LITMIR.BIZ

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“What about Vasily? How is the new king’s reign going?”

      “Badly. Vasily is struggling to maintain power. There is opposition from factions loyal to you. Vasily thought he could reinforce his position if he married me. Aras is a territory in the northern part of the kingdom.”

      Ged nodded. “I know of it.”

      “My father has great influence over the northern nobles, most of whom are loyal to you. Vasily reasoned that a Petrov-Rihanoff marriage would strengthen his claim to the throne.” Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. “And I am a wealthy woman in my own right.”

      “There seems to have been a lot going on since I left Callistoya. Maybe I should have done more to keep up with the news from home.”

      “Yes.” When he started to laugh, she looked up at him in confusion. “I don’t understand why that’s funny.”

      “It isn’t. It’s tragic.” He stared down at her, his gaze taking in her disheveled appearance. “How long have you been traveling?”

      The swift change of subject threw her off balance and she had to think about it. “Two, maybe three, weeks.”

      There was a brief silence as he registered that information. “I’ve never heard of anyone escaping from the palace dungeons before.”

      “No, nor have I.” She shuddered at the memory of it. “Once I passed through the Callistoya border, I walked for miles within the mortal realm. The first town I reached was in the human land known as Russia.” She bit her lip, uncomfortable with the next part of her story. “When I was there, I stole food and I managed to hot-wire a car. A few times, I was able to fill the vehicle up with gas and drive off without paying. Once I reached Austria, security was much tighter and I had to abandon the car.”

      All Callistoya bear shifters were good at hiding their feelings—mainly because they learned from an early age that emotions were a disruption to their lifestyle—but Ged took enigmatic to a whole new level. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. “What did you do then?”

      She laughed. “I did a lot of walking. Sneaked onto trains without paying when I could. Hitched a few rides.”

      “What?” His exclamation startled her and she took a moment to process what had prompted it. The realization that he was being protective caused a flare of warmth to start deep inside and spread through her body.

      “I’m a bear shifter, remember? I was never in any danger from humans.”

      The way he sank back in his seat was an acknowledgment of the truth of her statement.

      “How did you know where to find me?” he asked. “I don’t advertise that I’m the former king of Callistoya.”

      “I overheard Vasily talking about you. He has spies in this world who discovered your whereabouts.” She had intended to deliver the bad news in stages, but, under Ged’s direct gaze there didn’t seem to be any hiding place from the truth. “He still sees you as a danger, and if he suspected you were going to return to Callistoya, he would have you assassinated.”

      Ged had a very expressive mouth, she noticed. It was particularly evident now, as his lips curled in contempt. “Would he now? Vasily must have grown himself a spine since the last time we met.”

      “All I know is he has my father locked up.” She got to her feet. “Can we go now?”

      “Lidiya—”

      “It’s Lidi. No one ever calls me Lidiya.” Why was she worrying about what name he was using when her father was depending on her?

      “Lidi.” He ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “If you know why I left Callistoya, you must also know why I can’t go back.”

      “No.” The word was almost a sob. “We can work with the resistance, get the people we need. Together with your uncle and my father’s friends, we can fight Vasily.”

      He got to his feet and she felt the impact of his nearness all over again. He was too potent. His height, his presence, his masculinity...they all had the effect of driving everything out of her mind except the need to be in his arms. Determinedly, she clung to the image of her father languishing in a prison cell.

      “There is more to it—”

      “I know that thirteen years ago, Vasily told everyone you left Alyona Ivanov to die at the hands of the same men who murdered your father.” The words burst from her lips before she could stop them, and Ged flinched as she said the name of his murdered fiancée. “I don’t believe the story that you abandoned her...or that you killed her, then murdered the others to cover it up.”

      “I can’t go back.” If Ged cared that his stepbrother had spread a rumor that he was a spineless coward, or worse, it didn’t show. There was no inflection in the words, only finality.

      Lidi had come prepared to beg, to plead, to offer her family’s wealth, her own fortune and allegiance. Anything. Nowhere in her schemes had she allowed for this scenario. One in which she faced a man who differed so completely from her expectations. She had believed the romantic folk stories about Gerald Tavisha. There were rumors about an exiled king who devoted his life to the rescue of endangered shifters. When she looked into Ged’s eyes and saw the blank look in their dark depths, she was forced to question the truth behind those legends.

      Her whole body slumped in defeat. She had pinned every hope on finding Ged and persuading him to help. Now she faced a return to Callistoya and the prospect of discovering another way. Giving in to Vasily’s plans wasn’t an option, but her choices were limited to her own ingenuity.

      Squaring her shoulders and stiffening her spine was hard, but she managed it. Turning away from Ged? That proved more difficult. How had she reached this point so fast? Dependence on another person wasn’t on her agenda. It never would be.

      To her annoyance, she felt tears sting the back of her eyelids and burn her throat. Back home, she was known for her stubborn chin tilts. This one didn’t quite work.

      “I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”

      * * *

      Ged muttered a curse as he crossed the room. Lidi already had her fingertips on the door handle when he reached her. Placing his hands on the wooden panels either side of her shoulders, he leaned in close.

      “Don’t go.” What was happening to him? He didn’t do empathy or tenderness. He certainly didn’t change his mind. Yet, the second he had turned Lidi down, he was regretting the harshness of his response.

      She turned around, the action placing her in the circle of his arms. Not quite touching, but temptingly close.

      “I have no reason to stay.”

      “We both know that’s not true.” Getting up close to her had been a mistake. The attraction between them couldn’t be forgotten, no matter how much they might wish to fight it. Lifting a hand, he cupped her chin, rubbing his thumb along her jawline.

      “Don’t.” Lidi turned her head away. “For the last three weeks, I’ve only been able to wash in rivers and streams. I can’t imagine what I must smell like.”

      “You smell incredible.” That was part of the problem. Lidi’s scent was driving him crazy. She smelled of the forest. Of fresh air, new rainfall and pine needles with a hint of the wild honeysuckle that reminded him of home. He rested his forehead against hers briefly, fighting the temptation to do more. “God knows, I don’t want to change anything about you, but why don’t you take a bath? Then I’ll deal with those injuries to your arm and you can get some sleep. Even if I can’t come back to Callistoya with you, I can help in other ways.” He smiled. “I can book you on a flight to Siberia faster than you can steal a car.”

      She regarded him thoughtfully and he could see she was weighing her options. After a moment or two, she relaxed and nodded. “A bath would be heaven.”

      Ged

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