“Formal agreement?” Mita asked, lifting her head so she could look him in the eye.
“Yes.” He smiled at her. The thoughts and words that had been racing around in his head for the last several weeks were remarkably easy to say, now that she was here in person. “One bound by love.”
She blushed. The phenomenon fascinated him, since she hadn’t seemed like the type. He didn’t get much time to study her pink cheeks, however, for she kissed him very thoroughly.
That
was more like the Mita he knew, a bold woman willing and able to go after what she wanted, intelligent enough to keep him on his toes, and utterly beautiful in his eyes.
Pulling back after a long moment, she frowned softly at him. “Wait ... isn’t that some sort of ethical conflict, if an ambassador and the head of the Royal Guard ...?”
“Ruul may be the God of Vision,” Ellett informed her, “but He is also very much a romantic at heart, and He was the one who set things up so that you and I would meet ... and the one to insist that you should come here. Nor are we the first pair He has nudged together. For that matter, Devin’s wife, Princess Gabria, is still counted as an official adjunct to the Guildaran ambassador. If His Majesty doesn’t have a conflict with a foreigner for his mate, why should we?”
She mulled that over, then nodded. “Fair enough. But if anyone ever tries to split us up before we’re good and ready, I’m not only dropping diplomatic ties, I’m kidnapping you and dragging you off to Jetta as my war-prize.”
Ellett chuckled. “Just give me enough time to appoint someone else in my place, that’s all I ask.”
Kissing him one last time, Mita stepped back out of his arms. “Well. You have your duties—which you take very seriously, and I admire you for it—and I have some duties of my own. Like unpacking and such.”
“Then I’ll see you tonight, after evening prayers,” he promised, and stepped close enough for a brief kiss. A sort of brief kiss. She finally laughed and pushed him gently away, fluttering her hands in a shooing motion.
He knew her actual presence in his life would probably be just as distracting as simply longing for her had been, but Ellett didn’t care. His faith in his deity’s wishes had brought him a great deal of happiness.
As it is said, so shall it be written
, he thought, letting himself out of her suite.
Thus it is proved, and so shall it be.
Thank the Gods.
Titles by Jean Johnson
SHIFTING PLAINS
BEDTIME STORIES
FINDING DESTINY
The Sons of Destiny
THE SWORD
THE WOLF
THE MASTER
THE SONG
THE CAT
THE STORM
THE FLAME
THE MAGE