Chapter Fourteen
Lucy wandered around the room Andrew Rossingham had shown her to when they reached his private residence at the Citadel. It was spacious and comfortable, but it lacked the homey touches of the bedroom Taryn had prepared for her in his apartment. She put her bag down on a chair and went to the window. It was dark outside, so there was little to see, but she could make out a few shapes here and there that she was pretty sure were trees. Resting her forehead against the window, she sighed. She’d thought she was doing the right thing in taking some time for herself but, in reality, she already missed Taryn’s presence.
When she’d emerged from the bedroom after packing enough dresses for a few days, she’d been surprised to find that Taryn was nowhere to be seen. Clearly, he felt he had nothing to say to her. Even though it hurt that he didn’t want to say goodbye, it was probably for the best. He might have changed his mind and forced her to stay. Although a part of her wanted him to do just that, the voice of reason in her head told her that she needed time apart to untangle the complex knot of emotions that was clouding her mind. Despite the fact she loved him, she really wasn’t happy. Her discontentment would only fester and develop into something that would make her and Taryn utterly miserable. Really, she was doing what was best for both of them.
She wasn’t entirely comfortable with having to impose on the Rossinghams’ goodwill, however. It was especially awkward since she got the distinct impression that Andrew wasn’t happy with her decision to leave Taryn. On the drive to the Citadel, he’d spoken little, while she chatted away nervously, trying to get him to engage. Every now and then, his proud jaw had twitched in what she took to be irritation. Although Andrew Rossingham was part human, he was every bit as intimidating as the full-blooded Taar-Breckian warriors she’d met, and Lucy couldn’t help being a little afraid of him. Even though his manner was perfectly civil, she felt the full weight of his disapproval pressing down on her each time he looked at her.
A loud knock at the door dragged her from her thoughts and she turned as her friend Caroline stepped into the room. After a brief moment, where the two women just stood there, at a loss for what to do next, they ran toward each other, meeting in the middle of the room. Caroline flung her arms around Lucy and they hugged for the longest time. It felt like years, rather than weeks, since they’d last seen each other because so much had happened.
As Lucy stepped back, breaking the embrace, she studied Caroline carefully, knowing that she’d been through a great deal. Reaching up, she ran a hand through her friend’s short black hair and gave her a sympathetic smile. Caroline’s hair had once been the envy of many, falling in gorgeous waves down her back. That was before the High Council’s thugs had arrested her. They’d interrogated her for hours, shaved her head, and paraded her through the streets of New Cambridge in a cage for the mob to jeer at. Then, they’d put her on trial for crimes against the state. Thankfully, Andrew had come to her aid. He’d married her and taken her away from the dangerous position she’d been in.
“It’s growing back,” Caroline said, “but I actually quite like it short. It’s easier to look after.”
Lucy wasn’t sure if Caroline really meant that. Surely, the shorn hair was a reminder of how close she’d come to disaster? In Caroline’s place, Lucy would want it to grow back to its normal length as quickly as possible. Not that she would ever really know what it was like to be in that position. Taryn had taken her away before the High Council could get its hands on her.
“I’m so sorry for all you went through,” Lucy said, feeling guilty that her friend had faced the wrath of the High Council alone, “and I want to thank you for helping us all escape.”
As she spoke, Lucy’s eyes welled up with tears. She felt Caroline’s arm around her and she began to cry.
“I just wanted my friends to be safe,” Caroline told her as she guided Lucy over to the bed, where they both sat down, “but I’ve made a real mess of it, haven’t I?”
Lucy sniffed back tears and looked questioningly at Caroline.
“Setting you up with Taryn,” Caroline elaborated. “It was a poor choice.”
Lucy shook her head in denial.
“He’s clearly not right for you,” Caroline continued. “He’s a good man, one of the best, but…”
“I love him!” Lucy blurted out.
Caroline’s eyebrows rose in surprise and then dipped down into an expression of her confusion.
“So, why did you want to get away from him so badly?”
“Because I don’t like being his pet. Well, no, that’s not true. I’m glad he accepted my offer to be his pet and I do like it, just not all of the time. It’s fun every now and then and I like pleasing him, but I don’t think I can spend my whole life with a tail shoved up my butt. I need things too. I just want him… I want him to… aargh! I don’t know what I want, Caroline. Can we change the subject, please?”
“Of course.” Caroline looked shell-shocked after Lucy’s rant. “What would you like to talk about?”
Lucy cleared her throat. “The others. Have you seen any of them?”
Caroline smiled and clasped Lucy’s hand. “Not everyone. I’ve seen Katie and Sarah-Jane. They’re both happy and settled here in the city.”
“That’s good.” Lucy felt a twinge of envy that her friends should have found the contentment that eluded her, but she managed to keep it from her voice.
“And, of course I’ve seen Victoria and I plan to catch up with Annie and Bella soon.” Caroline bit her bottom lip as her eyes filled with tears. “Still no word of Charlotte, though, or Elizabeth.”
Lucy squeezed Caroline’s hand.
“Knowing Lottie, she’s probably scheming to blow up the Town House as we speak, and Lizzie can take care of herself. She’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.” The sadness in Caroline’s voice tugged at Lucy’s heartstrings. “Andrew tells me that Victoria’s maid, er, Zanna?”
“Zinnie,” Lucy corrected her.
“Yes, Zinnie,” Caroline amended. “He tells me she’s gone to look for Lizzie, that she seemed to think she knew where she’d be.”
“That’s what she told me. I didn’t realize they knew each other.”
“Me neither,” Caroline said, “but I’m learning a lot about my sister I didn’t know before.”
Lucy nodded, not wanting to divulge that Victoria had confided to her that Elizabeth Chatterton was involved in a secret relationship with William Barron. He was a member of the High Council who was now ambassador to Taar-Breck. If Caroline had learned about the relationship it would no doubt have been a shock.
“But let’s not dwell on that.” Caroline was clearly trying to sound chipper, but Lucy could tell it was a cover. Elizabeth was her only living relative and she must be deeply concerned for her welfare. “We’ll soon have the whole gang back together.”
“Taar-Breck won’t know what hit it,” Lucy grinned.
“That’s for sure.” Caroline returned Lucy’s smile. “Now, how about we get you dressed and you join us for dinner? You can meet Andrew’s family.”
“Dinner?” Lucy couldn’t prevent a grimace from forming on her face. “With the ruling family?”
“With my husband’s family.” Caroline was clearly trying to make the prospect of sitting down with some of the most important people in the universe seem less terrifying.
Lucy shook her head. “I couldn’t, Caroline. Not tonight.”
Caroline smiled as though she understood exactly what Lucy was feeling. It had probably been scary for her meeting Andrew’s family for the first time as well.
“Another time, then.” Caroline patted the back of her hand. “Can I have something sent up to you? Some fruit? A little Taar-Breckian wine?”
Lucy shook her head at both offers. As Caroline got to her feet, Lucy noticed her wincing and recalled that Andrew had mentioned his wife was nursing a sore bottom.
“I hope you didn’t get a spanking on my account,” Lucy said, giving Caroline a knowing look.
“No, it was because I went to see Allik when he was locked in a cell. Then I helped Victoria get into the courtroom,” Caroline said. “Andrew wasn’t too pleased about me going behind his back. Not that he needs much excuse to get me over his knee.”
“I know how that feels.” Lucy’s voice held a note of sympathy.
“Oh, don’t feel too bad for me,” Caroline said with a wink. “I enjoyed every second of it.”
Lucy threw back her head and laughed. It seemed that she and her friends had a lot more in common than they’d realized. If they all got together in the future, they’d be able to talk about their own experiences as well as the books they’d read.
As Caroline left the room and she found herself on her own once more, Lucy’s laughter died away. Pulling a pillow from the head of the bed, she curled herself around it and sighed deeply. She couldn’t help thinking about the incredible day she’d spent with Taryn. He’d been so different with her, less forbidding. For a moment, she’d felt like she’d got a glimpse of the man beneath the stern façade. She wanted to know more about that side of him but with her staying at the Rossinghams’ home, that wasn’t going to happen. Suddenly she was wondering if she’d made the biggest mistake of her life.
* * *
Taryn had just downed his fifth mug of an extremely potent Taar-Breckian ale when he felt a hand slap down heavily on his shoulder. He glanced back, half-expecting to find some up-and-coming warrior looking to make a name for himself by challenging a man of his renown. Instead, he found Allik standing there, his arms folded over his broad chest. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen Allik in a drinking hall. His friend had never been the most sociable of men and, since he gained the scars that marked his face, he kept to himself even more.
Actually, Taryn was not one for drowning his sorrows either. He just hadn’t been able to deal with the silence at home. Although he’d lived alone for many years, he’d got used to having Lucy around and now the place seemed empty without her. Tomorrow, he would leave early for the peace talks with the Bylanthian delegation. That was good. It meant he had something to focus on other than what he’d lost.
“Shouldn’t you be at home with your mate?” Taryn asked Allik.
Given the eventful day Allik and Victoria had experienced, he would have thought they would want to be alone to celebrate their victory over the High Council.
“She’s here with me.”
Allik’s response took Taryn by surprise. He turned all the way around on his stool and scanned the darkened room. This was not the sort of place women came as a rule but, sure enough, there was Victoria. The little hellion was practically jumping up and down, shouting encouragement as she watched two young warriors playing a game of chance.
“You are comfortable with this?” Taryn was amazed that Allik would allow his woman to be around these unruly men.
“Everyone knows she’s been claimed,” Allik said. “She wears my scent.”
Taryn nodded. That should certainly discourage any man from trying to fuck with Victoria.
“And even if she didn’t,” Allik continued, “she would soon make them think twice about harassing a human female.”
“I believe she would,” Taryn said as he watched Victoria coming across the room toward them. “She is formidable.”
“Who’s formidable?” Victoria asked as she joined them.
“You are.” Allik wound his arm around her waist and pulled her close in to his side. “Not to mention stubborn, bossy, and disobedient.”
“But where would you be if I obeyed every order you give me?” Victoria asked. “Rotting in some awful prison cell, that’s where.”
“That is true. You know she saved me?”
Taryn nodded. Watching the playful exchange between the couple, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing to experience something similar. Although he believed Allik gave Victoria too much latitude, he did wish there had been more moments of levity between himself and Lucy. They had never really been at ease in each other’s company. Perhaps that was largely his fault. He needed his mate to know he was the one in control and that might have made his behavior too inflexible at times. The thoughts playing out in his mind must have shown on his face as, suddenly, Victoria threw her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his cheek.
“Why did you do that?” He was a little startled by her forwardness in showing him affection without the express permission of her mate. He looked to Allik, but the other man showed no signs of being upset by Victoria’s actions. Clearly, Allik’s attitude had mellowed since he’d been with Victoria. When he thought about it, Lucy had exerted a similar calming influence over him at times.
“Because you helped me,” Victoria said, “and to apologize for being a bitch about you and Lucy.”
Allik cleared his throat and Taryn knew that Victoria had just earned herself a spanking for referring to herself in that way.
“Lucy is no longer with me.”
He could barely stand the look of sympathy that formed on Victoria’s face or the searching way Allik’s eyes studied him.
“We are aware of that,” Allik said. “The commander asked me to seek you out.”
“There was no need.” Taryn did not want pity and he did not require his friends to look after him.
“There was every need.” As she spoke, Victoria placed her hands on her hips in a stance that told Taryn she meant business. “You’re our friend and you’re probably feeling sad right now. Taar-Breckians can feel sad, can’t they?”
She looked to Allik for a response.
“We are not entirely devoid of emotion,” Allik said in a wry tone. “We are simply better at containing our feelings than humans are.”
“I am not sad.” It was true. What he actually felt right now was anger, at himself, at Lucy, but he had no intention of giving it free rein. “So, I do not need you to cheer me up.”
“No, but you need us to take you home,” Victoria responded. “I still have your cruiser, remember?”
“I am not ready to leave.”
“Me neither.” There was a mischievous glint in Victoria’s eyes that Taryn suspected meant trouble. “I want to try one of those Taar-Breckian ales.”
“No,” Allik said sternly and Victoria pouted. Her petulant expression seemed to have an effect on Allik as he relented immediately. “Very well, you may have a sip. Go to the server and ask for a mug of medium strength. Wait for him to pour it and then bring it back yourself.”
Taryn saw a look pass between Allik and Victoria that told him his friend was sending her a message to take her time returning. That must mean Allik wanted to speak to him alone. Taryn’s jaw tightened.
“The commander is worried.” Allik got straight to the point. “Word reached him this evening that the High Council has finally realized that their missing women are with us. They have deduced that these are the ones they’ve been trying to track down to put on trial.”
Taryn’s entire body stiffened. The High Council’s agents had been pathetically slow to see what was happening right under their noses but now that they’d realized, it meant that the mission to find the remaining women had become more dangerous. Bryn and his team were still in New Cambridge, trying to find Elizabeth Chatterton and his own prospective mate, Charlotte Calder.
“We need to get word to Bryn,” Taryn said.
“It is being handled but there is a problem that concerns you more directly. It seems that Lucy’s father has been demanding her return. He is angry at her disobedience and wants to see her punished.”
Taryn’s fists clenched. He would have been in a stronger position to deal with this if Lucy had not left him. It made his claim on her look weaker if she was not by his side.
“That will never happen,” Taryn growled.
“Andrew will keep her safe for now, but he needs to tread carefully.”
Taryn nodded. Things were delicate with the High Council already and the Taar-Breckian ruling family had not yet agreed on how to proceed. Andrew was all for overthrowing the corrupt government and bringing democracy back to the people, but his grandfather, King Aldren, was a cautious man and wanted to bide his time. Andrew would not want to be seen as a man who would refuse a father’s request to have his daughter returned to him.
“We have it on good authority, however, that her father is a careless man,” Allik continued. “He has run up debts with some nasty people and is desperately short of funds.”
“So, he may be amenable to an offer?”
Taryn knew it was not unheard of for a man to sell his daughter if the price was right.
“Yes, are you willing to negotiate with him?”
“Of course,” Taryn replied. Whatever it took to keep Lucy safe, he would do, even if she no longer wished to be his pet. He would contact her father and strike a deal before he left on his diplomatic mission. The question was, once he’d bought Lucy, what in the stars was he going to do with her?