A Sinless Betrayal by Cherie Benjamin (books to read for 12 year olds .TXT) 📖

you have to say, I can tell him later." I say it nonchalantly. Three Horses looks at me like I've just grown a second head out of my right shoulder.

Without questioning (which is a smart decision for him), he nods and gives me the parchment scrolls to look at. They are maps, and red paint points out where the men had sighted both Pateros and Bellechester soldiers. They would look for camps along those areas and follow the dry river a little ways down.

I give the papers back to Three Horses and make my way down the hall. I need to see Eliza. I need her.

When I finally get back to our room, I find her in the bathing quarters, rubbing soap over her soft skin. My mouth begins to water. Her long brown curls frame her heart-shaped face. Big pink lips, innocent brown doe eyes, and a perfectly sloped button nose are only one part of her that makes her perfect. There's her body, her breasts, which I can easily fit in the palm of my hand, her belly protruding with my child, and a supple backside to top it all off.

I strip off my clothes and instantly join her. The warm water soothes my skin and washes Iron Coyote's blood off of my knuckles. She smiles and makes more room for me in the tub. "Hello," she drawls softly. I shudder at the sound of her angelic voice.

She brings her knees up to her breasts and rests her chin on them. "What's the matter?" I ask her, nodding at her legs. "Why are you hiding from me?"

She gasps a little, looking down at her now concealed body. "Oh. I didn't mean to cover up like that." She lowers her legs a little, leaning her elbow onto the lip of the tub. I see those taut pink nipples perk up from the cold air that hits them. "I'm just…worried. Abigor, I just saw someone getting killed before my eyes. I scared for my life."

I frown at this. "You don't have to be afraid for your life. I'll always protect you, no matter what." My hand reaches out and plays upon her thigh. "Told you that before."

She cups her chin in her hand and rubs her hand down her wet neck. "But you weren't there. You didn't even know that I was outside. I just went out with Michelle, bringing Scar out for some fresh air. What happens when you're not there for me?" she whimpers.

I can't ever see myself being far away from her. I knew she was outside from word of the maids that saw her, but what I didn't know was that there would be an attack on one of my servant boys. She's got a point, a scary point, but a point nonetheless. I won't always be able to be there.

For once in my life, I don't know what to say. What if there comes a day where I can't save her? I could be injured or trapped or taken hostage or gods forbid, dead. Losing her is something I can't bear to think of. Losing her and not being able to do a goddamn thing is even worse.

ELIZA'S POV

 

He crawls forwards towards me until he's lingering over me in all his naked glory. His black hair spills across his gorgeous face. I stroke a hand down his hot cheek, over the sharp ridges of his prominent cheekbones into the little dimple on his chin. High cheekbones, strong jaw, full lips—in my wildest dreams I couldn't have created a more perfect example of male beauty.

His hands brace himself up on the lip of the tub. I get comfortable under his heavy body, every inch of his skin pressed against my body. He makes sure not to apply too much pressure to my stomach to avoid hurting the baby. The bathing room is hot from his body heat and the steaming hot bath water. I nuzzle against him and listen to the rise and fall of his body heat. His lips are on my forehead.

Outside the wind whips and screams with its freezing agony. "I just want to get away from the war for a little," he whispers to me, his muscles bunching as he tenses up. "I know they're out there but I feel as if I am in denial."

I run my hands over the small of his back and cuddle against him, the bath water. He slips into a corner beside to me and we just hold each other for a moment. "You've got the world on your shoulders. So many responsibilities to uphold. Many eyes look to you for guidance. But sometimes you just have to relax and let your troubles drift away in the wind."

He bends down and kisses my lips with passion, his lips latching onto my lower lip and sucking it into my mouth. I tilt my head back a little, sighing in contentment. I, too, am afraid of the war. I'd just seen a man get killed right before my eyes and saw the aftermath of a wolf attack.

And now that I'm living in Stauckana, married to the king, hell, ruling Stauckana, I'm on the other side. I was very sociable back in Bellechester and most young gentlemen knew my name when it came up. What would they think of me when they realized that I am now the queen of the barbarians? Would they be disgusted? Would they kill me?

The thought makes me shudder. But I also know that I have Abigor and he will protect me. As will Black Bear and the other king's guard. I suppose that sometimes I forget I am queen. I hope and I pray that the men do not find anything in the woods. I don't want the war to happen, let alone start.

"We will get through this," he whispers to me, recognizing my tenseness. He grabs my hand and kisses my wet fingers. "And we'll do it together."

I slowly lay my head down on his shoulder, gazing out the window at the snow falling like heavy raindrops on the ground. Gods, I hope everything will be alright.

This war will toll its bell, and it will make sure that everyone hears it.

Snow

Word has gotten around the castle that my husband has beaten his own brother to a pulp. Iron Coyote was wounded severely by Abigor's raging fists and now walks around the castle with bandages on his face and bruises all over his chest. I am not upset by Iron Coyote's injuries for I loathe him with a passion; it just surprises me with how much brute force Abigor inflicted on him.

Before now, I'd never thought of Abigor as a severely violent man. But this war has shone a different light upon him. A more animalistic, barbaric light. In public, he is hard as a stone and seemingly cold and anxious. But in our warm, four-walled bedchambers he is loving and soft and calm.

Last night, the men assembled and searched through the Forest of Thieves. They found a group of fifteen soldiers from the kingdom of Bellechester camped out by a small creek. They lit a fire and attracted just about everything to them—even the wolves. Before the barbarians could lead another devastating attack, the Bellechestermen were all dead, mauled by the pack of wolves. The ancestors had taken our side that night.

One was found wandering the forest, alone and injured. Three Horses ended him quickly. In the campsite, they found plans and strategies they were carrying over to Pateros. The Bellechestermen were spies, planning to peer into Stauckana for a few moments before leaving to cross through the Vibrant Mountains on a hidden path.

Up until last night, this hidden path in Pateros remained unknown to the kingdom of Stauckana. They call it the "Black Path." It leads down so deep through the Vibrant Mountains that not a flicker of light is to be seen. It is a dirt path, and the bones of dead animals that had gotten trapped are aplenty.

The men are getting ready for battle. Word has travelled down through Seattle, the Moonlit Kingdom, that the marriage has been sealed between Prince Titus and Princess Sera and the troops have been formed. They are said to be marching at this very moment in time.

But the march to Stauckana from Bellechester and Pateros will take days through decent weather. With this snow we've had the grounds are deep and trudging an army through six inches of crunching crystal will tire men easily. The rivers and lakes have frozen over, trees have become perfectly crystallized. Since the ocean has not frozen over, there is a fair chance that Pateros may try to cross the Barbarian Sea to the Jungle of Bones and cut into Stauckana that way.

But Abigor assures me that the Barbarian Sea in the wintertime is very harsh and no commander in their right minds would send their naval fleet to fight into that kind of weather.

I pull my shawl tighter over me as I walk through one of the unheated corridors. The fur boots on my feet do well to shield my skin from the harsh winter kiss. I meet Abigor in our chambers, turning the cold golden handle to the doors.

He's huddled by the fire in his bearskin chair, an empty wine glass dangling from his fingers. I rush to his side, but I realize that he's only sleeping. He's so peaceful when he sleeps. It's like all of his fears and responsibilities float away as soon as his eyelids close.

I bend down and kiss the corner of his mouth. It startles him awake, his hand instinctively going around my throat. I am careful not to scream or push away from him. Once he realizes who I am, his grip on my throat is instantly released and I am being pulled into his lap. "I am sorry," he whispers. "I thought it was someone else."

"No, I understand," I reply softly, nuzzling my cheek against his chest. "There's a lot going on right now. The responsibilities of kings are heightened at the times of war."

He buries his face between my breasts as if he's trying to hide from the world. "I'm glad I have a queen to comfort me. I don't know what I'd do if I was alone right now. Probably drink my problems away…but honestly, I'm glad that Drinks Of Waterfall captured you that day. And I'm glad that Three Horses took you to my room when I requested a new sex slave. I'm glad that you refused me…and I'm glad that we fell in love."

His hand smoothes over the swell of my stomach as I nuzzle closer to him. What he says makes me feel like a goddess. "I'm glad we fell in love too."

Our love was kind of like the sun and the moon falling in love. Two polar opposites had attracted each other to the point where separation was an impossible option. An impossible love that had become an addiction and a possibility after all. He is my sun, and I am his moon.

0o0o0o0o

"I don't want you outside," Abigor tells me sternly while shrugging on his light armour to put underneath his fur skins. He is trekking outside to