Impending Reprisals (25 page)

Chapter 35

Kael was distracted, for obvious reasons—seduced by Anya’s capricious play, enticed by the sights and sounds of her display. Under normal circumstances he would have been aware of the men’s creeping approach long before Tajvek’s alert. But, as it was, he was nearly too late.

Tajvek leapt out of the water, shoulders hunched and teeth bared as he let loose a great roar. His icy blue gaze fell in line with Kael and he immediately became hyper-aware of his surroundings.

Pulling a dagger from the sheath at his waist, he swung in a crouch and struck the sword-wielding man in the arm. The weapon fell from the man’s limp hand as Kael’s fist shot out, landing solidly against his jaw, knocking him flat on his back.

His companions barely had time to register the short confrontation before they found themselves staring Kael down, now armed with his sword and stalking toward them with fierce determination.

Anya watched the brief battle and ensuing confrontation in horror as she scrambled from the water and hastily got dressed. “Taj. Help him. Go!” Unable to deny her will, he bounded toward Kael.

The two men facing Kael glanced over his shoulder to see a tiger racing toward them. Angling to the side, the larger man pulled the smaller one behind him. “Get the girl. Let us be done with this,” he murmured. “I will handle these two.”

Striding forward to battle the tiger and soldier, the thick man squared off his shoulders and mustered all courage he had, drawing his two swords and expertly swinging them into position.

Kael, concerned by his obviously skilled opponent, had no time to worry about the scrawny man scrambling up the hill and around a boulder, certain he must have lost his nerve in the face of true danger.

The two men came at each other hard, each with measured defenses and superior proficiency. But Kael was better. In no time at all, the attacker had been bested by strategic strikes to his shoulder, bicep and thigh—enough to hobble him but not enough to kill him. The man would do Kael no good dead—he wanted answers.

“Guard him,” he commanded to Tajvek as he turned toward the pond.

Anya watched Kael with wide, stunned eyes as he approached, her skin still wet and her dress sticking to the moisture, giving it a rumpled appearance. Her hair was stringy and dripping water down her face, but she barely noticed. The only thing she could focus on was Kael, making his way to her.

She wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him, to verify he was unharmed. But she was frozen, shocked from the suddenness of the fight, and the very real display of the danger he had warned her of since the day she had arrived in Decessus.

Anya looked so fragile to Kael in that moment, her eyes tracking his every move as her entire frame trembled. A scared bunny was what she reminded him of, wary of every movement and tensed for an abrupt escape.

That very position may have saved her life.

Kael had only halved the distance when he noticed the brush next to her waver as someone pushed through. Between the jostled leaves, he caught the unmistakable gleam of polished metal. “Run!” The word burned out his throat as he broke into a sprint, startling Anya into action.

Anya did not think to wonder about his demand—she simply reacted, darting to the side just as she saw the swipe of steel split the air where she had stood only a moment before. The slender man that had missed his mark gave Kael a fleeting consideration before he turned his attention fully to Anya. And then she ran, pumping every ounce of energy she could gather into her legs, actually pulling away from the man chasing her. She did not dare glance back to measure the distance between her and her attacker, or to gauge Kael’s position in the chase, for any extraneous motions could cost her precious time. Keeping her head down, she ran for all she was worth.

The forest grew thicker around her, the trees and brush reaching for her with sharp claw-like branches. They scratched at her skin, and hooked and pulled at her dress, but she pushed through without mercy. Her breath ripped out of her chest, and her muscles burned and quivered as she sought any advantage she could. Spying a rock pile at the bottom of a steep hill, she cut to the side and started a quick and careless descent, grasping onto saplings along the way to keep her balance.

Anya heard her pursuer stomping through the dead foliage behind her, cursing under his breath as he lost his footing. Dirt broke free under her feet, pulling her balance with it before firming up once more, the ground becoming softer the further she went. Again and again it gave way, jarring loose rocks and debris, skidding her feet out from under her. Her only assurance was that her attacker had to struggle along the same path.

A surprised yell behind her was the only warning Anya had before the earth disappeared into a freefall of dirt, rocks, leaves and undergrowth. She tumbled down the hill, sliding amongst the debris as it battered her body. She flopped like a broken doll at the bottom, smacking her temple against a rock.   

She tried to lift her head, but dropped it as stars danced in her vision. A groan to her left drew her wavering attention as she fought for consciousness. The man that had fallen with her had already picked himself up, nimbly making his way over the mounds of rock and dirt, only slightly beat up himself.

“No,” she whispered as she pushed to her elbows, digging her heels in an attempt to crawl away.

“My apologies, Milady,” he stated quietly, stopping a few feet away from her.

Tears welled up in Anya’s eyes. “Why?”

“You are to marry Lord Merivic. We cannot allow the union, and for that, I truly regret what I must do. You seem like a nice lady, and I am sure you hold no fault in this.” He shook his head as he took a hesitant step forward, his voice trembling slightly as he raised his weapon. “Perhaps I will be doing us both a service.”

“Anya!” Kael hollered as he skidded at the top of the drop-off. Running along the ledge, looking for a way down, he commanded, “Stay away from her!”

The man took another step forward and Kael froze. “No!”

The attacker slowly turned his head toward Kael until he locked eyes with him.

“I will end you.” It was all Kael said, but the calm ferociousness of the threat caused the man to hesitate. 

A fierce growl abruptly echoed through the air as Tajvek appeared in a spectral state, caught in a leap in mid-air, and becoming fully corporeal by the time he slammed into his target. The man did not even have time to scream before massive jaws clamped over his neck and snapped it with ease.

Anya slumped down again, her eyes closing.

“No! Anya! You hold on!” Kael scrambled across the edge, knowing it was a fruitless search and there was no way he could get to her quickly. “Taj, help her! Anya, grab onto his neck, climb onto his back!”

Tajvek walked up to her, nudging her with his nose and lolling her head to the side.

“Anya! Wake up!”

Anya’s eyelids fluttered as she fought back the dizziness, her head throbbing and the world spinning. With lead-weighted arms, she reached up only to let them flop down again.

“Anya!”

She tried again, this time getting a weak hold on the scruff of Tajvek’s neck.

“Pull yourself up! You are almost there!”

With the last tiny bit of strength she had in reserve, she hauled herself up onto Tajvek’s back.

“There you go. Now hold on!”

Kael knew Anya had lost the battle to stay awake when her arms fell to either side of Tajvek’s muscled shoulders, her head dropping against his furry neck.

The tiger looked up to Kael as if seeking instructions, and he found himself torn. He wanted her with him, right then and there, to have her safe in his arms. But it was too risky for Tajvek to navigate the steep grade with her unable to hold on. Not only that, but he did not know how badly she was hurt, though assumed her wounds required immediate attention.

He felt like it would kill him to issue the only option they had. “Take her, Tajvek. Take her back to the castle. I will meet you there.”

Defeat washed over him as he watched Tajvek sulk into the shadows of the forest, his beloved Anya lying draped helplessly across the tiger’s back. 

Chapter 36

Merivic’s entire frame trembled as his eyes blazed red.

“You cannot see anyone in your condition,” Malik stated, calmly.

“She almost died, you imbecile.” His voice was low and controlled to avoid drawing attention—a direct contradiction to his appearance.

“I realize that, but the point being, she did not. She is safe within the castle walls with a small garrison outside her door. Everyone is alert and ready.” The lord’s eyes faded back to hazel, fired back to crimson, and then shifted again. “Sire, you have a façade to maintain. You must control yourself.”

“He nearly got her killed.”

“He saved her life, as I have foretold he would. She was never destined to die in those woods. Kaelestis was always meant to ensure her survival until the blessing.”

“And now he will die.”

“No, My Lord,” Malik hissed. “We are not to the blessing yet. Who knows what other dangers lay in wait. He must live, for now.” Tapping a long finger on his chin, Malik turned thoughtful. “But he cannot disrupt the promising.”

Merivic visibly forced himself to calm, releasing the tension in his body. “I will see to that.”

“We need to move forward with the ceremony, My Lord. It must be tonight.”

“Yes, I know, Malik.” Merivic glanced at the doorway to the great hall and lowered his voice. “It will be done. This attack on Anya may have hindered our reconciliation, but I still have her right where I want her.”

“And what of him?” Malik gestured vaguely toward the doorway. “Does he continue to ask after her?”

“He does. Just as she asks for him.” Merivic shook his head. “I cannot allow them to see each other. I do not know for certain all that occurred—only that he saved her life. And I cannot have her gratitude clouding her judgment.”

“Do you believe she would change her mind about your union?”

“Certainly not. But it may delay the promising further.”

“We cannot afford a delay,” Malik said, stepping closer.

“As well I know. But do not fret. I will attend to this.” Merivic put a hand on Malik’s boney shoulder. “Remember what we have conspired to do. Watch for me, and come to Anya’s room shortly thereafter.”

Malik’s eyes gleamed as a sneer curled his lip. “Very well, My Lord.”

*****

Kael shot out of his chair the moment Merivic set foot into the great hall. “Is she well?”

Merivic held up a hand as he approached. “She is resting. She has many wounds, but nothing that cannot be healed.”

Kael’s chest lifted with a sigh of relief. “I must see her.”

“I am afraid I cannot allow it.”

“And why not?” he demanded, surprising Merivic with his forwardness.

To best control the conversation and his reactions, Merivic ignored Kael’s tone and replied calmly, “She does not wish to see you.”

“Why would—”

“She told me as much. Anya blames you for the attack, for not properly protecting her as you had sworn to do. She no longer feels she can trust you to keep her safe.”

“I saved her life,” Kael spat through clenched teeth.

“And I pointed that out to her. However, her concerns remain, and she expressed she does not wish to see you at this time.”

Kael’s fingers dug into his palms as he paced away and then back again, the rage apparent by the vein bulging in his neck and the flush of his face. “She left the castle when I told her not to! She lied to Caleb to procure a horse! She took no precautions whatsoever, even though I reminded her,”—he stabbed a finger in Merivic’s direction—“and you,
you reminded her
, time and again! How am I expected to protect her when she will do nothing to ensure her own safety?”

Merivic stood back, hands clasped lightly behind his back, enjoying the display—fury, blame and guilt warring in Kael’s voice and through his expressions.

“I understand, Kaelestis, and believe you have done all you could. But perhaps this a discussion for another time.” He folded his arms. “I wish you to leave Decessus.”

Appearing dumbstruck, Kael turned slowly, eyes wide.

“Not for good,” Merivic explained, “but on an assignment. It will only take a day, two at most if you do not leave immediately. Perhaps the time away will assist you each in calming your anger before we plan her protection detail for the future.”

Kael’s tone turned flat and level. “And what, exactly, is there to plan?”

Merivic glanced away as if unsure he should say anything, bolstering the power of the lie. “Anya may possibly want Gerhard to be her sentinel, instead of yourself.”

“She…” He trailed off, then straightened his back, his voice turning hard. “I cannot leave now. It is too dangerous a time. Who would—”

“Gerhard is attending to her security needs. Do not let the future concern you now, Kaelestis. You are the best in the castle and, therefore, the man I want guarding the future queen.” He clapped him hard on the back. “Give her time to settle. I am sure I can convince her otherwise. Now, go see Malik. He has the details of your journey.”

Kael stormed out of the room as Merivic looked on, very pleased with himself and the events he had now set in motion.

*****

“Anya, my love.” Merivic brushed the hair away from her face and gently caressed her bruised cheek. He swallowed hard as he forced a tear from his eye. “I had thought… I thought I had lost you.” Kissing her neck, he nestled in and whispered in her ear, “I love you so. Please, never leave me. I could not stand it if I lost you. Promise. You must promise me.”

“I… I promise,” she murmured.

Merivic pulled back and smiled, but he ensured his expression had a pained appearance as well. He saw the compassion passing through her gaze, and he felt regret that Malik could not be there to fully appreciate his performance.

I have you right where I want you, Anya, he thought, smugly.

Anya looked into Merivic’s soft, hazel eyes and felt pity for what she knew she would soon be putting him through. Such a wonderful man did not deserve the torment she would soon cause, but she could deny herself no longer. She nearly died this day, and it made her realize what was truly important in life. She had to face Kael and determine, once and for all, what was between them.

Anya fiddled with her amulet as she thought of the best way to approach her request. “Merivic. I would like to see Kael…to thank him for saving me today.”

“Oh,” he stated with surprise, drawing her attention and tickling her temperament. “I, um…”

“What is it?”

“I just spoke with Kaelestis, and… Well, he…”

“Merivic,” she said, her frustration threatening to burst through. “You not wishing to tell me only makes me want to know that much more.”

“If you must know, then I will tell you.” Taking a deep breath, he grasped both her hands between his, and leveled his gaze at her. “He does not wish to see you. He is upset because…”

“Because why?”

“It does not matter. He is simply upset.”

“What did he say, Merivic? His exact words.”

“My love—”

“Exact words,” she repeated, sternly.

“He said he wished to be reassigned. He no longer wants to be your sentinel because it is…ah, not worth the trouble. And then…” Merivic looked away, releasing her hands and balling up his fists as if trying to control his own anger.

She nudged him, urging him to continue with a hard voice. “And what else did he say?”

Merivic looked at her with what he hoped appeared to be sympathy. “He said you were a foolish little girl who never grew up. He said you have always been a selfish, self-serving creature, and he did not want to waste his talents trying to protect someone who would not assist in protecting herself.”

Merivic used a few of Kael’s own words in an effort to lend a measure of truth to the lie as a whole. He knew Anya would recognize Kael’s disgust with her stubbornness to be the truth, and hoped she would then believe the rest, whether or not she thought it out of character for him to say such things.

Anya’s mouth dropped open as burning, angry tears sprung into her eyes.

“I apologize, my love, but I cannot lie to you.” He scooped up her hands and brought them to his lips. “I warned him on how he might choose more appropriate words when speaking of my betrothed, but the man was so furious with it all—there was no reasoning with him. I decided it best to let him calm before speaking with him further. But, rest assured, he will not speak of you like that again, or there will be a price to pay. The fact that he had just saved your life was his only saving grace in that moment.”

Anya yanked her hands back and shoved off the comforter, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. “Where is that bastard?!”

“Anya! You must remain in bed and rest.”

“No! What I
must
do is find that man and tell him exactly what I think of him and his opinions of me!”

“Please, my love. Rest. Besides, Kaelestis has left. He volunteered for an assignment so he could leave the castle for a few days. He said—”

The door abruptly flung open as Malik strode into the room carrying an elaborately carved wooden tray, piled high with candles and vials. “The promising ceremony is ready, My Lord.”

Anya’s eyes flashed over the cleric, then zeroed in on Merivic’s embarrassed expression.

“Not now, Malik,” Merivic commanded.

“But, Sire—”

Merivic looked at his cleric, dressed in his ceremonial cloak, and stammered, “I have not had the time to discuss it with her.” He glanced apologetically to Anya. “Now is not the time.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Finish your sentence. I want to know, what did Kael say?”

“Anya—”

“What did he say, Merivic?”

With a heavy sigh, he replied, “He said he did not want to be anywhere near you, now or forevermore.”

Rage caused her lower lip to tremble and her eyes glazed over as her heart shut down. An eerie calm settled inside her mind until all she could focus on was the hot tip of temper nagging her belly. And, after a brief moment, she was able to shove that aside too. Finally, as all of Merivic’s words sank in, she became completely numb. “It is fine.”

“Anya?”

“The promising ceremony. We can proceed.”

“My love, are you sure you are up to it?”

Anya stared at him blankly, her whole face slack of any emotion.

“Anya?” Fascinated by her responses, both facial and in her eyes, Merivic found himself wishing he could read her mind.

Her flat gaze shifted to Malik. “You said you are ready?”

The cleric bowed low. “I am, Lady Anya. The question is, are you?”

“That I am.”