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Release(37)

By:V. J. Chambers


And Keirth...

She sighed. Maybe he only intrigued her, with his relentless search for revenge and the pain in his voice when he talked about his dead mother. Maybe he was nothing more than a distraction, something new and different.

Or maybe she was losing her mind.

Slowly, careful not to disturb him, she propped herself up on the cushions again so that she could look down at his sleeping face. His long lashes were closed against his cheeks. Sleeping, he looked peaceful. He looked...

Beautiful?

How could this be happening to her? And what was she going to do?





Chapter Nine

Freetha had a needle in her hand, her head bent over a tapestry she was embroidering. “He’s certainly something,” she said.

Ariana nodded. She had nothing to do except watch Freetha sew. It was mid afternoon, and Keirth had been off with the chief bargaining over a new ship all day. She’d thought they’d be leaving Trioth soon, but apparently bargaining took time. “Keirth isn’t like other men.”

Freetha laughed. “I’ve been angry at him for a year, but there was a reason I wanted to marry him when I saw him before. I have to admit I’m a little disappointed that he’s taken. You’re lucky.”

She wasn’t lucky at all. The whole thing was a ruse. And she found herself wishing it weren’t. Which she hated. “I’ve never met anyone like him,” she said. “He’s so honorable, you know.”

Freetha mused over her needlework. “He is. When I came to him in his chamber last year, he could have taken me anyway, you know. I offered myself to him as his wife. He could have had me and then run away in his spaceship the next day. But he didn’t. And I believed that he felt awful about it. That it had all been a misunderstanding. Of course, that made me sort of want him more.” She laughed a little. “Overall, I’m glad to be released from my betrothal. Those black robes were really getting to me.”

“That seems like Keirth,” said Ariana. “He wouldn’t have wanted to hurt you or destroy your honor. He would have done the noble thing.”

“And he wouldn’t have been unfaithful to you, I don’t suppose,” said Freetha. “A woman like you... A man wouldn’t stray from that.”

“I’m nothing special,” said Ariana.

“That’s not what Father says,” said Freetha. “He almost seemed suspicious of it. Said a man like Keirth could never marry someone like you. I didn’t agree, of course. Father can’t see Keirth’s virtues.” She set the tapestry down in her lap. “Once I saw the two of you dancing together, gazing into each other’s eyes like that, I knew it was real. I told Father myself.”

Ariana blushed. She had enjoyed dancing with Keirth, clumsy as he might have been. There was something about the way he’d held her. There was strength in his arms, and when they’d been whirling around on the floor, so close, she’d felt like she belonged in his arms, like he was claiming her. But that had all been in her head, of course. And the whole thing was stupid. Certainly, all Freetha had seen was the way she’d been looking at Keirth, her adoration. Something she needed to squelch. Keirth absolutely did not feel the same way. “He has beautiful eyes, you know? I feel like I could get lost in them.”

Freetha giggled. “You’re so in love. It’s really adorable.”

No. It was really tragic. But Ariana only smiled at Freetha, trying to play along.

* * *

They had dinner with the chief again that night. Not another elaborate feast, but still a substantial meal. Keirth told her that he was having a little bit of trouble getting the chief to agree to a trade. He was haggling him to death, Keirth said. The chief apparently wanted a night to sleep on it, so Keirth and Ariana would be on Trioth one more night. Keirth was confident that they’d be able to leave in the morning, however. He said that he’d found a ship that would work just fine.

Ariana wasn’t sure she wanted him to find a ship. Once they were in space, Keirth was going to take her back to the sector, wasn’t he? She didn’t want to go.

The thought cast a pall over the rest of the meal. She did her best to be polite and winsome with the Triothians, but retired early to the bedchamber she was sharing with Keirth.

Keirth stayed to talk to the chief for a while, so when he came back to the room, she was already in bed. She’d put up the cushion wall again, but she hadn’t been able to sleep. Keirth seemed to assume she was sleeping, though, as he pulled off his shoes and climbed into the other side of the bed. She felt his weight settle next to her.

She had a mad thought. What if she pulled all the cushions off the bed and slid close to him? What would he do? Would he want her? Would his honor stop him from taking her? If he did, would his honor keep him from abandoning her?