The woman didn’t move. The honey tone of her skin shone in the light of the temple with the same sheen of heat that dampened my own skin. I sucked in a breath and waited along with the crowd.
One of the gods, the sharp-eyed one known as Shala, looked down, his mouth a hard line that covered the gleaming white teeth of his politician’s smile from a moment before. “Dear one,” he said, his tone dripping with a false patience, “rise and greet your people.”
Groaning, the woman’s fingers dug into the fibers of the litter. The man above twitched his fingers, manipulating her like a puppet. Her arms shook as she lifted her body. As the crowd cheered, she swayed drunkenly, her emerald eyes bleary and unfocused.
Ana!
The men turned her in a circle so everyone could gaze upon the goddess.
What have they done to her? I was going to kill them all. Every last one of them.
Shoving people aside, I moved toward her, taking in her scanty outfit. The skirt of leaves barely covered her backside, let alone her long legs. And the ivory, cambric halter she wore on top left nothing to the imagination.
When I got closer, I noticed the ruddiness of her complexion, the lifelessness of her normally sinewy limbs. Had they poisoned her? I didn’t know what was wrong with Ana but there was no doubt they’d done something. Deciding it best to hold back and watch in case they had drugged her and I needed an antidote, I stayed close but remained invisible. I tried to reassure her by speaking to her mind, but if she heard me, she didn’t acknowledge it.
“Tonight, we will woo her and she will choose between us. Your queen will be wed come morning! We invite you to keep vigil and toast to our happiness. Until tomorrow!”
The crowd joined the gods in a toast, and the two men disappeared overhead while I quietly followed the guardsmen who carried Ana as they headed back into the temple.
Ana slumped back down on her bed as the people tossed beads, flowers, and feathers on her bower for luck. Once we were back inside, the men shuffled her down various passageways and into a large room I recognized. “Set her down there,” Wyea commanded, and after the men did, he dismissed them.
Shala rolled her over, repositioning her with her hands at her sides while his brother straightened her legs, his hands caressing them as he did.
My own limbs shook with the need to kill. How dare they touch her!
She slept on during that process though she moaned.
“Lawala,” one of the men said. “It is time to wake and choose. We beg you not to make us suffer any longer.”
Scrunching her face as if in pain, Ana shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “Please.”
“We must allow her to fully wake, brother. How can she pick one of us if she is not in her right mind?”
“I’ve told you before,” the other one said, his square face growing dark, “if we let her gain her full senses, she will escape. She almost left us once before when she tricked you. You’re far too soft.”
“She didn’t mean it,” his brother insisted. “Besides, you know how her words warm me. Her breath in my ear enflames my soul. She blows a kiss and it generates enough energy to summon our people here and bring new life. Ever since we heeded her call and came to this realm, I have needed to use all my power to generate heat enough for us to survive. With her bonded to us, our abilities will be limitless.”
“I’ll admit, I’ve grown weary here as well,” the other said and sighed. “I, too, long for the day when we can trust her, but we cannot. Do you not remember how she deceived us in the beginning? She promised that if we left first, forging a path, then she would follow. We’ve been waiting eons, brother, centuries, for her to join us. I will not allow her to make fools of us once again.”
“She is different this time. Can you not sense it? She loves us still. I know. Why else would she have beckoned us to this place?”
“Perhaps. Perhaps we can learn to trust her. Over time.” The brother touched Ana’s face and mine grew hot. “Very well,” he said. “We will not administer the sleeping draught tonight. She will awaken naturally within a few hours. Perhaps then she will confess her purpose in drawing us here and rouse herself enough to choose.” He looked up at his brother. “One thing is certain, Wyea, within the span of a few hours, she will be a bride.”
Bending over her, he lifted Ana’s hand to his mouth and touched his lips to it briefly. He massaged her fingers and said, “Sleep now, my dear one, and tomorrow we will sanctify the dawn by adorning our bridal chamber in the vivid hues of desire.”
I leaned back against the wall and folded my arms across my chest, livid at their audacity. Ren would have appreciated that poetic statement a lot more than I did. Then again, he might not have liked it so much if the Flaming Lord had put moves like that on Kelsey and drugged her while he was at it.
The one brother stood while the second approached Ana and smoothed back her hair, kissing her forehead. “The memories we will make, sweeting, will light a fire in Bodha such as has never seen before. If you choose me, our joining will be so powerful it will melt the blue ice that caps this lovely planet. Sleep now, while I go prepare our bower.”
After they left, I blew out a breath and shook my head. Are they kidding me? They must be pretty confident in their skills to make promises like that to a woman. Melting ice caps? Sanctifying the dawn? Unbelievable. After making sure we were alone, I knelt down next to Ana and touched the kamandal to her lips, trickling some of the mermaid’s elixir into her mouth.
Catching a bead that slowly slid down the side of her mouth, I lifted my finger and touched it to her bottom lip, making sure she got the advantage of every drop. Then, not being able to help myself, I ran my thumb across the soft flesh. What could I offer a girl like Ana? Not poetry like Ren or fantastic promises like the two clowns who just left. I opened my hands and considered them. They were big hands. Strong, but calloused and scarred by weapons and fighting.
I wasn’t gifted in matters of business or finance. Wealth and the accumulation of it didn’t matter to me. I was a soldier. A fighter. A hunter. I wasn’t the type to fawn over a girl with flowery words or romantic gestures. Of course, I’d make an effort to please, but I was what I was at heart. Even if I tried to change, I wasn’t certain it would stick. Could she love me for just me?
Ten minutes passed, and just as I was wondering if the elixir was going to work, Ana moved, stretching in a way I tried to ignore, especially when I noticed again her barely there clothing. She tucked her fist under her cheek and rolled on her side, her long lashes sweeping over her cheeks in dark half-moons. Then she began snoring softly. It made me smile.
“Ana?” I said, shaking her slightly. “Ana, it’s time to wake up.” She was obviously still groggy, but she stirred enough to recognize where she was if not who she was with.
“No!” She slapped at my hands and kicked as she struggled to get away from me.
“Ana,” I said, trying to wake her. “It’s me.”
“Stop. I won’t. You can’t force me. Never again.” Alarmed, she jerked away from me, scrambling backward, and then turning to run. Her limbs were still weak, and she stumbled back against the wall and sunk down into a heap, covering her head with her arms and crying. “Please,” she begged. “Please leave me alone.”
“Shh, shh, shh, Ana,” I said, moving slowly to her side. I didn’t touch her but held my hands out where she could see them. “They’re not here right now. It’s just you and me.” I sat down next to her, stretching out my legs. “Sohan?” she asked, her eyes still cloudy with whatever they’d given her.
“Yes, I’m here.”
She reached out and grabbed my arm, shaking it. “But you…you left me.”
“I shouldn’t have.”
“You wanted a…a break.” Weakly, she clawed her way closer.
“Do you want me to hold you?” I asked, wishing I knew her mind. When she nodded, I pulled her onto my lap and tucked her head against my neck. “I made a mistake, Ana. Can you forgive me?”