Page 61 of Into The Rift

“I’d love to, but I’ll have to see. We’re not sure yet where we’ll be going from here. It’s probably not a good idea to go back to Pton.”

“No, Pton is much too far away. We’re back on Loros now, though, if you get the chance. Anyway, I have to get back and let you get dressed for your wedding.” He took my hand and looked into my eyes. “Tell me the truth, Jago. Does he make you happy? Does he treat you all right?”

“He treats me very well. And yes, I’m happy. Really. Except…”

“Except what?”

“I’m not sure he loves me. Not really. I think he’ll come around but…”

He looked at me a little uncertainly and tried to smile. “Okay, well, I’m sure you’re right. Try not to worry. I’m sure he’ll come around.” He held up the note. “I’ll take this to Blake and Anarr right now.” He gave me a quick hug and left.

The door opened almost as soon as he left, and Niko sauntered in like he owned the place. The timing was so suspicious I wondered if he’d waited for Rakkur to leave.

“You’re not supposed to see me before the wedding.”

He made a scoffing sound and came over to pull me into his arms.

“I just saw Rakkur in the hallway,” he said. “He looks much thinner than the last time I saw him.”

“Well yeah. The last time he was carrying twins.”

He smiled. “I think I really did make the right choice in keeping you, after all. It was close for a while between the two of you. He’s a beautiful boy, even fat.”

“Oh, and was that how I beat him out? That I wasn’t as pregnant?”

“Not the only reason, no. You have other qualities I’m fond of.”

He began nuzzling my throat.

“Stop it. You’re not even supposed to see me before the wedding.”

“But why not?”

“I don’t know. Itaka said it was bad luck or something.”

“I never heard that. But come and sit in my lap and try to convince me.”

He sat down in a big chair by the window and pulled me down, putting a hand up inside the pristine white robe Itaka had given me to wear.

“Don’t!” I cried out. “You’ll wrinkle me up.”

“Mm, I intend to do a great deal more to you as soon as this thing is over.”

He proceeded to show me, when a knock came on the door, and it suddenly opened before I had a chance to move or get up. Blake stood poised in the doorway, looking a little shocked.

“I hope I’m interrupting something,” Blake said, being a little rude as he boldly walked in and frowned disapprovingly at Niko. Yeah, he was still mad all right.

“Not at all,” Niko said, in a bored, world-weary voice. “I was taking my leisure with my fiancé.”

“Don’t you mean your hostage?”

“If I’d meant that, I’d have said it. You’re very handsome and well preserved, Your Royal Highness. But perhaps your hearing is going bad. At your age, they say the hearing is often the thing that starts to go first.”

I gasped and clapped a hand over my mouth, horrified.

“Omak-ahn,” I said, trying to get up. Niko held onto me effortlessly, his hand still up inside my robe, though I was trying to push it away. “Sit still, boy, you’re not going anywhere.”

“Boy? Did you call him boy?”

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