Page 18 of Enslaved (Bedding the Bad Girl 3)

His lust for her is more like it.

“He loves you, Calliope,” Melinda insisted. “Have faith, and by the end of this day you may be very pleasantly surprised.”

Or dead. We’ll find out soon enough.

Her mother’s voice was right. The tall spires of the Beauvielle castle were in sight. It wouldn’t be long before they would be able to feel the heat of the lava that filled the moat, and hear the roar of the creature that guarded the entrance to Rosamund’s chamber.

“Goddess, be with me.” Calliope closed her eyes and reached out to the Goddess. “Aid me in this, that I may protect Aaron and his brother and free Rosamund from her long sleep. Guide my hand and my power.”

The voices in her mind were quiet then. Calliope took it as a sign that the Goddess was indeed with her. And it was a good thing too.

She was going to need all the help she could get.

CHAPTER NINE

Aaron

“I’ve changed my mind.” Aaron lay in the grass as Calliope finished her lunch—no sense going to face an enchanted castle without a last meal. “I want you to stay here with the horses. If anything happens to me, or if I don’t come out within a few days, you can follow the river back to the city.”

“No, I’m going with you. You’re right, you’ll need magical help to free Johann.” She stood, tossing the last of her bread into the brush for the animals before beginning to plait her long hair into a single braid.

Aaron watched, mesmerized. She was even more beautiful this morning, if that were possible. Her snug riding trousers and white shirt clung to every luscious curve and her feet were encased in tiny suede boots. The clothing was practical, ch

osen for the battle they would fight today, but made his body respond in a way even her gauzy dresses hadn’t.

It had been hell this morning, resisting the urge to haul her back into their tent and strip them both naked once more, but he’d promised himself last night would be the last time he indulged his carnal appetites with Calliope.

The relationship was too confusing to be allowed to continue. The memory of the way he’d loved her haunted him, making his heart ache even as the rest of his body relished the most exquisite lovemaking he’d ever known.

Sex. Not lovemaking. Sex. Keep it straight, man.

“No, I don’t want you in danger.” And he didn’t. He might not love her, but he respected her and cared for her enough not to want her to risk her life. “It was my brother’s choice to come here and seek out danger in the first place and I—”

“But it was I who created the danger for him to seek out.” She smiled, a sad twist of her lips that didn’t reach her eyes. She finished with her hair, and tossed the long braid back over her shoulder. “Besides, it is past time for me to right this wrong. Or at least try to set Rosamund free.”

“All right then,” he said, seeing there was no point in arguing with her. There was something stronger about Calliope today, as if she believed in her magic more than usual. “You didn’t blind me last night, at least.”

“That’s right.” She smiled again and this time real humor danced in her eyes. “Look on the bright side.”

God, he wanted to kiss her when she smiled like that. He still craved the warmth of her smile, her touch, even now that he was in his right mind.

“Then let’s discuss our strategy,” he said, turning to face the castle.

It was better not to look at her too much. If he did, he would lose the strength to bring her with him. The thought of Calliope walking into the keep beside him frightened him far more than if he were going in alone.

But fear had never kept him from a battle before and there was no turning back now.

Fifteen minutes later they were both atop one of the tallest trees surrounding the castle, preparing to glide over the moat of molten lava. Aaron shot a grapple with a rope attached over the edge of the wall that surrounded the keep and secured the other end to a sturdy tree limb. With any luck, they should be able to crawl across the rope and onto the castle grounds without getting close enough for a surge of lava to harm them.

They would be suspended twenty feet above the drawbridge, presumably higher than anyone who had attempted to cross the moat before.

Of course, the height presented other difficulties…

“Are you sure you’ll have the strength to pull yourself across?” he asked, concern tight in his tone. “If you take a fall from that height, you’ll—”

“I’ll be fine, Aaron. I’ve worked a farm alone since I was eighteen. You can’t do that without a bit of muscle.”

Before he could speak another word of caution, she stood, walked along the limb where they were perched with the grace of a trapeze artist, and swung out onto the rope.

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