wineglass, took a huge swallow. “Job hazards.”
Gabriel studied her with his remarkable green eyes. Panther eyes, she thought dimly. “What happened after you left me?”
A fist squeezed her insides. Suddenly her appetite faded, leaving her cold. “I returned to court. Resumed my responsibilities.”
After living with the consequences of her behavior.
“What did the Enforcer do to you?”
His voice was deep and husky, but his expression remained smooth. The shifter knew how to play his hand.
“Nothing more than I deserved. It’s the price for being a Shadow Guard.” Then remembering, she inadvertently flinched.
“What did she do?” Gabriel repeated.
“Lana didn’t do anything. She judged me and then had the Crimson Wizard deliver the punishment.”
Mouth tightened, he studied her. “Because she’s a heartless bitch who passes herself off as a good Elf.”
“You’ve had some dealings with her?” Sienna felt confused.
“I’ve watched her in action. I told you, I’ve visited the king’s court before. Now tell me. Did she order you beaten before kicking you out for a few days, a few weeks, a month? Leave you to fend for yourself?
Sienna shrank back, trembling. Her buttocks squeezed and sweat popped out on her forehead. “The Crimson Wizard removed all my magick and then stripped me naked and whipped me. After that, I was sent to live in the woods alone for two months.”
Hard anger flickered in his eyes. “Bloodied and beaten, no powers, no means to defend yourself.”
“I survived.” She shook her head, the remembered humiliation hurting worse than the pain.
Gabriel sat and drank more wine. When he set down the glass, he wiped his mouth with the back of one hand. “Cael is a cruel bastard of a king and Lana is a coward. I could strangle them both for hurting you.”
“He is a just ruler and I deserved it,” she protested. “It was the price I paid…”
For sharing your bed. The unspoken words hung there between them.
“I knew it was wrong to have sex with you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with making love,” he said tightly.
“There is when you’re a Shadow Guard and vowed to be celibate.” Pushing back her plate, she picked up her wineglass and drained it. “It was delicious, but I’m full. Are you still growing organic?”
“As much as I can, though I buy vegetables from the market instead of using our stock.”
“Because you want to sell what you grow?”
“Because I don’t want our dinner attacking us.”
Sienna blinked. “My hearing must be poor. Your dinner attacking you? As in heartburn?”
His expression grew grim. “Attack as in the tomatoes choking you deliberately.”
“Gabriel, vegetables don’t attack…”
“A local deer shifter died after eating a radish from the garden. It turned to acid and ate through his throat.”
Sienna’s stomach churned. “Your garden? The garden where you grow organic vegetables for Skins?”
“Odd thing, the vegetables don’t affect Skins, only Others.”
Dread curled down her spine. She looked at him, her skin growing clammy. She’d thought to visit, use the spring and leave.
“Have you called Cael about this?”
“No.” He grew very still. “That bastard is the last one I’d call upon for help. I’m not indebting myself to him, not after what he did to you.”
“But he can help you.”
He leaned forward. “I’ve found a way to cope on my own. Do you think I’m the type of guy who’d buddy up to the royal who hurt you?”
“You didn’t know what happened to me.”
“I suspected as much. And it was only because you never answered my letters or my phone calls that I didn’t come charging up there to throw you over my shoulder and take you away from all that.”
His chivalry touched her. Sienna shook her head. “I couldn’t let you do that. It’s my life and I made the decision.”
“And the good bitch Lana provided the punishment, courtesy of the Crimson Wizard.”
Alarmed
Gabriel studied her with his remarkable green eyes. Panther eyes, she thought dimly. “What happened after you left me?”
A fist squeezed her insides. Suddenly her appetite faded, leaving her cold. “I returned to court. Resumed my responsibilities.”
After living with the consequences of her behavior.
“What did the Enforcer do to you?”
His voice was deep and husky, but his expression remained smooth. The shifter knew how to play his hand.
“Nothing more than I deserved. It’s the price for being a Shadow Guard.” Then remembering, she inadvertently flinched.
“What did she do?” Gabriel repeated.
“Lana didn’t do anything. She judged me and then had the Crimson Wizard deliver the punishment.”
Mouth tightened, he studied her. “Because she’s a heartless bitch who passes herself off as a good Elf.”
“You’ve had some dealings with her?” Sienna felt confused.
“I’ve watched her in action. I told you, I’ve visited the king’s court before. Now tell me. Did she order you beaten before kicking you out for a few days, a few weeks, a month? Leave you to fend for yourself?
Sienna shrank back, trembling. Her buttocks squeezed and sweat popped out on her forehead. “The Crimson Wizard removed all my magick and then stripped me naked and whipped me. After that, I was sent to live in the woods alone for two months.”
Hard anger flickered in his eyes. “Bloodied and beaten, no powers, no means to defend yourself.”
“I survived.” She shook her head, the remembered humiliation hurting worse than the pain.
Gabriel sat and drank more wine. When he set down the glass, he wiped his mouth with the back of one hand. “Cael is a cruel bastard of a king and Lana is a coward. I could strangle them both for hurting you.”
“He is a just ruler and I deserved it,” she protested. “It was the price I paid…”
For sharing your bed. The unspoken words hung there between them.
“I knew it was wrong to have sex with you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with making love,” he said tightly.
“There is when you’re a Shadow Guard and vowed to be celibate.” Pushing back her plate, she picked up her wineglass and drained it. “It was delicious, but I’m full. Are you still growing organic?”
“As much as I can, though I buy vegetables from the market instead of using our stock.”
“Because you want to sell what you grow?”
“Because I don’t want our dinner attacking us.”
Sienna blinked. “My hearing must be poor. Your dinner attacking you? As in heartburn?”
His expression grew grim. “Attack as in the tomatoes choking you deliberately.”
“Gabriel, vegetables don’t attack…”
“A local deer shifter died after eating a radish from the garden. It turned to acid and ate through his throat.”
Sienna’s stomach churned. “Your garden? The garden where you grow organic vegetables for Skins?”
“Odd thing, the vegetables don’t affect Skins, only Others.”
Dread curled down her spine. She looked at him, her skin growing clammy. She’d thought to visit, use the spring and leave.
“Have you called Cael about this?”
“No.” He grew very still. “That bastard is the last one I’d call upon for help. I’m not indebting myself to him, not after what he did to you.”
“But he can help you.”
He leaned forward. “I’ve found a way to cope on my own. Do you think I’m the type of guy who’d buddy up to the royal who hurt you?”
“You didn’t know what happened to me.”
“I suspected as much. And it was only because you never answered my letters or my phone calls that I didn’t come charging up there to throw you over my shoulder and take you away from all that.”
His chivalry touched her. Sienna shook her head. “I couldn’t let you do that. It’s my life and I made the decision.”
“And the good bitch Lana provided the punishment, courtesy of the Crimson Wizard.”
Alarmed
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