The Stubborn Lord (11 page)

“Yes,” Alek answered without hesitation.

“Yes?” Kendall repeated. “Did you actually just say that?”

Was she angry with him for speaking the truth? How many ways could he say the same thing? It was logic. Men were stronger. It was a biological fact, at least with every alien race he’d ever heard of. Women were softer, gentler. Even the Draig queen, a natural-born dragon shifter, was gentler than her husband.

It sounded as if Bron gave a soft laugh. Alek shot a hard glance at his brother.

“Is that what you think? Men are to rule over women?” Bron’s wife demanded.

“I would not say rule,” Bron answered, his tone much more careful than Alek’s had been. “But I do know women should never rule over men—save perhaps the queen over our people, or noblewomen over those beneath her station so long as it is done with benevolence. Between husband and wife there is a clear distinction. Do you not wish for a husband that can protect you and make you proud?”

“There can and should be compromise, but men who are guided too easily by women are not real men,” Alek added. What was wrong with these women? “Such a man could not protect you, provide for you, give you strong sons.”

“And a woman’s role in marriage is what? Cooking and having children?” Kendall demanded. She wrinkled her nose.

“Yes,” Alek said. He did not relent. His eyes shifted as the frustration built in him. He would not lie to save her anger.

“I see,” Kendall stated. “It’s a wonder your gods bothered to give us women brains at all, when really all we need are bellies to hold children and hands to serve our master husbands.”

“I did not say—” Alek began.

“Do not say another word,” Kendall warned, lifting her hand toward his face. “I have had it with the men in my life trying to tell me what to do. We had an arrangement, if you recall, and I expect you to keep to it.”

Behind him, Bron protested to Aeron, “I’d think you would want a strong husband. Why would you wish for a man who cowers behind your skirts and who drops his sword at the first sign of trouble? Such a man is not a man. Such a man would not bring honor to his family. Such a man cannot protect his family.”

“Why would we need protection by sword?” Aeron asked.

“Yes, Alek,” Kendall stated irately through gritted teeth. “Why would we need protection by sword?”

“The Var,” both men stated in unison.

“Our enemy,” Bron explained to his wife. Kendall didn’t take her eyes from Alek, but he knew she listened to what the high duke was saying. “Many believe there will be another war soon. If there is, we will be expected to lead our men to battle.”

“Battle?” Kendall repeated. “If there is a war, air travel will become dangerous and restricted. I can’t be here. I want to go home. I can’t get involved with all of this. I need to…” She glanced around the cabin before pushing past him. “I have to get out of here. I can’t stay here.”

“Kendall!” Alek shouted to stop her as she rushed toward the front door of the cabin. “Kendall, the forest may not be safe. I need you to stay inside while we—
Kendall!
”

Chapter Seven

Kendall didn’t stop walking, even as she heard Alek yelling her name. The fanciful daydream she’d allowed herself to have while talking to Aeron about the Draig men came crashing to a realistic halt. Alek was a barbarian—a stubborn, aggravating barbarian. She’d met his kind before on the fueling dock. They talked all sweet when they wanted something, but eventually their true natures would show themselves in the form of maddening opinions and superior attitudes.

She didn’t have time to deal with a barbarian.

“Margot,” she whispered. “I have to get to Margot before he loses her as he did me.”

She wished she could believe her father would not dare to sell Margot, but the man had no self-control when it came to wagers. She didn’t doubt he loved his daughters, but there would be a part of him that would jump at the idea of no longer having familial responsibilities. Kendall took care of everything—the fueling dock, the accounts, Margot. Now that she was gone, her father would spin out of control. As the business started to fail, his quest for that
one big win
would increase and so would the losses.

The thought gave her renewed purpose. She moved in a wide arc around the ceffyl. A short whistle sounded and the beast stood. Startled at the sudden movement, Kendall stumbled to a halt. Alek was at her side within seconds.

“Stop,” Alek demanded. “If I am to protect you, you must listen to what I tell you. I won’t have you charging angrily about the countryside.”

“I may be in your debt, but I am not a slave to be ordered about. You don’t own me, Alek.” She glared at him.

“Quit saying such things. You—”

She didn’t wait to hear what he had to say. “And I wasn’t charging. I was—”

“Quit saying such things. You are my wife.” He tried to grab her arm.

“Did you just order me to be quiet?”

“You cannot go about calling yourself a slave,” he said under his breath. “If others hear you, such a declaration must be publically addressed. I have no wish to see you put yourself into punishment.”

“Fine, not a slave but a soldier, whatever you want to call it, but that doesn’t change my point. We talked about this. I can’t stay here.” She pulled away from him. There was something about his stubborn tone that irritated her. She’d noticed it first when he spoke to Aeron, but when he turned that tone on her… Kendall frowned, not liking it one bit. “Which way to your brother Mirek? I understand you needed to detour for your lost brother, but you found Bron. Now I must insist we find Mirek.”

“I must insist you come back inside. We detected no Var in the forest, but we don’t know what they have planned. We need to take caution. They shouldn’t have been able to overtake Bron, especially not in these mountains. Until we know what is happening, you shouldn’t be outside alone.” His Qurilixian accent rolled softly over her as he lightened his tone. This was more like the Alek who had wooed her in the bridal tent. She was not so easily persuaded by his voice this time, no matter how appealing it sounded.

“Do you really think a war is coming?” She followed him back to the house but kept her distance from him and the standing ceffyl.

“Yes, but not today.”

Kendall stopped. “What happened to your brother? His clothes look like he was rolling on the ground and…” She lifted her hand to brush dirt off Alek’s shoulder. “…you are dusty.”

“I found him underground. He’d been chained to stone and left to starve. Had I not found him, he would have died like that. The gods clearly sent Aeron to us so that I would find Bron and rescue him from death.”

That brought her up short and she jerked her hand from him. For a moment, she expected him to laugh in dark humor, but his eyes studied her seriously. “You mean… Is that kind of occurrence normal?”

“No. We are in the mountain territory, very far north of the borderlands. Normally the Var stay on their side. If you must know, it is very unlike them to take an enemy without facing them. I have never heard of the Var attacking us in such a way before, but perhaps it is a new method of warfare they are trying. Now that we are married, they may be coming after us to ensure we do not have children. Or…” He paused, glancing away.

“Or?” Was there a worse explanation than their lives being in danger because they had participated in the marriage ceremony? The Galaxy Brides’ uploads had said nothing about signing on for a death sentence or a possible war. They had called the planetary disputes
territorial skirmishes
. To Kendall a territorial skirmish meant fighting over where to make the borders on a map, or who had legal right to certain parts of a fuel mine—the person who owned the mine and had mining permission from the local government, or the person who’s land it was under.

“Or the gods are punishing us because we failed to settle our marriages during the ceremony. We broke tradition.”

His explanation didn’t make her feel better. She hated to tell him that as a kid her roaming fueling dock home had been stationed all over the skies and she’d never seen evidence of his gods. She was sure there was something more beyond the known, but no actual gods who meddled in the lives of their subjects. There were too many aliens with too many varying faiths, and each thought they were right.

“So the Var wish to attack the new marriages?” Kendall said. “I assume this has to do with the mines? Can’t you just profit share with them or something?”

“Our disagreements have nothing to do with mining rights. They have their own operations. The bad blood between us goes much deeper.”

Kendall concluded their wars must be over a theological matter, which was much worse than monetary reasons. “Then my leaving will solve both our problems. You will live and I will be able to take care of what I need to.”

“That is not what I was saying,” Alek protested.

“But it is what you said,” she countered. “I am in danger if I stay here.”

“No, it is not customary to hurt women, even in times of war. They are too rare on this planet. You—” His voice came to an abrupt stop and he held up his hand.

Panicked by the look on his face, she quickly took in their surroundings. She heard nothing, saw nothing. Kendall automatically slipped between him and the cabin, fearful of what would make this strong guy go on high alert. “What is it?”

“Quiet,” he ordered.

She leaned into his side, next to the protective strength of his body while still being able to see past him to the valley.

“Have you heard of the Tyoe?” Alek suddenly asked.

“Tyoe?” She stiffened and looked up at him. His face was so close she could see the texture of his skin. The tiniest of scars ran along his jaw. She hadn’t noticed it before, it was so small. She breathed deeply, taking in his raw masculine scent.

“They are a race of aliens.”

Kendall shook her head, confused by the sudden change in conversation. “I haven’t met one, but I know who the Tyoe are by reputation. They run fuel mines all over the universe. They’re profiteers.”

“Would these profiteers attack us to set up a mining colony?”

“I…” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Why would they? I’m guessing they’d just try to buy the mining rights, or at the very least trade for them. I doubt any corporation or business entity would attack without first trying to acquire the mines in another legal way. What makes you think the Tyoe are attacking?”

Alek nodded to the cabin door. His eyes shifted with gold. “They are talking of it inside. Aeron worked as a contracted civilian analyst for the Federation Military and came to us to warn of a Tyoe attack.”

“I thought this planet was not a part of the Federation Alliance.” If they were, it would have been easier to get a flight off world. Knowing there was no immediate danger in the forest, she relaxed but didn’t back away. News of an aerial attack by a technologically advanced, profiteering race was hardly a comfort. Suddenly, swords and dungeons weren’t sounding too bad.

“We are not.” He leaned closer to the door and in the process closer to her. “Aeron says the Federation has little interest in our planet or our people, but for our mining operations. They think us primitive with no military or scientific value other than the ore. As long as we mine the ore, they have seen no reason to interfere with our process.”

Kendall frowned. They shouldn’t be listening to the other couple’s private conversation. Yet she wasn’t really listening. She couldn’t hear anything beyond the door. “The Tyoe have mining bases all over the galaxy and are really good at what they do. I know this from some classes I took that covered mining processes and galaxy law.”

“And they would make war to establish a new base?”

“I honestly cannot tell you, Alek. Is the Federation offering to help? It might be wise to accept. They have many resources. A lot of planets do well under Federation Alliance. You would be protected. You—”

“No. The Federation does not care as long as they get the ore, and we have no wish to be a part of the Federation’s alliance.” He glanced down at her. “Is this why you want to leave? You also think us primitive and unable to defend ourselves against alien threats?”

Alek’s shifted eyes captured hers and she couldn’t look away. She shook her head in denial. Her voice lowered by small degrees. “No. I find you very capable.”

Where did that comment come from? Was she flirting with him? Now? Seconds ago she’d been so angry and scared she wanted to throw him off the cliff if he stood in her way. Her attraction to him changed nothing. He was still a barbarian. He was still stubborn. She was still leaving.

Kendall let her lids fall over her eyes. She felt the full force of her situation trying to crumble over her. It loomed overhead like a comet frozen in time, waiting for the perfect moment to crash. The only thing between her and her world falling completely apart in a steaming explosion of rock and heartache was Alek. She felt safe with him. He might have primitive ideas about who and what men and women were, but he had saved her from her repossession. He had made it possible for her to get away from those who would force her to marry a stranger.

The reality she
was
married hadn’t fully hit her until that second as she stared into his eyes. Married. How could she have agreed to something that was such a big deal? She’d been so focused on getting back to Margot that she hadn’t stopped to think it through, not really. Marriage. Married. She was this man’s wife. Even if it was a marriage of convenience, it was still a marriage, and that kind of commitment meant something to her.

“Alek,” she whispered. Kendall tried to take a step back but she was stopped by the cabin’s exterior wall. The air was cool, but not cold. It caressed her face as it slipped between them. “Alek, I—”

He stopped her words with a kiss. The warmth of his tongue instantly slid into her mouth.

Alek, I’m sorry. I should never have married you. It was wrong. It was selfish. It was…

The words never left her. Everything she needed to say to him died in that kiss. She tried to hold on to her logic. It was no use. She felt the unfulfilled desire rise up within her. It had shimmered beneath the surface since their shared kisses on the trail on the way to the cabin. She glided her fingers up his arms to cup his face. He swept his tongue back and forth across her mouth, teasing and exploring at the same time. They had been alone in the tent, in the dark, and yet this moment felt more intimate than those midnight touches.