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surprise flash across Kayseri’s face. Not true,
but interesting. There was a time in his life and not all that
long ago, when he would have called the elf a liar on the spot, but
the years had taught him some discretion. They really had. He
nodded all sympathy.
    "Well, here's the good news is you'll be in
shape to travel tomorrow. We’ll stay here tonight. In case there’s
any more trouble." He shot a quick glance at Kayseri, a silent
warning against further mischief. "Not that I’m expecting any."
    Slapping his knees as if this settled
everything, Kree stood, stretched. "I'll see to the horses." He
patted his stomach looking down at the elf. "Are you hungry, Prince
Eldren? Maybe I’ll set a snare too. Give me a hand will you,
Katie?"
    Kayseri dimpled. "I’d love to, My Captain."
She rose gracefully and slipped her hand into his. Her touch
sizzled through his blood. Damnation. He needed to stay far away
from her.
    Kree found a grassy spot to picket the
horses and drove in the stakes. All the while, he felt Kayseri’s
gaze on his back. Women stared at him. Always had. It was a fact of
his Goddess-born life. Having this particular woman stare at him
was a bit unsettling. Who, by Namar's bloody tears, was he kidding?
It was a lot unsettling for a host of reasons. They should be on
their way back to the garrison right now. Instead, he chose to
spend the night in the woods. Why? Because he wanted to steal a few
hours in Kayseri's company chaperoned by someone who did not know
them. He was a trice-damned fool.
    "What are we going to do now?"
    Kree favored Kayseri with his most congenial
grin, the one he used in council meetings when he wanted his
officers to understand debate was over. "We are not going to do
anything. You are going home in the morning. That elf is going to
sit in my stockade until he decides to tell me the truth."
    "You can’t do that!" Outrage filled
Kayseri’s voice. "Eldren is a Prince of Thallasi!"
    He had forgotten her distant connection to
that supercilious bloodline. His temper, already badly frayed
around the edges, unraveled. He gripped her shoulders. "He says.
You say he tried to steal your horse."
    "Only because he's desperate. Just because
an elf is desperate doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve our help.
Besides, I promised him."
    Kree wanted to shake her until her teeth
rattled. He wanted to kiss her until she melted in his mouth.
Namar’s tears, he was losing his mind. Kayseri Bruin was driving
him mad. Maybe he was allergic to pixie pheromones. Was that even
possible? He vowed to ask Duncan as soon as he got back to the
garrison. Maybe his genius first lieutenant could come up with a
cure. One thing for sure, if he did not take his hands off Kayseri
in the next three seconds, he was going to do
something...unadvisable. He stepped back and growled, actually
growled.
    "Maybe you shouldn’t have." Rage and
frustration strained his voice to a ragged whisper. "Like you
shouldn’t have dumped my cadet in the river. Like you shouldn’t
make me think you’re in danger when you aren’t. Sweet Namar’s
tears, Katie, didn’t you stop to think how worried I’d be? Don’t
ever do that to me again. Don’t run away. Don’t take your anger out
on my cadets. Fight with me. I can’t go through this again. Promise
me."
    Having gotten his anger out of his system,
Kree felt better. Much better. A hundred times better. It was like
recovering his balance after taking a hit that nearly unhorsed him.
His balance lasted until he saw the first tear slide down Kayseri’s
cheek. Damn her. Tears were not fair. His heart cracked open, and
his newly won equilibrium leaked out through the cracks. He
gathered her into his arms.
    "I’m sorry, My Captain." She sobbed against
his abdomen. "I wanted to spend time with you." She sniffed loudly.
"Like we used to."
    "Hush." Kree squeezed his eyes shut against
the echo of his dead wife’s voice, ‘When will you have time for
me, Kree? I hate your Goddess. I hate