Prince of Fire by Linda Winstead Jones Page A

Red Supremeness simply would not do.
    "What happened to the edict that I should address you in a manner to which a Queen is entitled?"
    "I was angry," she explained. "You had kidnapped me, so I believe I am entitled to a moment of annoyance."
    "A moment," Joryn repeated.
    "Or two," Keelia said softly. She could not lose her temper and ruin this new treaty with the Caradon. If she was right, then the reason she had not yet found her mate was because she had this duty to accomplish first. Unite the Anwyn and the Caradon, save the world, and then she would be free to discover who her Anwyn mate was meant to be.
    The door opened with a squeak, and Keelia could almost taste freedom. She'd been in this prison seven. days, and she longed to see the sun and the moon, to breathe fresh air and bathe in cool water.
    "Put on your clothes," Joryn ordered.
    He backed away from the doorway, and Keelia stepped into the stone-walled corridor, the filmy gold dress draped over her arm. "I wish to ..." she began sharply, and then she took a deep breath. She had to remember that this man did not respond well to commands. In order to get what she wanted, she needed to be more genial. "Would it be at all possible for me to bathe first? You said there was water nearby, and I am in desperate need of a bath." This time of year the water would still be cold, and she was in need of that chill as well. Not only to ease the Anwyn warmth that always ran through her veins, but to ease the heat her captot, aroused.
    Joryn sighed as if she were causing trouble with her simple and very pleasant request, but he reluctantly agreed before leading her down a snaking corridor toward the sunlight that grew stronger with every step she took.
    Outside the cave, Keelia stopped and took a deep breath of fresh air. Only then did she take the time to survey her surroundings. No wonder her army had not found her! She was much farther from The City, much deeper into Caradon Territory, than she had imagined.
    "You carried me all this way" she said.
    "You are very small, and I am very strong."
    "Still, I remember nothing of the journey."
    Joryn smiled, and Keelia's heart reacted with a flutter. Just as in her dream, there was a deep dimple in one smooth cheek.
    "You did something to my neck." She touched the place on her throat where she remembered that initial pinch as he'd approached her— surprised her—from behind.
    "And I will do so again if you give me any trouble," he warned.
    "I have never given anyone a moment's trouble," Keelia responded.
    Joryn did more than smile at that. He laughed out loud. "You are selfish, haughty, spoiled, demanding, and when offended, you strike out with deadly claws at the end of a delicate and seemingly innocent arm. Not a moment's trouble?" He leaned toward her, reaching out to pat her cheek ... not the one on her face. "My Arrogant and Beautiful Highness, I doubt that very much."
    * * * * *
    They were many days from the Grandmother's hut, even if all went well. The trip might take weeks if he ran into resistance along the way.
    So far, the Queen did not seem to be considering resistance or flight. In fact, she seemed oddly set on this unlikely union. Caradon and Anwyn, fighting together. He had never even considered the possibility, but if she was right—and according to the spirits he had spoken to, she was—then a temporary union would be necessary.
    They'd had only one real argument since beginning this journey. The Queen wanted to return to her palace in The City in order to gather her soldiers and plan the coming war and the coming truce with the Caradon. He insisted that they go to the Grandmother's hut first as he had promised the old woman he would do. He would be an absolute fool to walk into the Anwyn City alone, no matter how oddly genial his captive had become in the past few days.
    In the end he had won the argument. The Queen had given in. Not easily, but she had acquiesced. Maybe the psychic in her realized that he was