The Illegitimate Claim (50 page)

“My lord,” Gilroy spoke quietly. “Has Meah mentioned a visit she had with the

dog-woman to you?”

Andru turned his head quickly and narrowed his brow. “Not recently. Why do you

ask?”

“I don’t know exactly what was said. She wouldn’t tell me, but I might dare to

guess that she shouldn’t be partaking in such moves right now.”

Andru gave his friend a long hard look. Gilroy’s expression wasn’t readable as he

stared back. His papa’s slow recovery had preoccupied Andru from many of his routine

responsibilities, and Gilroy had covered for him impressively. More than once, he’d not

been briefed on a situation that Gilroy had handled with ease. But at the moment, he

didn’t follow what his first commander was saying to him, and he was certain he wasn’t

at a loss due to something happening that he simply didn’t remember.

“What are you saying?” Andru’s tone was imposing but Gilroy wasn’t daunted.

“I think she might be pregnant,” Gilroy said without lowering his gaze.

“From a vision she had?” Andru frowned.

“Not from a vision.” The smallest of smiles crossed Gilroy’s lips, but his blue eyes

were hard upon his lord’s face.

“You were with her when she had a vision?” Andru felt unease creep through him.

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“Yes, my lord, on the day Darius was hurt. She contacted me to find out the details

of what happened. The situation upset her and I went to her.” Gilroy paused, already

knowing he would offer no information unless asked.

Andru continued to watch him but Gilroy could see his expression was hardening

and already he suspected the truth.

“When the dog-woman came to her I could tell Meah was selecting her words so I

wouldn’t know what was said. But the subject upset her, and she mentioned something

about almost dying the first time.”

Andru turned and looked back at the petite woman fighting in the ring. Her body

wouldn’t have an easy time with childbirth, he’d never given that any thought before.

But his papa was hurt more than a cycle ago. Why was Gilroy mentioning it to him

now? Why hadn’t Meah said anything to him about this? He knew he had been

preoccupied about his papa, but there were ample opportunities when he had been

alone with both of them, and neither had mentioned a vision or what they’d done that

day. For some reason, Gilroy felt a need to mention it now. He suspected Meah to be

pregnant and he didn’t want her to miscarry while fighting.

“Why are you waiting until now to mention this?” he asked finally.

“This particular style of fighting encourages her opponent to kick her. One wrong

move and she could be put down for a while, and if she’s pregnant…” Gilroy didn’t

continue.

“And it would bother you if she was pregnant and lost the child?”

Gilroy stared at the hardened face and knew what was being asked. “Yes, it would,

my lord.”

“Why?” Andru’s tone hardened.

The two locked on to each other’s gaze. The intensity of the emotions that flew

through Andru, when Gilroy didn’t immediately answer, were strong enough that Ana

turned around quickly and stared at both of them. Meah paused with her instruction for

a fraction of a second, when she saw Ana jerk her head around to look at her brother.

She, too, glanced at the two men and saw the tension between them. Her heart began

pounding in her chest, and she turned to focus on her opponent, refusing to believe her

worst nightmare might come true.

“So, Gilroy, are we going to prove to history how ineffectual the Bachula can be?”

Andru’s voice was cold, barely above a whisper.

“No, my lord, I don’t think so.” Gilroy forced himself to relax, and Andru noted the

determination his first commander displayed. “You have my loyalty, don’t worry about

that. If you tell me to do something, I will do it. If you tell me not to do something, I

won’t do it. But if you make no comment one way or the other, I can think for myself.”

“I see.”

“Stop the fight, my lord.” Gilroy nodded his head toward the ring.

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Andru looked over at his sister, who was still watching them curiously. He ran a

finger across his throat and nodded to the roped-off ring. Ana turned immediately and

yelled for Meah and the other Runner to take a break. Instantly, people began to

disband from the area.

“My friend, do I understand that you have seen something that you liked and taken

it?”

“I haven’t forced any issues. I took only what was offered.”

Andru laughed, although somewhat sardonically. “You forget who you’re speaking

with, my friend. I’ve seen you in action, remember? You can assure something you

want is offered, and you’ve done it well in the past, although I would have thought you

a little out of practice.”

Gilroy looked down for the first time and hid a smile. Andru accepted the situation,

and now simply questioned the motive. He hadn’t planned on this conversation, but

should have known that no matter how trying recent times had been on his lord, the

man was still one shrewd son of a bitch.

“Some things just seem to come to a guy naturally, my lord, although I assure you

they’re not practiced regularly.” Gilroy managed a serious expression.

“Do you still love Ana?”

The question shocked Gilroy and he let Andru see that as he looked up quickly. He

noticed then that the two women watched them from the edge of the ring, both of their

expressions worried, although for different reasons. He smiled his usual jovial smile at

both of them.

“Do you still love Meah?” He cocked his head at Andru.

Andru got off his glider and stretched. He, too, smiled at the two women who now

looked at both of them warily. Turning, he faced Gilroy. “I love her as much as I’m sure

you love Ana.”

Gilroy let out a noticeable sigh of relief, and Andru turned and placed his hand on

the man’s arm. “I’ll find out the details of this vision. I appreciate your honesty.”

“Meah,” he called over his shoulder, and the young woman looked from one to the

other as she approached slowly.

Ana followed behind her, but when she walked toward her brother, Andru stepped

to the other side of Meah and took her arm.

“We’ll take a walk so that we may talk about some things. Gilroy, take your claim.”

Andru backed up again when Ana looked like she would reach out to touch him.

Gilroy understood immediately that his lord didn’t want his sister to know that

Gilroy had taken Meah. That was fine with him. He leaned forward on his glider and

pulled Ana to him.

Andru nodded to both of them, avoiding eye contact with his sister, then guided

Meah away from them by her arm. Meah glanced at Ana and then looked up at Gilroy.

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There was almost panic in her eyes, and he winked at her to make her relax. Andru

never mentioned what Gilroy could or could not do in the future.

“What was that all about?” Ana asked, as Gilroy situated her in front of him on his

glider.

“Nothing for you to worry about, my lady.”

“But Andru didn’t want me near him.” Ana watched her brother walk across the

field.

Gilroy pulled her head back so he could see her eyes. “Must you always be near

your brother?”

Her eyes widened as his bored into her. “Of course not, my lord. It looked like you

two were fighting for a minute but then you were smiling. I was worried, that’s all.”

“I don’t like to see you worry. The man wants to take a walk with his claim.” He

gestured toward Andru and Meah as they walked away from them toward the trees.

Then he lowered his head and began nibbling on her neck. “Do you want to take a walk

with me, my lady?”

* * * * *

Andru kept his pace slow intentionally in order to keep stride with Meah’s much

shorter legs. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and cuddled her to him as he

stared ahead at the developing storm. The tension running through her body was

obvious. He knew she realized she’d been caught, and was now being led to her

punishment. He decided to let her stew for a while before saying anything.

One thing Andru knew to be true. There could be no punishment…no reprimand of

any kind. And although he desperately wanted to forbid her to so much as look at

Gilroy, he knew there was no way he could do that. It would be a hypocritical act. It

was the same reason he made no harsh reproof to Gilroy. If he forbade their actions

they would resent him for his…and where there was resentment there was no loyalty.

He had to think of Gothman first. They had him on this one, and although Meah

showed no signs of seeing this, Gilroy saw it immediately. Andru couldn’t stop his first

commander unless he quit going to Ana, and doing that would destroy him. He chose

his words carefully before he broke their silence.

“You know why I wanted to be alone with you, don’t you, my lady?” He stopped

them as he spoke and turned her to face him. She looked up and he saw defiance

covering up her fear. He stroked her cheek. “There are no secrets between you and me. I

won’t ask why you didn’t tell me about your vision, but I will know all the details about

it now.”

Now he saw relief and suspicion tangle up within the blue and green of her eyes.

She took a breath and stepped away from him.

“I was swimming in Fool’s Creek. It was the day you fought with Lord Darius. It

was hot, muggy, and I felt left out because I didn’t know what was going on, so I went

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swimming. I cut my foot on one of the rocks and the dog-woman showed up and

healed the gash.” Meah paused, having said the obvious. It was the conversation she’d

had with the old lady that he was after. She decided to get it over with. “She told me I

was going to have a baby.”

Meah looked up at him quickly. His mouth broke into a grin, but he simply crossed

his arms and looked down at her as if she were a mischievous child. “Those were her