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In the main hall, I stopped short. Lysander, Lucius, and Cornelius were standing at the entrance to the courtyard, dressed in riding attire. When they spotted me, I tried to look anywhere but at my betrothed and his lover.
Lucius Dega stepped forward, and I rested my eyes on him, choosing him as the lesser of three evils, which told me a lot about the state of my mind.
The silver-eyed man grinned and inclined his head. “Ah. Lady Sierra. Would you like to join us for a ride perhaps? It would be a pleasure to have your company.”
That sounded like the last thing I wanted to do. Then again, maybe I should, I thought. It would give me an opportunity to observe Lysander and Cornelius outside of their flagrante delicto, gauge their thoughts, see what, if anything, had changed over the course of a night.
“I would like that, my lord.” I gave him a smile, one I used for certain guests of my father’s whom I found lacking. “Give me a few moments to change?”
His wolf-like gaze traveled over my body. “Take all the time you need, Princess.”
Oh, the man was typical male, I said to myself as I made my way to my room. Lucius made me uncomfortable. Older than me, I felt vulnerable when he looked at me like a tasty treat. He was all male, and unlike with Demos and Fadon, where I felt like I could be myself, my sex was made more obvious in the Dega leader’s presence. I’d known men like him, who…
I came up short when I closed my bedroom door, thoughts of Lucius halting in their tracks, as a picture emerged in my mind.
The gossip I’d heard about Lysander. He wasn’t a womanizer at all. Knowing what I knew now, had he encouraged rumors of his many exploits, throwing people off the trail so his proclivities wouldn’t be found out? If death were the punishment, and if he really was in love with Cornelius, I wouldn’t blame him one bit for creating such a contrivance.
A deep sense of sympathy filled my heart at the two lovers’ plight. As I changed into my riding clothes, I wondered what, if anything, could be done about it.
The day was an exact replica of the day before, sunny and clear. We had started out as four, but about thirty minutes into our ride, the group had split into two: me in the rear with Lucius, and Lysander and Cornelius a half mile ahead. Conversation about the grounds and such had led to a competition consisting of Lysander betting Cornelius on who was faster, leaving me alone with the leader of House Dega.
My guards, of course, had accompanied me, spreading out and winging me from behind, just far enough for any privacy I wished. I didn’t wish. In fact, my whole plan of observing the two lovers had failed, in that neither one gave any hint that they were intimate, not even sharing stolen glances. Their body language told me nothing.
It had been a waste, this ride. And now I was stuck with unpleasant company beside me.
Lucius surprised me, however, when he started up a conversation about Providence, and I couldn’t help but give him my full attention. He had mentioned his visiting there once, when he was younger, how he had stayed a few nights there after having walked a far distance because his horse had been injured.
“The people there, your people,” he said atop his mount, inclining his head to me in respect, “were more than kind. They lent me a horse and accompanied me to where Cerry, my horse at the time, had been laid out. We found her, coaxed her into a hold-cart, and rode back to Providence, where one of the farmer’s grooms attended her. The farmer and his wife made me up a room, fed me, and when Cerry was better, they gave me coin to aid me on my destination. I’d never seen such kindness as from those humble people.”
I found my heart filling with sentiment, longing for home. “My people are known for that, my lord. We’re a heart-felt bunch, and whenever someone is in need, we are there to help.”
“Truth. I don’t believe I’ve seen such kindness since. I’m glad to know it still exists in that bountiful valley.”
Up ahead, Lysander and Cornelius were just dark forms, too far to make out as their horses sped north, up a rise.
“Tell me about where you live,” I said, feeling more comfortable with him. Maybe I had pegged him wrong in my first impression of him? Perhaps there was substance to be found in his character. “I don’t believe I heard you or anyone mention it.”
“Ah. Ordelpho. Ever heard of it?” He looked over at me, an elegant black eyebrow raised.
“It sounds familiar. I’m a lover of geography, but I admit I haven’t studied it in full as much as I should. I become interested in one thing, which leads me to want to know more about that thing, and so on.” I laughed.
“A little bit of a scholarly leaning, have you?” He smiled, and I studied his profile as he focused ahead. When he smiled, his face grew softer, younger, erasing a little bit of that male intensity and wolfish wildness.
I shrugged. “I’d say I’m not your average female, yes. I love learning.”
He chuckled, and the sound was almost seductive. He had one of those voices that I could feel all the way to my toes.
“That I could tell when I first saw you,” he said.
I was curious. “How so, my lord?”
His eyes danced as he turned my way. “That turquoise gaze absorbs everything in the room, taking it in and sifting it through a mind that is as bright as a flame.”
My cheeks flushed in warmth. “Sounds like you are quite the observer yourself, my lord.”
“Call me Lucius. My court doesn’t hold the same arbitrary etiquette as that queen of yours does.”
“All right. Lucius,” I said, tasting the syllables on my tongue. “Is she not your queen as well? My apologies, but I’m still learning about the Ongahri.”
