sputtered in outrage. "How can you sit there, in danger of recapture, and admire that foul-smelling, underhanded"
She unsheathed her dagger and moved toward the Simian. "Wait." Brace grabbed her arm. "He's of far more value to us alive than dead."
"And have your brains turned to a pile of mush? He can't be trusted. That much is apparent by how quickly he turned on us. I'm only surprised that hulking bag of hair let us get this far before coming after us."
"Think about it, Marissa," Brace replied. "His strength will be useful in traversing these mountains. How long and far do you think I'd be able to travel before I gave out? We've got to get away from here before someone else finds us. Rodac is the only one who can help us do that."
"No." Marissa shook her head firmly. "I don't trust him and never will." And I don't trust you, either, she thought. "It won't work."
"It will, Marissa. He agreed to help us, for a price, of course, but one I can easily meet. And I risk far more than you if I fail. Remember that."
Her gaze met his. Ah, Ardane , she thought. If you only knew the full extent of what I risked . Yet, in spite of it all, the look burning in his dark brown eyes was so intense, so compelling, that Marissa found her resolve melting. Curse him! He could very easily betray her, yet she almost believed him. She turned away.
"Marissa," he prodded, his voice deep and rich. "Trust me in this. I know what I'm doing."
Exasperation filled her. They'd both regret this decision. She just knew it! But Ardane spoke true. They needed help desperately if they were to escape these mountains. For the time being, her wiser course was to use the Simian and wait for Ardane to misstep. And never, ever, lower her guard against either of them.
She resheathed the dagger. "Have it your way, you stubborn male. But if you're wrong and we live to regret it, I'll never listen to another thing you say."
Brace grinned, a broad, devastating expression filled with relief and boyish gratitude. Marissa's heart did a somersault. Then, with a fierce scowl, she turned away.
Curse Brace Ardane, she thought. From the start he'd been nothing but trouble. And the trouble he stirred with these new, exquisitely disturbing emotions frightened Marissa most of all.
Ah, curse him and the ill-fated quest that had forced them together. Curse him for the eventual pain she knew he'd cause her. And curse Ferox most of allfor forcing them both into this morass of lies and deception.
Chapter Four
With hard resolve, Marissa quashed her fruitless lamenting and turned to eye the Simian's prone form. "I had no idea a stunner worked so well on a beast that size. But then, I did set it on high."
"An advantage that might stand us in good stead."
She forced her gaze to meet his. "You spoke of coming to an understanding with this creature. Are you planning on sharing it with me?"
At the bluntness of her question, Brace grinned. "Ever the diplomat, aren't you, Marissa? Have you given any thought to entering politics? Your verbal skills far exceed"
"Enough, Ardane!" Marissa snapped. "I'm tired of your clever banter. Either tell me why this Simian agreed to let you go, oror I'll slit his throat and be done with it!"
Brace laughed and held up a hand. "As you wish, gentle femina." He paused to glance around. "Did you bring any food back with you? I can easily talk while I eat."
Marissa rolled her eyes. "All you males think of is food. But I left my bag outside." She made a move to rise.
"No, Marissa." A big, gentle hand stayed her. "That's not all we males think of. But I imagine food is all you're willing to share."
Her blue-green gaze met his.
In the fire's flickering glow, Brace's dark eyes danced with golden lights. His look was smiling, almost teasing, but beneath it hovered a deeper messageintense, disturbing, and hungry.
High color swept Marissa's cheeks as she frantically considered and cast aside half a dozen responses. There was no reply she hadn't given
She unsheathed her dagger and moved toward the Simian. "Wait." Brace grabbed her arm. "He's of far more value to us alive than dead."
"And have your brains turned to a pile of mush? He can't be trusted. That much is apparent by how quickly he turned on us. I'm only surprised that hulking bag of hair let us get this far before coming after us."
"Think about it, Marissa," Brace replied. "His strength will be useful in traversing these mountains. How long and far do you think I'd be able to travel before I gave out? We've got to get away from here before someone else finds us. Rodac is the only one who can help us do that."
"No." Marissa shook her head firmly. "I don't trust him and never will." And I don't trust you, either, she thought. "It won't work."
"It will, Marissa. He agreed to help us, for a price, of course, but one I can easily meet. And I risk far more than you if I fail. Remember that."
Her gaze met his. Ah, Ardane , she thought. If you only knew the full extent of what I risked . Yet, in spite of it all, the look burning in his dark brown eyes was so intense, so compelling, that Marissa found her resolve melting. Curse him! He could very easily betray her, yet she almost believed him. She turned away.
"Marissa," he prodded, his voice deep and rich. "Trust me in this. I know what I'm doing."
Exasperation filled her. They'd both regret this decision. She just knew it! But Ardane spoke true. They needed help desperately if they were to escape these mountains. For the time being, her wiser course was to use the Simian and wait for Ardane to misstep. And never, ever, lower her guard against either of them.
She resheathed the dagger. "Have it your way, you stubborn male. But if you're wrong and we live to regret it, I'll never listen to another thing you say."
Brace grinned, a broad, devastating expression filled with relief and boyish gratitude. Marissa's heart did a somersault. Then, with a fierce scowl, she turned away.
Curse Brace Ardane, she thought. From the start he'd been nothing but trouble. And the trouble he stirred with these new, exquisitely disturbing emotions frightened Marissa most of all.
Ah, curse him and the ill-fated quest that had forced them together. Curse him for the eventual pain she knew he'd cause her. And curse Ferox most of allfor forcing them both into this morass of lies and deception.
Chapter Four
With hard resolve, Marissa quashed her fruitless lamenting and turned to eye the Simian's prone form. "I had no idea a stunner worked so well on a beast that size. But then, I did set it on high."
"An advantage that might stand us in good stead."
She forced her gaze to meet his. "You spoke of coming to an understanding with this creature. Are you planning on sharing it with me?"
At the bluntness of her question, Brace grinned. "Ever the diplomat, aren't you, Marissa? Have you given any thought to entering politics? Your verbal skills far exceed"
"Enough, Ardane!" Marissa snapped. "I'm tired of your clever banter. Either tell me why this Simian agreed to let you go, oror I'll slit his throat and be done with it!"
Brace laughed and held up a hand. "As you wish, gentle femina." He paused to glance around. "Did you bring any food back with you? I can easily talk while I eat."
Marissa rolled her eyes. "All you males think of is food. But I left my bag outside." She made a move to rise.
"No, Marissa." A big, gentle hand stayed her. "That's not all we males think of. But I imagine food is all you're willing to share."
Her blue-green gaze met his.
In the fire's flickering glow, Brace's dark eyes danced with golden lights. His look was smiling, almost teasing, but beneath it hovered a deeper messageintense, disturbing, and hungry.
High color swept Marissa's cheeks as she frantically considered and cast aside half a dozen responses. There was no reply she hadn't given
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