The room seemed to sing as all the guards drew their swords.
“Move, and she dies!”
Castien was shouting. He held a dagger to Satryani's neck.
A small part of her heart soared.
The rest of her was as still as a lake.
A hiss of pain uttered from the lady's lips. A drop of red splashed on the floor.
“Drink, my lady,” ordered his low, sultry voice.
“How dare you– Ah! You– You bastard!”
A small object clattered to the floor. A bloody claw.
“Shall I remove all of them?” purred Castien.
Rage and fear twisted Satryani’s face as she threw back her head and tipped a vial into her mouth.
Then she blinked and was empty of all emotion.
“Release them. End the trance.”
The lady spoke woodenly. “I release you. The sun sets. Your service is ended.”
Sound and light, color and depth, the scent of roses and leather flooded her senses. Anais inhaled too quickly, falling forward onto her hands as her heart raced and her mind was assaulted. Too much. Control slipped from her grasp.
Strong hands gripped her middle. She tensed.
“It's me, my Queen,” Vern rasped. “It's me.”
She let him help her stand, leaned on him as her mind struggled for balance. Beside her, the other Escorts were still on the floor, groaning and shaking their heads.
Around them rushed thundering footsteps and clattering metal. Too loud. Too many people.
The duchess' guards–
All kneeled at the feet of chainmail-clad soldiers.
Anais inhaled slowly. The world stopped spinning. Her Escorts struggled upright.
Castien lowered his dagger.
Her mind was still slow, because he'd sunk to his knees before she could gather her thoughts.
The tattoo on his chest expanded as he breathed. “This is my fault.”
The Queen extracted herself from Vern’s support. “No, it is not. Rise, Escort.”
Castien's dark eyes lifted. He flinched as Darius cursed beneath his breath. “As long as I burden you, people will try to use me. I… I make you weak. She’s right about that.”
A thin layer of ice coated her voice. “Get on your feet, Escort. That's an order.”
He bowed his head and rose to his full, proud height. His shoulders drew back. “Send me west, my Queen. I'll take a ship and disappear. There must be land out there. No one will ever find me–”
She closed the distance between them, took his face in both hands, and kissed him. He groaned, his arms wrapping around her back and pulling her in as his mouth opened for her. He tasted like wine, and her jealousy flared. No one else was allowed to court him – even if only for a false alliance.
