The Princes Bound [The Princes Book 1] (6 page)

Mathis wasn't so vain as to think he held more physical attraction than most men, but her statement entertained him.

She shrugged in a blase manner. “Your brother, for instance. You are built much the same."

"You've seen my brother in the nude then?"

He was amused by her ploy. He knew she lied because she wouldn't look at him. She always stared him straight in the eye, but this time she'd dropped her gaze to some point over his shoulder. If she'd tried it several hours earlier, he may have believed her. But as it stood, he knew there was nothing more than friendship between Nadia and his brother.

"Of course. Lots of times."

"Nadia, my love, you are a terrible liar.” The endearment fell from his lips before he could think better of it. But once it had, it felt right somehow. Here, now, in this garden, he was meant to be with her.

Did she feel it too? She had to.

She didn't deny she'd been lying. “What do you want from me? Other than a truce?"

"Just this.” He wanted to hold her close for hours. “I want to hold you. Will you allow me this, Nadia?"

She shook her head. “No."

His voice turned coaxing. “Just for a moment."

She pushed him again, but it was a weak effort. “I shouldn't."

"No one will see, Nadia."

Her eyes darted around the garden as if to see if he spoke the truth. She appeared to be weakening. Hope rose in his breast.

"And then you will let me go?"

It was hard to hide the grin that spread across his face. “Yes, I promise."

Her body relaxed, and her hands fell from his shoulders. She no longer pushed him away.

Her hands fells to her sides instead of wrapping around his waist like he'd hoped they would. Strands of hair tickled the underside of his chin as he propped it atop her head. She turned her face into his neck and nuzzled. He didn't know if the caress was intentional or not, yet he fought back a wave of desire so powerful it threatened to bring him to his knees.

Several moments later, he did as he promised and let her go.

She seemed unsteady as she took two steps away from him. She stared at him for a moment before she turned to go.

He let her leave, anticipating the next time they would meet.

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The training yard was almost empty the morning after the banquet.

Nadia had promised Hugh the night before she would meet him at six to help him prepare for the archery contest.

As he set up the target, she stifled a yawn behind a gloved hand. She hadn't slept well due to thoughts of a prince who seemed determined to cause her nothing but misery.

Not only misery
, her conscience chided her.

Last night had been quite a revelation. She'd never been held with such tenderness. If she hadn't known better, she would've sworn he was sincere. But she was familiar with men and knew they spoke pretty words of empty flattery when all they wanted was to bed a female and then leave her.

In the past, many men had mistaken her choice of profession as a sign that she had lesser morals than other women. She'd quickly disabused those men of their preconceived notions and sent them on the way with either a bruised ear or a bruised face.

She had done neither with Mathis. She'd simply let him hold her, trusting an embrace was all he'd desired. She was a maid, true, but she wasn't ignorant of the ways of the world. She'd felt the arousal he'd been unable to keep hidden.

It would've been so much easier had she not known what he looked like under his clothes. She'd seen nude men. Her lifestyle was such that she couldn't help but be exposed to them at some point, whether treating their wounds after battle or happening upon them as they bathed in a stream near camp.

But this was different. This was the first time she desired a man in return.

Oh, stupid, stupid notion. Nothing could come of it but a broken heart. He was a prince.

Even as an infant, when she'd toddled after them, she'd known their stations in life were vastly different. The only place they could possibly stand upon equal ground would be in the training yard. In this area, she excelled.

She retrieved her bow and strode toward the line in the sand Hugh drew to measure the correct distance from the target.

Hugh came to her side and handed her an arrow from the quiver on his back. She planted her feet and drew her bow, properly notching the arrow. She concentrated on the target, and her finger twitched as she prepared to let go.

"Good morning!"

She yelped and let the arrow fly. It whizzed through the air, and she cursed when it missed the target altogether.

"Not a word,” she said out of the corner of her mouth to Hugh, who stood with his mouth agape. She swung around to level a glare on the person who dared to interfere with her training. “Your Highness, I wasn't expecting you this morning."

Mathis was dressed in a dashing manner with an open-necked white shirt and fawn riding breeches. His hair was damp from a recent washing and a wayward curl fell across his brow.

He really is quite beautiful, damn it.

He smiled, and it was blindingly white. “I thought to ask you to go riding, but Collin informed me you were here, so I came to offer my assistance."

"Your assistance is neither wanted nor needed.” She huffed and turned her back. She stiffened as he chuckled.

"Nadia, it appears that my help is definitely needed. What say you, lad? Your aunt was quite off target, wouldn't you say?"

Hugh grinned unrepentantly as he doffed his cap. “That she was, Your Highness. Had she'd been on the battlefield, she may have struck the horse instead of the rider."

"You are quite right."

Nadia growled and swung back around to poke a finger in the center of the prince's chest. “I would not have missed had you not purposefully startled me."

Mathis cocked his head to one side as if he pondered the idea. “Is that so?"

"Yes, it most definitely is so.” She had to tilt her head back when they stood this close to be able to meet his gaze.

She was used to looking most men in the eye and hated that he was so much taller than her.

"Then I propose a challenge."

She did not like the look in his eye one bit. “What sort of challenge?"

He lifted a regal eyebrow in a cocky manner. “You and I. Two aims each. The closest to dead center wins."

With anybody else, she would be confident and assured of her win, but this was Mathis, the man who once possessed the deadliest aim she'd ever seen. Had time changed that?

She was unable to turn down his challenge even though it would be difficult. “Fine, I accept. Name your forfeit."

He smiled as if he'd expected a competition all along. “If I win, you will accompany me to supper tonight."

That's it?
She'd imagined he would choose something much worse.

Just when she was thanking her lucky stars, he spoke again.

"In a dress."

Hugh made a choking sound, which sounded suspiciously like laughter. The sound he made turned into an
oomph
as she elbowed him in the ribs.

Except for the occasional event, she had not worn a dress since she was sixteen. She even doubted she had one in her possession.

"Are we in agreement then?” The prince's blue eyes twinkled with amusement.

He'd shaved that morning. The faint shadow of a beard that had appeared during the past week was gone.

She'd thought the scruffiness suited him.

She saluted him with her bow. “Yes. And if I win, you cease bothering me for the remainder of your visit."

"Agreed,” he answered quickly, as if he had no doubt he would win.

Nadia wished she was that certain of victory. “Hugh, please allow the prince to borrow your bow."

Hugh handed his weapon to the prince. “Good luck, Your Highness."

Nadia shot her nephew an aggrieved look. “Traitor."

Hugh shrugged and did not look the least repentant.

Nadia sighed and motioned him aside. “You may be the judge, although you're clearly in favor of the enemy."

She arched a brow at the prince. “Shall I go first?"

"By all means,” Mathis answered with an exaggerated bow. “May the best man win."

"Or woman,” she snapped and assumed her stance.

Her fingers twitched with nervousness as she notched the arrow. She drew back on the string, murmured a silent prayer, and let the arrow fly.

It sliced through the air and hit the target about an inch to the left of the bulls-eye. She took her second arrow and re-adjusted her aim. This one landed in the bulls-eye nearly a hairsbreadth away from direct center.

She smiled smugly and stepped back. “Your turn, Prince."

"Nice shot,” he praised. “But not good enough, I am afraid."

With amazing speed and accuracy, he shot two arrows directly in the center of the bulls-eye. The second arrow managed to crop the first in half.

Hugh practically danced with excitement. “I've never seen anything like that in my life! Have you, Nadia?"

The blood drained from her face.

A dress?
She had to attend supper on the arm of a prince in a dress?

Why had she allowed him to prick her pride enough to accept his challenge?

Mathis handed the bow over to Hugh and came to Nadia's side. “It seems I have won. We dine at eight. I will meet you in the hall five minutes before it begins."

He crooked his finger at Hugh. “Come along, my boy. You may join me for my morning ride since your aunt has much to prepare for this evening."

If her eyes could shoot daggers, he would have been dead.

The prince strode away with her nephew in tow as she wondered where in the world she was going to get a dress in time.

"You need a
what
?"

He may have had a couple drinks the night before but not enough to imagine this.

Nadia stood in front of him evidently frustrated beyond belief. He'd never seen her so agitated.

Talin tossed aside the papers he was reviewing and motioned for her to take a seat. He waited until she'd done so and then spoke. “You need my help in acquiring a dress?"

Twin flames of red colored both of her cheeks. “Yes. I couldn't fit into the one I have, and none of the dressmakers have a dress that can be altered in time to fit me. I'm too blasted tall!"

"May I ask why this sudden interest in fashion?"

"I lost a bet,” Nadia grumbled.

Talin was beginning to enjoy this. “To whom?"

She crossed her arms and looked completely put out. “Your brother."

So he'd been correct. Last night he'd begun to suspect something was brewing between those two. He'd even purposefully touched Nadia's hand to test the waters. Mathis may not have shown an outward reaction, but Talin had known his brother too long to not see he was upset.

Something must've happened this morning, but he did not want to delve too deep. His brother did not need him to play matchmaker.

Talin stood and stretched a hand to Nadia. “Come. We shall see what we can dig up."

He led her to the family wing of the palace.

He entered his mother's chambers, which had been left as it had been when she resided there. Some of her things were moved or given away upon her death, but many of her personal effects had been kept for the granddaughters that would someday be born. It had been years since he'd been in this room, but even now it was as if he could sense his mother's presence.

She'd been such a vibrant person, his mother. Full of warmth and humor, beloved by all her people.

The wasting sickness had taken her quickly, leaving behind a void he had yet to fill. The loss of his father nearly two years after his mother's death had almost destroyed him.

Mathis had suffered as well, but in his own way. His brother spoke of their parents often, publicly grieving when he'd learned of their deaths.

Talin had retreated into himself, hiding his grief from all but Collin. He owed his life to Collin, and now he could repay him somewhat by helping Nadia as much as he could.

He lifted the lid of a heavy trunk and removed several items lined with tissue. With care, he laid them across the bed.

His mother's clothes had been stored with sachets of dried roses, and the scent enveloped him. Roses had been her favorite, and he closed his eyes as her face flashed before them. Suddenly he recalled her lying there in bed, her thin body weak and riddled with pain.

He lurched backwards.

"Your Highness?” Nadia reached out a hand to him. “What is the matter?"

He cleared his throat and focused on the present, on Nadia. “You may take what you like from this trunk. You and my mother were of a similar frame."

Nadia's hand flew to her throat. “Oh, I couldn't!"

"Yes, you can.” He strode toward a side table and opened an engraved jewelry box. “The valuable jewelry is stored with the royal collection, but some of her inexpensive trinkets are kept here. You may borrow from this box as well."

He chucked Nadia under the chin, which he knew she hated, but he continued to do it just to be perverse. “You will bewitch my brother with your beauty."

She opened her mouth as if to protest, but he held up a hand to silence her. “You do not have to explain yourself to me, Nadia. The only thing I ask of you is to make sure my brother remains at N'ior until the wedding. Can you do that for me?"

At once, the bashful woman disappeared, and his loyal soldier remained.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"I have some work to finish up downstairs, but I look forward to seeing you tonight."

He left the room and took a moment to brace himself before going down the stairs. It had been many years, but the pain was still fresh. Just as his father's death haunted him, his mother's painful death filled him with misery.

He'd been sixteen, almost a man but not quite, and he'd been unable to help her. No one had.

He remembered hearing his father pace up and down the halls at night, unable to sleep as his wife lay dying in her bed. Her sons had not been the only ones to suffer. His father's grief had blinded him to impeding danger, and he'd died at the hand of a vicious assailant.