Keeper of the Wolves (21 page)

She shook her head. “You don’t have to say
anything. I know this can’t work.” A pleading glimmer I had never
seen before colored the depths of her eyes. “But can we pretend for
just one night?”

My heart burned at Koya’s request. I
couldn’t deny her anything. My soul sang at the chance to spend
time with her, if only for a fleeting, stolen moment. I lifted my
arm and she ducked underneath it to lean against my shoulder.
Koya’s hand rested on my chest, reminding me that I was wearing
only a blanket. I closed my eyes at the way heat and chills ran
from her hand straight through me, rendering me completely
hers.

Her body tensed under my arm and I thought
for a moment that she regretted the charade she had asked for, then
a yawn escaped and she let out a tired giggle, sounding very much
like a little girl instead of a Lady ready to face an atrocious
marriage or war to protect her people. The laugh endeared her to me
even more. I pulled her closer and she sighed, letting herself
relax. “It’s been a long day,” she admitted in a whisper.

“
I think it’s been more than
one,” I replied.

A small chuckle escaped her and a tendril of
her golden hair trailed across the back of my hand. I caught it
between my fingers, amazed at how soft it felt. Her breathing
slowed and her head rested against me. I moved carefully so that I
lay on the floor, her head pillowed against my shoulder and her
hand sending fire and ice across my chest.

The exhaustion that had filled me slowly
returned, unable keep at bay even with Koya’s nearness. I let out a
soft sigh. I didn’t want to miss a moment near her. I fought to
keep my eyes open and my mind alert, but the effects of the last
two days were too great. The gentle beating of her heart so close
to me was a lullaby I couldn’t resist.

My eyes closed and I dreamed of the life we
could live together. It was the sort of dream that made my heart
ache, and I woke once to find tears trailing down my cheeks. I
watched her sleep and vowed to stay awake through the rest of the
morning, only to succumb to call of dreams once more.

Chapter 12

“
My lady.”

My eyes flew open with a rush of adrenaline.
I turned to protect Koya from attack, only to find General Rasmus
watching us with an expression that was both amused and
worried.

“
Good to know she is safe in
your arms,” Rasmus said in a dry tone. She stirred and the
General’s gaze softened. “It was a hard battle,” he said, his voice
quieter with compassion. “But I fear what Lord Joven would think if
he were to come in here.”

Koya sat up and her cheeks reddened when she
met my eyes. I smiled and she returned the expression tentatively,
as if unsure it was alright.

Rasmus held out a hand and helped her to her
feet. He acted as if we hadn’t fallen asleep together, a fact that
would have been the entire undoing of Vielkeep if anyone else found
us. It was unsuitable for a man to be alone in a room with an unwed
woman, let alone for them to sleep together and one of them in only
a blanket. “The ball is in two hours, my Lady. Tessa has a bath
prepared as well as a light meal should you wish to appease your
appetite before dinner.”

Koya kept looking at me. Sunlight splayed
through the high windows and it felt strange for me to sit in the
room in human form. I wondered what it would take to change back.
At the thought, a slight shudder ran beneath my skin. I took a
breath, amazed at the control I had achieved. I lifted a hand to
indicate I didn’t know how it had come about, and an answering hint
of a smile played about Koya’s lips. Her eyes softened to the gaze
that owned my heart, her love evident in the soft brush of light on
her cheekbones, the way her eyes creased at the corners, and the
look in her soft blue eyes that no one else could claim.

“
My lady?” Rasmus asked
gently.

She turned her head and the moment was gone.
I watched her cross to the door, saw the way she lingered at the
doorway as though reluctant to pass the threshold, then she was
gone, a whisper of meadow gold and vanilla in her wake.

“
Is this the first time
you’ve changed back to human form in daylight?” Rasmus
asked.

I realized he had refrained from asking the
question in front of Koya out of respect. His gaze was frank and
curious, and he regarded me with an air of familiar camaraderie. As
he told his soldiers, we had bled together in battle and so we were
brothers. I owed him the truth. “Yes.” I frowned at my hands. “I
don’t know why I can do it now.”

“
I think I have an idea,” he
replied.

I glanced back up and found him looking at
the door Koya had departed through. I rubbed my eyes. The General
guessed our feelings. He could destroy Koya’s reputation, have me
beheaded, and perhaps claim a part of Vielkeep for himself. Yet
there he stood, a look of quiet consideration on his face as he
watched after the girl I loved.

“
I need to dance with
her.”

Surprise glowed in his eyes so brightly I
almost laughed. “You want to dance at the ball?”

I don’t know why I said it, but it was too
late to take it back. Besides, it was the truth. I nodded. “I have
to.” At his look, I clenched one hand and traced my fingers down
the tendons that stood out along the back. I swallowed against a
knot that formed in my throat and spoke quietly. “We both know
there’s no hope in this.”

“
Koya feels the same way?”
he guessed.

I nodded even though he said it as more of a
statement than a question. “I won’t ask her to give up Vielkeep for
me. Wolves don’t turn their backs on their pack. I respect her
devotion to her people and won’t ask her to do anything that may
harm all of the good she’s done here.”

“
Then why dance?”

Rasmus’ tone was gentle instead of
belligerent. Our feelings didn’t surprise him. He just couldn’t
understand why we would put off what had to happen. I let out a
breath. “I promised her one night.”

He hesitated, thinking it through. After a
moment, he nodded. “She deserves a night’s happiness, especially if
she goes through with marrying Vesut.” He rose, then turned back to
me. “But letting her go will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done.
This dance is only postponing the inevitable.”

I nodded. “She asked for one night. It is
the least I can give her.”

He nodded and tossed me some clothes from
the bed. “Try these. At least we won’t let you look
ridiculous.”

I caught them. They were definitely Joven’s,
but would fit me nicely. I took a deep breath and resigned myself
to the uncomfortable necessity of clothes.

***

Koya laughed. The sound reached my ears like
the ringing warmth of a meadowlark as it called to the morning sun.
I found her at Lord Brayton’s elbow. The sight sent mixed emotions
through my chest. I was grateful Lord Vesut was nowhere to be seen
because I wasn’t sure I would be able to control myself given a
second example of his callous nature. Koya at anyone’s side left a
metallic bitterness in my mouth. I would have to accept it
eventually, I knew that; however, tonight was ours. I had promised
her that much.

Her head lifted and she turned. Her eyes
widened when they met mine, and though her familiar smile touched
her lips, there was something about the way she held my gaze,
expectant and curious as if she guessed my intentions. I wondered
if Rasmus had said anything about our spontaneous class, but I
doubted it. The General seemed as uncomfortable about teaching me
how to dance as I was to be taught. Together, we made up a very
unfortunate dancing team filled with awkward moments I would rather
not remember.

Lord Brayton followed Koya’s gaze. His lips
tightened, though I couldn’t tell if it was in a smile or a frown.
I bowed and the other members of the group around Koya took notice
of my presence.

“
Lord Tramarius?” she asked
politely.

I held out my hand and smiled at the way her
gaze jumped to mine to see if I was serious. For the first time in
my life, I found it hard to keep from laughing as I led my Lady to
the dance floor. Her gloved fingers skittered in mine as if I held
a butterfly instead of a woman’s delicate hand. I caught her
sideways glance and gave her a confident nod despite the nerves
that suddenly twisted in my stomach. I heard the music and saw the
whirlwind of dancers as they congregated for the next tune.
Luckily, Rasmus’ timing proved true. They played the one and only
dance my feet knew, though my brain doubted I could remember the
steps.

“
You are full of surprises,”
Koya said quietly when I held my hands palms-out as the dance
dictated. She lined her hands with mine and we both bowed with our
hands touching.

“
You asked for one night,” I
reminded her with a whisper when we stepped together.

She pushed against my right hand and spun
away. I caught her right hand behind my back and pulled her around
in a half circle, then we stepped to the left three times and
performed the move again. The dance then called for several quick
steps to the right completed on the balls of the feet. I had felt
silly doing it in rehearsal with Rasmus, but now I was grateful he
had made me practice over and over until I got the steps right.

“
Who taught you how to
dance?” Koya asked in amazement when the next circle brought us
back together.

I shook my head, refusing to impart my
secrets.

She laughed and guessed, “Rasmus.”

At my stare, she spun under my arm and
whispered in my ear, “You aren’t the only one with secrets.” She
then laughed again and said, “There was a time when the General was
the best dancer north of Miduan.”

“
He was reluctant,” I
admitted.

She grinned and light danced in her eyes. “I
wish I had been there to see it.”

“
I think he’d rather kill
me.”

She laughed outright at that admission and
the sound rang loud across the ballroom at a particularly quiet
drop in the music. Her cheeks flushed prettily at the unexpected
attention her outburst received, and she stepped docilely along
until others forgot about her unmannerly conduct.

Another difficult step came up and I botched
it entirely, stepping both on Koya’s foot and bumping into a tall
gentleman whose mustache curled up so that it almost touched his
eyebrows. I gave him a bow of apology and tried to get back on
beat, but the steps fled me completely. I tried something
different, ended up tripping a gentleman and a lady whose clothing
was decorated with multi-colored feathers, and nearly sent a table
of refreshments crashing to the ground. I gave up and laughed at
the hopelessness of it; Koya joined in my laughter, leaning against
me as she fought to catch her breath.

“
We’d better get off the
floor before we’re run over,” she gasped.

I grabbed her hand and we practically fled
the ballroom floor. We collapsed into seats at an empty table and
she gave in to hysterical laughter that had tears rolling down her
face before she regained control. I laughed so hard at the sight of
her that my sides hurt by the time we stopped. Several onlookers
gazed down their noses at us and left to find a quieter place to
watch the dance. For some reason, that made us laugh even more.

“
I don’t think I’ve laughed
that hard in years,” Koya said. She rested her hand on mine. I
smiled at the familiar warmth that ran up my arm. “Thank you for a
perfect, albeit unusual, evening.”

A throat cleared behind me and I jumped,
surprised at how much I had let down my guard. I barely fought back
a growl as I turned around. I caught myself at the sight of a young
woman with straight black hair and dark eyes highlighted in light
purple. A scent of honey and buttercream touched my nose. Her lips
lifted in a smile the moment her eyes met mine, but even though
there was warmth to her gaze, I saw something else that surprised
me. Possessiveness.

“
It seems the Ambassador can
dance,” she said in a tone that both invited my attention and
carried an underlying note of warning.

I glanced at Koya, wondering if she caught
it. Her gaze was calm, but a spark of icy emotion showed in the
blue depths of her eyes. “Lady Verian, thank you for gracing us
with your company.”

“
The pleasure is mine,” she
said, though the cast of her eyes indicated that it wasn’t quite
the pleasure she described. She turned to me and her lips twisted
again in the predatory smile. “I hope I’m not being forward,
Ambassador, but I was wondering if I could entice you into another
dance.”

Koya’s lips tightened into a brief frown
that disappeared before she spoke. “My apologies Verian, but the
Ambassador doesn’t know many of our Ralan dances.”

Lady Verian’s eyebrow quirked pointedly. “He
did quite well with you.”

“
I don’t know if others
would agree,” Koya said. A touch of laughter hinted in her voice,
but it died at Verian’s cold gaze.

“
I don’t suppose he can
answer for himself.”

Koya’s eyes flickered to me, then back to
meet Verian’s. “Unfortunately, his grasp of our language is
fleeting at best. Protocol dictates a dance, and I have fulfilled
our duty.”

Taking that as my cue, I rose and walked to
the refreshments table. Lady Verian gave a quiet huff behind me as
if I had offended her. I fought back a smile, then paused when I
saw a servant behind the table grinning as if she couldn’t help
herself. She met my gaze and her smile fell. On impulse, I winked
at her the way I had seen Joven do. She stared, then the smile
reappeared. She handed me a plate with several delicacies already
on it.