Dragon Prince - By Melanie Rawn Page 0,117

longer, I know. Just remember that I don’t really mean the things I say around other people.”

“Not even about the river stones?” he teased. “I found them last night. Very romantic!”

She turned crimson and pushed at his shoulders. “Get out of here before they miss you. And go change clothes—you’re caked in mud.”

“So much for romance.” He stole another kiss. “As for you, my lady, go dry off and get into something warm.”

“I was warm until you let go,” she complained, her arms sliding around him again. “Stop that. Sioned, I absolutely forbid you to seduce me.”

“Will I need to?” She giggled. “Oh, very well. I’ll go. I suppose it wouldn’t be very elegant of me to sneeze my way through our wedding. I’m going to look gorgeous in those emeralds, you know.”

“Greedy witch,” he accused. “Just for that, I’ll have your necklet made of river stones after all.”

“Oh, no, you won’t!” She took his face between her hands and kissed him soundly. When she let him go, he said the only thing possible under the circumstances.

“I love you!”

The green eyes filled with tears. “You’ve never said that before.”

“Of course I have!”

“No. That was the first time.”

“But you knew, Sioned. You must’ve known.”

“I like to hear it sometimes, Rohan. It makes things easier.”

“What things, love? The princesses? Don’t pay them any attention.”

“You did,” she reminded him tartly. “But it’s not really them.”

“Then what is it?”

She lifted the hand that wore his emerald. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to wear these other rings honestly.”

“I don’t understand.”

A small sigh escaped her. “I don’t know anymore what I’m supposed to be. Sunrunner or princess or both? I feel—caught.”

He finally understood her earlier words. “Sioned, no one can own you unless you allow it. Not me, not Andrade. Anyone who tries will want to use you. I promise I won’t do that. I love you so much—I don’t ever want to see you hurt. Don’t be afraid of me, love. I won’t trap you.”

“You already have.” She forestalled his protest with another kiss. “Just keep your other promise, Rohan. Always be honest with me. Please.”

They crept out of the small space, shivering in the brisk wind that had blown the clouds away, and parted—she returning to her fellow Sunrunners, he to his fellow princes. Neither of them noticed their shadows: one a faradhi, one a squire, one an expert swordsman of Rohan’s own guard. And none of these saw the figure in a dark violet cloak who stood concealed by a tree, hate seething in her dark eyes.

The next afternoon Lady Andrade stood in the conference tent, setting the seal of Goddess Keep on a score of documents. All the princes watched as she dripped hot black wax onto the white ribbons Urival had placed on each parchment and pressed her seal to leave an image of the great castle. Secretaries had been at work all day to make the requisite number of copies—and there were plenty to be made, Andrade reflected, with her nephew’s name on quite a few of them. Privately she was amazed at what he had accomplished here. He had gained a good deal and given away just as little as Zehava ever had. Andrade suspected that the other princes were beginning to realize that behind the guileless smile and innocent blue eyes were a cunning brain and a driving ambition, but they were all eager to conclude treaties with the man they thought would soon be Roelstra’s son-by-marriage. The High Prince had led them to believe it; Rohan had not had to say or do a thing. And all the princes were locked into these agreements for the next three years.

She nodded cordially to Roelstra when the last document bore her seal, and he turned to the assembled princes. “Cousins, I thank you for a peaceful and profitable Rialla. May we all reap our just rewards from our work here, and meet in even greater friendship three years hence.”

As they bowed to Andrade and filed out of the tent, she drew her cloak a little closer against the sharp breeze coming through the entry. Urival replaced ribbons, seal, and wax in their case and stacked Goddess Keep’s copies into a coffer for transport. The neat, graceful movements of his hands caught her attention, lulling her somehow, and she gave a start as Roelstra’s voice came from behind her.

“A few moments of your time, Andrade, if I may.”

“Of course. Urival, I’ll expect the catalog to