Ballard tugged on her hand until she stood within the circle of his embrace. She stared at him, unflinching. “If I didn’t know that marrying you would split your loyalties and bind you to this castle, I’d make you my wife, Louvaen.” He tightened his arms against her back. “Ambrose has already offered to wed us. I said no.” He stood still beneath her scrutiny, awaiting her judgment.
Ages of time passed before she flicked the edge of his hood with her fingers. “What need have I of some puffed up magician to declare us bound?” She grinned. “You are mine, Green Man. And I am yours.”
She squeaked a protest when he lifted her off her feet and crushed her to him. He wanted to kiss her senseless—absorb the essence that made her burn so fiercely, carry her with him until the curse took him completely, and his last human spark guttered and died.
But this day didn’t belong to them, and Ambrose’s less than subtle throat-clearing signaled he and Louvaen had ignored everyone long enough.
Dinner was a high-spirited affair, with much toasting to the newly married pair and a great deal of joking and sly innuendo that even had Gavin blushing at times. Louvaen sat at Ballard’s right, within easy reach of his hand which wandered from her knee to her thigh and back again. This wasn’t his wedding day, but he hoped to make it his wedding night. She’d stay with him another week before returning home to her father with Cinnia and nearly all his household in tow. He didn’t intend to waste precious time.
Cinnia rose, kissed Gavin and excused herself from the celebration. “I’ll be right back,” she said. “I’m off to get the mirror. Papa might not be here in person, but he can be in spirit.”
Gavin stood up as well. “I’ll go with you,” he said eagerly.
Louvaen leaned into Ballard. “They’ll never make it back down the stairs.”
Ballard motioned for Gavin to sit down and refilled his goblet. “Cool the fire, boy. She’ll return soon.”
Gavin plopped down in his seat but never took his eyes off the stairwell. The rest of the group returned to eating and chatting without him.
Everyone shot up from the table at Cinnia’s horrified shriek. Gavin pulled his sword from its scabbard and bolted for the stairs, Ballard behind him with only his eating dagger in hand. Cinnia met them halfway down the steps, almost cannoning into Gavin in her haste.
“Lou! Look at this!” She clutched the enchanted mirror in one hand, waving it wildly at Louvaen.
She struggled out of Gavin’s arms and shoved both men against the wall in her bid to reach her sister. The sweet lovely bride had been replaced with a wild-eyed harridan, and Ballard shrugged in confusion when Louvaen cast him a questioning look before stopping her sister’s headlong flight. She jerked her head back just in time to keep Cinnia from smashing the mirror into her face.
“Father’s in the gaol!”
Louvaen snatched the mirror out of Cinnia’s hand and stared at it with a such a ferocious scowl, Ballard thought she might crack the glass.
“I’m going to kill Jimenin,” she said.
Cinnia paced in front of her, wringing her hands. “You paid the debt!”
“I know I paid the debt!” Louvaen gripped the mirror, wishing she could bludgeon her nemesis with it. “I’m sure he’s dredged or made up some new marker Papa supposedly owes him.” She stomped her foot. “Argh! I should have shot him when I had the chance.”
Ballard clenched the eating knife as a low growl rumbled in his throat. Jimenin. Louvaen’s adversary and the source of the Hallis family’s many troubles. He was also the catalyst that had brought Louvaen to him, but it didn’t stop Ballard from wanting to ride for Monteblanco and rip the man’s head off his shoulders.
War-trained and more than capable of protecting and defending his own, he was stripped of the ability to help her—made impotent by the curse and the chains that bound him to Ketach Tor. Even Gavin, yellow-eyed and balanced on the edge of another flux, couldn’t go in his stead. Louvaen would have to face Jimenin alone a second time.
He met her bleak gaze over Cinnia’s head. “You can’t wait a week.”
“No. I’ll gather my things now.”
“I’m going with you,” Cinnia said.
Louvaen’s angry expression softened. “I don’t think so.”
“But Lou...”
“Cinnia, you’re a new wife on borrowed time with your husband. I’ll deal with this.”
Ballard admired her tactics. Nothing delicate about them, but she’d effectively silenced any arguments or insistence from both parties. He caught Gavin’s attention. “Loan her Sparrow to ride. Jimenin will expect her to show up riding the slower Plowfoot. Coming in on an unfamiliar horse will buy her time.”
“I’ll get him saddled.” Gavin kissed Cinnia and left for the stables.
“I can put you much closer to your Monteblanco than before,” Ambrose said. “Shorten your trip to a day and a half instead of six, but you’ll have to embrace a little magic, mistress.”
Louvaen glanced once more at the mirror and then at him. “I’ll kiss the stuff if it gets me there faster, sorcerer.” She looked to Ballard next, and his heart clinched at the sorrow in her eyes. “Come upstairs with me.”
