The Guild of Assassins (8 page)

The suite was even bigger than Kara had imagined. In fact, the outer chamber would have been quite enough to sleep a very large group. But there was also the back room, with a luxurious bed that beckoned with its freshly ironed sheets. The maids blushed and giggled as they looked at Mai, and made a lengthy show of arranging a bouquet of wild aemrocks in a vase before leaving them alone.

Mai threw down his pack and surveyed the large space.

“You take the bed,” he said. “I can sleep out here.”

She shook her head. “I will sleep between you and the door, thank you.”

He grinned. “Don’t you trust me, Aghat?”

“No.” She pushed a chair to the wall and put down her own pack, reaching inside for a fresh change of clothes. A gust of warm moisture from the side door carried the faint smell of sulfur, telling her of the location of the bath. After the strain of the last few days, she felt she really needed one.

“You want to wash first?” she asked.

He shook his head. “You go ahead. I’ll do it later.” He stepped past her into the bedroom. In a moment he reappeared with a long bath towel and tossed it to her across the room. She caught it as she fished the key out of her pocket to lock the door. He watched her from the inner doorway with an amused expression.

“You really think I’ll run away from you?”

“Now that we’re so close to a blacksmith, I can’t risk it.”

“I thought I gave you my word.”

She shrugged. “No harm in making sure, is there?”

“I suppose not.” He disappeared into the bedroom. She checked that the door was secure and put the key away before walking into the bath chamber.

The large stone basin was built level with the floor, with a few wide steps descending into the turmoiling water. It looked like this chamber had a spring of its own, its water less sulfuric than that in the inn’s common room, boiling with tiny bubbles that rose to the surface in smooth domes.

This suite must have been very expensive if no one else took it even on such a busy day. It was a good thing that the Majat Guild had such unconditional credit in so many places.

She left the door open a crack so that she could catch any activity by the entrance and stepped into the bath. The water was hot, and, as she submerged into it, it felt so good to her tired muscles. The tiny bubbles made her skin tingle, the swirl of the underwater currents pressing against her with a gentle massage. She lay back and relaxed, enjoying every bit of it.

She took her time before emerging out of the tub and wrapping herself in the bath sheet. The air was too damp to don her clothes, but fortunately the sheet was large enough to wrap securely in. She did not want Mai to think she was provoking him in any way, especially after what she had told him that morning. Most likely he wasn’t even interested, she reminded herself. What happened in the heat of a fight rarely had any connection to real life.

Mai was in the bedroom, with the door open, inspecting his gear. He had taken off his shirt. She paused, taking a private moment to gape.

His muscular torso was so perfectly sculpted that even Kara, used to seeing fit, half-naked men engaged in strenuous physical activities, couldn’t help feeling amazed. She hoped her awe wasn’t obvious as she tore her eyes away, turning her attention to her own gear. Dear Shal Addim, how could the mere sight of a man possibly affect her so?

Inadvertently her thoughts wandered to the previous night. She would never forget it. The hardness of his muscles against her, his warmth, his strength, his maddening scent... She shook her head. This was a dangerous path and she should do her best to stay clear of it.

She noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye and spun around to face Mai. He stood a few paces away wearing only his breeches, a bath towel thrown over his shoulder.

“If you’re done, I’ll take a bath now,” he said.

She nodded, hoping her flustered state wasn’t too obvious.

He left the door open. She made sure to keep her back to it, avoiding any possibility that she could see him naked. Once or twice she paused in her task of setting out her gear, struggling to quiet her unsettled mind. What was happening to her? How could she have allowed herself to get so far out of balance?

A dark cloth thrown over the back of a chair caught her eye. Mai’s shirt. Before she knew it, she had stepped over and picked it up. She should return it to his room. He may need it.

Unwittingly, her hand holding the shirt lifted higher, bringing its silky folds up to her face. His scent enfolded her, a natural smell of mountain pine and fresh river water, clean, and so sensual that she felt her head swim.

Most men she knew smelled of sweat, not altogether unpleasant but very down-to-earth. Mai’s natural smell was so different. She couldn’t get enough of it. She inhaled deeply, glancing toward the bathroom door to make sure he couldn’t see her.

Her thoughts raced. They were alone, under lock and key. If something were to happen between them, no one would ever know. And if anyone did, would she really care? They were both headed for their execution. If she was meant to die so soon, she wanted to make sure she died with no regrets.

Most likely Mai wasn’t even interested anymore. But in that case he would just say “no”, wouldn’t he?

Wrapping her sheet tighter around herself, she crossed the room in a few strides and stepped into the foggy warmth of the bath chamber.

Mai turned and looked at her. She paused in the doorway. His body, submerged in the low vapors rising from the water, seemed tenser than expected for someone taking a relaxing hot bath after a day of riding. As she stepped closer, he turned around in the bath, watching her with a guarded look.

She continued to approach, holding his gaze. When she came within a few paces, he reached for his bath sheet heaped at the side of the basin and stood up, wrapping it around his waist with a quick move as he stepped out of the tub. His naked torso glistened with water, his slim body so graceful and powerful that it was hard to concentrate. She forced her eyes back to his face.

“What happened last night…” she began.

He stood very still, watching her. She couldn’t read his expression at all.

“I’m finding it hard to let go,” she said quietly. “Are you?”

His gaze wavered. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt you.”

“
Hurt
me?”

His lips twitched. “In all likelihood, my chances of surviving this are low. I don’t want to do anything that would make it more difficult for you to forget me.”

She stopped mere inches from him, looking into his face.

“Too late for that.”

He looked at her with wonder. “Is it?”

Unwittingly, she lifted her hand and ran her fingertips down his cheek. His skin was smooth, but she could also feel the barely perceptible stubble of a clean shave. A ripple went through his body as she made contact.

“Yes,” she said.

She kept his gaze as she released her other hand, letting the bath sheet she was wrapped in slide all the way down to the floor.

He swallowed, his eyes sliding down her body with an entranced expression. She could see his muscles tense, a fascinating sight. Then he lifted his eyes to her face.

“I don’t want you to do things you’ll regret.”

“What makes you think I’d regret them?”

“Won’t you?”

The air around them was so charged that it seemed to crackle. She felt dizzy as she inhaled his scent, even more potent now when he was so close.

“You must be joking,” she said.

“I must be dreaming,” he whispered.

She took another step forward, closing the distance. As their bodies touched, she felt a shudder go through both of them, so intense that she gasped.

He swept her up in a powerful embrace and she clung to him with a fierceness more overwhelming than anything she had felt before. His kisses left her disoriented, her mind slowly slipping away into the grasp of his dizzying scent, the hardness of his muscle, his skin, so smooth and hot that it almost burned. He scooped her into his arms and she held on, lightheaded from his closeness and his incredible strength. She floated in his arms as he carried her and then lowered her onto a soft surface, silky sheets caressing her skin.

She gasped and stifled a scream as he entered her, a sensation so intense that she almost came undone. He drove into her, again and again, until her body shook, letting loose the last bits of her weakening mind. The scream that she held inside found its way to her eyes and poured out in a flood of tears that streamed down her cheeks as she grasped on to him with the last of her strength. His movements were fast and powerful, driving her to new heights of ecstasy. She sobbed and dug her fingers into his skin, unable to hold on much longer and yet powerless to let go.

His last thrusts as he released into her made her lose herself so completely that she forgot everything around her. She couldn’t remember who she was or what was happening to her anymore. All she knew was his body against hers, so strong that she couldn’t imagine life without holding on to it. She floated in a void, his arms around her, powerful and gentle at the same time. Her face was wet with tears and he kissed them away, holding her close. She gave in to his hands, submerging in his caress.

He held her as she drifted into sleep, curled in his arms. She could never leave the safety of his embrace. She never wanted to.

When she woke, a little later, he was lying next to her, leaning on one elbow, watching her. Her heart quivered as he smiled down at her.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I’m still dreaming. And if I fall asleep, I might just wake up. I wouldn’t want to risk it.”

She ran her eyes to the dots of blackening bruises on his chest and arms, where her fingers had dug into his skin with a force she couldn’t control. She gently brushed over them, feeling his muscles ripple from the touch.

“I’ve hurt you,” she said.

His eyes followed the movement of her hand. When he looked back at her, his gaze stirred with such feeling that she felt her heart race.

“I wish they’d never heal,” he said. “This is one memory I’d like to cherish for the rest of my life.”

She ran her fingers up his chest, watching his skin rise in prickles at her touch.
Why can’t we do this all the time?
The thought came unbidden, followed by another, more sensible one. Whatever possessed her to pursue this madness had to stop, and soon. Being with him was impossible on so many levels that it was useless even to dwell on it.

She sighed and dropped her hand away.

“We must sleep,” she said. “Or we’ll have no strength to ride tomorrow.”

In the dim light it seemed to her that his face showed regret, but he nodded and lay down beside her, closing his eyes. She watched him for a moment, but her tiredness got the better of her and she sank into a deep sleep.

Kara awoke to the sound of rapping on the door. She sat up. Mai was already on his feet, a towel wrapped around his waist. His warning glance froze her in place.

Morning sun shone into the room, illuminating the havoc of sheets and towels around the disheveled bed. Kara felt her cheeks warming up, remembering how they had spent the night. Whether it was friend or enemy outside the door, they couldn’t possibly allow this person to see it.

Mai slid into the outer room, his staff in hand. She jumped out of bed and wrapped a sheet in a secure knot around her chest to be ready for action as well, if needed.

“Aghat Mai?” a familiar voice called from outside.

Raishan
.

Kara’s heart missed a beat. Raishan’s assignment at the King’s court was to protect Kyth. If he was here, it meant Kyth must have acted on his threat and followed her.

She felt weak. She couldn’t possibly face Kyth after what had happened between her and Mai. Not
now
.

“Just a minute, Aghat Raishan,” Mai said in the outer room.

Crouching behind the door Kara saw him fold away her scattered clothes, covering them with her cloak and fishing the room key out of her pocket. He turned and met her gaze. She nodded, then shut the bedroom door all the way and leaned down to peer through the key hole.

Raishan was alone. He stepped inside and ran a quick glance around the room. His eyes paused on Kara’s cloak heaped over the chair and on the tightly shut bedroom door, then slid over the finger-shaped bruises on Mai’s shoulders and chest. Kara felt her cheeks burn as Raishan’s eyes returned to Mai’s face with an impassive expression.

“I assume Kara’s with you,” he said.

Mai nodded.

“I’m here with Prince Kythar and Magister Egey Bashi,” Raishan said. “As well as several other emissaries sent by the King. We are on our way to negotiate with the Majat Guild. Frankly, even though I had hoped to catch you and Kara on the road, I never believed we could do it.”

“My horse lost a shoe,” Mai said. “For the past two days I could only travel at a very slow walk. I cannot continue without first visiting a local blacksmith.”

Raishan nodded. “We’re ordering breakfast. Perhaps you and Kara can meet us in the common room?”

“We’ll be along soon.”

Raishan’s eyes flicked to the bedroom door again. Kara felt angry at herself for being so flustered about it. How she spent her time was no one’s business, especially after she was officially expelled from the Guild. Raishan could guess whatever he wanted. It was Kyth she was much more worried about. She really couldn’t bear to face him right now, knowing that he would see right through her.

She leaned back against the wall, hearing the creak of the closing door and the click of the key turning in the lock. After a moment Mai reappeared and stopped in the doorway, looking at her.

“I assume you heard everything,” he said.

She nodded.

“One last bath?” she asked.

“Sounds like a good idea.”

She followed him into the bath chamber. The steaming stone basin was big enough for at least four people, definitely enough for two to relax without disturbing each other. However, to Kara’s surprise, she realized that relaxation was very far from her mind.

She should be exhausted after last night. She should be worried about facing Kyth, only a short time from now. How could things have possibly gone so far beyond her control?

Mai dropped his towel at the edge of the bath and she saw that he was erect again. When he noticed her look, he lifted an eyebrow with a subtle question as he stepped into the water.

Wordlessly, she undid her own sheet and followed him. He held out a hand to steady her, and she used his shoulders for support as she eased over him, guiding him inside. Grasping him tighter, she moved up and down, feeling his hands clasp her underwater, helping her rhythmical motion. She tried to slow down, savor it, but her movements accelerated on their own accord. A moan escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, giving in.

His hands moved up, finding the exact spots to build her excitement, until she could no longer hold it in. As she shook in his arms in violent release, he came with her, his quiver inside her bringing the sensation to a new height. His kisses drowned her cries as she clung to him, no longer able to tell them apart.

Spent, she lay over his chest with her head on his shoulder, building up strength to lift up and finally let him go. He gently stroked her back, his touch calming and not arousing anymore. She knew he was doing it on purpose, and she was grateful for it. This madness had to stop. They couldn’t possibly continue like this.

“You are so perfect,” she whispered.

“So are you,” he said.

Afterward, they finished their bath and donned their clothes and gear. Together, they made their way to the inn’s common room.