Kiss

When Malav murmured her name, she looked up but the Prince with the black opal eyes just stared at her. He looked tongue tied and somehow sweet, despite the fact he still looked dangerous enough to take out a half dozen Light Bringers the way he was gripping his staff. As soon as she thought it his hands loosened their grip, and she was very conscious of the fact he was reading her mind and feeling what she felt. She didn’t think she liked it.

“If I put it away, I cannot speak to you.”

She looked at him with amusement, thinking at him, You can speak, I’m the one who can’t.

He smiled wryly. “And yet you guide the conversation. Without your thoughts and feelings, I would be at a loss.”

Charyic couldn’t help herself, thinking, And I bet you don’t like that. You don’t look like you’ve been at a loss a day in your life.

“No, I don’t like it.” His eyes glittered. “But you’re mistaken.”

Tell me. You know all about me, more than I want you to, a thought whispered in her mind making her feel guilty, more than Esus does. She tried to shake it off. Esus left her with them, he didn’t follow them into the temple.

“He handed you off like one of his birds, to your next owner.” Malav spoke coolly.

The look Charyic gave him, was sharp. But she didn’t know if it was the look or the pain his words caused that made him turn his head and scowl. She put her head in her hands for a moment before standing up and rolled from heel to toe and back again before walking around the room looking at things, studiously ignoring the Prince, whose name, she thought pointedly, she didn’t know.

“Malav.” He did not sound happy. She kept her back turned. He didn’t keep much out, nothing worth stealing, no purses or jewelry, not even any shiny daggers or knick knacks. The few nobles she’d had the pleasure of robbing had always had that sort of thing out, even the one time she robbed the slightly impoverished Lord of Belasenden at an inn. It had been too delicious of an opportunity to pass up. She glanced at him, he looked amused.

He lifted his gaze, “I don’t wear jewelry. I keep my purses either on my person or locked away. I loathe knick knacks and useless things like shiny daggers.” His eyes were glittering again.

Shiny daggers can be useful. She grinned impishly at him. Especially, when people think they’re only ornamental.

He grinned back at her and laughed.

Cerik coughed politely looking immensely pleased. Charyic watched Malav give him a sharp look. The man’s face became carefully neutral and Charyic watched them carefully. You can learn a great deal about a person from the way they treat those closest to them.

Malav frowned. “Cerik.” His voice was careful. She leaned against the wardrobe, he was listening to her and wanted her good opinion. Malav gave her cautioning look and she smiled and raised her eyebrows. You could put the staff down.

Malav fixed her with a glare.

She gave a grim smile and nodded. There’s the temper I’ve heard so much about.

The exasperated sound that came from him was half growl, and he tossed the staff the few feet to the bed with a look that dared her to misbehave. He turned again to Cerik, “You have my attention.”

Charyic watched Cerik try to conceal his amusement. “My apologies for disturbing you, my Prince. Light Bringers have taken up positions to watch us carefully. And some of your men have begun to whisper about the, ah, unaccustomed sounds from your rooms.”

Malav scowled at him. “What sounds?”

“Laughter, your Highness.” The older man’s pleasure was plain.

Malav snorted softly. “How closely are we being watched?”

“Closer than I would like. It will be difficult to get her out unnoticed.” His face returned to seriousness. “And the longer we stay, the more likely they are to hear someone comment on your changed demeanor.”

Charyic shook her head and walked to the bed. She scooped up the staff and brought it back to Malav holding it out to him with a wry smile. He took hold and she thought to him with amusement, It won’t be hard at all as long as you have a large enough trunk on hand. And someone who can pack the rest of your things tightly enough that you don’t have to buy another to get your things home.

Malav frowned at her. “I have no intention of packing you in a trunk. My wife should not be-”

“My prince, the idea does have some merit.” Cerik cut him off. The look Malav gave him made him pale.

You are as stubborn as a blood stain and twice as nasty, aren’t you. Charyic thought before she could stop herself.

His black opal glare was incredulous as he turned his head back slowly.

I am in it now. She took a breath. Keep moving and hope you don’t run out of luck. You need to get me out unnoticed otherwise you’ll either be fighting Light Bringers here or be fending them off all the way until you get me home or decide I’m too much trouble and turn me loose. His expression was unreadable. A trunk is the perfect way to do that, you could even toss a few clothes on top in case you thought it might get checked by an overzealous guard. I’m small, a hole or two at the bottom that I can open and close and I won’t suffocate. You could get me out once we’re away from the city if you miss my company or just keep hold of your staff and listen to me complain about the bumps if I’ve offended you horrendously. She shrugged and grinned.

He turned back to Cerik, his voice cool, “Prepare a trunk of appropriate size, and find a way to make holes in the bottom that can be opened and closed for her. We will put clothes on top, as she suggests.”

Cerik bowed and stepped out quickly.

Charyic was pleasantly surprised. She smiled at him and let go of the staff, stepping away towards the bed again.

“We are not yet through.” Malav’s voice made the hair on the back of her neck rise. It was somehow dangerously cool.

He tossed the staff back onto the bed and she looked at it and then back up at him with a nervous smile as he moved toward her. Wondering what he was doing.

He backed her against the bed, taking hold of her head with one hand and pulled her forcibly into a kiss. When he broke it, she was breathless and her lips felt raw from his roughness. He whispered into her ear, “If you ever insult me like that again, I will turn you over my knee until your backside is as red as your lips are now.”

She blushed and nodded. But he didn’t let her go. He breathed against her neck and pulled her tightly against him. “Will you not embrace me?” His words were soft against her skin.

She realized her arms were pinned against his chest and she carefully moved them down, wrapping them around his waist. He pressed her face to his chest and kissed her hair. It felt… she had to take a moment and try to think. It felt dangerous, and exciting. His kiss was rough but it burned with desire, she could like it if he learned to be a little more gentle. She shivered and leaned into him, only a little maybe.

His voice sounded frustrated, “I need to know what you’re thinking.”

She laughed softly and shook her head, moving her arms to push him slightly back. Charyic turned and half knelt on the bed to reach for the staff and Malav leaned behind her, pushing her forward. She looked up as she turned back to him with his staff and he took hold as he pushed her down on the bed and pinned her with his weight. His black opal eyes were burning.

“My kiss?” He murmured.

She blushed deeply knowing that he would be seeing and feeling how she felt.

“Show me how you want to be kissed, my wife.” His words were a soft growl of desire.

Charyic kissed him, softly at first but as he responded hungrily she let herself get lost in it, when he got too rough she winced and he pulled back apologetically and kissed her softly, beginning again.

By the time Cerik arrived with word the trunk had been prepared, Malav had perfected it. It was Charyic who wanted to hit him when he interrupted them and the look she gave him said so. Malav’s soft laughter made her think her cheeks would never cool again and the look of pleasure on his face was almost breathtaking. His genuine smile down at her made her lean in for another kiss before he stood, staff in hand.

“We leave immediately, Cerik. I want to get my wife home and we have one stop to make on our way.”

The man smiled and bowed, “As my Prince commands.”