Nightbred(49)

Not us, me, she corrected herself, and felt a little depressed. Jamys might manage to drink a small glass of wine, but nothing else. Now that they had left the stronghold behind, there would be no more convenient supplies of blood. As a tresora it was her responsibility to keep her Kyn lord strong, so she’d have to feed him herself until she could buy some units. Or he could go out each night and hunt. . . .

The thought of Jamys holding another woman while he fed on her made Chris’s stomach turn. No, I’ll steal the blood if I have to.

Although she had no appetite now, Chris forced herself to eat a few slices of chicken and some fruit and drink two full glasses of water. Fluid replenishment was one of the tresoran secrets to countering blood loss; Burke had taught her to drink as much water and juice as she could every day in order to keep hydrated.

Burke, who by now was probably frantic.

Chris took out her mobile and dialed the tresora, gnawing at the inside of her lip as she did. She couldn’t tell him much, but she could let him know she was all right.

“Christian.” Burke answered before the first ring had finished. “Thank God. Where are you?”

“I’m fine and so is Jamys.” She could lie to him and say she was at the airport or her apartment, but her heart wasn’t in it. “Have you seen Sam? Is she okay?”

“Our lady is well. Christian, the master has been attacked, and we have secured the stronghold. You must return at once.”

There would never be a good time to tell him, so it might as well be now. “I’m not coming back, Mr. Burke. I don’t serve Sam or Lucan anymore.”

“I cannot justify his actions,” Burke said slowly, “nor even explain them. But whatever the master said or did to you, he was not himself. I think it safe to say that he deeply regrets his behavior, and any harm it may have caused you.”

“It’s not because he was acting like such a jerk,” she assured him, and glanced at the upper deck. “I have other priorities now that are more important to me. I’m sorry.”

“Are you quite certain about this?” he asked gently. “I believe in a few days this ungodly situation will have sorted itself out, and all will return to normal. I would not trouble you about it, but you have worked so tirelessly for your position. It seems a pity that all that effort should go to waste.”

“I know what I’m doing, I promise.” She took in a deep, steadying breath. “I am grateful for everything you’ve taught me. I’ll always owe you.”

“Nonsense, my dear.” He sniffed. “Wherever you go, perhaps you would take a moment now and then to drop a note to an old man, and let him know you’re well?”

“Absolutely.” She was never going to get a good-bye past the lump in her throat. “Take care, Mr. Burke.”

“Godspeed, Miss Christian.”

She kept the tears away by tidying up the dishes and putting away the food. The subtle shift of the hull as it cruised through the calm water soothed her frazzled nerves. She’d just walked away from the only real friends and family she had, which might turn out to be the biggest mistake of her life. By revealing her orders to find the emeralds and keep them from Tremayne, she’d betrayed the council. As soon as they found out—and they always found out things like that—they’d erase her name from their list of potentials and forget she’d ever existed. With as much as she knew about the Kyn, they might even try to have her mind-wiped or killed.

Chris wandered over to the bunk in the back corner of the cabin, and lay down on the plaid coverlet. Although it was comfortable and roomy for a single, obviously the owner slept alone on the boat. She saw a row of buttons in the wall panel over her head and touched one.

From two small speakers on either side of the cabin the distinct sound of a cello colored the silence. Yo-Yo Ma, she recognized, performing Bach’s prelude from Cello Suite No. 1. It was one of her favorite classical pieces, and when she closed her eyes, she thought of the acclaimed musician in an overcoat and scarf, his talented hands clad in fingerless gloves as he played his beautiful instrument in the snow.

Whatever happened after she and Jamys found the emeralds, she would call Burke, Chris decided. She’d write to him, too, every month. It didn’t have to be a big thing, just a card or an e-mail to let him know she was okay and happy. She was going to be okay, and very happy.

She had every reason to be. Jamys cared about her, and trusted her. She’d make a new life for herself being his tresora. She didn’t need the council’s permission or a title or anything. Jamys was still Kyn, and if he wanted her, he’d have her. From the way he’d kissed her tonight, he definitely liked her.