"All three of us cannot stroll back across the mine together. As you Cat Men are renowned for your stealth and cloaking abilities, I suggest you let Liane and I return to the entrance the way we came, and you meet us there. You can slip out with us when the gatekeeper lets us through." Karic nodded.
"You won't take offense, will you," Gage mockingly inquired, "if I pretend familiarity with Liane on the way back?"
"He knows it's just an act," Liane quickly interjected, noting the flare of anger in Karic's eyes. "Now, let's go."
Gage's arm encircled Liane's shoulder, and they started out across the mine, leaving Karic to glare after them. He sensed the man's interest in Liane, and something primal stirred in him. With great effort, Karic quashed the rising anger. This was not the time to battle over a female, but later, if the other man pushed his claim . . .
Cloaked as he was against detection, Karic easily made it across the mine compound and was waiting for Liane and Gage when they arrived. After a few more lewd remarks from the gatekeeper they all managed to safely leave the mine. When they were safely out of sight and earshot, Karic quickly called a halt.
"My thanks for your help," he said, offering Gage his hand in farewell. "We won't be needing your assistance anymore."
The blond tracker's eyes regarded Karic dispassionately, ignoring his outstretched hand. "Before I say my farewells," he lazily drawled, though there was a sudden coiled tension to his tall frame, "I think it only fair to ascertain if the femina is also done with me. After all, it was she who requested my help, not you."
He turned to Liane. "And what of you, femina? Have you further need of me?"
She knew, looking up into Gage's dark eyes, that his anger at Karic's high-handed dismissal was only tightly kept in check. And, though she instinctively sensed the age-old basis of his animosity toward the tracker, Liane was also angry at Karic. He had no right to treat a man who'd helped them so discourteously.
But she refused to use one man to teach another a lesson. She would deal with Karic and her anger later. Liane took Gage by the arm and led him a short distance away from the scowling Karic. She smiled up at him, gratitude shining in her eyes.
"No, I've no further need of your help, Gage. My thanks, for the both of us," she muttered, shooting Karic a scathing look. "Was your mission in the mines successful?"
He shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. The man I seek has already moved on. I'll head out after him this very nocte."
"Then it's farewell."
"I'm afraid so. Your friend over there doesn't seem eager to share you."
"No, I suppose not."
The blond man grinned. "Don't let him bully you, femina."
Liane grinned back. "He never has before."
"Good." He offered her his hand. "I wish you happiness, Liane."
She ignored his hand and stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. "And you, Gage."
His gaze warmed for an instant. Then he turned and walked away, the nocte quickly swallowing him. Liane watched until Gage disappeared, then stalked over to Karic.
"What was that kiss all about?" Karic growled.
"Not one word, Karic!" Liane hissed back at him. "If you say one more word, I swear I too will walk away from you." A pair of furious, green-gold eyes glared at her, but Karic clamped down on his angry reply. He dragged in a steadying breath, then carefully modulated the tone of his voice. ''Fine. Let's get to Fodina then and take care of your back. I'm not setting out for anywhere until that's done. Do you have a place to stay?"
"Yes, upstairs from the tavern where I work," she clipped back, not quite ready to accept his unspoken offer of truce. "But you can't walk into town with me. They'll recognize you for a Cat Man on the spot."
"I'll cloak myself and follow you." He impatiently motioned her forward. "Come on. Let's get going."
She shot him a disdainful look, then turned and headed down the mountain.
Karic silently slipped into the room behind her and closed the door. He looked around the dimly lit little bedchamber and grimaced. Shabby was too kind a word for it, from the crudely made bed with its threadbare blanket to the rickety table with its chipped jug and single chair. The walls were scarred, the floor pitted and stained.
That it was scrupulously clean, Karic knew, was probably due to Liane's efforts. He hated to think of her living here the past sols while she waited for her chance to rescue him. It spoke, more eloquently than words, of her feelings for him, and that realization stirred anew his guilt at his boorish behavior toward Gage Bardwin.
He waited until she'd wearily settled into the room's only chair before he spoke. "About Gage . . ." Karic began.
"Not now, Karic," she sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I haven't the strength for an argument."
"I don't intend to argue," he gruffly informed her. "I'm not very good at apologies, but I wanted to tell you I'm sorry about my conduct earlier. I only wish Gage were still here to tell him, too."
"I accept your apology, Karic. And I'm sure Gage would have, too."
"I was jealous."
"I know."
"You must think me a fool."
"No, never a fool. Stubborn, arrogant and most provoking at times, but never a fool."
"You're quite forgiving of late," he ruefully chuckled. "I don't know what to make of it."
She laughed. "Neither do I. We'll have to tread carefully here."
Karic's eyes flared with a burning, inner intensity. "Sweet femina, I'll tread as carefully as you want, if only you'll promise to be my mate."
Liane foundered in the compelling heat of his gaze, her heart commencing a heavy pounding in her breast. Karic loved her and wanted her, and a part of her loved and wanted him. That should be enough, but Karic was of royal birth and his life was not his own. He'd been raised to put the welfare of his people above everything else. That commitment could still come between them, as solidly as a wall of indestructible beryllium.
"What you ask may never be, Karic," she murmured. "You know that as well as I."
Liane couldn't bear the dark anguish that cut across his face. She lowered her gaze to begin tugging at her tunic.
"It's time my wounds were cleansed and rebandaged," she said. "There's fresh water in the jug here," she gestured to the table, "and some bandages in the backpack."
"Do you have anymore of Agna's salve left?"
Liane shook her head and removed her tunic.
Karic grabbed the backpack and threw it onto the table beside the jug. He motioned toward her. "Turn around on the chair so I can get to your back."
Liane did as he requested, well aware the gruffness to his voice was not that of anger. Strange, she thought, how anger was frequently a camouflage for deeper emotions between them. The realization made her inexpressibly sad.
Karic touched her. Liane stiffened as he gently removed the old blood-clotted bandages. By the time he was done, her back burned, and she lowered her head to rest on the top of the chair back.
"Your wounds look bad," Karic growled from behind her. "They've already festered. We need more than water to heal them."
"But that's all you've got, Karic," she whispered. "Do the best you can."
By the time he was finished Liane was draped limply over the chair. The wounds looked little better, in Karic's grim opinion, but he'd cleansed them as best he could. He quickly rebandaged them, then gathered Liane in his arms and carried her to bed.
She stared up at him with uncomprehending eyes. "What are you doing? We need to be on our way, out of here while it's still dark."
"You're in no condition to be going anywhere right now, and you know it." He gazed down at her with tender concern. "Rest a while, and then we'll see." "Yes, perhaps a short nap will make all the difference," Liane murmured exhaustedly. "Wake me in an hora and I'll be ready."
He watched as her lids lowred and her breathing slowly became even. Karic knew it would take more than an hora to replenish Liane's strength. She was too pale, too drawn, too drained by the infection now raging through her body.
He needed skills beyond that of his own to help her, and he doubted any lay in Fodina. Besides, to risk recapture would be foolhardy. He had few options. Lyrae might have a healer, but it was a full three sols away, even longer if he had to carry her there.
The only feasible plan was to take her back to old Agna. The lair was a good sol's travel, but the closest and best of all options. Yet Karic hesitated. To return her to his lair would be to involve her once again in the same old problems and bring her under the constraints of their laws. She'd never forgive him for that.
Perhaps all she needed was rest to replenish her strength for the journey to Lyrae, he told himself, desperately grasping at any other possibility. Give her a little time. There wasn't much left, but it was all he had to spare. With a deep sigh Karic seated himself on the floor next to the bed, and promptly fell asleep.
Liane was no better when Karic awoke several horas later. She thrashed restlessly in bed, her face hot and flushed, moaning softly. He felt her forehead and found she was burning with fever.
He cursed violently, an impotent rage tearing through him. Liane was worse, much worse. If he didn't do something quickly there would soon be no time to carry out any plan.
Karic gently shook her awake. Dazed, fever-bright eyes stared up at him.
"Whwhat is it?" Liane mumbled confusedly. "Is it time to go?"
"Yes, sweet femina," he said, tenderly brushing her tousled, ebony hair from her clammy face. "Can you stand?"
For an instant the old fire flared. "Of course," she replied disdainfully. "I'm not helpless, you know."
Her strength belied her determination, however. If not for Karic's firm hold upon her, Liane would have fallen when she rose to her feet. Karic quickly sat her back down and helped her into her tunic. Then, slinging the backpack and blaster over his shoulder, he pulled Liane once more to her feet.
"Liane, I need your help," he said, tightly gripping her arms to get her rapidly fading attention. "I can't cloak you if I carry you out of the tavern. You're going to have to walk at least that far. Look drunk, to justify my holding you up as much as I'll need to, but walk. Can you do that?"
She gazed up at him with a weak little smile. "Of course I can. Have I ever failed you, Karic?"
His whole heart was in the look he gave her. "No, sweet femina. You've never failed me."
He moved alongside her, his arm firmly encircling her waist. "Come then. We've got at least six horas of darkness left. If we leave now we can be far into the mountains before solrise."
"The mountains?" she mumbled, a small frown wrinkling her brow. "But Lyrae's toward the plains."
"I know another route that's quicker," Karic hastily replied. "Trust me in this." She gave him a sweetly bleary smile. "You know I do."
Guilt stirred briefly in Karic at his deception. She'd finally admitted trusting him, and now he must knowingly betray her. But what else could he do? Her life was at stake. The consequences would have to be dealt with later.
Karic slowly led her across the room and out the door. They drew little attention from the tavern occupants, enthusiastically engaged in observing a sensual dance by one of the table servers undulating atop the bar counter. They were barely out the back door, however, before Liane's knees buckled. Karic quickly swung her up into his arms.
"II'm sorry," she gasped. "Just let me rest a moment, and I'll be able to walk a bit further."
"There's no need," Karic said, as he strode down the alley to the front of the building. "It's not that well lit here. If we keep to the shadows, we should be able to slip out of camp unnoticed."
"But you can't carry me all the way to Lyrae!"
He settled her more firmly in his arms. "Don't waste your strength arguing, Liane. When we're out of Fodina we'll see how you feel. In the meantime, you're hardly a burden to me."
Liane snuggled up against him. "If you say so," she tiredly sighed.
A wry grin touched his lips. He finally had Liane docile and obedient in his arms, but at too great a cost.
They managed to steal out of the mining camp unobserved and were soon headed up into the mountains. Though Liane tried, time and again, to walk on her own, she only succeeded in weakening herself further. Finally, Karic firmly informed her she'd be carried from here on out. With only the feeblest of protests, Liane acquiesced.
She slipped in and out of consciousness as the nocte wore on, blessedly unaware of the difficult time Karic was having in safely negotiating the steep terrain with her in his arms. He was thankful for that at least, for he knew her tender heart would never have borne seeing him struggle so hard climbing the rock-strewn mountain. Frequent rest stops were essential to relieve, at least temporarily, his painfully strained and burning muscles.
Near solrise Karic couldn't travel further. He found a shallow cave for them to take shelter in. After waking Liane long enough to force a healthy dose of water into her, he laid her down at the back of the cave and crawled in after her. Gathering her fevered body to him, he promptly fell asleep.