TheRedKing (25 page)

Before Mira could reply, Hypatios appeared in the doorway.
His gaze riveted to the stallion. A smile tugged at his mouth and he stepped
closer to slide his arms around the horse’s muscular neck. “Notus. Yes, I’m
well— I’m a liar? You know I’ve had worse. What happened after I was washed
downriver?”

Mira stared at Hypatios and the horse, her brow furrowed.
Was he actually having a conversation with the stallion? Some called him a
madman. Others called him magical. At the moment Mira wasn’t sure which rumor
was true.

Hypatios glanced at Joshua. “I’m told Knights of the Ruby Order
are backing Areus of Lortia. Have you heard any news from the border lately? Is
there truth to this?”

“A messenger passed through yesterday. I believe it’s true
about the Knights. It seems both sides have withdrawn for now.”

“And Areus? Any word about him?”

“I’ve heard he’s recovering from his wounds at the castle at
Fernhill.”

“He’s still alive,” Hypatios murmured.

Mira doubted he realized he’d spoken aloud. He seemed lost
in his thoughts.

Finally he glanced at Mira and Joshua. “Thank you for your
assistance. I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

Mira’s brow furrowed. “You can’t.”

“Sir, you’re still too weak to travel far. Your wounds have
barely healed. I can get word to your men if you’ve changed your mind about
notifying them, but stay here a bit longer and give yourself a chance to
recover.”

Mira sensed Hypatios wasn’t as concerned about contacting
his men as he was about something else and she had an idea what it was.

“Joshua, thank you for coming,” Mira said when Hypatios
again turned back to his horse. She motioned for Joshua that she would like to
talk to Hypatios alone. Not that she thought she could convince him to stay if
he had a mind to go, but she had to try.

“Well, I have a lot of work back in the village,” Joshua said.
“Good day, Mira. Sir, would you like me to take Notus to my stable and keep him
comfortable until you’re ready to travel?”

Hypatios glanced at the blacksmith. “That’s agreeable. I’ll
come for him in the morning”

“As you say.” Joshua approached to take the rope halter he
had fashioned for the wandering horse, but Notus refused to move, his dark gaze
fixed on Hypatios.

“Go with Joshua,” Hypatios said, affectionately stroking his
horse’s nose. “He’ll be kind to you and I’ll come for you tomorrow.”

You’re not well. These humans have been caring for you?

“I’m fine.”

No you’re not. You can’t hide your pain from me. We’ve
been through too much together. As you know when I’m sore, I know you’re not
sound now.

“Just go with Joshua.” Hypatios caressed the horse’s neck.
“Before you go, do you know Beauty’s whereabouts?”

The snow forced her into hibernation, but she intends to look
for you as soon as she’s able to travel again.

Hypatios nodded. “Go with Joshua.”

Notus snorted, but this time when Joshua led him, he
followed.

“You can actually speak to them? Animals?” Mira asked.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I know that look. You think
I’m mad, that I was having a one-sided conversation.”

“No, I—”

“Don’t lie.”

Exasperated, she folded her arms across her chest and met
his gaze. “I’m not sure what to believe, except for one thing. If you try to
travel tomorrow, you’ll end up making yourself worse. I didn’t go through all
this work to keep you alive to watch you relapse due to your own foolishness.”

“I’m starting to see why you live alone out here.”

Her eyes widened. “Being alone is better than being forced
into a marriage with someone like—”

“Like?”

“Nothing. It’s not important. I know why you’re so eager to
go. It’s because of Cassandra, isn’t it?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I have a battle to fight.”

“Joshua reported back that both sides have withdrawn. Wars
aren’t generally fought in winter, are they?”

“Which is why an attack in the middle of it would take them
by surprise.”

“If you try to fight right now, you wouldn’t last ten
minutes.”

“I’ve lasted far longer than that with worse injuries than
this.”

“You’ve deliberately changed the subject. We were discussing
Cassandra.”

“I told you she’s missing.”

“You said she was seen at the dock. Did you ever stop to think
that she wanted to leave for a personal reason?”

“That’s crazy. Why would she want to leave her home?”

Mira smiled sadly. “There are many reasons why a woman would
want to leave her home.”

Hypatios circled her. “Why did you leave home, Mira? You
haven’t told me very much about yourself over these past few days.”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“You’re lying again.”

Now, instead of her arms folded across her chest, she was
hugging herself tightly. Hypatios felt a twinge of guilt, as he was obviously
making her uncomfortable. It was a foreign emotion, like so many of the other
emotions he’d been experiencing since meeting her.

“Maybe I don’t want to talk about it,” she said.

“Too bad. You’ve had an advantage over me, listening to me
rant in delirium about my life. I think you owe me some information in return.”

“
I
owe
you
? In case you’ve forgotten already I
saved your life.”

“I’ve forced men to disclose deeper secrets than why a well-born
maiden ran away from home.”

Mira placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Of
course you have. Everyone knows your reputation, sir. What’s it to be? The
dungeon or torture if I don’t give you intimate details about my life?”

Of course she’d think him a monster and a madman. Everyone
else did, why not Mira too? Cassandra was the only person who had ever tried to
understand him and he had no idea where she was or why she’d left.

“Neither. You’re not the first person to slink from me and
you certainly won’t be the last. I’ll be gone by morning, my lady.” He strode
back inside.

A wave of exhaustion washed over him and he sat heavily on
the bed. He was still feverish. His forearms and shoulder still hurt and the
severe bruises and scrapes that covered him from head to foot were quite sore
as well. Mira and the others were probably right about him not being able to
travel far, yet he had traveled and even fought while wounded many times
before.

“Sir,” Mira said, stepping inside. She closed the door and
approached him. “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you.”

She looked sincere and his eyes narrowed, then widened again
as he studied her. “You didn’t upset me.”

“If Cassandra loves you, she wouldn’t want you chasing after
her before you’re healed. She waited for you to go before she left. Maybe she
went to visit friends or relatives.”

“She didn’t mention it. Something might be wrong. And aside
from Cassandra, I have to get word to my father.”

“We can do that, just please don’t leave yet.” Mira
approached the bed. She reached out to cup his cheek but he caught her hand.

“You don’t have to touch me anymore. My fever is better.”

“I know I don’t have to,” she said softly. “But I’d like to,
unless you prefer I don’t, sir.”

“You may call me Hypatios.”

A faint smile tugged at her lips, then faded. “You’re right.
I did run away from home because my father was planning to marry me off to a
man I didn’t want to be with.”

“It was his right.”

“Women aren’t horses to be bred and traded. I know that a
man such as yourself will never understand that, but—”

“It’s not so hard to understand a person wanting to decide
his or her own fate.”

Mira glanced at him in surprise. “You can’t mean that.”

“Did you leave home on our own?”

“No. I left with a farmer. He deserted me soon after we
arrived here, ran off with another woman from the village.”

Hypatios was still holding her hand. He gently caressed her
wrist with his thumb and said in a husky voice, “He was a fool.”

“No, I was.”

“You’re not a fool, Mira. Just a spirited woman who has been
badly used. We’re similar in some ways, aren’t we? Tainted by characteristics
that aren’t appreciated by the majority.”

“I hadn’t thought about it, but now that you say it, I
agree.”

Sighing, Hypatios released her hand and lay back in bed.

Mira edged closer to him. This time when she cupped his
cheek, he didn’t try to stop her.

“Hypatios, please don’t leave tomorrow. Heal a bit longer.
Don’t return to your men vulnerable. I’ve heard what Zaltanian soldiers are like.
If they smell blood, they’ll attack like a riverbeast.”

“You’re concerned for me? Why?”

“You’re not what I expected. I fear that without you in its
future, the Western Continent will suffer.”

He tilted his head and stared at her, trying to decide if
she was speaking the truth. Why did he want to believe her?

He recalled the argument between the white warrior and the
bearded spirit. They had also mentioned his power over the Western Continent.

“You agree with conquering Lortia then?” he asked, then
nearly bit his tongue. It was comical that he, Hypatios of Zaltana, had just asked
the opinion of an insignificant
woman
regarding the future of his
kingdom.

“May I speak my mind or will you punish me for it?”

He snorted. “You saved my life. It would take more than you
speaking your mind for me to punish you.”

“Why does Zaltana need to conquer the other kingdoms?
You—we—have so much already.”

Hypatios’s stomach clenched in anger, not at her but at
himself for not succeeding against Areus. He had mocked General Zenon many
times for failing to take the remaining northern kingdoms. He had boasted to
his father that he would deliver Areus’s head on a pike. Instead he was lying
like a beaten dog in a peasant cottage.

“Because Areus is a threat, that’s why,” Hypatios snapped.

“I know. He nearly killed you, but—”

“Nearly killed me? I’ve had far worse, my dear.”

She held his gaze with a patronizing expression that made
him want to hit something.

“Wipe that look off your face, woman.”

“It was battle,” she said. “You can’t blame the man for
defending himself or for wanting to protect his kingdom.”

He couldn’t keep the humorless smile from his lips. “You
dare to speak treason to the Prince of Lortia? Woman, you’re either stupidly
brave or suicidal.”

“You said you wouldn’t punish me for speaking my mind. I believe
you. And it’s not treason. I don’t want to see you lose anything. I simply want
to understand the need to conquer when you already have so much.”

“I can’t expect you to understand what it is to be a
Zaltanian warrior or to be the only living descendant of Mar Maska who shares
even some of his powers.”

“If you have these powers, there’s so much good you can do
with them.” She gazed at him with such intensity in her beautiful eyes that his
heart skipped a beat. That had never happened to him before, not outside of
battle and not because of a woman.

“If everyone is under Zaltanian rule, there will be peace,”
he said.

She looked down and sighed. “That’s not what I meant.”

He cupped her chin and tilted her face toward his so their
gazes locked again. “I know what you meant, but that’s not the Zaltanian way.
Surely, as a woman living on Zaltanian soil, you know that.”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean? As a woman living on
Zaltanian soil?”

“You’ve said you ran away from home to avoid marriage, but
by your accent you are clearly not Zaltanian.”

“I don’t wish to—”

“Talk about it. I know. Was he that bad, the man you were to
marry?”

She stared at him and her brow furrowed. “I’m still not
sure.”

He smiled. “He must be, for you to prefer living in a shack
in the woods.”

Mira remained silent.

“I could use you for interrogations,” he said with a wry
smile. “You’ve coaxed me into telling you more about myself than I’ve ever told
anyone, but I still know so little about you.”

“Why do you want to?”

“Why do you want me to stay here longer?”

“I want you to be well before you go, especially if you
intend to fight Lortia again.”

He narrowed his eyes, studying her carefully. Did she have
feelings for him? She clearly disliked his political views, yet she cared about
his physical health.

“All right. I’ll stay a bit longer.”

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss his scarred cheek. His
stomach clenched and for a moment he forgot to breathe. No woman had ever
kissed him there and he had been so certain that none ever would.

Mira was full of surprises.

Areus’s fever broke about a week after his arrival in
Fernhill. Delia and Crag convinced him it was far too soon to travel, but he
insisted Delia return to Lortia. He didn’t want both the king and queen to be
absent for long. Though hesitant to leave him, she realized that if she didn’t
go, he probably would and suffer a relapse in the process.

Before she left, Areus prepared a long message to Etor, half
of which he dictated to Delia.

While Cyril and Echo accompanied Delia home, Cosma remained
behind to continue looking after Areus.

Upon arriving in Lortia, Delia found that Etor had more than
adequately kept order in the kingdom. Truly he didn’t need her assistance, but Areus
had been adamant about her presence in Lortia.

“Our duty is to Lortia,” Areus had said when she’d come to
kiss him goodbye. Still he’d held her close and added, “Thank you for coming.”

Thank you for coming.

That was something one would say to a visitor, not one’s
wife.

After all they had been through and learned about each
other, did he not consider her family? Would he ever think of her as anything
but the Queen of Lortia, the mother to his heir?

She believed he had feelings for her, but he had been
groomed to be king. He had been molded from birth to be a warrior, a leader, to
hide his emotions so that others could trust his guidance. Even in private, even
in the most intimate moments of their marriage, would he ever completely expose
himself to her?

Perhaps it should be enough that he wasn’t the monster she’d
expected. She should be satisfied that they enjoyed each other’s company, yet
wasn’t it human nature to want more?

She had dreams of him telling her that he loved her. Would
those dreams ever come true?

Finally home, Delia spent much time with Etor and Alexa,
seeing to the function of the castle and dealing with issues in the kingdom
that would generally fall to Areus.

Two weeks later, Areus returned to Lortia. Since his leg
wounds hadn’t healed enough for him to ride, he arrived in King Daniel’s coach.
He stepped from it with his usual calm, graciously acknowledging those who had
gathered to welcome him. Delia waited beside Etor at the castle entrance. The
servants had also assembled to greet their king.

Her heart beat faster just from seeing him again. She had
missed him so much.

Areus walked slower than usual, but he didn’t limp though
she knew he must want to. He carried a cane, but used it minimally. She didn’t
doubt that both the coach and the cane offended his pride.

Cosma and Seth had also traveled with him. Upon seeing the
healer, Echo couldn’t keep from smiling.

Areus paused in front of Delia and their gazes locked. She
was surprised by the emotions gleaming in his beautiful green eyes—affection
and joy, but underlying frustration that undoubtedly had to do with Hypatios
and Zaltana.

“Hello, Delia,” he said in a husky voice.

“Sir.” She bowed her head to him, but her gaze never left
his.

They entered the castle and Areus headed directly to his
chamber, in the company of Seth.

“May I join you?” Delia asked.

“Please,” Areus replied.

He ascended the stairs more slowly than usual, using the
banister for support. He passed his cane to Delia, then reached for her free
hand. Glancing at her, he smiled slightly and she smiled back.

“It’s good to have you home,” she said.

“It’s good to
be
home, though King Daniel and his
household were more than accommodating. We must find an appropriate gift for
their hospitality.”

“I’ve already been thinking about that, sir. It will be
taken care of.”

“I would also like to reward the farmer who found me.”

“Of course. I’ll see to it.”

Again he smiled. “And how are you and my heir? You didn’t
say much in your letters.”

“We’re well.” Delia absently brushed a hand over her
stomach. She hadn’t gained much weight yet, but she hadn’t been with child for
long. Both Alexa and Cosma had said that she’d start showing soon enough.

In Areus’s chamber, Seth checked and rewrapped the King’s
leg wounds. Delia was glad to see how much they had improved over the past
couple of weeks.

“He’s always been a fast healer,” Seth commented when he’d
finished with the bandages. “Even though it’s a wonder his ribs weren’t knocked
out of place again. That coach driver was insane.”

“Seth, the roads in Fernhill tend to be rocky,” Areus told
him.

“Rocky? I think I chipped my teeth from all that jarring.”

“You came from the battlefield, but you complain about a coach
ride through the countryside?”

Seth grumbled. Delia and Areus exchanged amused glances.

“Why don’t you go see Echo, now that you’re satisfied I’m
going to live,” Areus said to Seth.

The healer offered a lopsided grin and nodded. It seemed he
still wasn’t accustomed to having a woman in his life, but by the glow in his
eyes he appeared happy about it.

Once he’d gone, Areus stretched out on his bed and held out
his hand for Delia to join him.

Smiling, she curled up beside him and rested her head on his
shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her hair.

“I’ve missed you, Delia.”

His words warmed her and she lifted her head to kiss his cheek.
“I’ve missed you too, Areus. So much.” Settling her cheek against his chest,
she closed her eyes.

“It seems our time together always has limits.”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“The Knights and my men will watch our borders through
winter, since I wouldn’t put it past Hypatios to attack even then, but if he doesn’t,
there will inevitably be another battle in spring.”

Delia sighed deeply. “I know. If only we could find a way to
make peace with—”

“Peace?” Areus demanded. Beneath her cheek, his heartbeat
quickened. “There is no peace with them. Hypatios is as bad as the beasts he
controls. Worse. There has been no word about him, so I hope he’s dead. Without
him, Zaltana will be easier to keep at bay and possibly conquer.”

Conquer.

“You’ve decided that’s what you want, then? To become what
you hate?”

“They’ve left me no choice.”

“There’s always a choice.”

“Delia, I don’t expect you to understand, but I do expect
you to support me.”

“I’ll always support you.”

“Good. Now kiss me. It’s been too long since we’ve kissed
properly.”

Though the threat of another battle hung over her head, Delia
pushed thoughts of it aside. Here and now, Areus was hers and she wouldn’t
waste a second of their time together.

She lifted her head and covered his mouth with hers. Areus
cupped the back of her neck. His tongue traced the shape of her lips, then slid
between them. Her tongue met his and Delia closed her eyes, enjoying his taste
and his warmth. She had missed being close to him like this.

Areus moaned softly and slid his hand down her back to grasp
her bottom. His strong fingers kneaded it.

Delia moaned too. Her nipples stiffened and her clit and
pussy ached. She’d made love with him so many times in her dreams, but it had
been too long since they had done it in reality. Yet it was too soon for him.
He still needed to heal.

“Areus,” she murmured against his lips.

“Delia,” he breathed and pulled her close for another
penetrating kiss.

She braced her hands against his chest. His heart was
beating as hard as hers. His stiffening cock pushed against her and she couldn’t
keep from undulating against his steely thigh—the uninjured one.

“Spirit, Delia, you have no idea how much I want you,” he
breathed. “It feels as if forever since we’ve been together like this.”

“Areus, we can’t. You’re in no condition to—”

He kissed her again, harder and more demanding. Only when he
tried to pull her fully on top of him did he gasp in pain.

Delia quickly moved away and stared at him with concern.
“I’m sorry, Areus. Are you well? Do you need me to call Seth?”

“No,” he said, looking annoyed. Glancing down at his cock,
he cursed under his breath.

Delia smiled and brushed a kiss across his brow. “You just need
a bit more time to heal.”

“Part of me, anyway. The other part is too ready. Frustrated
is the word.”

“Then think of how good it will be when the rest of you
finally catches up.”

Glancing at her, he actually growled and Delia couldn’t keep
from chuckling.

* * * * *

Hypatios stayed with Mira for a month. He sent word to his
father that he had been injured and was recovering in Barnshill Village. He
would return to the palace at Zaltana as soon as he was able to ride.

When he’d talked about leaving the day after Joshua had
found Notus, he hadn’t realized how much he’d truly needed to recuperate, both
in body and in mind. He hadn’t felt this conflicted since he was a child,
trying to balance the real world and the spirit world.

It had been years since a warrior had challenged him as Areus
of Lortia. He hated to be bested by anyone—not that Areus had bested him. From
what he’d heard, the Lortian king suffered gravely from his wounds, yet Hypatios
wasn’t fool enough to ignore the fact that he had nearly died from his own
injuries.

The white warrior plagued him, pushing him toward another
battle. The bearded Lortian and the old seer hovered in the distance. If not
for the conflict between them, each trying to keep the other away from Hypatios,
they probably would have visited him more. He didn’t care. Good riddance to
them. He had enough to deal with here in the physical world without the spirits
goading him toward the insanity so many already thought he suffered from.

Mira was both a gift and a curse. Not since Cassandra had he
felt this close to anyone. Somehow with her kindness and even her sometimes
brutal honesty she had found her way into a heart that had been guarded for
ages.

As much as he desired her lush body, as much as he longed to
hold and kiss her, he made no move toward her. By the way she had reacted to a
few of his more inviting comments, she had no desire to fuck. Or maybe she did
but feared that he would consider her wanton. She had said that while the
villagers accepted her, there was talk about her being a loose woman due to her
relationship with Jase.

Hypatios didn’t need more complications at the moment.
Sexual release would be welcome, but he doubted he could fuck Mira and ride off
without thinking of her again.

He sensed she had feelings for him. She cared for him,
touched and even kissed his cheek when the mood took her. He no longer tried to
stop her from touching him. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he welcomed the
contact. All too soon he would be alone again, back to the harshness of
training and battle.

He and Mira talked often, ate together, enjoyed hours of
conversation and even some comforting silences in front of the fire while the
snow fell and wind howled outside. He wasn’t surprised that she had a fondness
for history, poetry and art. Though she eluded conversations about her
upbringing, she clearly had a noble background. She was shocked that he shared
her love of the arts. Thanks to Cassandra, he could even recite the work of
several famous poets from Lortia, Zaltana and Fernhill. He rarely revealed that
particular skill to anyone. His father had little appreciation for what he
considered frivolous and feminine pastimes.

It was during a short thaw that Hypatios realized it was
time for him to go. He asked Joshua to bring Notus to him and they left on a
sunny morning.

Joshua and Edith both came to see him off. Mira had made him
clothes to replace the ones that had been destroyed by the battle. Joshua
brought him a warm cloak, a dagger and a sword he had fashioned himself.

“You can’t travel unarmed,” the blacksmith said.

“Thank you.” Hypatios offered Joshua his hand. The
blacksmith shook it, his gaze locked with Hypatios’s.

“It’s been an honor to see you again, sir.”

“I won’t forget your kindness. Any of you,” Hypatios stated.

“Just be well and remember if you get another nasty fever,
don’t use too many blankets,” Edith said with a sparkle in her eyes.

Hypatios smiled. He turned to Mira who was staring at him
with an odd look in her beautiful blue eyes.

“It’s goodbye then,” she said.

He nodded and offered her his hand. “Come inside for a
moment.”

They stepped into the cottage. Their fingers entwined, Hypatios
held her gaze.

“No words are strong enough to thank you for what you’ve
done,” he said.

“I only offered you a little food and shelter.” She smiled
slightly, but he couldn’t fail to notice moisture in her eyes.

“You gave me far more than that.”

She nodded and a tear slid down her cheek. He brushed it
away with his thumb and a quirky smile tugged at his lips. “Tears for me? I
don’t think that’s ever happened before.”

“I’ll miss you. Be safe, Hypatios.”

He grinned, hoping to lighten the moment. “Safe isn’t in my
vocabulary.”

“I know. That’s what worries me.”

“I’ll be back, Mira.”

This time she chuckled. “No you won’t. You’ll ride off and
never look back. Maybe I’ll cross your mind once or twice.” She wrinkled her
pert nose in the most adorable manner.

Impulsively Hypatios cupped the back of her head. His mouth
descended on hers in a tender kiss that quickly turned passionate.

She moaned softly and reached up to hug his neck, her lush
curves pressed close to him.

Hypatios wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her even
nearer. His tongue gently slid between her lips and she welcomed it, hers
dancing intimately with it.

He reluctantly broke the kiss, his heart beating fast and
his cock aching.