Catherine Asaro - The Night Bird

“A fever, eh? He tugged the sash on her robe. “Who is your fever for, sun girl?

Sun girl? Probably he meant her hair. “Its the poison.

He opened her robe as if she were a present he was unwrapping. “What poison?

She tried to close the robe, but he nudged her hand away, and she was too drained to resist. He kissed her ear, but she had too little energy even to move her head. At least the cool evening air breathed mercifully on her skin.

Her hazed mind only slowly comprehended what he had asked. Then she said, “The nomads poisoned me before the auction.

He stopped kissing her. “What?

“They poisoned me.

“Why the blazes would they do that?

“To make me fight less, I think.

Anger snapped in his voice. “And if you die, after Ive paid more for you than any other woman theyve probably ever sold?

She just wanted to lie down somewhere. “They said they didnt give me enoughto kill.

“What did they give you?

“A miradella extract.

“Oh. The anger went out of his voice. “Thats different.

“It is? She couldnt for the life of her see why.

He splayed his hand across her stomach, and his calluses grazed her skin. “How long ago did they give it to you?

“This morning, before the auction.

“So your fever has peaked already?

“I think so.

He laughed softly. “Good.

Good? What was wrong with him, that he found it amusing? “I dont feel good. I feel half-dead.

He touched the scab on her abdomen. “Does this hurt?

“No. It did, but she had no intention of telling him.

His touch became a caress as he slid his hand to her breast and traced a circle around her nipple, which was barely hidden by the skimpy halter. With his head bent over hers, he spoke against her ear. “Does that feel half-dead?

“Dont. Her face burned as she pushed him away. Her nipples hurt, and they had swollen in the cold air. Everywhere he touched her, she felt raw. Her oversensitized skin tingled and ached, and she wanted nothing more than to lie down someplace cool and quiet, in the dark, alone, until the fever passed.

He stroked her hair off her left shoulder, baring her neck, and bit her gently, pressing his teeth down as he sucked at her skin. Then he lifted his head just slightly. “Im no expert on miradella. But I think the fever will go soon. The other effects will wear off in a few days.

“Other effects?

He laughed against her hair. “You are so sweetly naive.

Probably, but she was finally getting the idea. With her face burning, she said, “What, its an aphrodisiac?

“Some people say so. He ran the tip of his tongue around her ear. “Others claim it just makes a woman more receptive. I dont know. I wouldnt use it on anyone, given the danger. Its hard to find the plant, anyway, and harder to make the extract. But the TAmbera are experts. Its their living, after all. He sounded amused. “A little extra for me thrown in, eh?

Allegra wanted to punch him. His “little extra came at the expense of her health, even at the risk of her life. She didnt care how callously “expert the TAmbera were at selling illegal pleasure toys to unscrupulous warlords; they could have killed her if they had misjudged her response.

“It doesnt work on me, she said.

He trailed his fingers over her thigh as he bit at her neck and ear. Sensations flared within her. The airs chill sharpened, and the perfume of a night-blooming flower overpowered her sense of smell. Everywhere Markus touched her, she burned. She wanted it to stop. But every time she pulled away from him, he shifted her back, and she didnt have the energy to keep fighting. She finally just turned her head, her cheek against his chest, and stared across the darkening rocks, unresponsive as he caressed her body.

After a while, another rider came up next to them on the other side from where she was looking. Markus pulled her robe closed and sat with his arms around her waist, the reins loose in his hand. Turning her head, Allegra saw General Yargazon riding alongside them. Even silvered by the moonlight, his features had a relentless, hardened quality.

“We should set up camp, Markus told him.

Yargazon surveyed the darkening land. “Its not far enough here from the TAmbera.

If the General held rancor toward Markus over the auction, he showed no sign. It didnt actually surprise Allegra; she doubted it was normal for a prince to let his general bid against him, and Yargazon surely realized it. Given what Rose had told her, it suggested that either Markus wanted Yargazon to know the prince held him in esteem or else Yargazon had some power over him. She wondered, too, why Markus was willing to relinquish such a large amount of wealth when he was a fugitive without the full resources of his title.

“Were coming up on the Drift Basin, Markus was saying.

“Yes, that should work, Yargazon said. “Its easy to defend.

Markus scanned the riders ahead of them. “Have you seen any sign of Escars men?

“Nothing we could identify, Yargazon said.

Allegra knew the name Escar, but in her daze, it took her a moment to remember. Of course. Emperor Cobalts surname wasnt really The Dark; it was Escar. It meant jaguar in the ancient language High Alatian. Cobalt Escar. Maybe he would devour this renegade Jazidian prince like a jaguar on the prowl.

“Let the men know well be stopping soon, Markus said.

“Very well. Yargazon saluted Markus by extending his fist so the heel faced the sky. His gaze scraped over Allegra as if she were the dregs of some mistake. Then he rode off.

Allegra considered what she had heard and then spoke slowly, thinking her way through the details. “Youre fugitives, so youre always moving. Hiding this company cant be easy. But Cobalt cant monitor the whole country. Its too big, and he has the other lands he conquered. Thats why you can do this.

Markus ran his hand down her leg. “Military matters arent for females.

“Oh, stop. In her five days in Jazid, she had thoroughly wearied of their hammerheaded ideas about women.

Markus twirled one of his fingers in her hair. “Shall you put on armor and ride into battle, my lovely singer?

“What makes you think Im a singer? Did he know about her spells? It seemed unlikely, and she preferred it that way. The more resources she had in reserve, the better.

“Aztire TAmbera says you have a beautiful voice.

She was pretty certain he meant Stubble. “He exaggerated.

“You will sing for me tonight, he decided.

“I need a disk. She knew it sounded ridiculous, but what the hell. She might as well try.

“A what?

“Disk. A round shape. I had one as a pendant, but the nomads stole it when they took me from Aronsdale. Even knowing it would make no difference, she added, “Which is illegal, as you know, since you were one of the signers on the treaty that set up those laws. She wasnt certain of that, but it seemed a good guess.

“I know what disk means, he said. “And if you didnt want to come to Jazid, you shouldnt have wandered over the border. His voice lightened. “Though were I the Jazid-Aronsdale border, I would surely shift myself to be closer to you.

Allegra blinked. It sounded like he was teasing her. But that would mean he had a sense of humor, which hardly fit his image as a brutal, murderous despot.

“I wasnt even near Jazid, she said.

“Aztire said you were wandering in the desert, lost and confused. He and his men rescued you.

“Oh, for saints sake. Thats ridiculous.

“Fortunately for you, I happened by. He didnt sound the least bit remorseful.

“You didnt happen by. They invited you.

Markus sighed. “You know, Allegra, I do truly believe you have no idea of your trespass.