Page 71 of Under a Northern Sky

I turn to send him the dirtiest look I can muster. “What is wrong with you today?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you,” I tell him, planting my hands on my hips. “As far as I know you went to sleep beside me last night as satisfied as you’d allow. Now, you’re acting like a bear with a thorn in its paw. A thorn that I didn’t put there.”

His lip curls as he turns his back on me. Oh, no, he doesn’t. I cover the distance and get myself in front of him. “Just tell me what’s happened.”

Huffing, he meets my gaze. “My lady mother –”

“Luka, I didnotseek out your mother. I didn’t even know you had one. And now that I’ve met her, I’m not convinced that sweet woman had a hand in raising you. In truth, the possibility you were hatched,” I wave my hand up and down the entire length of him, “fully formed, right from an egg is becoming more and more believable to me.”

That stops whatever’s about to come out of his mouth. He blinks. And then a soft rush of air distracts us both and we turn. Kata, who’s thrown open the other shutter to flood the room with light, is trying to hide her silent laughter, and suddenly, I can’t hold back a smile of my own.

Luka’s expression loses some of its tetchiness too. “Can we go to the hot springs?” I ask him.

He goes back to looking constipated. “No.”

“Please, Luka.”

“No,” he intones like I’m daft. “I’m in the middle of a council meeting.”

“Is that what’s got you in a temper? Can I come with you?”

“No.”

I re-cross my arms over my chest. “Can I be given a task? In the kitchen? Or in the stables? Or –”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not?!”

“I won’t have my intended bride plucking chickens or mucking stalls.”

Frustration boils over. “But you’ll have me rot, alone, within these walls?”

“Outside these walls, it’s not safe!”

“Who cares? If someone puts a knife between my ribs, all your problems will be solved.” I hit on inspiration. “And as an added bonus, you’ll get to run the culprit through with a sword afterwards. Obviously you could do with a spot of violence.”

He steps closer, anger emanating from every inch of him. “Oh, I’ll give you violence.”

“Isviolenceanother code word likediscussion?”

We’re almost toe to toe now and I have to crane my neck back to keep him in sight. Again, I’m struck by how wide his shoulders really are, by how much I love his big frame towering over me. I almost embarrass myself by sighing, but Kata saves me by trying to slip from the room.

“Kata,” I call without taking my eyes off of my barbarian. She pauses. “Get some sleep, please. The deve excuses you from any work you’re expected to do today.”

Luka’s lips tighten, but he doesn’t contradict me. When the door shuts behind her, he watches me lick my lips and I hurry to press my case. “So, about that job . . .”

He takes hold of my throat and sparks ignite inside of me. “You’re seriously trying my patience.” His voice has lost its edge though, smoothing out into more of a honeyed cadence.

Pressing closer, I rest my hands on his hips. “I can be useful, Luka. Please let me prove it to you.” I’m not sure I’m still talking about him assigning me a task anymore, but I love the way his eyes heat. After a second of hesitation, I let my hand wander from his hip to his groin where he’s already growing hard in his pants. It almost has me melting to my knees on the hard stone. But all the erotic imaginings of taking him into my mouth evaporate when he takes a big step back.

“Do not manipulate me!”

I barely allow the shock or the hurt to register before I snort out a derisive laugh. “You’re not serious. Are you saying that I cannot want you without it being manipulation?”

His cold façade doesn’t alter so I shove my disappointment down and march to the bed where Kata put my things. As I go through them, I inform him of my plans. “Ion will take me to the hot springs and to the stables to visit Glory.”

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