His Highness the Duke (13 page)

he softened some, even as he sounded gruff.

―I—‖ Aeron began. His cold, mistrusting look stopped her from finishing.

―We ride to the cabin,‖ Alek ordered.

Kendall frowned. ―What about your home? We were going—‖

―Our home will have to wait,‖ he broke in. ―Get on the ceffyl.‖

* * * * *

Alek forced the ceffyls to run a hard, fast pace. Aeron thought better than to

protest. Every time the man looked in her direction, it was to glare. Kendall rode behind

him on his larger beast. Her expression seemed worried, only Aeron wasn‘t sure why.

―Kendall, did you happen to see my sister?‖ Aeron asked. It had taken her a

good portion of the ride to get the courage to speak. Alek tensed, but said nothing. ―I

am sure she got back onto the ship since she did not find a husband, but I did not have

the chance to say farewell to her.‖

―Riona?‖ Kendall confirmed. Aeron nodded. ―No, I only saw her at the banquet.

I‘m sorry. I don‘t know anything.‖

Aeron nodded again, disappointed but not surprised.

She recognized the terrain as they reached the cabin. Knowing what to expect

this time, she held on tight and closed her eyes as the ceffyl took her up the cliff to level

ground. Aeron dropped the bag of food on the ground and moved toward the door.

―I‘ll see if he returned while I was gone.‖

Alek lifted his head and inhaled deeply. ―No. he‘s not here.‖ The man breathed

again. His eyes shifted with gold. ―I detect his scent in the forest, but it is faint, hours

old.‖

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―You can tell that just by smelling?‖ Kendall asked, surprised.

Alek nodded. ―Go inside. Stay here, together. Do not leave the house. I go to look

for my brother.‖

Alek shifted, his body hardening like his eyes as he turned his attention to the

mountain forest. The form of the dragon came over him, from the talons on his

fingertips to the hard ridge along his forehead. He surged forward, disappearing into a

blur within the trees.

―Don‘t be scared,‖ Kendall said. ―The Galaxy Brides‘ downloads were somewhat

incomplete. These men are shifters.‖

Aeron nodded. ―I know. Bron showed me.‖ Then, thinking of just how and when

Bron had shown her, she quickly turned toward the cabin. ―If I looked worried it was

because I couldn‘t help wondering what we would do if Alek does not come back.‖

Kendall seemed surprised by the thought and hesitated as she looked to where

he‘d disappeared into the forest.

―It was just a worry. I‘m sure he will return. He seems very taken with you.‖

Aeron managed a smile she didn‘t feel. A wave of embarrassment washed over her at

the idea of Bron abandoning her. She had insisted she was not there to be married.

What if he simply took her at her word and left her? Now, Alek was out running in the

forest, worried about his brother. She swallowed nervously. ―I‘m just glad someone else

is here to look for him. I didn‘t know what to do. I don‘t know anything about these

forests, let alone tracking. I‘m not even sure how to get back to the palace. I was

guessing.‖

Aeron felt so helpless, and worried, and embarrassed. She‘d offered herself to

Bron and he‘d refused to sleep with her again. Now that Kendall and Alek were helping

her, she had time to stop and think about what had happened. How much her life had

changed in just a short time.

She led the way into the cabin, turning the light on as Bron had shown her.

Without bothering to ask Kendall if she was hungry, Aeron went to the kitchen and

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began pulling out food. It kept her hands busy and she found she desperately wanted

something to do. Besides, assessing the cooking uploads forced her brain to concentrate.

Kendall followed, watching. ―You said you‘re not really married? If you don‘t

plan on being married, why did you get on the ship?‖

―It‘s a long story,‖ Aeron answered. Some field agent she‘d turned out to be.

Here she was trying to save a people and so far all she managed to do was find a

husband she couldn‘t want. Well, she could and did want him, she just wasn‘t sure she

wanted to spend the rest of her severely shortened life on a primitive planet taking

orders from him. ―And you? You seemed pretty comfortable with your husband, yet he

appeared to be unconvinced of your plans to be his wife.‖

―It‘s a long story,‖ Kendall answered.

Aeron gave a short laugh. ―Fair answer.‖

―Alek has his appeal,‖ Kendall explained, ―and he did me a great favor, which

makes me indebted to him, but I have a family matter that requires I leave.‖

―And if you could stay, would you?‖

Kendall gestured helplessly. ―I don‘t know.‖

―Bron has his appeal, as well,‖ Aeron said, ―when he‘s not speaking to me as if I

am to be ordered about like a servant.‖

―Must be a family trait.‖ Kendall gave a wry smile. She made her way into the

kitchen. ―Can I help with something?‖

Aeron gave her some quick basic instructions before continuing the conversation.

Kendall cut slices of raw meat into thin strips while Aeron boiled water. They talked of

the ship, of the other brides, and how strange this new planet of alpha males was

compared to the other places they had been.

―I grew up on a fueling dock.‖ Kendall finished cutting one piece of meat and

began on the next one. ―I‘m used to a variety of species, just not the wide open spaces.‖

―I work in a small metal room.‖ She dropped vegetables into the boiling water,

only to snap her hand back when the steam heated her skin. ―I‘m not used to species or

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wide open spaces. In fact, I‘m not used to conversations that don‘t include a

communicator.‖

―So, why were you on the Galaxy Brides‘ ship?‖

―It really is a long story. I needed to secure a meeting on this planet and my

sister,‖ Aeron paused and gave a small laugh, ―my sister was in charge of the travel

arrangements. She‘s a little unconventional when it comes to such things. To tell the

truth, she‘s unconventional when it comes to most things.‖ Aeron realized she was

staring toward the door. She drew her eyes away.

―I would tell you that he‘s fine, but I have no way of knowing if that is true.‖

―I‘ll show you how to cook the meat strips.‖ Aeron took the meat and moved

toward the cooking fire to lay them out. Then, quietly, she said, ―Thank you for the

thought. I honestly don‘t know why I‘m worried. This is their homeland. He probably

just lost track of time, or was distracted by something important.‖

―I‘m sure that‘s it,‖ Kendall said, though she didn‘t sound convinced. Then,

wrinkling her nose, she asked, ―Is meat supposed to smell like that?‖

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Chapter Eight

Bron strained against his ties. He wasn‘t sure who had captured him, but there

was one logical answer. The House of Var. King Attor and his cat-shifting race of

fanatics made for worthy enemies. They were powerful, ruling over the southern half of

the small planet. Many, like Bron‘s father before he died, believed that they were facing

another war with the cat shifters. Wars were terrible affairs for their kind, lasting

sometimes for fifty to a hundred years with many deaths and seldom any clear progress

or victory, just an uneasy truce while each side replenished their warriors and

concentrated on rebuilding the population. Bron often thought something might

happen soon to spark the next war. He considered his lonely prison cell and realized

that now was the perfect time for the Var to strike. Seven of the eight noblemen had

found brides. Marriage led to children, children grew into power, and so the next

generation of fighters would be born. The best way to stop an age-old battle was to

ensure the enemy had no future generations to lead or to fight.

Still, even as he struggled against his chains, he couldn‘t help but feel that his

capture was very strange for a man like King Attor. Attor was from the old warrior

class. It was not like him to take a prisoner of high worth only to ignore him. If Attor

had taken him, he would want everyone to know. Unless he had reason to keep Bron‘s

imprisonment a secret.

At the very, very least, the Var king would want Bron to know who had

outwitted him and abandoned him in the ancient dungeon. The fact that Attor did not

show himself meant his captors might be coming back for him. They would not leave

him to starve, alone, letting his family to forever wonder what happened to him. This

was not the Var way. And who else would dare to do this?

Bron frowned, trying with renewed force to free himself. Chains clanked against

the metal floors and wall. What if they stole his bride? It would seem suitable

punishment by the gods for his dishonoring the ceremony by allowing the

consummation of their marriage early. What if someone else wanted Aeron for his

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own? What better way to stake claim to her than to make it look like he had run out on

his marital duties?

What Aeron must think of him! No one would be coming to help them. She

didn‘t know her way around his planet. Even if she was safe, she would be abandoned

and alone in the middle of Qurilixen‘s mountain wilderness. It could be months before

his brothers thought to look for him—especially if the king ordered them to leave him

be as he atoned.

Bron began to yell, roaring in frustration as he braced his feet against the wall

and pulled. The method had not worked so far, neither had trying to pick the locks with

his talon, but that didn‘t stop him from trying. He had to do something. He had to get

back to his bride and assure her safety.

―Bron?‖

Bron froze, hearing his name. ―Alek? Is that you? Have the Var captured you as

well? Are you harmed?‖

His answer was a loud pounding and scraping. It took several minutes but

finally Alek‘s shifted fingers shot out from behind a thick metal door. He groaned hard,

breaking in to where his brother was held captive. ―I saw no Var, but that does not

mean they are not close. There were boulders against your door. Someone did not want

you found.‖

―Help me with the chains,‖ Bron commanded. They both pulled, using their

shifted strength to force the chains free from the wall. They gave with a loud crack of

stone. Bron threw the chains over his shoulder, as the cuffs were still attached to his

wrists. ―How did you find me?‖

―Your wife,‖ Alek answered. He slid through the broken doorframe and past a

large boulder.

―Aeron? Is she all right?‖

―I caught her trying to travel down to the palace on your ceffyl.‖ Alek paused,

breathing deeply to sense their surroundings. ―She is safe.‖

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Bron, realizing they weren‘t in the best position to discuss anything but making

good his rescue, decided not to press the issue of his wife. She was all right. That was all

he needed to know at the moment. Tension tightened every muscle in his body. He

could detect no one in the immediate area.

Outside his prison was a dark tunnel with light streaming from above. He hadn‘t

realized how dim his cell had been until he saw the bright light. His shifted eyes had

seen easily in the dark, but now they ached as they adjusted to the light. He followed

Alek, watching his brother‘s back for guidance.

―Careful,‖ Bron warned. ―They disguise their scent. I did not smell them coming

for me. I was running and then I was in that dungeon, as if only a second had passed in

between.‖

―How could you not detect their foulness? Has your bride tainted your thinking

so much?‖ Alek asked, his tone hard as they clawed their way up a narrow shaft toward

the light.

They appeared on the forest floor. He recognized the smell of the mountain

instantly, but he did not know there was an old cave cell beneath the earth. The forest

was still but for the gentle call of the birds.

―How did the Var know of this place? We have been all over these mountains

and I have never heard of an underground prison.‖

―It looks to be a relic of the ancient wars.‖ Alek looked around. ―They must not

have expected anyone to find you. I think they left you to rot.‖ Alek gave him a

meaningful look. ―I am glad the gods had other plans for you.‖

―I owe you much, brother,‖ Bron said, by way of a thank you.

Alek nodded once. ―It was your bride who alerted me. I may have been harsh

with her.‖

If Alek was worried, it was possible he‘d been less than cordial. Bron well

understood, though, and was too grateful for his rescue to complain. ―I will take care of

it. I will make her understand.‖

―Can you run? I left our brides at the cabin when I came to track you.‖

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Bron answered by leading the way at a full sprint. The thick chains bounced

against his back, but the metal didn‘t hurt his shifted flesh. The sound of Alek‘s footfalls

joined his and they did not speak as they made their way back to the cabin.

* * * * *

Aeron couldn‘t force herself to eat as she watched the cabin door. Kendall tried

to fill the silence with conversation. They discussed the Galaxy Brides‘ ship and