Allegra groaned as sensations shot through her body. Had he been someone she loved and trusted, it might have felt good. Now it frightened her. When she tried to wriggle away, he caught her wrists and pinned them on either side of her body.
Just get it over with, she thought. She stared at the cloth of the tent and tried to imagine herself somewhere else.
Markus lifted his head. “Youre as stiff as a plank.
“Please d-dont Her voice caught with a sob.
“Ah, hell. Dont cry. He slid up along her body until he was looking into her face. “Love shouldnt upset you.
She rubbed her face with her palm, smearing the tears across her cheeks. “Its not love. Its coercion.
“You should try harder to please me, he grumbled.
“Why? Why dont you try to please me?
“I swear, you are the strangest woman I have ever met. He rolled off her and lay on his side with his head propped up on his hand. His gaze traveled along her body. “Strange, but erotic. When you walked into the tent yesterday, I couldnt believe it. Ive never seen a woman like you. Gold hair and violet eyes? I hadnt really believed such existed. He put his hand around her waist. “Youre so small here. And this womanly shape. An hourglass. You could drive me mad.
Allegra was certain now about his lack of sanity. Sure, she had a small waist, in comparison, because what went above and below it were so much more ample.
“Im fat, she said.
“What idiot told you that?
“I can look in a mirror.
“Youre just right. He brushed his lips over hers. “Most Aronsdale women are too skinny.
She was at a loss for a response. From him, the compliment didnt have the ugly edge it had when Vardok had said something similar.
Markus smiled. “What, no cutting insult to humble me?
“Humble, she said, “is not a word I would use for you.
“What words would you use?
“Arrogant. She paused, uncertain. “Are you cruel? I thought so, but now I dont know.
“I am what I am. He laid his palm over her breast and rubbed her in circles. “I dont know if it is cruel or not.
“Thirty lashes and three days dragged in chains? She knocked his hand away. “That was cruel.
His voice hardened. “Its the principle. If the men start thinking of our armaments as supplies for their personal use, it will be a disaster.
“He hasnt seen his child in years! You could have ordered him to pay it back in double or do hard labor. Instead youll have him damn near killed and then humiliated in front of your company. And you think hell serve you with loyalty after that?
“He will fear to do anything else.
“Thats no way to command an army.
His voice cooled. “And you are an expert in military discipline?
“Its common sense.
“Youve a good deal of arrogance yourself, to so blithely dismiss my leadership.
“You really want people to follow you out of fear? Wouldnt you rather they followed you out of respect?
“They wont respect me if I appear weak. He seemed more puzzled than angry. “I would have lost their respect if I let you humiliate me without an appropriate response.
She didnt doubt that was why he had spoken loudly while he was cracking the belt. “Then why did you mostly pretend with me?
“I told you why.
She didnt believe him. “I dont understand how you can be brutal one moment and compassionate the next.
He studied her face as if she were a puzzle he needed to solve. “Those are your judgments. Not mine.
“If you go through with those thirty lashes, it will tear the flesh off his back.
“Hes already been lashed by now. Markus scowled at her. “And stop trying to distract me.
“From what? Committing rape?
“Saints, woman!
“What, am I supposed to pretend I like it? Ill never do that, no matter how many ways you threaten or drug me.
Markus glowered at her. “I dont need women to pretend with me. Any other would be honored by my attentions.
She felt as if she had a lion by the tail, and that if she relaxed for a moment, he would devour her. “Im not other women.
“Thats certainly true. He rolled onto his back, his torso half-raised in the cushions, his long legs stretched out on the carpet. “Im tired, and I cant sleep. Sing to me.
“All right. Maybe she could make a spell. For what, though? Creating light would serve no purpose, and she had no particular wish to offer comfort. She didnt know any other spells. Surely, though, even someone as minimally talented as herself could manage something useful. He obviously had trouble sleeping, and her last spell had made Stubble sleepy. It had also aroused him, and she didnt need Markus any more worked up, but if she could put him to sleep, he would leave her alone.
“I really do need a disk to hold, she added.
“That makes no sense, he grumbled.
“It helps me focus. Which was true.
He waved at a chest behind his head. “You may look there.
Allegra pushed up on her hands, and this time he let her go. She went to the chest quickly, so she could get what she needed before he changed his mind and decided he wanted her instead of her singing. She wondered if he was always like this, so mercurial and restless.
Ornate dragon patterns in emerald, gold and onyx inlaid the chest. Inside, she found a mans toiletries: rough soaps, washcloths, a wooden brush with stiff bristles, a shaving blade with a pitted hilt, a strap to sharpen it and picks for cleaning the teeth. It told her how “dangerous he perceived her to be, that he let her rummage through personal items that included a knife. Even more mortifying was the accuracy in his estimation of her. She had little experience with blades; if she threatened him with the knife, he could easily take it from her.
A compass in a circular case lay in one corner. Picking it up, she closed her eyes and reached with her mage sense. More than a disk but less than a flat cylinder, it stirred her power. Yes, she could use this.
“Bring the brush, too, Markus said drowsily.
Allegra picked up the brush. When she stood, her head swam. The constant strain of the past few days had taken its toll. She couldnt even call it a nightmare, because she awoke from dreams and this had no end.
When her head cleared, she returned to the pillows. Markus was lying on his back, breathing deeply, and relief washed over her. But then he opened his eyes. “What do you have?
She showed him the compass. “Is that all right?
“If you want. His lashes lowered over his eyes again. “Put my head in your lap while you sing and brush my hair.
Brush his hair? She would never have expected that from Jazids notorious outlaw prince.
The pillows were worn and large, with embroidered dragons similar to the Jazid flag. Self-conscious, she slid under him until she was sitting cross-legged with his head in her lap. With a sigh, he turned his head and pressed his lips against her inner thigh. His constant intimacy flustered her, and she was so tired, she feared she would fall over backward with nothing to lean against.
Allegra set the compass on the cushion by her hip so its cool metal pressed her skin. She lifted a length of his hair and ran the brush through it. Or tried. The heavy locks were so knotted, she could only untangle a few strands.
“Your hair is a saints forsaken mess, she said.
“Hair is hair, he mumbled.
“Dont you ever brush it?
Markus yawned, showing a row of healthy white teeth. “Not really.
“Its all ragged. In the back, it curled down his neck to his shoulders, but on the sides it only went over his ears. She hadnt even realized he had bangs until she worked out their knots. The tangles had kept them off his face, but after she brushed them, they fell into his eyes.
“Whoever cut it did an appallingly bad job, she said.