That didnt sound right. “If she wed your father, wouldnt Jazid laws have constrained her?
“My father would have expected her to behave as befits a Jazid queen, if that is what you mean.
Allegra scowled at him. “In other words, he gets her throne.
“I dont know what they would have done, he admitted. “Both of them were strong personalities. But its irrelevant. Instead of keeping her word, she took that boy as her consort. He clenched his fist on his knee. “Cobalt the Dark cut off my fathers head, and now the queen of Taka Mal sleeps with Cobalts kin.
“Im sorry about your father, she said quietly.
He stared out at the desert. “I saw it.
She stared at him, stunned. “You saw She couldnt finish, couldnt say, You saw a man behead your own father?
“Cobalt violated the Alatian Code of War. Markuss gaze had become distant, as if he viewed images far different from the empty desert below. “He called my father to meet him during the battle. A truce applies when leaders talk this way. But Cobalt attacked him. They were on a mesa above the battlefield. I was in the combat, leading a company. I saw Cobalt and my father fighting. In a dull voice, he said, “While I was riding to help my father, Cobalt killed him.
The blood drained from her face. “You saw it all?
“Yes. His eyes focused on some distant point. “I had almost reached them. But I never made it. The lightning hit first.
“Im sorry, she murmured. No wonder the emperor was called Cobalt the Dark. He sounded horrific.
Markus drew in a breath and turned to her. “My father was not an easy man, and he grew harder each year. But he loved me, and I loved him. I will avenge his death. Ill never rest until I hold the severed head of the Dark Emperor in my hands.
“Im not surprised you hate him. The more she understood about Markus, the less he seemed like a tyrant and the more like a strong, desperate leader doing his best to survive an intolerable situation.
“But, Markus, she said. “No mage could bring lightning down out of a clear sky. It isnt possible.
“I saw her do it. His gaze darkened. “You can, too.
“I cant!
“I know youre lying.
Every time she started to see him in a different light, he turned around and showed his other side, the atavistic warlord. She had to convince him before he decided to do something drastic, like tie her up until she sang the spells he wanted. She took a breath. “Yes, I admit, I can do spells. But only to soothe people, create light or warmth, help you sleep. Im telling you the truth when I say thats my limit. I didnt know I had put your guards to sleep. I wasnt sure I could even put you to sleep.
He smiled. “I know you didnt realize about the guards. You would have snuck out of the tent otherwise.
Damn. It hadnt even occurred to her to check on them. She had been too exhausted to do anything last night, though. If she had tried to escape, she would have collapsed in his camp, which would have brought her a lot more grief when someone found her.
“Why did you need the compass? Markus asked.
“Its the curved surface, she hedged. “It focuses the spell.
“Curves. He laughed and brushed his hand over her breast. “Thats how you put a spell on me.
She wondered if he would ever stop pawing her. It flustered her, especially when he made her want to laugh at his jokes. If anyone had told her a few days ago that the prince regent of Jazid could be sensually charming when he wanted, she would have thought they were crazy.
“ Geometric curves, she said. “Like a circle.
“How many people can you put to sleep?
“Maybe five? Ive never done it before. She got up and went to the edge of the mesa. His company was spread out below, in the shade of the rock formation. Far to the east, small figures rode across the red desert, scouts he had sent ahead to check the land.
Markus came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Even five is an incredible weapon. A lovely girl, singing like a night bird. No one would ever suspect.
“I wont be your weapon. I could never hurt people with spells. She shivered despite the heat. “Its another reason the empress couldnt have attacked with lightning. What we do to others, we do to ourselves.
“You didnt fall asleep last night. He kissed her temple. “You moved across the tent. You had to be awake to do that.
“I did sleep for a while, she admitted. “But spells usually dont affect me quite as much as the people I direct them at.
“Hmm. He slid the robe off her shoulders and it fell down around her elbows. Nuzzling her neck, he fiddled with the gold clasp that fastened the halter between her breasts.
“Markus! She swatted his hand. “If anyone looks up here, theyll see you mauling me.
“Theyll wish it was them instead of me. He opened the clasp.
“Behave yourself. She grabbed the clasp, holding the halter closed so her breasts wouldnt fall out.
Markus suddenly hefted her up into his hold, with one arm under her legs and another behind her back. He carried her away from the edge and then set her down on her feet. “Better?
It was better, but she was still annoyed with him. When he pulled her into his arms and tweaked open her halter, baring her breasts, she tried to twist away. He held her close, trapping her arms between them. She wished he didnt smell so good, with soap and leather and some indefinable smell that was just him.
“You quit that, she told him, trying to free herself. She wasnt sure what she wanted him to stoptouching her or being desirable.
“I cant quit that, he said, laughing. “You are a spell-caster, I know, because youve done something to me. Im useless! I cant stop thinking about my luscious pleasure girl. He bit gently at her neck as he slid his hand from her breasts to her back, then over her bottom and between her legs from behind. “You must take pity on me and release me from this torment.
“You dont sound tormented to me. He was doing maddening things to her. She was still aroused from this morning, and his touch sent shivers through her that she really, really didnt want to feel for this unrepentant scalawag.
Markus blew into her ear. “Youre ready for me, Allegra. You cant hide it. He stroked and teased her in the most distracting way. “Such sweet honey.
This morning she had come so close to her peak. And then stopped. Without completion. Now he held her against that beautifully muscled physique of his, and her traitorous body reacted.
When she stopped fighting, Markus relaxed. She immediately twisted around in his arms, putting her back to his front, and jabbed back with her elbow, hitting him in the stomach. When he grunted, his hold loosened and she wrenched free. Turning to face him, she stepped away from both him and the edge of the mesa.
He glared at her, holding his side where her elbow had hit. “What the blazes was that for?
She fumbled with the clasp on her halter, trying to cover her breasts. “Stop pawing me.
“Oh, no, night bird. You cant tease me this way. He grasped her arm and pulled her forward. Then he kissed her hard, with his tongue, his hands cupping her bottom as he lifted her pelvis up against his. Startled, she squirmed, trying to get down.
Markus abruptly set her on her feet again. Then he put his thumb against her shoulder and gave a push. She backed up a step, away from the edge of the mesa. He thumbed her shoulder again, and she backed up more. He did it a third, then a fourth time. Confused, she kept backing awayright into a cluster of rock spears. It was why he had chosen this lookout; the spears formed a wall that offered shade from the sun. Or so he claimed. Now she wondered if he had other reasons. He trapped her against the wall and kissed her while he worked off her robe and dropped it on the ground.
“Mmmph, she protested.
“That was articulate, he murmured against her lips. Then he went back to kissing her. He tugged down the chains that held her halter over her shoulders, fending off her attempts to hinder him. The halter slid off and hit the ground with a clink.