Warrior (80 page)

the assistance of advisors.” Her eyes

remained on his but she made no

move to interrupt, so he continued. “If

the child is a boy, you may keep him

until the age of four, then I will expect

him at Morden.”

“And if it is a girl?” she asked

carefully, fighting the two warring

urges inside of her. Although weak,

she wanted to strangle him, but she

also wanted to kiss him.

“If it is a girl, you may keep her. I

will expect her to visit Morden a

number of times a year.”

“And what of other children?” She

continued in that same, unaffected

voice.

His eyes narrowed, and she saw a

flicker of the beginning of an emotion

grace his eyes before he became

impassive once more. “You are still

my wife, Jaisyn. I would expect you

to suffer me a few times a year until

you conceive again.”

She did not bat an eyelash. “How

many children?”

He blinked down at her and pulled

back, staring ahead. She saw his jaw

flex and bit back the urge to smile.

“Three. At least a son,” he bit out.

Jaisyn nodded, and carefully twisted

her body so that she was on her side

facing him.

“Will the three include or exclude

the son?”

Vulcan looked down at her and she

saw anger pulsing behind the beautiful

grey of those eyes. Suddenly, he

moved and was leaning over her, his

face inches away.

“Does it matter, Jaisyn? Will it be

such a penance to suffer the husband

who loves you until you conceive a

son?”

“It is just that I believed I heard you

mention something about a dozen little

girls with my smile…” She trailed off

slowly, waiting for him to remember.

Her lips pulled up in a slow smile as

his brows furrowed in confusion. “…

and I was wondering if you wanted

the boy before the girls, after them, or

in between?”

She’d been delirious when he’d

spoken

to

her

but

still

she

remembered.

Understanding settled in his eyes

and a large grin touched his lips. A

dark brow lifted and he appeared to

take her question into consideration.

“I think I’d like sons first, to protect

the dozen little girls.”

She shook her head slowly and his

smile faded a bit. “Perhaps the little

girls will be the ones to protect their

brothers?”

A deep chuckle rumbled from his

lips. “Perhaps they will.”

He leaned down to capture her lips

but her finger lifted to them,

preventing him from doing so.

Her face and her eyes were serious

as she spoke. “You were right. You

should have trusted me more. I love

you and would never do anything to

hurt you.” She paused and drew in a

deep breath, her eyes locked with his.

“Still, I think I might have reacted the

same way if I found out that you’d

awoken naked in a bed with Calista.”

A hand caught her own and he

kissed her palm softly before leaning

down and gently brushing her lips

with his. “I love you, Jaisyn. I love

you more than I’ve loved anything.

Anyone.”

Warmth shot through her at his

confession. His lips curved before he

captured hers in a deep kiss.

***

Jaisyn turned her head away first,

needing air. Unperturbed, Vulcan

began to place soft kisses along her

cheek. A soft smile touched her lips as

she received them. “I will hold to you

to changing the laws of both Morden

and Lytheria so that a woman can rule

without men.”

His lips stopped briefly and Jaisyn

tensed.

“With trusted advisors.”

She

nodded.

“With

trusted

advisors.”

“Yes.”

“And Vulcan?”

“Hm?” His lips nuzzled her ear.

“Will you change the law that allows

a Morden king to cast aside a wife

without reason?”

He froze once more, remembering

that his mind had been filled with

thoughts of exactly this, tossing his

wife aside, when he’d thought her

unfaithful with Bael. He would have

been unable to do it in the end, but his

mind had been wrought with all sorts

of images of Jaisyn being denounced

and returned to Lytheria. He sighed.

“I will amend it.”

Jaisyn nodded.

“Vulcan?”

“I will give you anything you desire

as long as it does not disrupt the

workings of my kingdoms.” His voice

sounded rushed and a bit hoarse.

A soft laugh tumbled from her lips.

“Your son and I are hungry, Vulcan.”

It took a moment for what she’d

said to settle in, for he continued

placing kisses along her cheek and

had made it to the beautiful arch of

her neck, before he fully understood.

He froze, lifting his head, and stared

down at her. She turned to look at

him, her expression warm and loving.

“Perhaps it will be one of our many

daughters,” he replied, taking in her

shining eyes and hoping that if it was,

she would look just like her mother.

Jaisyn shook her head. “Your son,

Vulcan.”

“My son?” he repeated, as if he

thought she’d said another word, and

was making sure that he’d heard her

correctly.

She nodded. “Our son.”

“How can you be certain?”

“Anhur has seen it.”

A radiant smile broke over his face.

He leaned down and kissed her lips

once more. “Our son.”

He jumped from the bed, staring

down at her. Jaisyn leaned onto her

elbows, which took some effort, as

she was still tired.

“A son.” He kissed her quickly and

was striding to the door. As he

touched the carved handle, he turned

and said, almost in awe, “Our son.”

***

Isolde and Mathilda had been

allowed into Jaisyn’s chambers just

once since the queen became ill.

Although reassured by Vulcan that

she would be fine, Isolde couldn’t

shake the feeling that Jaisyn would

die. She had said nothing of her fears

to Mathilda, but her younger sister

seemed to suspect. Isolde, who was

usually very optimistic, was suddenly

uncertain and afraid, and sought out

Mathilda for comfort. It was the first

time

something

like

that

had

happened.

Mathilda barged into Isolde’s room.

“I think we should pay another visit to

Jaisyn. I’m sure she’s awake by

now.”

Although early in the morning, most

early for Mathilda to be awake, Isolde

was already clothed and sat before the

long, oak-encased mirror in her bed

chambers. Upon hearing Mathilda’s

voice, she jumped slightly and

immediately looked to her sister.

Mathilda walked over to Isolde and

knelt by her side. “Why are you sad,

Isolde? Jaisyn is fine and soon, we will

return to Lytheria.”

A smile touched her lips, but did not

quite meet her eyes. “I know. I am

not sad, just thoughtful.” She stood

slowly, pulling Mathilda up with her.

“Come. Let’s visit Jaisyn.”

Arm in arm, the sisters stepped from

Isolde’s chambers.

***

When

they

entered

Jaisyn’s

chambers, it was to find their sister

sitting up on the bed, a long bed gown

covering her, as Asha slowly pulled an

ivory comb through her hair. A tub

with soapy water rested in the middle

of the room, and Magda was near the

window, shaking out a dress. Lady

Anne sat on the bed beside Jaisyn, her

eyes highly amused, while Lady Jane

sat on a chair before the queen,

smiling demurely. A smile was on

Jaisyn’s lips as well.

Mathilda immediately rushed to

Jaisyn and Asha retreated slightly to

allow the queen to envelop her sister

in her arms. Her eyes remained on

Isolde, who stared at Jaisyn as if she

were a ghost, and whose eyes were

growing moist as the seconds passed.

“We knew you would be fine,”

Mathilda whispered fiercely, and

Jaisyn kissed her sister’s cheek. She

pulled away from Jaisyn, laughing

slightly as she wiped the hints of tears

from her eyes, and then looked to her

side, expecting to see Isolde. When

she didn’t find her sister, she spun and

stared at the door. Isolde had not

moved. Mathilda’s eyebrows crinkled

and she turned to Jaisyn.

Isolde moved to Jaisyn slowly,

stopping before her sister as if afraid

that at any moment, she’d disappear.

“I’m all right, Isolde.” She nodded

to emphasize that she was. Isolde

leaned down and Jaisyn pulled her

into a hug. “Are you?”

She nodded against Jaisyn’s neck,

feeling hot tears slide down her cheek

and onto her sister. “I will be.”

Pulling back, Jaisyn stared at her for

long moments. “Will you come to me

again before the day is out?”

Isolde did not wish to speak about

Varian and she knew Jaisyn’s reason

for requesting her presence again

would no doubt lead to that. She

nodded and brushed the tears from

her face in a quick gesture. “I will be

fine, Jaisyn, and I will come back to

visit you.”

Smiling, she squeezed her sister’s

hands in hers and indicated her bed.

Looking to Mathilda and Isolde, she

said, “Find somewhere to sit. Anne

was just speaking of her latest suitor.”

Anne chuckled and continued on.

Isolde pretended to listen but her

mind was on Varian. Was he hurting?

Had he reached the Mountains yet?

***

Vulcan awoke on a sigh that turned

into a groan, and finally, a low curse.

He was hard, painfully so. After a

long day, which had been spent

vigorously training with his warriors,

appointing soldiers to the rank of

warrior, appointing squires to the rank

of soldier, taking requests from

nobles, speaking with his Justices and

other things that were too insignificant

for Vulcan to remember, he’d walked

to his wife’s chambers, stripped bare,

and slipped under the covers with her.

She’d already been asleep as he

brushed his lips across hers and

proceeded to sleep the sleep of the

dead.

At some point in the night, his wife’s

body had spooned into his, her bed

gown had ridden up, and her naked

bottom was pressed against him. He

was about to move his hips away from

temptation when she moved against

him. It was a slight shift of her hips,

but it sent a full swing of need straight

through his body.

He moaned low in his throat. Even

in sleep, this woman could arouse

him.

Scooting away, he was about to roll

onto his back when her body moved

with his, pressing up against him once

more. His shaft grazed the soft hairs

between her legs and he felt the heat

emitting from her. Vulcan remained

immobile. More than anything, he

wanted to push her onto her back, and

delve

into

her

body,

but

he

remembered she’d been ill only two

days ago. If he took her in this state,

he would probably hurt her.

Vulcan was in the process of

throwing the furs from his body and

moving from the bed when her hand

suddenly landed on his hip. He stared

at the back of her head in amazement.

Was she awake?

“Make love to me, Vulcan.”

She pressed back against him again,

grinding her hips against the erection

she’d worked hard at getting in the

past minutes. Jaisyn had awoken from

a vivid dream of Vulcan touching her,

and had immediately wanted the real

thing. After pulling her bed gown to

her waist, she’d pressed herself

against him slowly, moving herself