Guardian of Honor (36 page)

There was silence. A great wistfulness emanated from her. He
watched the peephole and saw her face bob up and down as if she stood on
tiptoe, then relaxed, then pushed up again.

"They're beautiful" came from behind the thick door.

She sighed. People often sighed around Bastien—usually a sign that
he'd worn them down and he'd get what he wanted. The door swung open.

She was lovely. Her hair fascinated him, light and silver and so
fine it lifted from her head with her Power. He gave her the flowers. She
cradled them like a baby and buried her nose in the scent of them, then stroked
a petal or two.

"Can you forgive me?" he asked, voice low.

"What do you want?"

"To lie with you and live with you and Pair with you."
His own words scared him, and he wished with all his heart they were having
this conversation in bed, where it would have been so much easier.

"Don't want much, do you? The sex was great, but you screwed
up after."

He winced. "I know. I was wary of all the circumstances. Can
we talk about this over dinner?"

She snorted. "Everyone in the Castle knows that Luthan
provided my meal tonight." She glanced back and to her left. "He
wasn't stingy. There's enough for three." She turned and disappeared into
the narrow curving hallway that led to the bedroom and sitting room. The small
passage was a security measure.

Since she left the door open, Bastien took this for grudging
invitation, stepped into the little hallway and closed the door behind
him. Three? Umilla must be joining them. Odd, but
endearing. Harder for him to woo Alexa, though.

"We could continue to have great sex—" Alexa's voice
came from the right"—but I don't know about the living together. You don't
like the Marshalls."

He turned and followed the rounded wall until he reached another
open door. "I think the Marshalls are secretive and far too proud. I don't
have to like them to work with them. There are several Chevaliers I don't care
for that I often team with."

"I see," she said over her shoulder.

He'd been in other Tower suites that were arranged like this one.
This room was large and wedge-shaped, comprising the right side of the Tower. Lush,
layered rugs covered the stone floor and tapestries hung between the windows on
the wall. A huge painting of Alexa's house graced the wall separating the room
from the rest of the Tower. Behind that wall was the bathroom that connected to
the bedroom.

Bastien crossed to the table situated near the outer wall. The
tablecloth was cream-colored damask with purple napkins laying under heavy
silverware. Three places were set, and a vase for the flowers sat in the middle
of the table. He thought the teapot had been moved from the middle to the side.

Like everything of Alexa's, the room was slightly different from
any he'd been in. The atmosphere was imbued with her Song, the furniture set in
a cozy pattern, but one that differed from any Chevalier or noble arrangement.

Discreetly he glanced around. No wine, no ale—only tea. Well, the
food would make up for the lack of drink.

"Too many flowers for that vase, Umilla. Maybe I can have
another vase for my bedside table?" asked Alexa, halving the bouquet and
putting one bunch on a side table.

Umilla stared at the vase and the flowers and frowned, as if she
still tried to figure out whether they'd fit. Then she
screwed up her face.

As Alexa arranged the rest of the flowers in the vase with
surprising artistry, Umilla said, "I told Bastien's boy. He will bring
another vase. One that will look good in the bedroom."

"Thank you, Umilla," Alexa said, then glanced at
Bastien. "Your boy?"

"My squire, Urvey."

"Oh, Urvey. I know him. I didn't know he was your squire. I
thought Faucon had taken him on."

"He's mine." Bastien smiled ruefully. "Time to live
up to my responsibilities, I think."

That brought an approving look from her, but he wanted more,
needed more if he was going to overcome his previous mistake and grace her bed tonight.

"Your stableman, Pierre, is doing me the favor of bringing in
a horse for him. Urvey is good with horses. I have no qualms in giving him one
of my steeds."

She sent him a sharp glance as if unsure of his motives.

He smiled.

"You going to seat me?" asked Umilla, standing in front
of an ornately carved wooden chair with a plush velvet seat. The sweetcheese in
pastry, now on the table, steamed with a tantalizing odor.

Bastien swallowed and crossed to seat Umilla.

She smiled up at him, her eyes wickedly sharp. She would never
lose this position, and she would always claim whatever prerogatives the
Exotique would grant, against all class and tradition. He bowed his head in
acceptance. She was a Power in Alexa's life. Another black-and-white had found
her true place—and with the Exotique.

When he turned to Alexa, she'd already seated herself. She
looked at him with considering eyes, though the Song
between them had taken on a warmer tone, a richer note. She liked him, at
least. That and the sex would be a good basis. If he didn't make a mistake. If
he could bring some grace into the process of winning her again.

He sat, unfolded his purple linen napkin and laid it on his lap.

"Bastien will sing the thanks to the Song, tonight,"
Umilla said.

His eyes widened. He cleared his throat and stared at the cooling
sweetcheese, trying to think of a short gratitude. A brief one thanking the
Song for the bounty of the land and good friends came to mind and rustily he
opened his mouth and sang.

When he looked at Alexa, she was blinking her eyes. The Song had
had an effect on her—a softening effect! Well, of course only those who truly
appreciated music would be Summoned.

He served her first, then Umilla, then himself. As the first bite
of sweetcheese melted in his mouth, he thought to thank his brother as well.

They had nearly finished the sweetcheese when the doorharp
sounded.

Umilla's brows dipped, then she smiled. "That is Urvey with
another vase." She stood.

"One moment." Alexa whisked the last wedge of pastry
encrusted cheese onto a plate.

Bastien had been eyeing it, wondering if it would be rude to
snatch. She handed the plate to Umilla.

"Give this to Urvey for his effort."

Umilla nodded and left.

"Urvey probably has never tasted sweetcheese in his
life," murmured Bastien, listening to a surprised and pleased exclamation
from his squire.

"So?" Alexa stood and placed the top set of dishes into
a basket.

"So you are generous to your servants."

"Lladrana has a class structure. I'm still figuring out the
ramifications and the fluidity of it. You are a second son, but have an estate
of your own?"

"One of my mother's minor properties. My father would not let
loose a clod of dirt that belongs to him."

Her smile was sharp. "He has had to, lately."

Bastien's temper rose as he recalled the story of Reynardus
shooting magic at her, and the fine.

Alexa tilted her head. "You are considered an independent
Chevalier. Do you get most of your income from your estate, or what? I have a
Chevalier of my own, Pascal. I'm paying for his training and gave him a
volaran. But I know some Chevaliers fight for gold and are mercenaries."
She frowned as she mangled the last word.

Umilla entered the room with a large, lustrous purple vase, and
disappeared into the bathroom to fill it with water.

"Some Chevaliers are associated with a noble landowner, who
sends them to fight, like your Pascal."

"He's very young and will only win his volaran reins in a
couple of days. I plan on sending him to my estate to become familiar with
it."

"A good idea."

"And other Chevaliers?" Alexa asked.

"Some are minor nobles, some major nobles who have Chevaliers
under them. Some knights fight for pay." He leaned forward. "But we
all
believe in defending Lladrana."

Alexa frowned. "No corrupt Chevaliers at all?"

"Perhaps one or two. On the whole, no."

Her gaze shot to him and he felt her mind probe. He allowed it
through his upper layers.

"If we stay together," she said with a heavy accent.
"You must promise to be honest. Not to lie. I must be able to trust
you."

She looked out the window at the twilight landscape. "After—at
the inn, when we woke up that morning, you weren't nice, but you were
honest."

Bastien winced. "I—"

Umilla traipsed in, beaming. "It's full of water and bespelled
so the flowers will stay pretty longer." She thrust the vase dripping with
water into Alexa's hands.

"Very good." Alexa looked at the vase and sighed.

"What troubles you, sweeting?" Bastien asked.

Her expression didn't lighten as her gaze moved to him. "I'm
tired of purple."

"If we Pair, we can choose our own color."

She snorted. "A stupid reason for Pairing." She wiped
down the vase with her napkin, picked up the other bunch of flowers, arranged
them with nimble fingers and walked into the bedroom.

Bastien watched the sway of her hips, unlike the walk of other
women, then found Umilla staring at him, gnawing her lips in thought. He felt
the brush of her Power.

"You could be good for her," Umilla said.

"Good for me? Ha!" said Alexa, entering the room.

Umilla looked back and forth from Alexa to him. "You have a
sex bond," she said. "Not a blood-bond yet, but it can grow."

Alexa sat down and gestured to Umilla to serve the next course.
"How do blood-bonds happen?"

"Through the sharing of blood," Bastien said
matter-of-factly, accepting that this would be the strangest dinner
conversation he'd ever had. That amused and intrigued him, much as did the
woman herself.

"I guessed that. What does that mean, exactly?"

The scent of perfectly roasted dinfais made Bastien's mouth water.

"Light or dark meat?" asked Umilla.

"Dark," said Bastien.

"Light," said Alexa.

"And I like both because I am a black-and-white." Umilla
giggled. A moment later all three plates had a serving of fowl and a medley of
tender steamed vegetables. Umilla sat.

"Blood-bonds?" prompted Alexa.

"Blood-bonds are those of Paired people, or those who need to
work closely together with a mental and emotional tie, like the Marshalls. I
have a blood-bond with my family, since we share blood."

"Obviously." Alexa popped a bite of dinfais into her
mouth and closed her eyes with pleasure.

Bastien's body stirred at the sight of her, so he distracted
himself by taking his first bite. As the tasty, moist meat fell apart in his
mouth he hummed in satisfaction.

"So good!" Alexa whispered. "The best meal I've
eaten here."

"Me too," said Umilla.

Alexa smiled at her.

Umilla said, "The Marshalls tried to make you Pair with
someone the morning after you arrived. They gave you the Choosing drug, then
took you to the Great Hall and wanted you to bond with someone there."

Alexa put her fork down and stared at her food. Bastien guessed
the memory was bad enough to affect her appetite.

"Drink." He poured tea into a delicate cup. "Savor
your tea."

She did.

He drank too. The tea's flavor was something he'd never had—must
be a special variety. He still wished he had ale.

"A bunch of nasty men attended the Choosing," Umilla
continued, naming them. "No one nice, so of course Alexa didn't Choose or
Pair."

More anger roiled in his gut. Not one of those men would treat
a woman well. Alexa had surmounted more obstacles than he'd
realized, and he had only made her journey harder. Shame joined the anger. He
reached for his own tea cup and took a swallow.

"But some good nobles have been taking her out lately."
Umilla dished herself more dinfais.

Alexa's eyes met his, green and steady and wary. "A
blood-bond is more important than just a sex bond, then? Will you want a blood-bond?"

His pulse roared in his ears. Such a
huge
step. "It
might come naturally."

Her face lightened with curiosity. "How?"

"If we are fighting the same enemy and both bloody our hands
at the same time and clasp hands—also a blood-bond."

She scrunched up her face and said a word he'd never heard.
"Eeeeewwww."

He stared as she gulped more tea, then he ate a bite of vegetables
and continued. "Or if we both get wounded and our blood mingles, another
type of blood-bond."