Page 36 of Lord of Dance and Desire

“I. . .remember.” My thoughts were clearing, aided by the pulsing connection leading to an enraged Andreien. The High Lord was coming. “He. . .beguiled me? How did he get into the room?”

Mathen flinched. “We are investigating now to determine if he was already in the room and glamoured, or if he somehow created an entrance.”

I touched his cheek. “I don’t blame you.”

“I’m sorry, Anali. I’ve failed you again.”

“No, you haven’t. I’m dead weight. I need to learn to protect myself, at least well enough to give you time to get to me.”

I closed my eyes, exhausted. My feet and thighs ached, my throat felt raw as if I’d been screaming. I shifted in Mathen’s arms, wincing.

Remembered the mists and how they’d touched me, and stilled. “Was he gone when you got here?”

“Yes.” So Mathen wouldn’t know if. . .if the touching had been a spell, my imagination, or real. “Something must have alerted him.”

I shuddered, turning my face against his chest. “Where’s Andrei?”

“I’m here, Anah.”

Mathen rose, hefting me in his arms, and transferred me to the High Lord. I twined an arm around his neck.

“Lady Hasannah.” That was Mistress Vargas’ voice. “Heir. We did as you asked, and the additional security measures are being implemented and should be complete by evening.”

My face buried in Andrei’s neck, I felt him turn.

“Our staff doctor should examine her,” Vargas said. “If she was in a fairy circle, there may be injuries.”

Nausea roiled in my stomach.

I nodded. “Let them check me.” I almost didn’t care about the possibility of. . .the other kind of injury. As long as I could still dance. Still, I needed to know.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Andrei asked the next day.

I'd exited the exam feeling both heavy and lightweight with relief. Mathen and Esseum escorted me home and redirectedany attempts to leave. Andrei, Constin, Philea and Theland went hunting. Or so I’d been told.

“He’s gone to ground,” Mathen told me when I asked. “But my Lord will find him, and bring you his head for his offense. Dartanyon has gone too far.”

I didn’t need Dartanyon’s head. Assurances that he was on a permanent vacation wouldn’t go amiss, though.

After the exam I’d been declared free of injury of either kind. When I’d requested a rape kit, the physician hadn’t even blinked—which worried me. The lack of surprise revealed something I didn’t want to examine right now. But whatever Dartanyon had done, whatever touch I’d felt, either it had been in my mind or it had been magical in nature. I wasn't certain that made the possible violation any less.

No, if they thought I was going to back away from whatever ability my nature afforded me, they were idiots. I was going to learn to leash this thing—but also tounleashit.

If I could bond someone to my will, drink their energy, eat their soul, and it would save my life or bodily integrity?

I’d get out the damn knives and forks and feast.

My bonded’s gaze bored into the back of my neck as I exited the bathroom, slipping into one of his shirts.

He’d taken to leaving one out on the bed in the evening, giving tacit permission. Not that I’d asked in the first place. What?He’ddestroyed whole swathes of my original wardrobe without asking, because his vain and fastidious nature deemed my clothes unworthy of his consort. I could purloin a few of his shirts without saying pretty please first.

“Did you find him?” I asked.

“Not yet,” was the cold reply.

I wanted to tell him to leave and not come back until Dartanyon was. . .gone. “Do you have Court today? Or work.”

“No,” he said. “As you know, I’m occupied with other matters.”

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