I was more than befuddled. I was staggered. And taken so far aback, it was a wonder that I didn’t find myself on the far side of the castle.
“I was not moonstruck, Mahouk. Rest assured.”
“Oh? Do you not find men attractive?” he asked in a kittenish way that rankled me.
“It is not that at all. I find all people attractive, just not those who I am tasked to keep safe.”
“I see. If I were to ask for another guard then you could, in theory, tell me that you find me as lovely as a cactus wren’s song?” This man was quite insufferable. He smiled a wicked smile. “You are quite the devoted guardian to be able to resist my charms.” He turned from the sea, wearing a mischievous little crook of a smile. “That is admirable. Escort me to my rooms. I am exceedingly tired, and since I cannot tempt you into courting me, I shall turn in and dream of the morrow when we shall meet and begin this dance anew.”
I thought to argue. His little chuckle glued my lips together—for a moment. “We are not dancing, ambassador. Now, ifyou please?” I motioned to the softly lit hall, the torches in the sconces flickering as the sea winds rushed down the hall.
“You mainland men are so damn duty-bound. Not that I object to devotion to your king and queen. My people are the same, but when the candles grow low and the stars appear, we tend to let the duties that dictate to us during the day fade off so we may enjoy the pleasures that the night offers.”
I dared not. Yes, he was a temptation sweeter than Widow Poppy’s honey cakes, but he was a dignitary, and I was his sworn protector. If just for a moment my guard lowered and danger swept in, my livelihood would be gone. We’d lost one king to poison under our noses and had almost lost Aelir to the machinations of an unbalanced woman. Failing would see me stripped of rank. I’d be back on the streets as I had been when young, stealing and picking pockets to help my family survive. No, as much as he stirred something in me, I could not—would not—jeopardize my position here.
“For us, the night is offering you the safety of your quarters. This way, Ambassador.” I stepped into the hall. One of the four royal guards stationed in this corridor paid us our respects as we passed by. Reaching his door, I found a guard of mine and one of his, a tall woman in leather armor, hair pulled back tightly, amber eyes lowering in regard to his station. She held one of the Sandrayan weapons of war, a long-pronged spear. “I shall turn you over to your staff so they may ready you for bed. Until the morn.”
I bowed. He smiled at me, something lurking behind his tawny eyes. “Until the morn, Pasil Greenleaves. May your dreams be filled with delights.” He entered his quarters, the meow of a cat floating out into the hall before the door was closed. Staring at the door for a long, long moment, I resigned myself to the knowledge that my dreams would be filled withmany things, most of them dealing with men with gold-plated eyes.
KNOWING THAT THE CASTLE ARMORERwould be irate with me did not stop me from hacking into a wooden pell with a standard-issue sword. Three days. Three days of endless hours spent seated—at the mahouk’s request—within whispering distance from Teryn. Three days, three feet, three inches of wood now missing from the dense hickory log in the ground.
Each thunk of blade into wood should be helping to loosen the knots of frustration between my shoulders. Should have but was not. This fourth day would be a true test of my ability to resist the way Teryn’s warm voice washed over me like a scented bath. Why was I acting so bespelled? I was no virgin. My adult years had been filled with many lovers, male and female, as I enjoyed both sexes under me. Many had been favorites, some even more, but none had pushed and pulled me in both directions as Teryn Nouradi did. I swung out with all my might in a bruising circle. The impact into the strongest hardwood found in the Verboten woods sent shock waves up my arms.
Perhaps it was time to stop before I broke the blade in two. Lowering my arms, aching from the pummeling I had given the pell, I let the morning sun shine on my face as my eyes closed momentarily. Songbirds began to sing from their nests. I felt no better now than I had when I started. The discomfort across my shoulders only added to the broiling frustration trapped in my body. Tonight. When my shift was done, I would bathe, dresswell, and go find that adventurous stablehand in the city. He would be willing to take me on, I was sure, to let me hold him down onto his thin, straw-filled mattress, and thrust into him like a stag in heat. For that was how I felt. Like a wild beast in the prime of rut with a mate within reach but unable to mount them.
Sweaty and panting, I checked the blade of the sword. It was dulled badly. Running my thumb over it was akin to rubbing your finger over the edge of a waster blade. Sighing, I made my way to my quarters, pleased not to run into anyone with any problems or questions. My skin felt too tight. Stalking into my room, I paused. The faintest aroma of sand sage lingered in the still air. Unsure if I was truly losing my mind or if the damn envoy with the gold eyes was hidden here or not, I tramped over to the armoire and placed the ruined sword beside it. I would return it to Kinney, the head armorer, myself. He would rant. Rightfully so.
Throwing it open, I found nothing but clothes, freshly laundered ones folded neatly on shelves, and dirty ones in a basket on the floor of the wardrobe. The scent was stronger now. Dropping down into a crouch, I lifted my chemise and braies from yesterday to my nose. There it was. That alluring mix of Sandrayan lime, dried rose petals, and black ginger root.Thatwas the smell of Teryn. Placing one knee to the floor, I buried my face into my dirty chemise. Yes, this scent was him. As I drew it into my lungs, I felt the rush of blood to my cock as my mind spun out of control. Flashing imagery of the older elf taking me into his mouth, his ass stretching to accommodate my swollen cock, his flashing amber eyes hot as the lava that bubbles in the caldera of the Witherhorn Mountains as he rode me like a stallion.
If not for the knock on my door, my hand would have freed my cock from my breeches to stroke myself off, spending onto the shirt as if it were Teryn’s plush lips.
“Captain? I have the day’s duty roster,” a young elf nervously called out.
I flung the shirt back into the basket, closed the wardrobe with care, and pulled my shirt from my trousers to help hide my erection. I gently opened the door to take the papers. The new recruit looked up at me with concern.
“I was training,” I said to cover the fact that my face was flushed. “Perhaps you should do the same after you return this to Lieutenant Greenleaves with my permission to post?”
“Yes, sir, Captain, sir.” A long, awkward moment passed. “Would you like to read it, sir?”
Fuck. “I know what it says. I drafted it.”
“Sir, yes, of course, Captain, sir.” He tore off, remembered the roster was still in my hands, and darted back to pluck it from between my fingers. “Ihdos blessing to you, Captain.”
“And to you.”
He bolted like a frightened hare. I closed the door, threw the bolt, and proceeded to strip and douse myself with yesterday’s cold water sitting in the washbasin. It helped slightly, but not enough. Yes, tonight I would head to town and soak my wick, as Tezen would say. Nothing cleansed a man’s mind like a good fuck with an agreeable partner.
“I’m quite pleased to see that you’ve shed plate armor for a lighter protection,” Teryn commented as we made our way from the day’s lengthy meeting.
Things had slowed a bit today as Umeris had felt well enough to sit in on the dry negotiations. The talks had beenprogressing well with Le’ral at the king’s side and Teryn’s daughter at his. The first few days had dealt mainly with sovereignty issues and who would hold control over the port’s territory as well as daily operations. It had been agreed that representatives from Melowynn and the Black Sands would work jointly with several port officers on each side at each dock along the western coast. Today was mired down with the topic of funding and investments. This was where Umeris, working with the whispers of the vill’s owners in his pointed ears, I had no doubt, began arguing most points. Little progress had been made, and all in those stuffy chambers were weary.
“As you requested,” I stiffly replied, eager to shed the leather armor and find my way into the seedier parts of Celear. Seated behind Teryn for close over ten chimes of the bells had me tighter than a finely strung harp.
“Well, I suspect that you’re not only more comfortable but less irritable.”
I glanced at the man striding along at my side through the maze of corridors within the castle. His head was high, his smile playful, the soft swish of his lavender robes comforting in a way I did not wish to investigate.
“Not to argue with my betters, but I am rarely irritable.” I made a point to unfurrow my brow.
