sensuality.
But not to watch.
“Where is that damned basket?”
Thea’s eyes flew open to see Ware standing over her bed.
“What?” She clutched the cover to her breast and scrambled to a sitting position. Dawn had not yet broken, and the chamber was in half darkness. “What are you doing here?”
“The basket.”
“It’s mine,” she said fiercely. “You can’t have it.”
“I don’t want the goddamn basket. I want a leaf. I have to have a leaf or I can’t find the tree.”
She gazed up at him in astonishment. “You’re going to look for my tree?”
“I said it, didn’t I?” he growled.
“Now?”
“I’ve no patience for your questions. My head is pounding, my stomach is queasy, and this armor feels as heavy as the drawbridge of this castle. Tell me where that cursed basket is.”
“By the window.” She hurriedly sat up, wrapped the cover around her, and flew across the room. “But you don’t have to have a leaf. I’ll go with you.”
“Open the basket.”
She untied the thong and opened the lid. “There’s not much left of the leaves.”
He gazed with repulsion at the squirming mass of worms. “God in heaven, they look the way my stomach feels.” He leaned against the windowsill. “You get the leaf.”
She carefully reached into the basket and retrieved a half leaf. “There’s no bigger piece.” She spied a small worm on it and gently brushed him back into the basket. “But you won’t need this. I’ll help you find a tree.”
He gingerly took the leaf and turned on his heel. “You’ll stay here.” The door slammed behind him.
She dropped the blanket and snatched up her gown. She slipped it over her head, then grabbed her sandals. She didn’t bother to put them on but carried them as she ran from the chamber. Beneath her bare feet the stone was cool down the staircase and out into the courtyard.
A young soldier was holding the horse’s reins while Ware mounted.
“I should go with you.” She hopped on one foot as she put on a sandal. “You’re not being reasonable. It may take you a long time without me.”
He didn’t answer.
She put on her other shoe. “What if you come back with the wrong leaves?”
“Then I’ll go out and get the right ones.”
“And I will help him.” Kadar was riding out of the stable and across the courtyard toward them. “But I doubt if that will be necessary. My eyes are as keen as my falcons’. I could recognize the smallest leaf from miles away.”
“You’re staying here too,” Ware said.
Kadar shook his head. “You need me.”
“I need no one. I go alone.”
Kadar yawned. “It’s too early to argue. Take an escort and I’ll let you go without me.”
Ware’s gaze went to the mountains. “I’ll risk no men when I can offer them no plunder.”
Risk? Thea stared at the two men in bewilderment.
“Then I’ll have to go with you,” Kadar insisted. “I must protect my belongings.”
“I don’t belong to you.”
Kadar nudged his horse forward. “I hope you carry food in that pack. We cannot eat leaves like the worms.”
“You’re not going.”
Kadar smiled at Thea. “Trust us. We will see that your worms do not starve.”
Ware said coldly, “This is not a battle of wills. If you try to go through that gate, I’ll knock you to the ground and I won’t be gentle about it. You don’t go with me.”
“Ware, I…” Kadar trailed off as he met Ware’s gaze. He sighed. “It’s very difficult owning a man like you. You will take care?”
Ware nodded and nudged his horse toward the gates.
He was wearing armor. Thea had been vaguely conscious of the chain mail, but it took on new meaning in light of the conversation that had transpired between Ware and Kadar. “Is there danger? He’s just going to the foothills.”
Kadar was frowning as he watched Ware ride through the gates. “It’s very early,” he muttered. “He may be safe.”
“Are there bandits in these
But not to watch.
“Where is that damned basket?”
Thea’s eyes flew open to see Ware standing over her bed.
“What?” She clutched the cover to her breast and scrambled to a sitting position. Dawn had not yet broken, and the chamber was in half darkness. “What are you doing here?”
“The basket.”
“It’s mine,” she said fiercely. “You can’t have it.”
“I don’t want the goddamn basket. I want a leaf. I have to have a leaf or I can’t find the tree.”
She gazed up at him in astonishment. “You’re going to look for my tree?”
“I said it, didn’t I?” he growled.
“Now?”
“I’ve no patience for your questions. My head is pounding, my stomach is queasy, and this armor feels as heavy as the drawbridge of this castle. Tell me where that cursed basket is.”
“By the window.” She hurriedly sat up, wrapped the cover around her, and flew across the room. “But you don’t have to have a leaf. I’ll go with you.”
“Open the basket.”
She untied the thong and opened the lid. “There’s not much left of the leaves.”
He gazed with repulsion at the squirming mass of worms. “God in heaven, they look the way my stomach feels.” He leaned against the windowsill. “You get the leaf.”
She carefully reached into the basket and retrieved a half leaf. “There’s no bigger piece.” She spied a small worm on it and gently brushed him back into the basket. “But you won’t need this. I’ll help you find a tree.”
He gingerly took the leaf and turned on his heel. “You’ll stay here.” The door slammed behind him.
She dropped the blanket and snatched up her gown. She slipped it over her head, then grabbed her sandals. She didn’t bother to put them on but carried them as she ran from the chamber. Beneath her bare feet the stone was cool down the staircase and out into the courtyard.
A young soldier was holding the horse’s reins while Ware mounted.
“I should go with you.” She hopped on one foot as she put on a sandal. “You’re not being reasonable. It may take you a long time without me.”
He didn’t answer.
She put on her other shoe. “What if you come back with the wrong leaves?”
“Then I’ll go out and get the right ones.”
“And I will help him.” Kadar was riding out of the stable and across the courtyard toward them. “But I doubt if that will be necessary. My eyes are as keen as my falcons’. I could recognize the smallest leaf from miles away.”
“You’re staying here too,” Ware said.
Kadar shook his head. “You need me.”
“I need no one. I go alone.”
Kadar yawned. “It’s too early to argue. Take an escort and I’ll let you go without me.”
Ware’s gaze went to the mountains. “I’ll risk no men when I can offer them no plunder.”
Risk? Thea stared at the two men in bewilderment.
“Then I’ll have to go with you,” Kadar insisted. “I must protect my belongings.”
“I don’t belong to you.”
Kadar nudged his horse forward. “I hope you carry food in that pack. We cannot eat leaves like the worms.”
“You’re not going.”
Kadar smiled at Thea. “Trust us. We will see that your worms do not starve.”
Ware said coldly, “This is not a battle of wills. If you try to go through that gate, I’ll knock you to the ground and I won’t be gentle about it. You don’t go with me.”
“Ware, I…” Kadar trailed off as he met Ware’s gaze. He sighed. “It’s very difficult owning a man like you. You will take care?”
Ware nodded and nudged his horse toward the gates.
He was wearing armor. Thea had been vaguely conscious of the chain mail, but it took on new meaning in light of the conversation that had transpired between Ware and Kadar. “Is there danger? He’s just going to the foothills.”
Kadar was frowning as he watched Ware ride through the gates. “It’s very early,” he muttered. “He may be safe.”
“Are there bandits in these
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