“I…” Riann’s mouth went dry. Warmth was slowly beginning to creep through his veins, and his heart was beating faster. What was happening tohim?
“You don’t have to answer now,” Sallara said, taking him by the hand again. She opened the door with her free hand. “It takes time to overcome loss, doesn’t it? But I’m certain you and I will get alongfamously.”
She led him into the room, which turned out to be her solar. But nothing like any kind of solar Riann had ever seen. Instead of tapestries, there were knives mounted on the walls, and shelves filled with the kind of supplies you might find in an apothecary—herbs in jars, and jewel-tone liquids in clear, stoppered bottles. There was also a worktable with a mortar and pestle, and variousimplements.
Had Sallara put something in the wine? Another wave of warmth washed over him, and Riann struggled to gather his thoughts as Sallara led him over to one of the settees. His mind was growing foggy, and he was having trouble thinkingstraight.
“Such a handsome man,” Sallara sighed as she draped over his body. She trailed her fingers up the front of his tunic, then twirled a lock of his golden hair around her forefinger. “You’re almost too pretty to be aknight.”
“I assure you, my face has never stopped me from taking down an enemy,” Riann managed. He tried to put some distance between himself and Sallara, hoping space would help him clear his head, but she followed him across the settee until he was pressed into a corner. Riann opened his mouth to protest, but she slid her hands into his hair and pressed her lips againsthis.
A sense of utterwrongnesslanced through him like a lightning bolt, clearing his head and driving back the heat in his body. “Stop,” he said, pushing Sallara away. “I can’t dothis.”
“Why not?” Sallara scowled, pushing a lock of hair out of her face. Her eyes were bright with anger, and two spots of color bloomed high on her cheekbones. “You have no reason not to. You left that woman behind, didn’t you? And even if you wanted to go back to her, you couldn’t. You belong to us now. Tome,” she emphasized, jabbing her finger into hischest.
“I—” Riann began, then clamped his mouth shut. He had been about to tell her the truth, that he hadnotleft Tariel behind, at least not willingly, and he had every intention of being reunited with her again. But he could not let the bandits know she was alive, especially since they might put two and two together and realize he was part of the witch’s party they were hunting. “I know I can’t have her,” he said. “But I am not ready to move on, Sallara. And I feel very unwell from that wine. I think it might have been spoiled.” He pressed a hand to his stomach, feigningnausea.
Sallara pursed her lips and looked at him suspiciously. “There is nothing wrong with the wine. I don’t understand why it’s not working,” she muttered under herbreath.
“What? Hey, what are you doing?” Riann yelped when she pressed her hand against hiscrotch.
“Nothing.” She shook her head, looking truly bewildered. “Perhaps you really are ill, and that is why…” She cleared her throat. “Never mind. We’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow, once you are feelingbetter.”
“Sallara…”
“Do you prefer men?” she askedsuddenly.
“What? No!” Riann recoiled, the very idea abhorrent to him. “Why would you say such athing?”
“I have never met a man who did not want to bed me,” Sallara said, sounding thoroughly put out. “It is clear this woman you loved has messed up your head, for even married men have never said no to me. I will give you a few days to pull yourself together, but I will not wait long. I cannot protect you forever,” shewarned.
“You won’t have to,” Riannvowed.
He made his goodbyes to Sallara, then headed back to the dungeons. He meant what he’d said to her—he would pull himself together, and then figure out how to get back to thereallove of hislife.
