Page 84 of Sword of Rage
“Out of line?” Gytha said, her voice rising.
“It just happened.”
“Things with you don’t just happen. Everything you do, you do for a reason. You have plans and backup plans.”
“I don’t know why you’re so upset,” Ackley said. “This isn’t any of your business. Stay out of it.”
Gytha chuckled. “Why do you think I came on this trip?”
“To keep an eye on Idina.”
“You still can’t say her name, can you?”
“I can say her name just fine. And she has nothing to do with this.”
“So sleeping with Harley had nothing to do with Reid?”
“That’s Queen Reid to you,” Ackley said, his voice low and furious. “And no, it had nothing—nothing—to do with Reid.”
Harley wondered who this woman was. He’d referred to her as the queen, so she must be the queen of Marsden. Was Ackley in love with her? A sharp pain pierced Harley’s heart. Had Ackley used her to forget about Reid?
“So you suddenly have feelings for Harley?” Gytha demanded.
Harley heard the sound of more leaves crunching.
“How could you?” Gytha asked, her voice cracking. “Harley…she can’t even wield a sword. She’s weak. I didn’t think you liked weak women.”
Harley found herself kneeling on the ground.Weak.Because she couldn’t defend herself. She was a useless woman.
“Ackley?”
“Go back to the horses,” Ackley said. “This conversation is over.”
What had Harley done? She hadn’t thought of how Gytha would react to her and Ackley spending the night together. She hadn’t even considered her finding out.
A hand rested on her back. “Are you okay?” Ackley asked, crouching beside her.
She covered her face with her hands. “Who’s Reid?”
He sat next to her, never moving his hand from her back. “Reid is the queen of Marsden. She married my cousin, Dexter.”
“Did you care for her?”
“Yes. But we were only friends—nothing more.”
So he’d cared for someone before her. And Harley had been married. They both had a past. But did they have a future? “Do you think we made a mistake last night?”
“Does it feel like a mistake to you?”
Lowering her hands she said, “No. But I didn’t think about our actions affecting others.” She’d been so wrapped up in what she felt for Ackley that she hadn’t stopped to consider the consequences. She felt terrible for hurting Gytha. She hadn’t realized the warrior woman cared for Ackley until she’d heard the pain in the woman’s voice. “What about you? Do you think we made a mistake?” She peered at him, trying to read his face. As always, his emotions were concealed, his features blank.
“I don’t regret last night.” His face softened.
That was all she needed to hear. She didn’t think she could live with herself if he did.
He leaned toward her, whispering in her ear, “I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”
She shivered. “Neither would I.”
