“She pleases you?”
“Meena,” I replied in his language.
“Good,” he replied quietly in mine and I felt my heart wrench.
Then his eyes moved over my face and caught on my cheekbone. He studied it for long moments before they moved back to mine and he spoke softly.
Diandra translated, “I do not like it when my tigress weeps.”
Then you shouldn’t have made her weep, I thought but made no verbal reply.
He waited for it but I didn’t give it to him. He was a man who could have anything he wanted and if not, he was a man who was strong enough to take it.
Except one thing.
Me.
He sighed. Then he lifted a hand to my jaw and his thumb swept the skin under my bruise in a whisper soft touch that still caused a hint of pain that made my brows draw together in protest. He caught the movement and his jaw went hard.
Then he spoke again and Diandra translated. “I do not like it that my queen bears my mark.”
Then you shouldn’t have marked her, I thought but remained silent.
He waited. I gave him nothing but my gaze.
Then he spoke again, this time in a mutter as if to himself but Diandra still translated, “She keeps even her claws sheathed from me.”
Damn straight, I thought but made not a sound.
His eyes focused intently on mine then came more. “I’ve no doubt I’ll very soon earn your claws again, my tigress.”
Don’t hold your breath, I silently advised.
He waited and so did I.
Then he spoke again and Diandra said, “Very well, my Circe, I’ll allow you time to retreat and lick your wounds.”
Well, thanks so much, ass**le, I thought sarcastically.
He watched my face, drew in breath and let it out slowly. Then he pulled me closer, his arms going tighter, he bent and whispered something in my ear I did not understand and Diandra didn’t hear.
Then suddenly his body tensed, his head came up and he looked over his shoulder. Then he let one arm drop and he turned to my side.
That was when I saw Nahka, carrying her baby daughter strapped to her chest, her hand holding onto her little boy’s. He also had a hand in Narinda’s who was walking with Nahka, the boy in between them. They seemed to be rushing but not having an easy time of it with the boy slowing them.
In front of them at least five paces was a warrior wearing a grave expression, carrying a long, squat box made of gleaming wood, his eyes were on me and he seemed to be heading our way.
What on earth?
My eyes went back to Narinda who was smiling at me and I knew the minute she caught my mark because her lips parted, her step stuttered then her eyes flashed to Lahn and her face filled with fear.
But Nahka kept dragging her little boy and Narinda had no choice but to keep on coming.
The man stopped in front of Lahn with something obviously on his mind, he did not wait to say it and Diandra immediately started translating.
“Dax Lahn, I’ll have a word with your wife,” he stated.
“You’ll have a word with me first,” Lahn replied, his meaning clear.