Greta Gilbert - Seduced By Her Rebel Warrior

A forbidden warrior

An irresistible seduction!

Atia’s father, a Roman governor, wants her help to quash a rebellion in his lands. But ordered to keep a close eye on a rebel prisoner, Rab, downtrodden Atia is utterly spellbound. When she’s sent with Rab on a punishing mission through Arabia, their instant, wild attraction becomes a powerful longing. Atia must choose: guard her damaged heart forever or surrender to the promise of pleasure in Rab’s arms...

GRETA GILBERT’s passion for ancient history began with a teenage crush on Indiana Jones. As an adult she landed her dream job at National Geographic Learning, where her colleagues—former archaeologists—helped her learn to keep her facts straight. Now she lives in South Baja, Mexico, where she continues to study the ancients. She is especially intrigued by ancient mysteries, and always keeps a little Indiana Jones inside her heart.

Also by Greta Gilbert

Mastered by Her Slave

Enslaved by the Desert Trader

The Spaniard’s Innocent Maiden

In Thrall to the Enemy Commander

Forbidden to the Gladiator

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Seduced by Her Rebel Warrior

Greta Gilbert

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08891-6

SEDUCED BY HER REBEL WARRIOR

© 2019 Greta Gilbert

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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For Mike Noble—

the kindest, wisest, funniest, bravest,

most wonderful stepdad in the universe.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Extract

About the Publisher

Atia always knew she would die young. Even before she visited the ancient sisters she sensed her days were numbered.

On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Atia’s mother shook her awake. ‘Dress quickly, my dear,’ she said. ‘Today all will be revealed.’

Together they hurried down the Via Sacra, their heads hooded, their eyes fixed upon the paving stones.

‘Faster, Atia,’ her mother urged, for gossip moved like brushfire through the streets of Rome. ‘If your father finds out about our errand, we will feel his wrath in lashes.’

Atia hurried after her mother as they made their way into the Subura slum. They entered a towering insula and began to climb—one floor, five floors, ten. Finally, they reached the highest floor and stood before a door. Atia’s mother knocked and it creaked open.

‘May I help you?’ called an ancient voice. Atia peered into the shadows and beheld a short, round woman with hair as white as the moon.

‘We have an appointment,’ said Atia’s mother. ‘A reading for my daughter.’

‘Ah yes—the ladies of Palatine Hill,’ said the woman. She gave Atia’s mother a second glance, as all people did. ‘Please, seat yourselves,’ the old woman said, then disappeared down a dark corridor.

Atia and her mother took their seats at a large circular table. Soon the round woman re-emerged, carrying an incense lamp. A chunk of amber-coloured rock smouldered inside the lamp’s wide belly, producing a rich, otherworldly scent.

‘Frankincense,’ her mother remarked admiringly.

‘To invite the goddess’s favour,’ said the woman. She set the lamp on the table, then pulled a large scroll from beneath her belt and ceremoniously unfurled it.

Atia gazed in wonder at the eerie drawing: a perfect circle divided into twelve proportionate wedges. Strange symbols decorated the insides of the wedges and colourful lines crossed between them—some of the lines blue, but most of them red.

The round woman placed the scroll on the table and studied it, then fixed Atia with an onyx stare. ‘The girl is good,’ she pronounced.

Atia released a breath she did not realise she had been holding.

The woman pointed to a blue line. ‘This means her heart is tender. She abhors the suffering of others.’

‘It is true,’ trumpeted her mother. ‘Atia has always been kind. A blessing from Juno.’

‘And look at this,’ said the woman. ‘Mercury conjunct Saturn. A disciplined mind. Like a general or a politician.’

Her mother smiled wistfully and Atia knew what she was thinking: If only Atia had been a boy.

‘Sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others!’ exclaimed the woman.

Atia took a long whiff of the sacred smoke and began to relax. ‘The girl is loving and helpful,’ said the woman. ‘The girl likes to jest.’ Atia was almost enjoying the game now. ‘She is a natural peacemaker.’