Impending Reprisals Read Online Free PDF

she had grown to admire the strong, regal man. But no matter how natural it was for her to feel that way, it ultimately felt like a betrayal in her heart to do so. The resulting quandary had left her both thrilled for the magical night ahead, and trepidation for the predicament it would no doubt leave her in.
    Anya realized the grand balls now marked the time for her; for the changing of the seasons, her growing maturity as she experienced the amorous attentions of the lordship, and the length of time Kael, her truest love, had been away.
    She sighed in frustration as her pondering brought her full circle back to Kael, and with no real solution to her dilemma, she endeavored to focus on something else. Rubbing the blue stone of her amulet, she mentally called for Tajvek. The great white tiger appeared at once, curled up behind her as he came forth in a lazy state. The animal sensed the nature of the summons and understood it to be for companionship only.
    Anya nestled back against his muscled form, and the act of doing so drew her attention to memories of her youth. As a child, she would cuddle with the tiger in much the same way, whether it was for warmth or comfort.
    Tajvek had been connected to her mother, a powerful priestess, as a spiritual guardian. And when her mother had fallen deathly ill from a mysterious sickness, she had anointed Tajvek to guard over her young daughter. And so the animal had, from that moment forth—serving as a companion to the growing child, and a protector from anything seeking to harm her.
    Anya’s father had been furious with her for not wearing her amulet the night she had been attacked. If she had, Tajvek would have appeared and dealt a swift justice before the men had a chance to begin their advance. Not only had Chiberus made her promise to never remove the necklace again, but he insisted she learn the way of weapons and defense, though it was highly improper for a young lady to do so. Of course, if Kael had been there—her long-standing protector alongside Tajvek—the assault never would have occurred either.
    Instead, her protection and rescue had come from the unlikely source of Lord Merivic, her champion when she required one most. He had preserved her safety and provided her comfort where Tajvek and Kael had failed, and the importance of that meant more to Anya than she cared to admit. He was quick in becoming the focal point of her heart; a solidity amongst the confusion in her head. But she did not wish it to be that way. It had always been Kael. He had always been the one in her heart, and Anya battled within to refocus on him once more.
    He was the love for her, not a lord who dazzled her with charm and valiancy.
    Anya snuggled deeper into Tajvek’s soft fur as her thoughts circled around Sedalene’s suggestions of seeking out Kael. The prospect of their paths crossing again was enough to sustain her during these ever-increasing unsure times. Her hopes of seeing him once more, and sensual daydreams of their first embrace after the long absence, all but washed the shining image of Lord Merivic to the back of her mind.
    *****
    “What has gotten into Father?” Anya exclaimed, tugging at the low-cutting bodice of the sapphire-colored gown.
    “I do not know.” Sedalene shook her head as she tried to work the material up at the waist, then grinned. “Maybe he is wishing you to catch a certain lord’s eye.”
    “Oh, Seda!” She swatted her nanny in the arm for uttering such a ridiculous notion.
    Sedalene knew as well as Anya did that Chiberus could not arrange for his daughter to marry into a higher sect, and it would be overstepping his bounds to even attempt such a pairing.
    Sedalene laughed, and then mused, “He does keep sending you with mediocre escorts.”
    The light comment, meant only for jest, nudged Anya toward a state of panic. The worry began setting in as her heart beat faster, nervous flutters consuming her stomach. Once she realized how profoundly she had