Rebel's Honor(33)

"We're the last ones left," Axel said, waving his whip at the opening. "After you."

Lynx's troubled stomach knotted, and her breath caught. But unwilling to  show fear in front of Axel, she urged her mount into the forest.

Vine-covered branches clawed at her arms and legs as her horse pushed  its way through the undergrowth. She closed her eyes, praying to the  Winds to keep her safe in this benighted place.

Finally, she emerged in a small, dark clearing, surrounded by towering  trees. Dank air smelling of mold pressed heavily on her chest.  Swallowing her panic, she looked for the other riders, but there was no  sign of them. They couldn't have gone far, but the forest was silent.  She listened for birds or insects, but-as if knowing the dangers the  high-born presented-they gave no hint of their presence, either.

She rubbed her arms for comfort as Axel pulled up next to her. She  dropped her hands and said with forced bravado, "Tao and the rest of  them . . . which way did they go?"

Axel cast a cursory glance at the leaf litter. "That way." He kneed his horse into motion.                       
       
           



       

She followed, cursing under her breath. Axel must consider her a  complete idiot. Why hadn't she thought of looking for spoor? Back home,  she could have tracked an ostrich across solid rock. Here, she felt  blind, helpless.

Conversation seemed the answer to all her concerns.

"Why do I get the impression you don't care for my betrothed?" she asked.

Axel grinned at her. "You noticed that, did you? Truly, your powers of deduction are impressive."

His knee brushed her leg as he sidled up next to her. She knew she  should put some space between them, but as her mare seemed  content-happy, even-with the proximity of his stallion, Lynx did  nothing. Axel grinned victoriously. Heron's face flashed before her, and  she realized with startling clarity that, as much as she had cherished  him, her feelings for Axel were deeper, less like a teenage crush.

Shocked at that realization, she shot Axel a glare and edged her mare  forward. The horse walked through a spider's web spun between two trees.  Praying the occupant wasn't home, she brushed the sticky silk off her  face and hair. "Why don't you like Lukan?"

Axel threw his hands up, sighing. "Do you like him?"

"You're evading my question. Again. And you know I don't like any Chenayans. You're all disgusting."

"Thanks. For nothing." Axel swept back a curtain of ivy barring Lynx's way. "After I was so kind to you on the train?"

"My pleasure. And you were a complete toad. An arrogant one, too."

He grinned at her. "So, if me not knifing you makes me a toad, then what should I call you?"

Lynx couldn't resist smiling. Sparring with Axel had settled her stomach  like nothing else in the world could. "A skilled operator?"

Still, Lynx wasn't here to marry him. It was time to shift the focus  from him back to his cousin. "How am I supposed to know if I like Lukan  when he's never around? I don't even know him."

"What's there to know?" Axel's voice was surprisingly harsh. "He's an  idiot of the first degree, and you're utterly wasted on him. You'd be  better off with someone like me."

Lynx's breath caught, making her splutter. "You? Us? Never!"

Axel's disparaging laughter suggested her protest hadn't been  successful. Worse, she could feel her reluctant desire for him blazing  across her face. There was no chance he would miss that, either. He  shifted in his saddle, and she snatched a quick breath. His face was so  close to hers; all she had to do was lean in, and they would kiss.

Want, so powerful it almost left her limp, surged through her. Shocked  at herself for her loss of control, she was immeasurably grateful when  she heard the dull thud of a horse's hooves on the leaf litter. She  pulled back, catching a flash of black and silver through the trees.

Black and silver.

It was rumored the crown prince only ever wore those colors. If he spent  more time with her, she might be able to confirm its veracity.

The horse broke through the undergrowth, and dodging low-hanging  branches, Lukan pulled up to face her. Despite the sweat trickling down  his cheeks from his ride, Lynx was struck again by his beauty. Even  Axel's strong face, handsome enough by most standards, couldn't compare.

Still, it wasn't enough to make her want him. She closed her eyes,  bitterly angry with herself for being so difficult. With an oath to  fulfill, why was she allowing smart-arsed Axel, master of the  razor-tongue, to deflect her from that goal?

Usually, she was so firm in her purpose. Black and white, her father  called her. Her feelings for Axel Avanov were most certainly neither of  those colors. And, worse, her infatuation with him was distracting her  from her other task here: to find out about the gemstones. Axel was a  distraction she didn't need. But how was she to get rid of him when he  was always around?

When she opened her eyes, Lukan had maneuvered his horse between hers  and Axel's. Lynx's mare whinnied in protest, and she patted her neck to  steady her. The confusion gave Lynx the chance to rustle up a smile for  Lukan. He could never know she craved his cousin.

"Oh. It's you," Axel said, not bothering to hide his displeasure.

"Anyone else would bow," Lukan rasped breathlessly, "but I guess that's too much to expect from the great Axel Avanov."

"You've got that right."

Lukan shot Lynx a wistful look and then averted his eyes, as if the sight of her disturbed him.

That was troubling.

She had used her most engaging smile on him. Her stomach knotted in response.

"I missed you at breakfast," she said, desperate to connect with him on some level.                       
       
           



       

As if staking a claim, Axel moved in closer to her before Lukan could frame a reply. "I've been looking after Lynx for you."

"And you expect my gratitude?" Lukan's horse stamped, mirroring the impatience in his voice.

"No. Lynx has everything I need." Axel grinned at her. "And she's both grateful for, and delighted with, my company."

Lukan drilled Lynx's face, his dark eyes demanding answers.

Hiding her irritation at Axel's comment, she blasted Lukan with another  radiant smile. And lied. "Axel and I were saying you and I make a great  couple." Then she added, more truthfully, "We both like going our own  way. But I think, perhaps, we should spend more time together. As you  said, we are getting married in a couple of days."

Lukan frowned at her. "Right now, I'm not sure a marriage between us is something to celebrate."

"That's . . . unfortunate that you've had a change of heart overnight."  Lynx bit her lip, thinking furiously on what to say to rectify this  situation.

Lukan turned to Axel. His cousin's head was cocked to the side, grinning possessively at her.

Red infused Lukan's face. "Axel, am I to take it you send congratulations on our upcoming marriage?"

"You know I don't waste time with platitudes."

Lukan glared at Axel. "In your usual, annoying way, you haven't answered my question. So I will ask it-"

"Spare me, Lukan." Axel held Lukan's gaze with lighthearted but  determined ease. "I give you my word, nothing would make me happier than  for you and Lynx to both get what you deserve."

Lynx fiddled with her hair, feeling like an ostrich hen between two  warring cocks. It was obvious the two men had played this staring game  before. She wondered who would cave first.

After a moment, Lukan dropped his eyes. Lynx raised her eyebrows in  surprise. Lukan was intimidated by Axel? Why? He was the crown prince,  and Axel a mere general who would have to swear fealty when Lukan took  the throne-or whatever passed for fealty in the Chenayan court.

Fascinated by this strange dynamic, she studied Lukan's face. It was  darkened by anger. Why he didn't express that rage to Axel was yet  another question to ponder.

Voice devoid of any victory, Axel said, "Come, Lukan, let's find some stags."

From his tone, Lynx guessed she wasn't invited. It seemed she was right  because, after an aching look at her, filled with yearning lust, Lukan  rammed his spurs into his horse's side, shooting forward into the gloom.

Yet another gray area, Lynx rocked back on her horse. This place is seething with them.

Axel turned to Lynx, his eyes soft and surprisingly caring. "I've read  enough intelligence reports on you to know you can handle yourself in  most situations. So, as much as you dislike it, this forest is no  different from anything else you may have encountered. Remember, it's  just dark. Ignore that, and you'll soon track your way to Tao."

He gave her a mock bow and disappeared after Lukan.