Page 63 of Darkest Desire

“I see.” Sirex nodded. “Very well then. Please forget we asked.” He dug a five-credit golden coin out of the pocket of his tight leather trousers and handed it to the servant.

“My lips are sealed, my Lord.” The servant bowed again. “Er…can I tell Lord Thruck to expect you at the gallumpher stables for breakfast and the hunt?”

“You can tell him I’ll be there. But first I have to help my female get dressed,” Sirex told him. “Will she be coming with me on the hunt?” he asked.

The servant boy’s eyes went wide.

“A female on a hunt? Goodness, no, my Lord! That would bring terrible luck!”

“Then what is she supposed to do while I go on the hunt? And what is she supposed to eat?” Sirex demanded. “I wasn’t allowed to feed her at the banquet last night.”

“Er…I can bring a tray to your room for her,” the servant offered, swallowing nervously. “That way she can eat at leisure while you hunt.”

“All right—excellent.” Sirex nodded. “See that you bring her only the best. I don’t want her losing her curves.”

“Yes, my Lord!” The servant bowed deeply. “I’ll go and get a tray from the Royal kitchen for her now. Can you find your way to the hunt yourself or should I come back to lead you there?”

“I believe I can manage. On the west side of the palace, you said?” Sirex asked.

The servant boy nodded.

“Yes—by the gallumpher stables. You’ll know it by their cries—they get most excited before a hunt.”

“All right. I’ll be there as soon as I finish getting dressed.”

Sirex closed the door before the servant could say anything else and turned to Phoebe.

“Well, I guess I’m going on a hunt,” he said and raked a hand through his hair.

“Be careful,” Phoebe urged him. “I remember something else Be’ti’ta told me before the Sparkler kicked in. She said someone fell off their gallumpher and died on the last hunt!”

“Maybe they’re not quite as docile as the servant would lead us to believe then,” Sirex growled. “Don’t worry—I’ve ridden one of the fire drakes of Kazax Centauri before—I’m sure the gallumphers can’t be worse than those.”

Phoebe wasn’t sure about that.

“All right—just remember if something happens to you, I’ll be stuck here,” she reminded him. “As a woman alone, I’d have a pretty hard time getting away from the palace and back to the spaceport.”

“Look at me…” Leaning down, Sirex tilted her chin up with one finger and looked into her eyes. “I’m not leaving you alone, Phoebe,” he murmured. “Haven’t I sworn to protect you?”

“Well, yes…” She nodded, feeling breathless all of a sudden from the intense eye contact.

“You have no need to fear,” Sirex rumbled. “Just stay here in the room while I’m gone. When I get back we’ll try again to think of a way to get to the Emperor.”

Phoebe’s heart skipped a beat as his burning red gaze held hers. When he looked at her like this, she wanted nothing more than to submit. But she couldn’t—not this time.

“Sir, if I stay in the room, I think we’ll be missing a golden opportunity,” she pointed out. “All the men are going to be out of the palace—this is the perfect time for me to poke around and see if I can get into the Emperor’s rooms somehow.”

His face darkened.

“I don’t like you risking yourself! Don’t you remember what Y’sfer said about the penalty for attempting to see the Emperor without Thruck?”

“But Thruck will be out on the hunt with you,” Phoebe pointed out. “No one will know.”

“Unless one of the servants catches you and turns you in.” He shook his head. “No, I don’t want you taking a chance when I’m not here to protect you.”

Phoebe bristled.

“I’m a trained agent—you trained me yourself! You know I can handle myself in a combat situation.”

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