Untouchable.

AS had become their custom in the past few days, Tari and Vyrn met in the forest after everyone else was settled for the evening and the camp had become quiet.

The kissing had always been nice, but at first Tari had not liked the s.e.x much. It had seemed rough and quick and had even been painful, but after a couple of secret liaisons in the woods that had changed. Now she looked forward to having Vyrn inside her, she looked forward to the unexpected pleasure and the way he held her after, while they still smelled of one another and their hearts no longer beat in steady rhythms. All during the day, she found herself thinking of the night before and planning for the night to come. She cast surrept.i.tious glances at Vyrn, and though she never caught him doing the same, she was quite sure he did, when she wasn't looking.

One thought remained with her day and night. If she caught a child, he would have to marry her. Long before leaving the king's castle she had given up on all hopes of marriage, but Vyrn saw in her a beauty others did not see. Perhaps that meant he loved her already. Her mother had said no girl should give all of herself to a man without marriage, but her mother did not understand. Tari knew this was her one chance at happiness. Vyrn believed that he had captured her, but in truth she had been the one to do the catching. The thought warmed and pleased her.

Every night she held her breath and waited for the words she longed to hear: I love you or Will you marry me or even another You're beautiful. None of those words had come. Not yet. They would, she was certain of it.

The damp ground was her bed tonight, but she did not mind. Perhaps her bed was hard and cold, but she was not alone upon it. Someone who thought she was beautiful lay with her, spent and satisfied. As usual, Tari's mind wandered as she and Vyrn lay together. A baby would change everything. She would no longer be a plain and virginal servant, she'd be a wife. Vyrn's wife. And he would love her. He would love her very well.

His heart beat very fast, as it often did after s.e.x. She felt it pounding against her own. For a while they lay upon the chilly ground in companionable silence, a part of the night as surely as the moon.

"You have turned from a timid maid to a fine and vigorous lover," he said, his mouth close to her ear when he decided to speak. As he finished the declaration, he licked her earlobe. They were not done for the night. Not yet. The s.e.x was new and fascinating, and she could not get enough. Neither could he.

"Do I please you, then?" she asked.

Vyrn lifted his head and stared down at her. He gave her that grin that always set her heart to racing. "You do." His fingers raked through her hair, and an unusually dreamy expression crossed his face. "You touch me more than you know, Tari. If only I could afford to take a wife..."

Tari's entire body twitched. Even though he did not finish that important sentence, these were the words she longed to hear. "I am not very needful or expensive to keep," she said, perhaps too eager.

Vyrn laughed softly. "A lowly placed sentinel can barely keep himself, dearest."

"Dearest." No one had ever called her dearest. She liked it very much. "Is there no way?" she whispered. "Nothing we can do to make what we want possible?" She raked her foot along his strong leg and swayed up to meet his body more fully with her own. Dreams could come true. The seemingly impossible might become reality, and she would gladly do whatever was required to make it happen.

"Well, there is a way, but it is a bit unsavory and I'm afraid it might not please you."

"Anything which would keep us together would please me," she confessed. "Anything."

"Anything?" Vyrn raked his hands down her sides and then gripped her hips.

"Anything," she whispered.

"There is a way." He did not often look squarely at her, but at this moment he did. His eyes were not closed, as they sometimes were when they made love. He did not turn his head to the side, as if distracted. No, tonight he was looking at her.

Tari nodded. She had always known there would be some way for them to be together permanently.

"I will need your help," he added.

Again, Tari nodded. "You shall have it. Whatever you need. Whatever it takes for us to be together forever... I will do it." She had always heard that no woman should utter the words first, but they were on her tongue and in her heart, and they burst forth. "I love you, Vyrn. I love you."

He did not respond in kind, but he loved her in his own way, and before too many moments had pa.s.sed she did not care that he did not speak the words aloud.

"M'LADY," Alix said with strained patience, "I cannot alter the terrain or the weather in the name of your comfort.Much as I would like to do so," he added without sincerity.

Princess Edlyn pursed her lips. As they neared Arthes, she became more and more demanding, more and more difficult. With luck and a change in the weather, they'd arrive in the capital city in two weeks, perhaps a day or two more. If the weather and his luck did not improve, they'd be lucky to reach Arthes by the deadline.

Alix was now certain that the emperor would not choose the princess as his bride-Jahn was no fool. It was very possible that Alix himself would be called upon to wed Edlyn in the name of diplomacy. No matter what the plan, no matter that Jahn insisted on choosing his own bride, one simply did not return a princess.

"Perhaps there is a more gentle route," she suggested. "The hills, the constant up and down, it all makes me very dizzy." She placed a hand on her head as if to demonstrate her ailment.

"A more roundabout route would make the trip weeks longer." They did not have weeks. They were traveling at a snail's pace as it was, primarily due to the princess's demands for comfort.

"I do not care..." she began.

Alix felt a rush of anger, and he interrupted harshly. "You spoiled little twit! If I hear one more word of complaint from you, I'm going to lash you over a donkey's back, gag you, and race the horses all the way to Arthes, where I will gladly dump you in my unfortunate brother's lap!"

She blinked several times and backed up slowly. "How dare you..."

"Good Lord, no wonder your father is forced to send you to another country to wed. No man who spends more than two minutes in your company would willingly agree to a lifetime of misery as your husband." Alix knew what he was saying was wrong. He knew the Tryfynian guards were moving closer, ready to defend their princess if necessary. He knew the words which spilled freely from his mouth were not entirely his own, and yet he could not stop. "If I could save poor Jahn from the horrors of making your acquaintance, I would do so."

Edlyn did not cry, that was not her way, but she did pale and move farther back, as if trying to escape him one tiny step at a time. Her mouth moved as if she had an argument ready to fly forth, but no words emerged.

"Your tent is ready," Alix said tersely. "I suggest you retreat there and stay until morning. If I hear one more word of complaint, one more whining demand, I'm not sure what I might do."

She turned swiftly and raced toward the tent in question, not running but walking so fast she might as well have been. Alix smiled. He should've given her a piece of his mind at the start. Perhaps then this trip would not have been so miserable.

No one came near him as the sun set and the camp was prepared for the night. Only one even looked at Alex, and that was the blue woman, the slave who was to be presented to Jahn. Sanura looked at him

He shook off the thoughts. She was Jahn's, not his, and no woman was worth literally dying for. Not even one such as Sanura.

Alix decided that he would sleep beneath the stars tonight. Only the women would have the luxury of tents until morning. He grabbed a small tin bowl of stew when it was ready, and sat near his bedroll to eat. His men and the Tryfynians avoided him. They were unaccustomed to his display of temper, he who was always imperturbable and calm. Apparently he had scared them all, not just the spoiled princess.

It was the sentinel Vyrn who approached him first, braver-or stupider-than the others. He smiled as he offereda mug of cider. "Drink, sir. I think Phyls oversalted the stew tonight."

Alix took the mug. "The stew is a bit saltier than usual." On some nights they ate only dried meat and hard biscuits, but since there was game aplenty in these hills and there were women about who could find wild vegetables and cook up a decent meal, on many evenings they indulged in a hot supper.

A touch of gray still hung in the sky, but soon it would be dark. There was no moon tonight, and though the star-light on such a night was lovely, it did nothing to illuminate the world below. The women had already retired to their tents-one angry and hurt, the other tempting and forbidden. It was just as well that they were both out of sight.

SANURA did not attempt to see into everyone around her all the time. It would be too draining, too disconcerting.

But now and then, what a person was-or had become- was so strong she could not help but sense it. Like Vyrn's tendency to violence, like Alix's dark struggle. Sometimes she could not help but see.

When Tari entered her tent bearing a cup of steaming tea, Sanura caught a glimpse of what she'd been sensing for several days. Love. Warmth. Devotion. She did not know which of the men in the traveling party had made Tari fall in love with him, but it had to be one of the soldiers or sentinels. The timid maid had never even spoken to the prince, that Sanura could tell, and Paki and Kontar kept to themselves, outsiders in this traveling party as much as Sanura herself was. But the maids and the soldiers mingled on a daily basis, and the change in Tari had come during the travels. It was unmistakable and very strong.

Sanura was happy for the young girl. She wondered if she should warn Tari that not all men were as they seemed, but she quickly decided against it. Perhaps the man in question was toying with Tari, but it was just as possible that he had fallen in love with her. Even if her heart ended up broken, at least she knew love now, at this moment.

"A cup of tea, m'lady," Tari said meekly. "The night is a bit chillier than it has been of late. I thought you might need the warmth."

Sanura gratefully took the tea and wrapped her fingers around the warm cup. "Thank you." Tari's love had changed her, at least for now. She was not as harsh as she'd been before. She did not seem to hate the woman she was forced to serve. "Would you sit with me?"

Tari hesitated and then lowered herself into a comfortable and relaxed position on the floor. "If you would like."

Sanura took a sip of the tea. It was overly sweet for her tastes, but she would not complain, not when the young woman before her had made such a friendly gesture. "I have never been in love," she said. "Not the way you are now."

Tari blinked hard and then took a deep breath. "Of course, you see the love in me, don't you?"

"I do. It's very enthusiastic and very strong, and it eclipses all else." In that moment, Sanura envied the plain servant.

"I did not expect to fall in love," Tari said. "It just happened. " She narrowed her eyes. "How is it that someone like you has never been in love? You're beautiful, and all the men want and admire you."

"A man cared deeply for me once," Sanura confessed. "I liked him, I admired him very much, but I did not find what you are now experiencing." Unwavering devotion. Unquestioning fidelity. "The women of the Agnese do not love the way other women do." Love had not been part of her training, it had not even been mentioned in her years of education. She took another sip of the tea, which was quite good. Nothing came free, especially not magical abilities. Perhaps thanks to her gifts she was incapable of the kind of love Tari had discovered. Perhaps the lack of love had nothing to do with her powers, but was a personal character flaw. Did she have no heart? Why had she never loved Zeryn this way? In their years together he had treasured her. He had treated her well. Until his untimely death he had been the perfect lover-the perfect possessor.

Could a woman love a man who possessed her so, even if he gave her everything he had to give?

Senseless, useless thoughts. She had grown too maudlin of late.

She would sleep deeply tonight. Her eyes were already heavy, and she stifled a yawn. The day had been a long one, and she looked forward to crawling beneath her blanket and escaping to the land of dreams for a while.

Before she knew what was happening, Tari had risen and was there, taking the half-empty cup, a.s.sisting Sanura into a p.r.o.ne position and placing the much desired blanket over her body.

"Sleep well," Tari said, and again the warmth of love bloomed within her.

"I'm so tired," Sanura said, and her eyes went to the cup Tari held carefully in one hand.

"It has been a long day."

"Yes, it has," Sanura admitted.

"You travel like a soldier, m'lady," Tari said with a smile. "But you are not a soldier. You need your rest."

It was true enough, and Sanura nodded. "Will you see the man you love tonight?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," Tari answered with joy.

The physical act of love combined with such emotion would be remarkable, Sanura imagined. The heat of pa.s.sion combined with the warmth of heart would take any woman, trained in the arts or not, to a very special place.

"I wish I knew such love," Sanura admitted with a sigh. "Perhaps it is not possible for me."

Her body was not to be touched by any but the man who owned her, but what of her heart? Did she have a woman's heart at all, or was she doomed to live a loveless life?

Sanura drifted off to sleep washed in Tari's love, reaching for a love which was not and could never be her own. For a moment she imagined it could be hers. She imagined she was capable of choosing her own possessor and even loving him. Tari's love was so deep it had wiped away everything else she was, at least for now. Perhaps the intensity would fade in time, but for now it was blinding.

When Sanura thought again of love, she saw Prince Alixandyr's face.

Or was it Trystan's face? In slumber, she shuddered.

VERITY snuggled beneath a blanket of fur, protecting herself against the cold spring night. Her tent was st.u.r.dy and she had many blankets, yet still her blood was chilled. In Arthes, the nights would be warmer. She thought of that fact, hoping to bring warmth to her blood.

Even though she had begun to suffer the occasional doubt, she could not, would not, return to the city of Mirham and the cold home where she'd lived her entire nineteen years. There was nothing exciting in the province where she'd been born and lived all her life, and Verity longed for excitement. Although she was very well aware that others would also be vying for the position of empress, she was quite confident that she would be the one Emperor Jahn chose. After all, she was very beautiful. Her hair was soft and fair, and she had a nice womanly shape, and her face was flawless. Absolutely flawless. What man would not want her?

Besides, Mavise had been harping on Verity's destiny to be the wife of a great man for many years, and there were the love potion and the lucky talisman to call upon, if they were necessary. A few tricks, in case the emperor was blind or foolish, couldn't hurt.

She sighed and closed her eyes, pus.h.i.+ng aside the new doubts which seemed to grow as they traveled nearer Arthes. She'd make a fine empress. Empress Verity. She'd have jewels and the finest of clothes and so many servants she wouldn't be able to remember all their names. And oh, there would be grand b.a.l.l.s every week!

Verity was not surprised when the tent flap opened and Laris slipped inside. She smiled, even though her mouth was hidden beneath the edge of her blanket and he could not see. Those pesky doubts faded away, at least for now.

"Are you awake?" he whispered.

"Yes." She did not move.

"I had to see if you were well."

It was a ritual of sorts, a requirement for what was to come. "I'm cold," she said simply.

A moment later he was there, slipping beneath the blanket and wrapping his arms around her. Verity sighed and melted into Laris's warm, hard body. Here was the warmth she'd craved. Here were comfort and ease and even happiness. If not for Laris, this journey would be unbearable.

As was usual, his hands began to creep, gently and not too terribly bold. Verity did not mind a little hand creeping; in fact it was quite pleasant. His touch made her tingle, it made her more than warm, no matter how cold the night. They were close, their bodies crushed together beneath the blanket, so she felt the evidence of his desire pressing against her. Still, she was not afraid. Laris was entirely hers. She had seen to that, had she not?

Soon his hands strayed a bit too far. She rather liked the sensations which filled her as Laris caressed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, b.r.e.a.s.t.s which were encased in the warmest nightgown she owned. She almost gasped when he cupped one breast in his large hand and placed his mouth against the back of her neck. She shuddered to her bones, and so did he. Lovely as this was, she was not entirely cruel, and she imagined his manly restraint could be stretched only so far.

"You know I must be a virgin when I wed the emperor," she whispered. "He will expect it."

"I know," Laris said, the pain in his voice as evident as the erection which still pressed against her. "You have told me so many times."

She soothed him with a hand on his broad, warm chest. He could not know that this denial was as painful for her as it was for him. "But once the wedding night is over, we can be lovers." It was a thought which had only recently occurredto her, a thought spurred by the stolen moments when Laris was supposed to be guarding the camp. He refused to neglect his duties for more than a few precious moments, but they did have those moments.

"I don't want to share you," Laris insisted, and a hint of anger slipped into his voice. "I truly hope the emperor chooses one of the other women to be his empress," he said sharply, "and then I can have you for my own." He sighed. "But I know he will not. How could he choose another when he might have you?"

"There, there." She patted his chest and snuggled even closer. "My marriage will be one of political convenience." After all, the emperor was more than ten years her senior, practically an old man. If she decided not to use the love potion on the emperor, they could still get along quite well. She could have all the power and things she wanted, without the annoyance of an overly attentive and possessive husband. If that were the case, she'd likely want a young lover to keep things lively in the bedroom. Laris would do, she imagined. Yes, she imagined he'd do very well.

Chapter Five.

WITH a start, Alix woke to a shrill, female scream. He'd slept so hard it took a moment for his head to clear. His initial reaction to the scream was one of concern, but given the current state of peace in the country and the disposition of his traveling companions, he quickly decided it was more likely that the princess had seen a snake or a frog in her path as she'd made her way into the forest for a private morning p.i.s.s. He groaned as he rose to his feet, only to see a commotion around the princess's tent. Tryfynian soldiers scrambled, and two maids, those who served the princess, held on to one another and cried-and one of them screamed yet again. It had been that scream to which he'd awakened.

The cause of the commotion was likely not a small, harmless creature which could frighten fine ladies with its very existence.

Alix reached for the sword which should have been close at hand, and was alarmed to find that the weapon was gone, not where he always placed it when he slept. The dagger which was always nearby was also missing. His stomach sank, and then his dismay was replaced with alarm. The soldier in him was on alert, ready to react to the next scene in this morning's excitement and possible danger.

The elder of the Tryfynian guards came bursting from the princess's tent, his face red and his sword in one hand. He was obviously ready for a fight. "The princess is dead, murdered in her sleep." In the hand which did not hold his own ready weapon, he held a familiar dagger aloft. "Her throat was cut with this weapon. Who claims this? Who among us would do such a terrible thing?"

The weapon he held aloft was Alix's, but he had certainly not murdered the princess. He stepped toward the scene of the tragedy, ready to explain that the dagger was his but that it had been stolen while he slept. The events of the morning were those of treachery and conspiracy, and they would need to work together to get to the truth.

Alix usually did not sleep so deeply that someone could come close and take his weapons without waking him. He had been a soldier before he'd become a prince, after all, and he still slept like a soldier. Lightly. One ear and one eye always alert.

Until now.

The two maids went into the tent where their mistress lay dead. The sound of their sobbing was muted, but even m.u.f.fled by the tent those sobs spoke too clearly of sorrow and horror.

Thank goodness, a part of Alix whispered. The world is a better place with that one dead and gone. He shook off the unkind thought. Edlyn had been difficult and sour, but she'd also been a woman-not much more than a girl, to be truthful. To wish her dead was heartless.

"The dagger is mine," Alix said as he approached the angry soldier. "I a.s.sure you I had nothing to do with the princess's death. Someone took the weapon as I lay sleeping and used it for murderous purposes, no doubt hoping to throw suspicion in my direction."