Prince of Spies - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,49

was she so zealously guarding her purity anyway? Now, fully rested and thinking more clearly as Drake strummed a quiet tune on his lute and they sat around the fire savoring a delicious port wine, Riki thought over her options. While it was true her virginity had protected her from the worst of Lucan’s perversions, Riki knew his temper. She also knew by escaping as she had, should Lucan ever manage to recapture her, he would not go easy. He would beat and torture her in every way he could, as punishment for defying him. He’d done it before.

Lucan was so crazed at this point, she wasn’t sure he wouldn’t kill her. The reasoning part of his brain had seemed to be in less and less control of late, as the evil animal inside him took over. Lucan could easily kill her and she knew it would not likely be a quick or easy death. No, Lucan would make her pay cruelly before finally ending her life.

So what did it matter if she was virgin or not? In one way, he might kill her quicker if she lost her healing power. Once Lucan discovered she was no longer of use to him in that way, his rage might cause him to strike her down quickly. She could only pray for such an end if he did manage to recapture her.

Or she could kill herself before Lucan had the chance to do so. Riki wondered if she had the courage to do it if capture became inevitable. She wasn’t sure, but if it came down to death at her own hands versus slow, painful, torturous death at Lucan’s, she thought she just might choose the former. The lovely, sharp blade Drake had bought and Nico had given her ought to do the trick.

She wore it now, as they told her most Jinn women did, tied discreetly to her thigh under her skirts. There was even a small slit in her pocket through which to access it without raising her skirt. Jinn women were apparently skillful in their own defense and Riki thought it must be nice to be Jinn—to be free to roam wherever the wind took you and live your life on your own terms.

A copper coin landed in her lap and Riki turned from her ruminations to look over at Nico. His smile was warm and engaging. He nodded toward the copper penny.

“For your thoughts,” he said, tempting her to tease him right back.

“Oh, they’re worth more than this, I’m sure.”

Nico chuckled and dug into his pocket, leaning over and showering a handful of coins into her lap.

“This is just part of what you earned with your beautiful song last night.” He shrugged. “It’s yours anyway, but I’m still curious about what put such a hard expression on your face.”

But Riki didn’t want to revisit the dark thoughts. Instead, she played with the tinkling coins, running them through her fingers. She’d never had any coins of her own. Not like this.

“I really did earn these, didn’t I?” The thought astounded her.

Drake ended his song on the lute. “You could make quite a living as a bard, milady. When you’re tired of Nick here, why don’t you look me up? We could make beautiful music together.”

His comic leer made her laugh, though Nico bristled a bit in good-natured fun. These men were both so special to her. The Mother of All had been smiling on her when She put Riki into Nico’s path.

“I’m sorry, Drake. My heart belongs to Nico.”

The thought slipped out before she could censor her words. She heard Nico gasp and she dared to peer over at him in the firelight. He looked stunned. A little like she felt.

Did she love him?

Did she dare?

The answer came back in a heartbeat…a resounding yes. Riki’s heart sped as she realized the truth. She was in love—deeply in love—with Nico. There was no denying it. No going back now.

She loved him.

Riki never thought she’d ever feel anything like this light, buoyant feeling. She never thought she’d have the chance. But the knowledge that she loved Nico sang through her soul, lighting the dark places and bringing hope where only moments before there had been despair.

The feeling shocked her down to her toes and she wanted a chance to hug it tight, to bask in it and examine it, but Nico was looking at her strangely. He eyed her as if he knew something was going on in her mind and