Heart of Fire (13 page)

“We should be about it, then.” She
snapped. “If you would please excuse me, I’ll gather my things and
we can resume our trip.”

Valduuk stood as Jessalyne got up.
He gave Ertemis a look, but he didn’t budge. Who cared if he stood
or not? He was just the hired help.

* * *

When Jessalyne left, Valduuk’s smile
disappeared. “What’s wrong with you? Would it have killed you to
give her a compliment? To rise when she left?”

“Certain circumstances made it wiser
to stay seated.” Ertemis cursed his body’s response to her new
look. Not a chance in Hael he would show her his straining
trousers. She thought little enough of him as it was. “Where did
she get those clothes?” That body?

“She came to see me before
breakfast. It seems her old clothes became unacceptable overnight.
I think she wants to catch your eye.”

“Not likely. She’s off to serve the
king’s magewoman.” He drew a breath. “Codswallop! Who knew such
curves existed beneath those rustic threads.” He leaned back in his
chair. “The woman confounds me.”

“Woman, eh?” Valduuk laughed.
“Yesterday, she was a child and by your own words, not to your
taste.”

Ertemis stood, throwing his linen on
the table. “I don’t have time for this. I have animals to saddle
and miles to travel in daylight.” He spoke the last word through
gritted teeth before storming out of the room. Valduuk’s laughter
echoed in his ears.

What if Valduuk was right? The
thought of traveling beside her all day, seeing so much of her in
those new clothes, rattled him. He threw himself into saddling the
animals. Finished, he brought them round the front of the tavern
and hitched them before going inside to fetch Jessalyne. Dalayna
was nowhere in sight, which suited him fine.

Jessalyne sat with Valduuk at his
table, sipping a glass of cold tea, her rucksack at her feet.
Dwarfed by Valduuk’s size and dressed in those clothes, she looked
like a beautiful doll. He wanted her to the point of pain. Her
lavender eyes met his and he looked away, unwilling to let her see
the torment she caused him.

He extended his hand to Valduuk. “My
friend, your hospitality was much appreciated.”

Valduuk rose and clasped Ertemis’s
hand between his massive palms. “May fewer years pass between us
before we meet again.”

Jessalyne embraced Valduuk. “I hope
to see you again some day, too. You’re the nicest man,” she glanced
at Ertemis, “I’ve met in a long time.

Valduuk kissed her hand as he had
when they first met. “It’s been my pleasure, Lady Jessalyne. Let me
walk you out.”

Arm in arm, the two headed for the
door, leaving Ertemis behind. “You left your bag,” he called
out.

Without looking back, Jessalyne
called out over her shoulder, “Haven’t I paid you
enough?”

Ertemis stared at her, mouth open.
“What?”

Valduuk howled with laughter. “Just
bring the lady’s bag, will you?”

Muttering, Ertemis snatched the bag
and strode after them. Now he was her servant? Where had that come
from?

Dragon and Petal stood at the
hitching rail, Petal’s nose tucked beneath Dragon’s
neck.

“Seems Dragon has found himself a
ladylove,” Valduuk said. Ertemis rolled his eyes.

Jessalyne examined her new saddle.
“This is lovely. Much better than bareback.”

Ertemis plopped the rucksack at her
feet. “Put your things into one of the saddlebags.”

She glared at him but did it. He
placed the foodstuffs supplied by cook into the opposite side. He
mounted up and Jessalyne followed suit, placing her foot in the
stirrup as he had placed his. Her full skirts allowed her to sit
straddle, which was the only redeeming quality he could see in her
new clothes.

They rode in silence. Once beyond
the town limits, Jessalyne checked the dagger. She pointed and they
took up the trail, each lost in their own thoughts.

What a fool he’d been for buying
that necklace. She didn’t want him for anything but protection.
What had gotten into her? New clothes, new attitude, she barely
spoke to him except to give him an order...an order! It made no
sense and he didn’t like any of it. Well, in truth, the clothes
were not that wretched.

He mused on the way she’d looked
walking into the dining room that morning. With her hair up, the
sweep of her neck had beckoned him, a sweet to be savored, an
expanse of skin so fair it deserved small tender kisses that
trailed lower across her bosom. His body responded to his thoughts
and he groaned. Once again, this was neither the time nor the
place.

“Something wrong?” Jessalyne’s eyes
were straight ahead.

“Nay.” He watched her out of the
corner of his eye.

“You groaned.” She dragged the words
out like they were painful to speak.

“Just thinking.”

“I’m sure you have plenty to think
about.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Why
were women so difficult to understand?

“Nothing.”

He shook his head. “Do you like the
saddle?”

“It’s fine.”

“Valduuk picked it out.” He was
relieved to talk of something else.

“Then I love it. How much did it
cost me?”

“Nothing.”

That got her attention. She finally
looked at him. “Please don’t tell me Valduuk paid for it. He did
more than enough.”

“He didn’t pay for it.”

She furrowed her brows.

“I did.”

She turned away again. “I will
reimburse you.”

“You will not. You’ve already
overpaid me.”

She tucked her chin so he couldn’t
see her face, but he heard the smile in her voice. “Thank
you.”

“Your smile becomes you.”

The smile disappeared. “Was that a
compliment?”

Was there no making her happy today?
“A thousand pardons. I didn’t mean to overstep my bounds as your
hireling, my lady.”

“I didn’t mean...oh, you’re
impossible. You could learn a great deal from Valduuk. He’s a
gentleman.”

Ertemis snorted. “He’s a
troll!”

“You’re more troll than he
is.”

He glanced at her. Her jaw set in a
way he had not seen before. “I’ve done nothing to make you think
that.”

“Hah! You’re a crude, ill-mannered,
skirt-chasing whorehound!” She sputtered.

He reached out and snagged Petal’s
reins out of her hands, bringing both animals to a
standstill.

She stared into the distance, her
fists clenched. An angry flush spread over her chest. Saladan’s
britches, she tempted him when her blood was up. “Explain
yourself.”

She locked eyes with him. “I’m aware
of your appetites. In truth, it’s none of my business, but I find
your dalliances repulsive.” She turned her face away.

“Appetites? Dalliances?” He shook
his head. “I know less now than when you started.”

“Don’t play innocent. I saw
her!”

He threw his hands up. “Her who? The
more you speak the less I understand.”

“Dalayna.”

“The tavern girl?”

She rolled her eyes.

“And?” Had Valduuk said something
about the flirtation between them in the tavern?

“I saw her go into your room last
night. Don’t deny it.”

So that was it. “She was in my room
but –”

Jessalyne threw her hands up. “Don’t
give me details unless you want me to retch my breakfast all over
you. You’re a cad. I’m ashamed to keep company with you. The sooner
we part ways the better.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking
about.” Half-stunned she might care, he opened his senses to read
her. Jealousy rolled off her like steam.

“Indeed I do.” She glared at him.
“That trollop was in my room this very morning, boasting of what a
fine toss you were. She made sure to inform me you were, ‘quite
impressive in the all-together’.” She crossed her arms beneath her
chest, pushing it up and out even further.

“Enough!” He leaned over and grasped
her shoulders, very aware of how close his hands were to other
parts of her. “Listen and do not interrupt me.” He looked her
straight in the eyes and tried not to smile as her jealously
continued to flood his senses. “I slept alone last
night.”

“I saw her—”

“I am not done speaking.”

“She told me—”

“Not another word until I’m done.”
He was tempted to silence her mouth with his.

She huffed but kept
silent.

“She did come into my room, but I
promptly escorted her out. She was furious I refused her. I’m sure
her visit to you this morning was just an attempt to get back at
me.” The angry light in her eyes faded. He smiled. “Your jealousy
flatters me. I can’t say I’ve felt that from a woman
before.”

“I’m not jealous. I don’t even like
you.” Jessalyne tried to pull away but he wasn’t ready to let her
go.

He read her again. She was a bad
liar. The jealousy tapered off, but hurt rose to take its place. “I
didn’t compliment you at breakfast because the sight of you made me
lose my tongue.” Among other things. He couldn’t believe he was
telling her this.

“But Dalayna is so, so –”

“Dalayna is a plump little tart who
mistakenly thinks men should bow at her feet.” He released her and
sat back.

“Truly?”

“Aye.”

“Why should I believe
you?”

“Have I lied to you yet?”

She shook her head. “Not that I know
of.”

A small pain shot through him at her
lack of trust. He gripped his sword hilt. “I swear on my blade,
it’s the truth.”

Happiness flowed off her, filling
him with warmth. “I’m sorry for being cross with you.” She took
Petal’s reins back from him. “But I’m not jealous.”

“You are jealous. Sensing strong
emotion is one of my gifts, so don’t bother denying it.” Against
his better judgment, he reached into the pouch at his belt. He
wanted to feel her intoxicating happiness again.

“Here,” he said, holding the
amethyst and pearl pendant. The bauble sparkled in the sun. “Just
to show I harbor no ill will against your name calling.”

Jessalyne stared at the necklace,
her mouth slightly open. “Where did you get that?”

“I see receiving gifts is not your
strong suit.”

“I’ve never seen the like before.”
Her eyes shone with the same lavender as the gem.

“My arm grows numb.”

She cupped the necklace in her palm,
and he let it drop. She held it gently, caressing the amethyst and
rolling the pearl between her fingertips.

“Does it please you?”

“Oh yes, it’s lovely,” she breathed.
“I’m sorry, I just forgot myself for a moment. I don’t own any
jewels.”

“You do now. Put it on.”

She undid the catch and slipped it
around her neck. “I can’t fasten it.”

Ertemis guided Dragon closer until
he touched Petal’s sides. He took the pendant from Jessalyne and
she turned the bare curve of her neck to him. He looped the pendant
over her head. His fingers grazed her silky skin. She was so warm.
He stroked a fingertip down her neck and fought the desire to kiss
the flesh beneath his fingers.

“There. Turn toward me.” He nodded.
“Beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“The necklace is lovely as
well.”

She blushed and fiddled with the
buckle on Petal’s reins, her head down.

He enjoyed the color in her cheeks.
There wasn’t a drop of guile in her. What in the realm was she
doing with him? “Time to ride or we’ll lose the light and have
traveled nowhere.”

* * *

They fell into their usual pace,
Dragon slightly ahead. Jessalyne caressed the gems at her throat.
Perhaps she was no longer just business to him after all. Goose
flesh rose on her arms when she thought about his fingers on her
neck.

As they traveled into the foothills,
the landscape changed from gently forested plains into stony
ground. Jagged clusters of grey shale rose from the ground and
towered above them. The purple gloam of lastlight colored the sky
and a filmy rain drizzled over them. Night came fast. She
shivered.

Ertemis heeled Dragon. “We’ll have
to sleep aground tonight, but I think I can find shelter.” He
nodded toward a break of evergreens. “Take cover there. I’ll be
back soon.” He took off toward a slag ridge.

Petal found a spot to her liking
beneath the pines and grazed on some succulents growing through the
hard ground. Jessalyne’s backside ached but there’d be no hot bath
tonight. She hoped he found a dry place for them. She didn’t relish
the idea of sleeping in the rain. Or the dark.

Just as she thought she might head
out to find him, Ertemis returned. He stared hard into the darkness
behind her.