Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [123]
She rode ahead of him up the trail.
She heard his muttered expletive behind her.
“I won’t be this weak forever,” he called grimly. “Enjoy it while you may.”
She was not enjoying his helplessness, but she was taking advantage of it. He looked strong and warriorlike sitting in that saddle, but she couldn’t believe he was as well as he appeared. She would not let him go alone to that fortress where unknown dangers lurked. “If you admit to weakness, you should have the sense to take care of yourself. Since I see no sign of it, I’ll have to do it myself.” She glanced back over her shoulder to make sure Selene was out of hearing. “I believe we’ll be just as safe at Maysef as we were waiting for Kemal, but I want a promise from you.” She paused. “If there’s a choice to be made, I want you to save Selene.”
“Instead of you?” He shook his head. “I’ll not make that promise.”
“You must. Selene has nothing to do with this. We’ve swept her along, taken away all her choices.” She moistened her lips. “We have to keep her safe. Can’t you see that it’s not fair?”
“I don’t care if it’s fair or not. Dammit, I cannot make that promise.” He met her gaze. “You know I cannot.”
Darkness and fire. Torches burning, lighting the unknown. Closeness, bonding, two together.
Shaken, she forced herself to glance away from him. “It’s not fair,” she whispered.
“What about this has ever been fair?” He smiled bitterly. “I’ll try to keep you both alive, but don’t expect me to let you die and another live.” He spurred ahead of her. “It will not happen.”
“Ah, I see you’ve obeyed my orders with your usual precision.”
Thea’s glance flew up the trail. “Kadar!”
He clucked reprovingly as he rode toward them. “Did I not tell you to stay until I came for you? And look at you, riding to beard Sinan in his den.” His gaze shifted to Ware. “I’m glad to see you recovered. I suppose this is your doing. You wished to relieve yourself of your obligation to me, so you rush to pluck me from Sinan’s stranglehold. Well, it won’t be that easy. I fear you must remain my possession a little longer.”
“I believe I can tolerate that state,” Ware said gruffly. “You are well?”
“I’m wonderfully fed, splendidly clothed, but spiritually barren. Sinan is all brain and no soul, which has a certain numbing affect.” He looked beyond them to Selene. “But I was most tactful with him. I didn’t wish to come back dripping blood and inconveniencing you.”
“Very wise,” she said impassively.
“But it took all my powers of persuasion to get him to extend an invitation to you. He didn’t think you’d prove amusing.” He turned his horse. “Though he’s found terrifying Kemal’s soldiers these last few days a very gratifying experience. Perhaps he thought he’d wrest the same pleasure from intimidating you.”
“Kemal?” Thea asked, cutting through the chaff to the kernel of importance. “What of Kemal?”
“He’s camped in the foothills, trying to incite his soldiers to follow him back up the mountain to gut you. It’s been most difficult when every night one of the poor fellows is found with his throat sliced from ear to ear.”
“Your suggestion?” Ware asked.
“Well, I judged poison to be too subtle and inconvenient for the situation.” He glanced at Thea. “But frightening Kemal away from here would have been much easier if he didn’t have such confidence in his beloved banner. He may yet convince his followers to come after us.”
“Only a suggestion?” Selene asked suddenly.
Kadar met her gaze with limpid innocence. “You malign me.” He changed the subject. “On no account must anyone tell Sinan of Kemal’s belief in the banner, and when you meet him, lower your head and don’t speak until he speaks. He will probably ignore you. He views women as one step above animals of the field, and I won’t have my negotiations jeopardized.”
“I won’t lower my head, but I’ve no desire to speak to him,” Selene said. “And most men consider women as animals that exist only for their use.”