ZARA feigned sleep.
Light laughter floated around her. “You can’t pretend with me. I’m a god, after all. I know what you’re thinking.”
Go away. Zara repeated over and over in her mind, creating a mental litany of demand. An exhausted mind and body demanded rest. The woman’s presence only worsened the growing ache within.
“Perhaps you should find someone to end the pain since your love cannot do it for you,” suggested the silky voice that refused to go away despite the lack of a warm welcome.
Jerrod growled as the bed dipped under her slight weight.
Zara turned over and jutted out her chin. “No.”
The woman sat within arm’s reach. “Many men can be what you need. No one man can be everything to one woman. Just as no one woman can be everything to one man. Surely you know that. Your husband has others in his bed. Why shouldn’t you?”
She flinched and refused to respond. U’uskoh loved her. That was all that mattered.
“Women have far greater needs than any one man can possibly fulfill.”
“U’uskoh is all I need,” Zara snapped. Tension wound her body tight, fear and anger mingling.
“Such passion.” A pleased smile curved full lips. “I’ve never met a mortal like you. I’m quite enchanted and intrigued.” With that, she rose and moved away, nodding briefly to Vil’joh, who glared at her within sword’s reach. “Just remember what I said. You can always find a man willing to fulfill your immediate needs in the absence of your love.”
It was some time before Zara slept again. Her dreams were haunted by the same images as the previous night. Only this time, they were more heated, more urgent, and U’uskoh was not in them. Instead, a knight with serious hazel eyes touched her skin and whispered her name. She whimpered in her sleep.
* * *
“What does she hope to accomplish by this?” Forbios raged, pacing back and forth.
Sear’dan frowned. “I wish I knew. Eroshia’s motives are unclear. Perhaps the ONE knows, but HE has not seen a need to share knowledge with me.”
“How can HE simply stand by and watch Eroshia toy with someone like this?”
“HE has HIS reasons, I have no doubt. All of his children exercise free will, and all have much to learn.” His calm acceptance irked the young-old knight.
He frowned, his golden-hazel eyes worried and angry. “There must be something we can do. Staying with Zara doesn’t help. Eroshia sees no threat from me. My presence only amuses her. The soldier has proven to be the greatest threat to her thus far.”
“Then let him do his job.”
Forbios stopped and stared, incredulous. “He is a warrior for evil.”
“Perhaps, but he is dedicated to protecting Zara. If Eroshia and Ray’din fear him, then we must allow him to protect her.”
Forbios couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but one look at Sear’dan’s face assured him the words were very serious. Sadness passed over the elder’s expression.
* * *
Guilt assaulted Zara the next morning. The dreams that had haunted the night had not been about U’uskoh, and the ache inside had grown until it was nearly undeniable. Every inch of her cried for release from the building anguish. The merest slide of fabric against skin as she dressed ignited the flame further. She recognized desire, but she refused to surrender to it. She’d made a promise to U’uskoh. She meant to keep it. He was the only man she wanted.
Thankfully, Tarsius apparently hadn’t read her tumultuous and torrid thoughts when he’d visited after services. She’d had little to say and avoided his gaze, horrified when the feelings stirred and intensified in his presence. He’d left her to study.
After reading the same sentence several times and still not comprehending it, Zara pushed the book away. Feet on the edge of the chair, she wrapped her arms around her knees, leaned her forehead on top, and closed her eyes. Undisturbed rest was not forthcoming. Too many thoughts, seductive and relentless, pushed her, leaving no retreat.
Darkness brought no relief, and no sleep. She was exhausted, but fear of what lay waiting in the dark kept her awake. The dreams waited there. She wanted nothing to do with them, even though desire begged her to reach out and embrace them.
Jerrod remained at her side, his cold nose and warm fur offering what support he could.
The distant sounds of the household waned and subsided. Fear became a living thing in the room. Her body craved release. Her heart fed the guilt, reminding her that the man in the previous night’s dreams hadn’t been U’uskoh. What if he found out? A sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. What would he think? Could he still love her, knowing she was capable of such unfaithfulness?
Zara jumped out of bed, dressed for the cold, armed herself, and left, locking a startled Jerrod in the room. She sought solace on the rooftops, the cold and activity stemming the heat inside. It was Ray’din’s fault. Somehow he was involved. He and this woman worked together. They had to. They wanted her to be unfaithful, to betray the only man she would ever love, the only man who could accept her fully for who she was.
She stopped near the university, sharp eyes picking out the shape of an individual sneaking along the wall in one of the alleys. Her own troubles momentarily forgotten, Zara watched from her elevated position as the form melded and shifted with shadows. A city guard passed the street entrance without noticing. She moved quickly and carefully to the ground and followed the skulking form, watching for the next guard to circle around.
The form stopped under a vent and turned, revealing a young woman’s face. Zara froze in darkness, directing her face down and allowing her hair to fall forward to conceal her eyes and skin, as the woman’s gaze moved over her. The woman turned her attention to removing the vent cover.
By Zara’s estimation, the vent fed into the library. Odd place to break into. No book could be that important. She moved in and tapped the woman on the shoulder, moving immediately out of dagger range. The woman whipped around, dagger in hand, eyes wide.
“What are you doing?”
“None of your business,” the woman hissed then looked around to see if they were alone.
“I know where the guard is.” Zara watched the woman curiously. No answer seemed forthcoming, so she drew a deep breath as if getting ready to yell a warning to the guards.
“Wait, wait.” The woman glanced around and listened.
Zara waited.
“There’s an art archive under the library, in a secret vault. I must retrieve something from it.”
Zara hadn’t known about the archive or the vault. Good to know for future reference. She moved into the shadows, all but disappearing from the woman’s view. “Who do you work for?”
“Myself.” Her gaze darted to the end of the alley. “Are you going to stop me?”
“No, but he might.” Zara eased into deeper shadows and pointed down the alley behind the woman at the man closing in on them. A dark cloak masked much of his form, but he carried himself with easy grace the cloak couldn’t conceal. He wasn’t very tall, probably no more than five-six, but the breadth of his shoulders suggested strength.
The woman spun around, dagger in front of her.
He grinned as he approached. Silent movements and the way he toyed with the dagger in his hand made Zara’s skin crawl. Another thief? Or assassin?
“Did you think you could evade me?” His voice barely carried to them. He moved closer, not seeming to notice that his quarry had company. Dark hair hung along both sides of his face, brushing his chest.
“I told you I’d get it, and I will.” She edged away, her gaze on his dagger.
“Too late. The job had a deadline.” He chuckled. “Deadline, indeed. I amuse myself so much at times.” Lethal malice darkened his smile, visible even in the poor light. “Your time is up. Your lover has already met his demise. Now, it’s your turn.”
“No! You promised me a chance to pay what I owe.”
Zara detected tears in her voice, and her heart ached. She looked away, her thoughts going to U’uskoh. How would she feel if someone killed U’uskoh for a debt she owed? Unacceptable.
“You owe me, girl, and you failed to pay up as promised.” He edged closer still. “I don’t grant second chances.”
The woman glanced at the street, ready to bolt.
He quickly skirted her, blocking that route of escape.
She backed away as he advanced, tears clearly visible on her face.
Enough of this. Zara plunged both of her daggers into his back, aiming for his heart. He froze then dropped to his knees and fell forward to lay motionless. She let his momentum pull him off of her weapons. “Consider the debt paid.” She leaned down to wipe her blades clean on his cloak before tucking them away in her belt. “What’s your name?”
“Reanna.”
Zara carefully checked his pockets and body, removing coins and gemstones and handing them to the girl. She picked up his dropped dagger. The hilt looked strange. She moved toward the entrance to the alley, using the faint light from the street to study it. A snake of some kind wrapped around the hilt, its head pointing down the blade. She’d never seen one like it. “What does this represent?”
“The Vipers. Assassins for the Church of Ray’din.”
Zara memorized the hilt. She wanted to remember it.
The distant sound of footsteps heralded the guard’s approach. Right on time.
“Go.”
Reanna hesitated, uncertain.
Zara glared up at her. “Go. Now.” She headed for the rooftops.
The girl ran down the alley away from the street. The guard appeared, but she’d already rounded the corner. He yelled to alert others about the body.
Zara watched as guards converged on the body of Ray’din’s follower. Marcon’s death had apparently left an opening for others to claim territory. Vipers. She gritted her teeth. If Ray’din thought she’d let his assassins move in, he’d better think again.
She slipped into the night and returned to the compound. A warm bed awaited her.