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ANDAHAR MADE HIS WAY back to the camp and sought out King Derron. He found him along with his brother and ushered them all to his tent. Shortly after they arrived, Lady Talaiel made an appearance and last, Laerwen. They stared at each other a long silent moment. He could see the heat in those whiskey-colored eyes, knew she was still angry with him. He was aware of the small group around them, curiosity in their gazes. He ignored them and focused on his wife. For she was still his woman, whether she accepted it or not. He was not going to lose her so easily.
Eldrin cleared his throat to get his attention. “You called this meeting, brother.”
“Right. Laerwen and I confirmed the volcano is going to erupt.” As he spoke, Andahar’s gaze remained on her angry face. He finally looked away and focused on Derron. “Do you think there’s any way to get a message to Cormac?”
His brows knit in confusion. “Cormac already knew of the eruption. His sorceress said as much. Why do you need to get a message to him?”
“Because I have a new plan I want to propose.”
“What’s the new plan?” It was Eldrin who spoke up.
“I would like it to be known I am against fighting in a place where a natural disaster such as this can occur,” Talaiel said. Eldrin gave her a questioning glance but some silent communication between them made him nod in agreement.
“Your objection is duly noted,” Andahar said. “I’d like to get a message to Cormac. Tell him we’ve convened on the field early to fight.”
“Why?” Laerwen asked. “What will that accomplish?”
“We get them here sooner. If Cormac agrees, we get them to the Unseelie realm before the eruption.”
“You mean to start the war sooner,” Laerwen said.
“Aye.”
“Even if we could get a message to him,” Derron said, “they would likely not make it here in time.”
“The Fomorians camp to the west of the great mountain,” Laerwen announced. “I will volunteer to take the message.”
“You will not.” Andahar’s words were sharp as a blade.
She glared at him. “I will.”
Eldrin put his hands up as though in surrender. “Mayhap the best person to take the message is neither one of you. You both are royalty. You should remain here.”
“Mayhap a message is what’s not needed at all,” Derron put in. He ran his hand over his chin, looking thoughtful. “If the camp is so close, all we need to do is get their attention sooner rather than later.”
“You mean to attack them,” Andahar said.
“A surprise attack,” Derron said with a nod.
“That will void our truce with Cormac.” Andahar shook his head. “We can’t risk that.”
“Then what?” Laerwen folded her arms over her chest.
“I like the surprise attack but we owe it to Cormac to tell him. We must let him know what we intend to do, that we intend to attack before the volcano erupts. That way he and his sorceress are prepared.”
“Even though that will ruin Lorcann’s plan to sacrifice the princess. Your pardon, I mean queen,” Eldrin said with a stiff bow.
Laerwen dropped her arms, her expression pinched and tension-filled. The frustration wafted off her like a bad stench. “I object to this plan. Why can’t we keep it as is?”
“You wish to stay here and die with the lava flows?” Talaiel shook her head. “I do not.”
“The sooner we attack them, the sooner we get them into the Unseelie realm,” Andahar said as he looked at Laerwen. “I’d rather not have Laerwen used as bait.”
“And when do you want this attack to happen?” his brother asked.
“Tomorrow night at dusk. We’ll use the cover of darkness to our advantage.” He glanced at Derron, Eldrin, Talaiel and Laerwen. “What say you all?”
“I’m in,” Eldrin announced.
“As am I,” his wife agreed.
Derron hesitated only a moment. “Fine. I’m in. But I’ll be the one taking the message.”
Everyone looked to Laerwen then. By the pinched look on her face, it was clear she was unhappy with the decision. But since she was outvoted, she could only nod. “All right.”
They made the final arrangements for Derron’s flight across enemy lines to seek out Cormac. Laerwen had enough of them all and left the tent in a huff. Andahar watched her stalk out of the tent, her hands still in fists. He wanted to go after her but remained to finalize the details. He’d find her later and, hopefully, talk some sense into her.
* * *
LAERWEN PROWLED THROUGH the camp, looking for someone who had a stronger drink than honeywine or ale. What she wanted was whiskey. She needed it after the change in battle tactics. What was Andahar trying to do to her? He was taking away her one chance to kill Lorcann. He was taking away her revenge.
With this new plan, she would not be the lure to bring him out of hiding. There would be no lava to which he’d want to sacrifice her. How would she get to him? Andahar was determined to keep her out of harm’s way but she was determined to kill the mage.
She halted, pushed her fingers through her hair. A strong drink was not the answer. The last thing she needed was to get into her cups. She needed a clear head and to maintain her wits. Boisterous laughter rolled out of one of the tents, luring her.
Mayhap what she truly needed was a bit of fun. Something to take her mind off everything including Andahar.
She found a tent of revelers who also happened to be Elven rangers. One of them was Lord Eldrin who sat at a table with three others playing cards, coins in front of them. When he saw her, he waved her over with a smile. When the others saw her, they stood so quickly their chairs tipped over and the table rattled.
“Queen Laerwen, won’t you join us?”
“I’m out,” one of the rangers said. “I’m broke anyway.” He scooped up what remaining coins he had and left the tent on a stagger.
Laerwen watched him go and then peered at the remaining faces before her, the men who had come to fight for her realm and her people. How could she say no?
“Gentlemen, have a seat,” she ordered as she walked toward the table. There was one vacant chair next to Eldrin. “What is this game?”
“Five card stud,” the ranger said. “My friend, Maggie, taught us how to play.”
“Maggie? The human girl?”
She recalled the story of the girl who went back in time to save Derron and fell in love with the Scottish knight. Laerwen scooted up to the table and peered over at Eldrin’s cards. They had symbols and numbers on them. She had never seen anything like it.
“Aye, the human girl. Shall we teach you?”
She glanced around the table of expectant faces, noticed several tankards and tried hard not to think of whiskey. Or the way it made her feel when she drank it with Andahar. That night in the dining hall, they had imbibed together. He had pressed her against the table, kissing her with such a ferocious passion—
“Your majesty?” Eldrin interrupted her thoughts. “Are you quite well? You look flushed.”
Damn her vivid memories. “Aye, I’m fine. Bring on the cards.”
He laughed as they finished their hand. One of the rangers happily scooped the coins toward him with his winning cards.
“First, a quick lesson. Have you ever seen cards before?” She shook her head. “Then, let me show you. There are two red and two black suits. Clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds.” He held out an example of each to her. “These are the face cards. Jack, queen, king. Ace is the highest card.”
The next hand dealt her in. She received one card face down and one card face up, as did the other players.
“Bets?” Eldrin asked.
Laerwen eyed the empty place before her, wondering how she would bet with no coins. The rangers leaned over and dropped a handful in front of her with a wink. “To get you started.”
They placed their bets and another face-up card was dealt. More bets, another card and so on. Laerwen quickly realized she was not very good at Five Card Stud and immediately lost her hand.
“Don’t worry about that,” Eldrin said with a grin. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
They dealt another hand and this time she came out the winner. They cheered with her. One of them handed her a tankard of whiskey. One celebratory drink wouldn’t hurt, would it? She took a sip as the men took a healthy quaff from their tankards as Eldrin dealt another hand. Another hand she managed to win again, though she began to suspect they were letting her win since she was royalty.
“You know who’s good at cards? Queen Elyne. It must be a queen thing,” Eldrin said. But he was smiling at Laerwen.
“Is she?”
“She used to frequent the gambling tents when she was at tournament in the human realm.”
“I had no idea she could play cards. Mayhap sometime I will play a game with her,” she said as she scraped her latest winnings in front of her.
Eldrin chuckled. She drained her cup one last time and then stood. They all stood with her.
“Gentlemen, I thank you for the drink and the game but I think it’s time for me to retire.”
“So soon? You haven’t cleaned me out yet,” Eldrin said.
She looked at the pile of glittering coins in front of her place at the table. It was a paltry sum. One that wouldn’t even buy a decent destrier. She ignored the despair pressing into her regarding the state of her realm. Would she have to rely on the kindness of the Wood Elves forever? Would she even be able to rebuild the Hin’dar Rhule to its former glory?
I’ll think about that tomorrow.
She pushed all the coins to the center.
“You divvy them up, Eldrin.”
And then she bid them goodnight. As soon as her back was turned, she heard the jingle of gold as they fell on the pile of coins. She giggled, well pleased with the thought of the men clamoring over the gold.
As she headed back to her tent, exhausted and high on her last win, she caught sight of Andahar. When he saw her, she halted mid-step. They stared at each other a long moment before he started toward her. She stood her ground, her heart pounding a wild tattoo.
At the sight of him walking toward her, her drunkenness was forgotten. The elation of winning at cards or drinking whiskey fizzled.
“We must talk,” he said.
She wanted to be defiant. She wanted to fold her arms over her chest and tell him no, that there was nothing to talk about. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t hurt him like that. She’d already hurt him enough. So she nodded agreement.
“Come with me.”
He headed down the path and she fell into step beside him, her nerves a jangled mess. They didn’t speak as they made their way through the encampment. They stopped near the opening of one tent and he motioned for her to go inside ahead of him. He followed her in, but she couldn’t face him. Instead, she focused on the candelabras placed around the large tent.
The orange-yellow glow warmed the small space, making flickering shadows dance over the canvas walls. There was a small desk littered with maps and notes on parchment, an inkwell, a writing implement, a stick of wax, his royal seal, a candle burning brightly. A stool was pushed neatly under the desk. Next to that was his bed, which was nothing more than a frame with a feather mattress she knew had been carried in by servants.
“Tell me truthfully, Laerwen. Do you regret our marriage?”
Oh, gods, why did he have to ask her that? Her eyes closed against the pain it caused her to hear him ask her. She wrapped her arms around her middle and stood there a long moment, not wanting to answer.
In her solace, she had come to a decision. She knew she had to leave him. It would never work out between the two of them. Looking at the Hin’dar Rhule earlier made her question everything she had done and believed in. They were too far apart in their lives, their realms. He had the Woodlands and she was determined to see her realm returned to its former glory. Did she regret marrying him? No. Did she regret the consequences of that marriage? Aye, she did.
“Do you?” he asked, this time more firm.
“No, Andahar.”
“If you do, I’ll go to the High Druid at once and have our marriage annulled, if that’s what you wish.”
She spun to face him. “Is that what you wish?”
“No.” He took a step toward her. “I regret nothing. But you do, don’t you?”
“I don’t know.”
It frightened her how easily he could read her, sense her thoughts. She did know but she was too afraid to admit the truth aloud. She knew what her mind wanted but what her heart wanted was something completely different. She had never intended to fall in love with Andahar, nor had she intended to marry him. Yet she had on both counts.
He took another step, closing the gap between them. “I connected with you, Laerwen, from the first moment you came to me in the Woodlands.”
“And I with you.” She reached for him, placed her hand on his chest. The slow steady beat of his heart pulsed beneath her fingers. “But I don’t know if marrying you was the right thing for my realm or my people.”
He clasped her hand, holding her in place. “But was it the right thing for you?”
Laerwen couldn’t meet his gaze. She focused on their twined fingers, the way his skin brushed against hers.
“What does your heart say?” he asked, his voice soft. Like a caress over her skin.
“My heart says I love you. That has never changed.” She looked up at him, met that gorgeous green gaze. Again, how was it he could read her so well? How was it they had become so in tune over the short amount of time they’d known each other?
“What did change?”
The battle plan. The way he treated her. The way he insisted she be kept out of harm’s way. But she couldn’t tell him she planned to kill the mage herself. She couldn’t tell him she had a burning need to avenge the deaths of her parents and Lord Randir. She owed them that. They had given their lives for her.
“I can make my own decisions, Andahar. I decided to go through with Cormac’s plan to lure Lorcann into the open. I’m willing to live with whatever consequences that presents.”
“Even if you’re killed?”
She nodded.
“I’m not willing to live with those consequences. You are my wife.”
“That changes nothing.”
“It changes everything.”
They stared at each other in a long silent moment. Laerwen realized he would never back down. She couldn’t change his mind any more than he could change hers...if he knew the truth. Which he didn’t and he never would.
“Do you believe this plan will work?” she asked. “Truly?”
“It has to.” He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed the tips. “I don’t want to lose you. If anything happened to you I couldn’t bear it.”
Her heart dipped to her toes. Gods, she didn’t want to lose him either. If everything else was stripped away, that was the bare truth. “I know.”
“I don’t wish to fight with you. Especially on the eve of battle. You’ll stay with me tonight?”
Her resolve melted at her feet. She had intended to remain in her own tent, alone, while she brooded and plotted. He was right—she didn’t want to fight with him either. She found herself nodding.
Andahar pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a fiery passion. He’d not kissed her like that before. It was a passion he no longer suppressed. She kissed him back, the fire inside her suddenly ignited. She no more thought about what she was doing. She only thought about what she was feeling and right now, she wanted him. She wanted him to make love to her all night. For on the morrow, things could change. When Andahar learned of her plan, he might never speak to her again. Or, worse, she could be dead.
So intent on each other, neither heard the tent flap or the intruder.
“Andahar, I— Oh, my pardon.”
The sudden interruption made them pull apart as though they’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t. Eldrin looked everywhere but at them.
“I’ll just, um, go then.” He backed toward the tent flap.
“What is it? You have news?” Andahar pulled her against him, holding her, as if he might be afraid she would bolt.
“We’ve had word from King Derron. He has successfully delivered the message to Cormac.” Eldrin smiled, well pleased.
“And he agreed with our plan?”
“He did. He and his lady sorceress are willing to alter their plan for opening the Barrier and getting the Fomorians into the Unseelie realm.”
“Good. Anything else?”
Eldrin glanced from her back to Andahar. “It was nice playing cards with you, your majesty. I’ll, ah, leave you two alone now. Good night.”
As soon as he was gone Andahar looked at her, the surprise evident in his face. “Cards? You played cards with him?”
“I did. With Eldrin and his rangers. And won nearly every hand.” She grinned.
“I thought you tasted like whiskey. I’m disappointed you enjoyed the drink without me.”
“You are king, are you not? I’m sure you could snap your fingers and have it delivered to your tent right away.” She was teasing him and he knew it.
He grinned and slipped his arms around her waist. “I’d rather snap my fingers and have you delivered to my tent.” His lips brushed hers. “You are the only thing I wish to get drunk on.”
The heat of desire washed over her as all the blood drained from her head, leaving her lightheaded. She couldn’t disagree. She liked feeling that way too when she was in his arms.
“Let’s get you out of all these weapons.” He slid the straps for the scabbard off her shoulders and dropped the short sword to the ground. He knelt to untie the dagger strapped to her thigh. Through her pants, her skin tingled. “What are you planning?”
“I like to be prepared.”
He looked up at her, his gaze piercing with question. “You’re planning to fight.”
“Aye.” That was all she was prepared to admit.
“I can’t talk you out of it?”
“No.”
He rose to his full height, his lips parting to object. She placed her fingers over them. “No more talking, Andahar.”
As he dropped the dagger to the floor with the short sword, she removed the one at her waist. Then she bent and removed the dirks from her boots. He raised an eyebrow in question and mayhap even a little admiration as she blushed with her chagrin.
“Gods, I love you,” he whispered.
His lips met hers as he shoved off the padded vest then pulled the tunic over her head. She stepped out of his arms and finished undressing, watching as he did the same. They fell together on the bed, his mouth leaving a searing trail from her lips down her throat. He paused to pay homage to each breast, dropping a soft kiss on each taut nipple.
Her breath shuddered out of her as her hands wound into the silky locks of his silvery hair. Something she had come to love to do. The way his hair slipped through her fingers was like water sluicing over flesh.
Andahar kissed his way down her body, his lips leaving a hot trail and making gooseflesh bloom over her exposed skin. She had not intended to fall into his bed again but here she was. Letting him caress her. Kiss her. Love her.
His tongue swirled over her bellybutton before he moved lower, placing one kiss on each hipbone and then pushing her legs apart. He lifted his body up to look at her, meeting her gaze. In that look she saw all the love he had for her, all the want and need and desire he possessed.
Her body reacted with a flood of heat right to her core. Without taking his eyes off hers, he slid two fingers down her wet slit. She couldn’t stop the whimper from escaping.
“More?” he asked.
“Aye, more. Touch me there again.”
He flattened his palm over her mons, his thumb sliding between her wet folds over her swollen nub. He moved back and forth. She opened her legs to him and lifted her hips, allowing him more access. When she rocked from side to side in a silent plea, he pushed two fingers inside her.
Laerwen gasped, arched her back and pushed her body into him. He thrust in and out of her, all the while his eyes never leaving her face. And then he removed his hand and bent over her. Before she could mourn the loss of his touch, his tongue slid between her lips.
She moaned her appreciation as his talented tongue licked her. She grasped his hand in her fingers. The sensation was nearly more than she could handle and it wasn’t long before she came against his mouth. As she did, he slipped his fingers back inside her and her muscles contracted around him while he rocked them back and forth.
When she stilled, he removed his hand. His body landed on hers as his mouth overtook hers. She kissed him hard, tasting her own sweetness on his lips as her hands trailed down the length of his back and over his buttocks.
“I hope that’s not all.” The words purred through her throat.
“Fear not, my queen. I’m not finished yet.”
To prove his point, his hard shaft entered her, filling her. It didn’t take long for her body to respond to his thrusts. He held her close, kissed her as he moved in and out. She rocked against him, matching him thrust for thrust. Their bodies synced and they came together moments later.
There was no denying she would never love another. If she died tomorrow, she was glad she stayed tonight with Andahar.