“Mara will be taken care of,” Dimitri says as I slide from the horse, my body weary from the taxing ride. “We will rest a few hours, and then we will ride again.”
My eyelids are heavy, but my mind is wide awake with the excitement. “I don’t think I could sleep.”
Dimitri leans in, and his hands caress my shoulders. The tension leaves at the warmth of his touch.
“Who says we’re going to sleep?” he whispers.
I laugh at his teasing, give him a playful shove, and then step away to scan the camp. But I don’t move far. A group of several men—some young, some old—share a bottle of amber colored liquid. One of the men tosses a log onto the already hot fire, and sparks fly into the air. Their eyes are on us, and their voices are quiet.
A woman sweeps past us. As she walks, coins stitched to her shawl tinkle. She greets Dimitri over her shoulder and gives me a curious smile before she settles on the lap of one of the younger men by the fire. The man embraces her, and they meld into a kiss that is far less than chaste.
I gape at them, feeling the blush spread from my cheeks all the way to my toes, and then I look away.
Dimitri chuckles in my ear and wraps his arm around my waist. He eyes my gown. “Let’s find you something to change into.”
I open my mouth to argue—this gown is studded with rubies and is likely worth more than one of his caravan carts—but then he laughs and kisses me just under my jaw. “You’re one of us now,” he whispers as he moves from my jaw to my neck. “You should look like one of us.”
My heart all but stops, but out of the corner of my eye, I notice people watching. I pull away slightly.
“I don’t sound like you,” I say, trying to keep my tone light. “Should I attempt an accent as well?”
Instead of backing away, he pulls me closer. I nudge him, hoping to put some distance between us while the others look on. He laughs again and glances at the fires, sensing the cause of my unease. “You’re adorably innocent.”
I frown, unsure how to answer.
Dimitri slides his hands down my shoulders and leads me to a large tent near the edge of the clearing. “There are clothes inside.” He nods me in. “Call me when you’ve changed.”
I narrow my eyes.
“Or I can come in now…”
I shake my head. “No.”
The tent is soft, and the fabric is unfamiliar. I brush past the tassels, making sure the flap closes behind me. A cluster of pillar candles flickers from atop a metal dish on a table. More candles burn on stands. Every surface is covered with colorful silks, furs, and embroidered blankets.
A cot sits in the middle of the tent, just large enough for two. A skirt and bodice lay atop the bed—the beginning of my new life. I glance over my shoulder, makingsure I am still alone, and then unlace the ties and slip my gown over my shoulders. I shiver in my underthings and don’t take time to admire the new outfit before I step into the patchwork skirt.
For a moment, I forget my haste. Bemused by the minuscule bells sewn at the hemline of the fabric, I give the skirt a shake to hear their tiny chimes. I giggle, enchanted.
What am I doing? Who knows when Dimitri will stride through the tent. I must hurry.
I scowl at the white bodice after I pull it on. It sits low on my chest, showing more skin than I am comfortable with. I pull at the front ties, but the fabric draws up only a little higher. Unnerved, I tie on the corset belt.
“All right,” I call and then bite my lip as I wait. I fluff my hair, tug again at the bodice, and then shift from one foot to the other.
Dimitri enters the tent, and his eyebrows raise as he surveys me. Apparently, he likes what he sees because his lips tip in a smile.
He sets his hands on my bare shoulders, making me shiver. “You look almost perfect.”
“Almost?”
He reaches into the pouch at his side and pulls out a gold chain. It’s heavy with jewels and coins, and though at first it is cold against my skin, it soon warms. Dimitri trails his finger down the necklace. “Anwen,” he says, and then his lips are on mine.
I gasp, startled by the intensity of his kiss. I respond, but I’m hesitant, nervous.
He guides me backward. When the backs of my kneesbump the cot, he pushes still, and I sit down. His hands at my waist, he lifts me and sets me back farther. Once again, his mouth finds mine, his body pressing me into the furs.
I break the kiss, tilting my head away. He moves to my neck, but before he can continue lower, I take his face in my hands to stop him. “Dimitri, this is too much.”
