Sharon Shinn - Reader And Raelynx

“Storian is an important ally.”

“Storian has been trading with Fortunalt and Gisseltess and may in fact be contemplating an assault on the throne,” Amalie retorted.

“That’s why it’s so important that you be amiable to ser Toland. If he believes he has a chance to wed you, he might persuade his father to hold back from war.”

Despite her misgivings, Amalie managed to be perfectly gracious to Toland while the two of them sat in the receiving room, engaged in the opening round of their courtship. Cammon thought the serramar was boastful, arrogant, and a little too familiar (though he realized he had no right to criticize on that last point), but Amalie handled him deftly.

“Of course you’ll join us for dinner tonight,” she said, as she always said.

“Of course I will. I was hoping there might be dancing as well.” Cammon imagined the leer on Toland’s aristocratic face. “We danced together at a number of Houses last summer, and I enjoyed those times very much.”

“No, I don’t think we have such entertainments planned.”

“Too bad. I would like a chance to hold you in my arms again.”

The heavy gallantry made Valri grimace-and made Cammon want to rip through the false wall and punch the proud noble in the face. Of course, just imagining what would happen next-Riders bursting through right behind him, Valri launching into a furious tirade-made him want to smile again.

He had not intended to send Amalie that picture, but somehow she had caught it, for he heard the lilt in her voice. “Now, ser Toland. You don’t want to press too hard or appear overeager. I have many defenders and one of them is likely to take offense.”

Bright Mother burn me, Cammon thought. Valri looked at him curiously but he did not meet her eyes. He was going to have to be a lot more careful about what he thought if Amalie was going to be able to read him so easily.

“Well, of course you have defenders,” Toland said smoothly. “But I wager if you spend a little more time alone with me you might find you don’t want them interfering as we get to know each other.”

Now Valri was scowling at the wall. She turned to Cammon and mouthed, What an ass . He nodded emphatically.

Amalie, surprisingly, did not seem at all offended. “Perhaps you’re right. I assume you are planning to stay a day or two? Let’s go for a walk tomorrow morning, just around the palace grounds. I can show you some of the prettiest gardens and you can tell me a great deal more about yourself. I’m sure we will enjoy ourselves immensely.”

Valri and Cammon exchanged startled glances, but Toland was deeply pleased. He said, “Majesty, it will be an honor.”

ACCORDINGLY, the next morning, a small procession set out to stroll through the royal lawns. Toland did not seem delighted to realize that his romantic outing with the princess would be attended by two Riders, the queen, and a serving man, but he offered Amalie his arm and escorted her down the path to the sculpture gardens.

“How much will you wager that before the hour is out he’ll put his arm around her waist or take her hand?” Valri said.

“Nothing,” Cammon replied. “I’m sure he will.”

“Why is she encouraging him this way?”

“ You’re the one who told her to be nice to him!”

“Amalie never does what I say.”

That made him grin. “Maybe she’s really testing us. Seeing how much we can stand when we see her with an idiot like Toland.”

“If he tries to kiss her, I’ll have one of the Riders run him through.”

Cammon was amazed at how furious he suddenly was. “ Kiss her? Surely not! With so many people watching?”

“You wait and see. He’ll find a way to get her behind a tree or around a corner, and he’ll kiss her. He’s the type.”

Amalie, be careful with him, Cammon sent out to her. Valri thinks he’ll try to take liberties. Turn around at any point and go back inside. You don’t have to placate Storian quite so much .

But Amalie’s mind was completely closed to him. He couldn’t even tell if she heard him, and she certainly didn’t respond.

So he fretted for the next thirty minutes, every time a bend of the path or the stoop of a tree momentarily hid the princess and her swain from view. Even Justin and Coeval, a few feet behind, must have lost sight of their quarry now and then, Cammon was sure. Once, as Amalie and Toland slipped past a dairy house, they disappeared for a good fifteen seconds, and when Cammon could see them again, Amalie looked flushed and Toland smug.

“He kissed her,” Cammon whispered to the queen. “I’m sure of it.”

“Why doesn’t she look more upset?”

Cammon felt a profound and bitter blackness settle over him. “I don’t know. Maybe she likes him after all. Maybe she was just pretending before.”

“Well, he is handsome in a sort of hearty and stupid way.”

His mood grew even darker, and he made no answer.

Cammon had been so absorbed in watching the suitor and trying to guess Amalie’s response that he hadn’t paid much attention to where they were heading. But a small exclamation from Valri made him realize Amalie had led them all the way to the far end of the compound where the raelynx made its home.

“Why bring him here?” the queen murmured.

Amalie said something indistinguishable to Toland, and he caught her hand in his, lifting it to his heart. Suddenly the still winter air was shattered by a blood-chilling and inhuman sound-the wailing shriek of a raelynx, rising and rising, increasing in intensity, until it was abruptly cut off.

Toland dropped Amalie’s hand and whirled around, fingers on his dress sword, eyes wide and frightened. Cammon saw his lips move. What was that? Justin and Coeval had drawn their weapons and taken defensive postures-though Justin, at least, recognized the sound of a raelynx and knew there was no defense against one.

Amalie’s clear voice was distinct in the sudden silence. “That’s my raelynx. One of my many defenders.”

She twisted the key in the lock and flung wide the gate.

The raelyx bounded out.

For a moment, everyone was frozen. Cammon caught Valri’s sudden silent scream of horror, felt Justin’s wicked spike of fear-those two knew what a raelynx was capable of, how impossible it was to contain. Toland’s fright was more elemental and uninformed. He just knew that this large, feral, unfamiliar creature was stalking in his direction with its hot eyes fixed unwaveringly on his face.

“It’s going to kill that boy,” Valri whispered, and suddenly both of them were running. Toward the big cat, which was insane, hoping to save the serramar, hoping to save the princess. Cammon felt Valri’s mind open up as she reached out for the raelynx-felt her utter astonishment when she realized that the cat was under someone else’s control.

Justin and Coeval were also on the move but, without looking at them, Amalie held up her hand to keep them at bay. Cammon and Valri skidded to a halt beside the Riders, and Justin gave Cammon one quick, wide-eyed glance. But no one spoke. No one moved except Amalie, who took two steps closer to Toland and buried her hand in the fur of the raelynx’s neck.

The raelynx released another of those preternatural cries. Only Amalie seemed unaffected.

“One of my protectors,” she repeated to Toland in a tranquil voice. “I told you I had many.”

“What-what is it? Will it eat me?”

“He’s a raelynx. Imported from the Lirrenlands. He would most definitely eat you if he was hungry. And if I wasn’t here to stop him. He responds to my will and to my moods. He knows that you have upset me a little with your behavior-and you see, that’s upset him as well.”