Tested by the Night (38 page)

Talon hung his head. He didn’t want to hurt her. Hadn’t he already done that more than enough? But he also didn’t want to give her hope where there was none. He procrastinated a moment searching for the right words and took another big swig of his ale before quickly finishing off the rest of the mug for good measure.

He took two deep breaths, and then two more, before gathering her small hands into his big ones and looking her straight in the eye. “I wish I didn’t love you, and I wish I knew how to stop. But it’s because I do that I must leave.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but Talon shook his head. He wasn’t done yet. “Perhaps not today, princess, but someday you’ll thank me for the decision I’ve made. We both know the barbarian people will never accept the descendant of a known traitor, even as their queen’s pet, let alone as her mate, her husband, the father of her children. It’s better this way, Mia. A clean break, a new start, for both of us.”

He thought she would rant, and he thought she would rave. Instead, her voice was calm and steady as she simply asked him another question. “And what would you say if by chance I could convince our people to not only accept you as my mate, my husband, and the father of our children, but also as my equal, as far as ruling the kingdom?”

“Now you’re just being silly,” Talon scoffed, but his voice sounded slurred, even to his own ears. Her father’s special blend ale must be much more potent than he’d originally thought.

“But what if I could?” Mia pressed.

Suddenly everything seemed fuzzy, and he laughed at his own thoughts. “There’s not much I doubt you can accomplish, princess, but if you could somehow convince the entire barbarian nation to forget my linage, then I’d gladly sit quietly by your side for the rest of my days, even though I once told you I never would. But we both know that’s never going to happen.”

He hiccupped twice, and a wave of dizziness threatened to overwhelm him. He shook his head. Something was wrong, very wrong. He was a big ass man used to holding more than his share of hard strong drink, and yet one little mug of ale was making him feel unbalanced?

“I’m sorry, Talon,” Mia sobbed. “If there had been any other way… If I’d had more time…”

He glanced straight at her then. Her eyes were wide, and her cheeks a bright rosy red, a very guilty-looking rosy red. Without a doubt, the sneaky little chit had done something he wasn’t going to like. But what?

A moment before the impending darkness sucked him down its rabbit hole, Talon realized. Princess Amelia Zoe Cassidy Hammerstrike had done it again. He couldn’t quite believe it, but there was no other explanation.

The woman he loved with all his heart. The next queen of the entire barbarian nation. Even the very same sweet lass, who’d sworn she’d not ever, ever, ever do it again, had drugged him once more.

****

Mia fidgeted as she stood in the middle of the arena and waited for Talon to wake. Knowing in her heart that before this night was done, he was either going to love her with all his heart and be a very happy man or he was going to hate her with a vengeance.

Only time would tell which it would be.

If she’d thought him angry the last time she’d drugged him and tied him down, what on Albrath did she expect his reaction to be now? When he woke? When he realized where he was and what she’d done to him? Let alone what she still planned to do?

It had been for a very good reason, however, hadn’t it? After all, their entire future happiness depended on the outcome of this one evening.

Still, she bit her lip and stared into more faces than she could possibly count. And many of those faces belonged to her immediate family, her pseudo family, her friends, her fellow students, her barbarian subjects, and even the council, along with Duke Algen Daggertoss himself, and his son, Alistair, present.

The arena boasted as to having the capacity to seat close to a thousand, and there wasn’t a vacant seat to be found. Even the back wall and all the walkways were crowded to overflowing. Not that she or Talon would be in need of a seat. Oh, no, they weren’t here to watch the festivities. Just the opposite, as a matter of fact. They were the festivities.

But for being so crowded with people, the arena was surprisingly quiet. It was as if every man and woman in attendance were holding their breaths, staying to see if she would truly go through with it. All of them, waiting patiently, to witness the very first Claiming to take place in more than five hundred years.

It was exciting, she supposed. But the only emotions Mia could dredge up were fear, anxiety, and worry. What would she do if, even after the words had been spoken and the ritual completed, he still denied her?

She glanced down at the sleeping form of Talon Starkweather. VoT he was going to be so pissed when he woke. After all, if he’d thought himself trussed up like some Yulemass present last time, then she certainly wasn’t looking forward to his description of her handy-work tonight.

But it wasn’t entirely her fault. He was the one being stubborn and unreasonable. And anyway, she hadn’t written the stupid rules of Claiming. There were specific and precise protocols to follow. And exact procedures to maintain. And even cultural history to preserve.

She clutched her robe tightly about herself and thought of her own role in what was about to take place. Could she really do it? In front of all these people? Thousands of eyes all waiting and watching as she…

Even her father, her mother, and God Draka forbid, her very own brother?

Mia shuddered, and for a moment, panic filled her, but then she looked back down at Talon and calmed.

Yes, she could do this, she must, and she would. It was for their future. There was no other way, and Talon had left her no other choice. He meant to leave in the morning for Halla, and if she allowed that to happen, she might never see him again. And that simply wasn’t acceptable.

It would’ve been one thing if he didn’t love her. If that had been the case, she would’ve freely let him walk away. VoT, she would’ve even helped him pack. But he did love her. He’d sworn on his very soul it was true. The problem was, he simply couldn’t get past his heritage. But then he must not realize how deeply her love for him ran, because after this night, heritage would no longer be a problem.

“Let me out,” Pearl shouted straight through her mind.

Mia grimaced. “After, I promise.”

“No, now,” the dragon once more yelled. “I must help my master.”

“He’s safe with me, Pearl,” Mia whispered. “I swear it.”

The dragon screamed. “If he’s so safe, then prove it and release me.”

Mia sighed. “I had Mother and Aunts Briar and Lark put a binding spell on you for your own protection. I won’t have you trying to get to Talon and end up harming yourself or interfering in what I must do. I only mean to claim him, Pearl, not hurt him. I’ll release you myself when I’m done.”

“Claim him?” the dragon asked. “As in the ancient way? As in the old barbarian way? As in the—the naughty way?

She had no idea where the young dragon had gotten her information, but still she simply nodded.

“Then I want to watch,” Pearl giggled. “Let me watch, pretty please. I’ll be ever so good, I promise.”

Mia shook her head. “No. We already have a lot more witnesses than I like, but thank you for the offer just the same.”

“You never let me do anything fun.” Pearl sighed. “Can I at least go hunting when you guys are done? I’m hungry.”

Mia smiled. “When aren’t you?”

****

He didn’t wake slowly. One moment Talon was sound asleep, and the next he was wide awake. Or at least, that was how it felt.

He glanced around, and for a moment, three things in particular confounded him. First, why was he lying on the cold, hard ground in the middle of the arena? Secondly, who were all these people staring at him? And third, why on Albrath was Mia Hammerstrike wearing absolutely nothing except for a gossamer thin, opaque dressing gown?

Perhaps he wasn’t awake after all but simply dreaming.

He blinked once and then again. Nope, he wasn’t dreaming. It really was Mia standing before him. He’d know that body anywhere.

Her blue-gray eyes sparkled with excitement while her lips puckered enticingly. Her rich cinnamon hair hung down her back in one long braid, the end just kissing the very top of her sweet, little ass. And her dusky pink nipples poked at the thin material of her gown as they rose and fell with every breath she took. God Draka, she was beautiful.

His cock roared to life, and that was the moment he realized a fourth peculiarity. He was stark-assed, as bare as the day he’d been born, abso-fucking-lutely naked in front of a huge crowd of strangers. He thought to cover himself, and that was when he realized the fifth oddity. He was staked down tight, with ropes around his wrists and ankles.

In other words, Mia, his sweet, innocent, little Princess Mia had drugged his stupid ass and left him tied up again. But this time, with the added embarrassment of an audience.

“Pearl,” his mind screamed. “Where are you?”

The dragon answered immediately. “Don’t ask me. Ask your girlfriend. She’s the one who had them lock me away, and she won’t even let me watch.”

Anger coursed through his veins. “Mia,” he hissed. “Untie me this moment.”

She didn’t even glance at him. Instead, she took a deep breath and addressed the crowd. “It seems the guest of honor is finally awake and we can begin.”

The crowd cheered, but Talon was confused. Begin? Begin what exactly?

“Mia,” he hissed again. “What are you doing?”

In response, she undid her robe and let it slowly slither to the ground.

Talon’s breath caught in his chest. Oh, my God Draka, was she not the most magnificent woman in all of Albrath to behold and would he ever grow tired of gazing at her? He didn’t think so. The blush of her bare skin contrasted perfectly with her glorious red hair as she stood so proud, so regal, and so very vulnerable. His cock reminded him yet again how much he wasn’t immune to her many charms, even when he was angry, very angry with her.

And then she spoke again, and Talon forgot to even breathe. “My friends, my family, my fellow countrymen, I have summoned you all here this evening to bear witness to an age old tradition. For tonight, by the right of my barbarian heritage, and by the right of my station, I shall claim my mate.”

Surprised gasps echoed throughout the arena, but none louder than Talon’s. Had she lost her ever-loving, friggin’ mind? She couldn’t do this. There hadn’t been a Claiming for more than five hundred years. It simply wasn’t practiced anymore and hadn’t been since barbarians had stopped being so…so barbaric centuries ago.

Then she glanced down at him, and any anger he might have had left was replaced with fear for her. She really couldn’t be allowed to go through with this crazy idea. For once the words of a claiming were spoken, they could never be taken back. A claiming was more than a marriage. A marriage could be ended if both parties wished, and a marriage could be ended if one or the other person died. But a claiming was a bond that lasted for eternity.

Not that he wasn’t willing to be bound to this woman for the rest of time, because he was. But he couldn’t allow Mia to bind herself to the grandson of a traitor. It would taint her throne and ruin her life.

He shook his head no, and he watched as tears misted her eyes. She didn’t speak a single word to him, however, she simply looked back toward the crowd. Mia held up a hand, and Talon was so stunned, all he could manage to do was watch. “I realize this ceremony is a little unorthodox, but I’m afraid Talon Starkweather has given me no other choice.”

The crowd snorted.

“As heir to the throne of Alaria, it is my right to choose a mate, and by our ancient laws, I claim him, now and forever.”

The crowd became deathly quiet. And though a thousand different arguments were running through Talon’s mind, demanding to be heard, demanding to be voiced, he kept his mouth shut like everyone else, and listened to Mia.

“But it seems we have a problem,” she sighed. “He doesn’t feel worthy. Even though his entire life has been spent in service to his prince, and to his king, and as of late, even to me, he thinks his heritage will prevent the good barbarian people of this realm from accepting him.”

Her voice dropped to not much more than a whisper, and the entire crowd leaned forward, hanging onto every syllable she spoke. “You see, Talon is distantly related to a person who suffered from a few unfortunate lapses in good judgment many, many, many years ago. But then, how many of us have never made a mistake?” She chuckled. “I know I’ve certainly made my share of questionable choices over the years. I mean, VoT, look at me. I’m standing here bare-assed in front of all of you because of raging hormones. If that isn’t a tad on the poorly thought out decision making side, then I’m not sure what is.”

The crowd laughed.

She held up a hand once more. “But I say that his good deeds far outweigh any mistakes his ancestors could have possibly made. Talon Starkweather stood by my side during Queen Adrina’s Challenge. He even allowed himself to be taken hostage by a group of vicious Bane Bears.”

This time it was Talon who almost laughed. An old grandmother bear could hardly be described as vicious. But the crowd wasn’t laughing, they were mesmerized.

“And he stood toe-to-toe with a huge ogre warlord, and he saved my life in Vile. If it wasn’t for him, I have no doubt I’d be stone, cold dead. He rode to my rescue upon the back of a pearl-white dragon. It was a sight to behold.”

She took a deep breath, and Talon took one right along with her. Damn, she was good. If Mia Hammerstrike ever decided she didn’t like being queen, she could always make a living as a bard.

“But,” she said. “It’s not really my opinion of Talon that matters here, is it? In order for a Claiming to take place, there must not be dissention. So…” and she took another deep breath. “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Talon held his breath. He didn’t care about himself. He was a big boy. He could take it and had all his life. But he didn’t want to see Mia hurt. God Draka help him, he didn’t. And when these people started talking as they most assuredly would any moment, she’d not only be hurt, but she’d be devastated.