Rhu’s steady gaze held my own, his dark green eyes glittering in the low light.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
I swallowed hard. Ididtrust him. I was also well aware of the power that the Elusians could summon. Elex and I were two Tesseris Mageia up against the entire Alexandrian army, which included many of our fellow Mageians.
“I do,” I whispered.
His hands trailed up my body until they were cupping my face. One of the things I loved about this man was how precious he made me feel. For the first time in my life I had someone who cared aboutme.Not what I could do, not what they could get from me. He loved me, and I loved him for it. With all the uncertainty ahead of us I was terrified of what might happen if I never got to tell him. So I forced the words from between my lips.
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” I whispered.
His eyes went wide as he read my lips, then his lips were brushing my own. My heart thudded in my chest as the kiss deepened. My hands slid down his body, tracing the muscles I had been ogling earlier. This close, I could feel the length of his arousal pressed to my body, the heat of him incredible.
I still couldn’t believe this beautiful, brilliant man was mine. I had never dreamt of the possibility of having something like this. Any relationship was a liability; something for the Elusians to exploit. They had used me against Elex for years. I couldn’t let them do the same with Rhu, but I wasn’t sure how to prevent it.
“I would end the world if they hurt you,” I whispered.
“I think I love you, too, General,” he said, stroking my face.
I swallowed hard and raised my eyes back to his.
“Rhu, you have to promise me something,” I whispered.
“Anything,” he said instantly, his eyes focused on my lips. I took a shuddering breath. What had I done to deserve this man?
I dropped my gaze and stepped back; my chest felt like bands of iron were compressing my lungs. I instantly missed the heat of his body.
“If they capture us—” I began.
“They won’t,” he insisted.
“Ifthey capture us,” I continued, ignoring the interruption. “You have to promise me…I can’t go back, Rhu. I can’t be a slave again. I can’t let them use me against any of you, ever again.”
His eyes were turning a molten emerald, liquid like mercury, but the dark green dotted with golden flecks.
“I can’t let them use me against Elex or Erix. Or you. Promise me they won’t take me alive,” I whispered.
He froze, his body as still as a statue.
“Luke…” he whispered, shaking his head.
“Promise me, Rhu, or I swear to the goddess I will lock you so far underground it will take them a week to dig you out and we will be long gone by then.”
He stared at me intently, his grip on me so tight I might have bruises tomorrow.
“You don’t need to threaten me, my General. We just won’t let it come to that,” he said. “But if it does, I promise you, I will do us both before I let us fall into Alexandrian hands.”
I nodded once sharply and turned back to the backpack, the emotions rumbling through my chest threatening to overwhelm me. A knock sounded at the door. I turned to answer it, grateful for the interruption, but Rhu caught me, pulling me back into a bruising kiss.
“I promise,” he whispered. He signed something, but I didn’t have the knowledge yet to know what he had said.
“Thank you,” I whispered then turned to answer the door.
I don’t know what I had expected, but it wasn’t to see a determined-looking Tik standing hand in hand with an anxious looking Naya Lokimedes. Behind them stood Elex, Hel and Allard with varying expressions of confusion on their faces.
“Tik, Naya, guys,” I acknowledged with a sharp nod.
“C-can we come in?” Tik asked. He was fumbling to sign with one hand, his other tight in Naya’s grip. I felt a warm affectionfor him as he worked to include Rhu. I stepped back and held the door open for them.
