“It would be inconvenient if the man insists that I join.”He gave a nonchalant shrug. “But I can always make an excuse to get out of it. Unless he is a fool, King Reuben should know what would happen if he demanded loyalty from me beyond what is reasonable.”
A cold sweat prickled Maxi’s back at his outright impudence. Still, she was relieved. Riftan’s desire to remain in Anatol seemed more fervent than she had expected.
“I-I am glad to hear that.”
“Because you feel more at ease with me here?”
She nodded slowly. Riftan stared at her intensely before he leaned down. Maxi’s eyelids fluttered as his lips brushed hers, and his rough fingers gently stroked her ear.
“Rest assured, I will protect you no matter what.”
Maxi looked up at him, her heart racing. “N-No matter what?”
“No matter what,” he repeated, cupping her face in his hands. “I won’t let any harm come to you.”
She turned her head to hide the tears welling up in her eyes and rubbed her cheek against his palm. When she was young, she had once dreamed of a knight who would protect her, but she had given up on that quickly once she realized that she possessed no enticing qualities to win someone’s heart.
Yet, whenever she was with Riftan, her childhood fantasy seemed to awaken. She yearned to be the kind of noblewoman that men would risk their lives for—and here was her husband, a knight who blindly worshipped her and her alone.
Feeling her throat flush, Maxi wound her arms around his neck. He drew in a sharp breath and hoisted her off theground, showering her with passionate kisses.
His tongue slid inside her mouth, and his callused hand gingerly traced the ridge of her spine. Maxi responded by stroking his hair, as dark and smooth as crow feathers. Her hands drifted to his muscled forearm and stubbled chin. She felt his jaw clench at her touch, saw his eyes grown dark with desire.
“You’d think I’d be used to it by now…” he murmured in a thick voice. Maxi gave him a puzzled look, and he suppressed a sigh. “My body burns whenever I touch you, and it seems to grow worse by the day.”
With a quietly pleased smile, Maxi pressed her face to his neck, licking the droplets of water still clinging to his skin. Riftan’s back stiffened, and he tightened his arms around her in a crushing embrace.
A pleasant shudder coursed through her body. His heat, firmness, and strength stoked a fire within her. Overwhelmed by the sensation, Maxi wrapped her arms and legs around him. Riftan stroked her calf and thigh as he strode over to the bed. Their chests pressed against each other, and Maxi could feel his heart pounding.
“Sometimes, I want you so much that it hurts,” he muttered in a choked voice as he lowered her onto the bed. His face was now shrouded in shadows, and Maxi reached up to caress his cheek. He grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm.
“Riftan…”
Maxi closed her eyes as she felt his hands slip beneath her thin muslin nightgown.
—
The guests left CalypseCastle with nothing more than Riftan’s assurance that he would think about their offer of an alliance. The knights, who had traveled harsh mountain paths to reach Anatol, were clearly not pleased, but Riftan did not bat an eye. He evidently planned on leaving the Earl of Loverne waiting until he could get a deal that was more favorable for Anatol. Ruth told her that no one was better than Riftan when it came to hiking up his worth in such exchanges.
There was a shrewd negotiator beneath Riftan’s brusque exterior, Maxi discovered. Although he usually never spoke more than necessary, he was proficient at bargaining and strangely adept at manipulation.
Of course, there was more to her husband than this. He was an outstanding architect, a prudent and fair judge, and an excellent engineer.
Not only did he train the soldiers and supervise the road construction, but he also worked with the blacksmiths to design new weapons—all while painstakingly looking after the affairs of the estate. Maxi had to marvel at how one person could take on so much work.
Though that is why I am able to study magic with ease….
Maxi let out an uneasy sigh as she glanced down at the defensive rune on the floor. It was because her husband was working tirelessly all hours of the day that she was able to leisurely pursue her training. He was so busy that her fears of him discovering her studies were unfounded.
Should I be happy about this?
Maxi heaved a despondent sigh that made Ruth, who was inspecting her rune, frown and look up at her. “The ground might open up if you keep pouting like that, my lady. Couldyou rein in your dour mood for just a few moments so that we can continue, please? For my sake? Try drawing it again when you’re ready.”
That roused Maxi from her thoughts. He was teaching her a new spell; she could not afford to have her mind wander.
“All right…I shall start now.”
Maxi drew the rune once more and checked it over twice. Summoning her mana, she directed it to flow following the shape she had made. The air gradually shifted, and a translucent blue shield formed around her.
