The Commander's Desire (10 page)

She had already decided to secrete it in her
mattress. No one would find it there. She wiggled under the covers
and allowed her eyes to drift closed. A small nap to refresh
herself, and then she would begin her mission.

Chapter
Six

Rays of white
moonlight
awoke Elwytha late that night.
She felt disoriented, and wasn’t sure how long she had slept, or
how much longer until morning time. Never mind. She swiftly gained
her feet and crept to her door.

Stealthily, she peered out. Was he
asleep?

Yes. She smiled. Moon beams outlined his
still form atop his bed. Elwytha slipped out and tiptoed with care
across the stone floor. She heard a faint snore. Well and good. The
better to monitor the depth of his sleep.

Silently, she crept about the room. First,
she ran her hands through his pile of clothing on a chair. Nothing.
Next, she checked his boots, and then slipped over to his wardrobe.
It made a small squeak as she opened the door. She froze, and
whipped a glance toward the great, unmoving form on the bed. A
breath gurgled in his throat, and then he snored on. She wanted to
laugh at the simplicity of her task.

Speedily, she scoured the wardrobe. Nothing.
Now she sat back on her heels, frowning. She had searched the
entire room, except for his bed and his dresser. With care, she
moved to the dresser. Slowly, she inched out each drawer just
enough to slide her hand in and feel around. No blade.

She closed the last drawer and gazed about
the quiet room. Where could he have secreted the dagger?
Instinctively she knew he kept it near him at all times, just as
she had kept hers at home. But she drew the line at searching his
bed. She would serve him a knock out potion first.

Her eyes lit upon the wardrobe again.
Moonbeams bathed it in pure white light. A glitter on top of the
wardrobe caught her eye. Yes!

Elwytha hurried over. Standing on tiptoe, she
reached up and patted along the top surface. Her fingers touched
cold steel. A hiss of satisfaction escaped and she pulled the
dagger down so it rested in both of her hands. It was huge, and
wicked looking. Her thumb tested the blade. Razor sharp. Fear and
elation mixed inside her. Now to hide it.

A few steps toward her chamber, Elwytha
discerned the foolishness of hiding the blade in her room. If
found, it would prove her involvement in its theft.

A far better plan illumined
her mind. Hide it in
his
chamber. Then, when she needed it for the final
battle, it would be close to hand.

Yes, a fine plot. But where?

Elwytha scanned the places she had already
searched. Too easy to find. Her gaze returned to his bed, and she
listened to his quiet breaths. If she hid it under his mattress,
he’d likely never find it. What man changed linens? And tomorrow,
when he went out, she could slip it to the center of the bed, where
Hagma would never discover it.

Despite feeling pleased with the cleverness
of her plan, Elwytha felt uneasy as she neared the large bed…and
the man upon it. He had turned to his side now, and was facing
her.

She froze. Was he awake? No—the moonbeams
proved his eyes were closed. She drew a shaky breath of relief. She
went down on her knees and slipped the dagger beneath the mattress.
Done! Success. Her hands trembled slightly. Now just to return to
her room…

A hard arm clamped around her waist and she
flew upward with a frightened squeak. She landed on the Commander’s
chest. Distress, fright, and a multitude of other emotions pounded
through her. Frozen with shock, she took note of every detail of
the situation, frantic to find an avenue of escape.

He wore no jerkin. Elwytha noticed this
straight off. Her palms pressed into warm skin and the rock-like,
sculpted muscles of his chest and shoulders.

In the pale light, his eyes watched her. She
held very still, uncertain what to do. What did he intend with this
preposterous action. Did he guess her plan? Nervously, she licked
her lips.

He scanned her features, and then she felt
his deep rumble beneath her palms. “You would start our wedding
night early?”

He mocked her. She saw it in the twist to his
lips—the only part of his face not mutilated.

“
N-no.”

“
Then why are you
here?”

“
I…I wished to take some
air,” she improvised swiftly. “Yes. I felt a vapor, and needed to
stroll…”

“
Crawl, you mean…to my
bed.”

Her face burned, and she attempted to roll
off him. He foiled her attempt. Elwytha was becoming entirely too
aware of his body beneath her.

“
Release me,” she breathed.
“This is inappropriate.”

“
Is it appropriate to
approach my bed while I sleep? What did you intend?”

She struggled again. “Not this.”

His eyes, slate colored in the dim light,
hardened. “You wish to stop moving.”

Her breath caught in alarm. “Unhand me this
instant,” she hissed.

The Commander rolled over, so at least now
she was off of him, thank goodness, but now he loomed over her.

How had she gotten herself into this
situation?

“
I would retire to my
chamber now,” she said frostily. “Pray, move aside.”

“
Tell me what you were doing
in my chamber.” The deep voice was too quiet.

“
I told you. Now kindly move
your oafish self.” Elwytha pretended calm, but everything within
her screamed to get out of his bed.

Abruptly, he sat up, scooped her into his
arms and deposited her on the floor, facing him.

“
Come to my chamber again at
night and I’ll assume you wish to sample our marriage pleasures
early,” he told her, face hard. “Do you understand?”

Fright took flight within her then.
“Yes.”

“
Goodnight,” he thundered,
and Elwytha sprinted to her room and slammed the door. She leaned
against it, breathing hard. How narrowly she had escaped that dire
situation.

However, now she had one blade in place. The
danger, while high, had proven worthwhile.

Elwytha crawled into bed and tried to forget
how disturbed she had felt, close to the Commander, and how aware
she had been of the strength of him, and the feel of his hard
muscles. He had not appeared brutish and hulking without his
jerkin, she realized with a flush. But rather an alarmingly virile,
powerful man.

Shame shot through her. How could she notice
such things about that man, her enemy? Her brother’s murderer?

Elwytha pressed her hands to her eyes,
confused and sick with herself. What depravity lurked in her that
she would approve anything about the Commander? So he was strong…so
he had muscles? So did many men.

But he had never used that strength against
her, to hurt her—despite all her provocations. In a flash of
uncensored honesty, she admitted that she was lucky he had released
her minutes ago. Few men would have done the same.

* * * * *

The sound of her chamber door opening awoke
Elwytha the next morning.

“
Leave me, Hagma,” she
mumbled. “I’m tired.”

She heard a sound beside her bed and opened
one eye. The frowning, squinty gaze of the Commander stared back at
her.

She shrieked, jerking back, bedclothes
clutched to her chin. On better thought, she sat bolt upright and
stared at the Commander, who knelt beside her bed. “Get out,” she
breathed. “How dare you enter my chamber?”

“
Where is it?” he rumbled,
gaining his feet.

Elwytha quickly gathered her wits. He had
discovered his blade was missing. She pretended innocence. “What do
you mean?”

He glared down at her, and unwanted fear
quailed within her. She tried again. “Tell me what you seek.
Perhaps I could help you find it.”

“
Where did you hide
my
dagger?
”

Now Elwytha was relieved that she hadn’t
hidden it in her room. It would be the first place he would look.
“You’ve lost your dagger? Why accuse me of stealing it?”

“
Because I caught you
crawling about my chamber last night. Where have you hidden it?”
Frustration tightened his lips.

Elwytha fluttered a hand at her room.
“Search my chamber to your content. I care not.”

“
No,” he said, watching her.
“It’s not here.”

“
It is not?” Elwytha said
innocently.

He clenched his great fists. “You would make
a fool of me.”

“
Nay. I do not sport with
you.” Verily, it was battle. Pure to the core.

“
I have been patient with
you, but no longer,” he growled from deep within his
chest.

Elwytha felt alarmed.

The Commander thundered,
“One last time…
give me my blade.
Or you will not like the consequence.”

Elwytha felt vulnerable now in her bed and
sprang out, crossing her arms. Her night dress covered her
adequately, thankfully. “I have no blade, Commander,” she said as
evenly as possible. “Feel free to search my belongings.”

“
No. I would search
you.”

“
Nay,” Elwytha gasped out.
When he moved closer, she darted into his chamber, seeking
escape…seeking the comfort of the blade she had hidden.

He continued to advance toward her, and she
thought better of backing against his bed, for more than one
reason. She did not wish him to suspect she’d hidden it there,
either.

She turned and sprinted for the door, but the
Commander slammed a hand against it, over her head, not allowing
her to open it. She faced him, chest heaving. Fright formed
despicable tears in her eyes. She tried to escape to one side, but
his other arm stopped her. She stared up at him and wished she had
the blade now. How quickly her torture would end!

His eyes were like slate. “Remain still while
I search your form.”

“
No!” Elwytha shuddered, and
to her dismay a wretched tear spilled down her face. “Please, no.
You would humiliate me thusly?”

He heaved a breath, and stared at her for an
agonizingly long minute. “Do you have the dagger on your
person?”

“
No.”

He gritted between his teeth, “Do you swear
before God?”

Elwytha took a quick breath. He asked for her
honor. Something she could still give him—complete treachery had
not rent her soul yet. She met his gaze steadily. “Yes. I swear
before God.”

“
Then where did you put my
dagger?” he whipped back.

Truthfully, Elwytha said, “I don’t have it.
Search my room, if you please.”

“
Nay. You did not put it in
your chamber.” Comprehension dawned, and he scanned his chamber.
“You placed it in
mine.
”

Elwytha crossed her arms, dismayed he had
figured it out so quickly. She said nothing.

In three quick strides, he crossed the room
and upended his mattress. With consternation, she saw him retrieve
his deadly blade.

He returned to her, and she eyed the dagger
with trepidation. Did he intend to threaten her with it?

“
Why did you hide
it?”

Her gaze flickered from his fearsome face to
the blade, gripped in his hand. “I…” she licked her lips, “I…I
wished to vex you.” Quickly, she grasped for this plausible
explanation. “I knew it is your favorite, and…and wanted to upset
you. To make you think you had lost it.”

He didn’t believe her. She saw it in his
flinty eyes. “Do you wish me to lock you in your chamber every
night?”

“
No. Of course
not.”

“
I cannot trust you. I have
no other choice.”

“
I could have killed you.”
The unthinking, foolish words burst from her lips. “But…I didn’t,”
she faltered.

He moved closer, in a deliberately
intimidating manner. “I should be grateful you spared my life?”

She lifted her chin. “I
tell you so you’ll know I have honor. I would never stab you while
you sleep.
Never
in
the back.” Anger rose in her. “It’s the honor code of a true
warrior.”

“
At last, you admit the
truth.”

“
Yes,” she said. “Kill me if
you wish, but at least let me choose my weapon.”

His eyes held hers steadily. “You would
choose the dagger.”

Elwytha stilled, dismayed. How did he know?
She parried, “I am accomplished with all weapons.”

“
True. But you favor the
daggers.”

How was he so certain? Because she had
stolen his dagger last even? Nay.

Why did she sense he knew something he wasn’t
telling her? It made her feel uncomfortable. Suspicious. She
shrugged, faking apathy. “You’re welcome to believe whatever you
wish.”

The Commander sheathed his blade. “I will
lock you in your room at night until I learn I can trust you.”

Frustration rose in Elwytha, but she knew it
was a just punishment. “May I walk freely during the day?”

“
Yes. Unless you prove more
treachery.”

“
Very well.”

“
I wish you to ride with me
today,” he told her.

She stared in surprise. “But I don’t wish to.
Why don’t you understand that?”

“
I understand you hate me.
That will end, the more time we spend together.”

Astonished, Elwytha laughed
merrily. “Nay, Commander. You disillusion yourself. That
will
never
happen.
Accept that defeat at least.”