hot spring beneath the tower,” he explained, hoping to take his mind off the soft press of her breast against his chest. “The heat might ease some of your pain. These stairs are the only way down, and I have seen your feet. You could not possibly walk down here yourself.”
She relaxed a bit and twined one slim arm around his neck, anchoring herself more firmly against him. “Thank you, Sebastian.”
“You are welcome, milady.” Her gratitude made him uneasy. In fact, everything about her made him uncomfortable. The intelligence in her lovely blue eyes surprised him, as did the direct way she met his gaze.
Fey, his brother had said, and Sebastian had to agree.
He rushed down the stairs in record time, depositing her at the edge of the steaming pool of water with unseemly haste.
In the distant past, someone had turned this small cave into an oasis of decadence. Tiled sitting ledges had been carved into the stone pool, and beautiful mosaics were set into the walls and floors, depicting blasphemous astrological scenes. Sebastian loved everything about it.
“Soak as long as you want. I will go back upstairs and give you some privacy.”
She stretched one dainty foot toward the water, sighing in pleasure when she encountered the soothing heat. “It feels wonderful. I’ve been cold for so long I wondered if I’d ever be warm again.”
“I will fetch your clothes and something for you to dry yourself with.” Turning away from the sight of her, he headed back toward the stairs. The mere thought of her sliding naked into the pool nearly unmanned him.
If he had to spend the next few minutes with nothing to contemplate but his lovely guest’s bath, he feared he would do something foolhardy. “I will return in half an hour or so.”
Rhoswen’s heart thundered in her chest as Sebastian walked away, leaving her in the very place she’d been trying so hard to get to.
Old Halcyon’s hot springs.
As soon as he disappeared up the stairs, she spun in a swift circle, looking for the tunnel that would lead her to Old Halcyon and eventual freedom.
Half an hour.
Was that enough time? How far would she get before he caught up with her? Was it worth the risk?
Disappointment swept through her as no obvious sign of a tunnel revealed itself. If only the old maps had been more detailed… Her thoughts trailed off as she realized Sebastian never would have left her down here alone if he knew there was a way out.
He’d conquered the secrets of the magic door, and he’d discovered the entrance to the hot springs, so why hadn’t he found the tunnels? Was it because he hadn’t known to look for them, or was it because they didn’t exist? Had time or some ancient battle destroyed them?
Desperately aware that her time ticked by with relentless speed, she shuffled to the nearest wall, running her fingertips along the intricate tile mosaic worked into the stone. Was there a hidden door? She didn’t know where to look.
After several frantic minutes, she stumbled back, forced to admit the search would take far longer than she had.
Somehow, she had to find a way to get back down here, perhaps while Sebastian slept. He had to sleep sometime. She needed the opportunity to find the tunnel and get a good head start.
Once again, the wisest course was patience, no matter how much it rankled.
She rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes, wiping away a hint of frustrated tears and trying to gain control of her rioting emotions. One thing was clear — it would be foolish not to take advantage of this chance to soothe her many aches and pains. Warmth and comfort were only a few steps away.
She hastily unzipped her wetsuit, wincing as she peeled the stiff fabric from her chafed, torn skin. Giving the stairs another quick glance to make sure Sebastian hadn’t returned, she sank to the side of the pool and gingerly lowered herself into the steaming depths.
The hot water stung her many cuts and abrasions, bringing fresh tears to her eyes, but she forced herself to ignore the pain. Once fully submerged, her discomfort lessened, and the heat seeped into her aching muscles.
With a weary sigh, she leaned back against the warm stone. For the first time since she’d stepped upon the beach, the panic skittering inside her abated.
She was safe as she could possibly be, given the circumstances, here in Sebastian’s tower. And he’d given her a chance to soak in this wonderful pool, an unexpected luxury in the mean squalor of her surroundings.
Confounding man.
She dunked her head beneath the steaming water, holding her breath until her lungs threatened to burst. When she crested the surface, she slicked the wet hair from her face and settled back against a ledge that appeared to have been carved for long, leisurely soaks.
Of all the hundreds of reasons why she needed to escape, her attraction to her captor certainly ranked toward the very top. His solemn pledge to put both his sword arm and his tower to her defense had stirred her far more than she cared to admit. She should be horrified by such barbarism, but how could any woman be immune to such a brave, selfless vow?
“My lady?” Sebastian’s voice echoed off the damp stone. “May I come down?”
She sank to her chin in the water, counting on the darkness to protect her modesty. In this, at least, she trusted him. If he’d wanted to molest her, he would have already done so.
“Yes,” she replied, her voice scratchy and dry.
He entered the cavern, and an adorable rush of color stained his cheeks as he carefully kept his eyes averted and placed a small pile of her clothing on a stone by the water’s edge.
“I brought these, also,” he informed her, holding out her toiletries. “They smell as though they are used for bathing.”
“Thank you.” Their fingers brushed, and he jerked his hand back as though she’d burned him. “If you’ll just turn your back for a few moments, I’ll finish up.”
Turning away, he strode to the far side of the cave without comment. As much as she had enjoyed the bath, exhaustion pulled at her like a heavy weight. She’d slept for a few hours this morning, but a full night’s rest might go a long way toward putting her on the mend.
As she washed and rinsed her hair, she gazed across the cavern at Sebastian. He'd braced his legs wide, as though he stood on the deck of a rocking ship. His shoulders were squared for battle, and she sensed he fought some internal war to keep from peeking at her. His strength of will touched and humbled her.
The men of her acquaintance were narcissistic and self-assured. They expected their women to be strong and capable, and Rhoswen missed the equality between the sexes she’d always taken for granted.
Still, she had to admit it felt nice — especially in her battered, weary state — to be pampered a bit. To be watched over and protected.
Perhaps therein lay the root of Sebastian’s attraction. He treated her like a fragile flower, something he must treat with care in order to avoid crushing.
Once she’d regained her strength and her wits, she’d undoubtedly find his overbearing protectiveness offensive, but for now she was grateful he’d done so much to ensure her safety and comfort.
Levering herself out of the pool, she dried off with the length of toweling he’d provided, then pulled on her soft, pale pink sleeping top and trousers. She'd intended to wear them beneath her gown, to mitigate the chill. She knew he'd find them shocking, but after her wetsuit, they were actually quite modest. Besides, the damage had already been done; she might as well be comfortable.
Fully covered, she took a few steps toward him, wincing as her feet protested her weight. “I’m done.”
He turned around, and his gaze lit with visible appreciation as he scanned her from head to toe. “Did the bath ease you?”
She nodded. “I feel much better. I would have soaked longer, but I can barely keep my eyes open.”
“If it pleases you, I can bring you back tomorrow.”
“I would like that very much.” Very much, indeed. Perhaps tomorrow, when she was better rested, she could find the tunnels and make her way through the caverns of Old Halcyon to safety.
No matter how much this man intrigued her, she had to find a way out of the mess she’d gotten herself into.
He swung her effortlessly into his arms once again. She clung to him as he began the long trek up the stairs. His muscles flexed with enticing grace as he moved, and she marveled at his strength. She doubted any man of her world could have picked her up so easily.
“You smell wondrous.” His breath tickled her ear as they reached the top of the stairs. “My brother thinks you are a witch, and I am starting to agree, for I feel as though you have enchanted me.”
She gave an uncertain laugh, wondering whether or not he spoke in jest. Accusations of witchcraft were nothing to take lightly in this backwards place.
“You smell rather nice yourself,” she murmured, hoping to change the subject. “Like sandalwood and pine.”
“I make my own soap. But it is nowhere near as fine as yours.”
He deposited her on the high, soft bed with gentle care, then sat down on the edge and grabbed a small vial from a nearby table. “This will help your wounds heal. Would you like me to apply it?”
She stared at his bent head, wishing she could see his face. So far his medicines had seemed to help, but if she allowed him to tend to her scrapes and cuts, she would be inviting far too much intimacy. Her gaze dropped to his large, elegant hands, and a tremor of reckless excitement traveled up her spine. She’d be lying if she tried to pretend she didn’t want him to touch her.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’d like that very much, Sebastian.”
* * *
Sebastian took a deep breath, then scooped up some of the salve with his fingertips. With his other hand, he pulled one of the girl’s slim, battered feet into his lap. She winced as he rubbed the salve on the mass of cuts and blisters, and he glanced up, instantly contrite. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” she murmured. “It feels good. The coldness just took me by surprise.”
Sweet Jesu!
She was so close. And she seemed to want his touch. Did she yearn for it as he did hers? Praying for strength, he concentrated on his task, massaging each foot gently in an effort to relieve her pain.
She was so close. And she seemed to want his touch. Did she yearn for it as he did hers? Praying for strength, he concentrated on his task, massaging each foot gently in an effort to relieve her pain.
“You were wrong.” The husky tone of her voice sent a shaft of pure desire streaking through him. He had made a terrible mistake. He needed far more distance than this between them if he was to have any hope of surviving with what little remained of his soul.
“Wrong about what?” He shifted in an attempt to hide his body’s uncontrollable reaction and wished once more for the protective folds of his robe. He felt naked without it.
“You
are
a magician.” She sighed and fell back amongst his pillows, her damp blonde hair spilling across her shoulders in a silken tangle. “You have magic hands.”
are
a magician.” She sighed and fell back amongst his pillows, her damp blonde hair spilling across her shoulders in a silken tangle. “You have magic hands.”
He managed a smile. “I told you I had hidden talents.”
Blushing, she lifted the cuffs of her loose trousers to her knees, revealing several angry looking scrapes. “Can you put some of that on my knees?”
Her calves were slim, yet strong, incredibly beautiful. He dabbed the salve on her skinned knees, his breath quickening, his body thrumming with need. “Is that all?”
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