Chapter 42
When Dijana awoke, the first person she saw was Stryfe, nay, Lord Prince Taeron, sitting on a chair beside her bed. He must have been watching her closely, because when she opened her eyes, he quickly rose to face her. Dijana shot up and scrambled back from him, her heart beating rapidly as she looked at the man she realized she did not know despite all that they had shared. He was still filthy from battle, and Dijana became aware of the blood staining her own clothing from when he must have carried her to this room. She wanted to shout at him to never touch her again, to leave her sight and never return, but her heart seemed to shatter in her chest when she met his deep purple gaze.
"You are frightening her." Queen Neria came forward and Dijana tore her gaze from Taeron's to look at her. She was another person she did not know, and behind her lurked the third person who was a stranger to her. Three people she should know but she did not: her mate, her mother and her father. Dijana wanted them all gone because one way or another they were responsible for the awful life to which she had been subjected to for many years.
"I really don't think she is all that frightened," drawled the man standing near Taeron, and Dijana glared at Prince Amyr. She wanted to shout at him to go to the netherworld, to stop intruding on her privacy with his Guerani powers.
"Please give Dijana some time alone." At least Chaela was someone she knew, and while she was probably reading her feelings, she was helping her. "Amyr, take Taeron somewhere and clean him up, and I am sorry, your highness, but I think you should go too. Let me talk to Dijana for a few moments."
The queen sniffed. "I do not appreciate being dismissed from my own daughter's bedside."
The golden winged warrior came to her and put his hands on her delicate shoulders. "Come along, Neria, there is much to do. We have to round up the council."
Her mother nodded regally. "I shall enjoy facing them." Before leaving she fixed Dijana with her blue gaze. "I expect you to be ready to receive me within the hour." Without waiting for a response, she walked out with her lover trailing behind her.
"Let's go, brother," she heard the scribe say. How did she ever believe he was a warrior?
Dijana had not looked back at him, but she knew that Taeron was staring at her. She did not need to be Guerani to know that he feared her reaction to learning his true identity. Thinking of his lies, she felt tears gather in her eyes, tears of pain and tears of anger.
Amyr drew Taeron back. "I think I heard something about a bath and a change of clothing. I don't know about you, brother, but I could use it." And then she heard him say in a low voice that the Calabrian dog probably thought she could not hear, "In a few moments you really don't want to be anywhere near her."
Roiling with anger, Dijana still did not look and but she heard him moving away, albeit reluctantly, and Chaela left her side as well for a few moments. After she heard the door close, Dijana burst into tears and was grateful when Chaela hurried back to sit on the bed and draw her into an embrace. Chaela was the only person she trusted anymore, the only person she even knew.
"I wish I could take the pain from you," Chaela told her as she wiped Dijana's face with a cloth. "I am so sorry that you have been hurt. If only I had known … "
Dijana swiped at the tears that spilled over her lashes. "I trusted him! I believed everything he told me and all along he was just seducing me!"
"Taeron is not like that!" exclaimed Chaela, and Dijana could see that she was shocked by her accusation.
"He could have told me any time who he really was! When I think of all the things I said to him..." Dijana burst into tears again. After what Kai had done to her, she had vowed never to trust a man again, and then she had fallen for the first handsome man to smile at her. But this time she had fallen in love and his betrayal hurt worse than having the wings torn from her back. She did not think she could ever forgive Taeron for his lies.
By the time her mother returned, Chaela had helped her regain her composure, and she had helped her bathe and dress so that she could properly face her mother. The door opened and two winged warriors stepped in as escort before Neria entered, her own wings spread out behind her. She had changed from her bloody battledress into an elegant gown, but she was certainly no less daunting.
"Leave us," she said imperiously to Chaela.
"Stay," Dijana countermanded.
Chaela looked between the two and although she was obviously intimidated by Dijana's fearsome, beautiful mother, she straightened to face her. "I am not a servant to be ordered about. I am Princess Chaela of house Trey. I will stay with my friend."
The queen looked down her nose at Chaela for a moment in an attempt to unnerve her, but Chaela stood her ground. After a moment in which they tested each other with a stare, Neria said, "I met your mother on Calabria. She is a fierce warrior that should be proud to call you daughter." She looked from Chaela who was smiling at the compliment. "I suppose you have many questions," she said to Dijana.
Dijana met her gaze unblinking. "No, I do not."
Neria ignored her response. "Like you, I did not want the mate chosen for me. My mother died when I was a small child and the council controlled my life. When I came of age, they told me to choose between the two strongest warriors for my mate, Nykos and Balak. They were both much older than me and I did not like them, but I dared not tell the council that I was in love with a palace guard."
She paused as if she would give Dijana a chance to speak, but it was only for her to take a breath. "I chose Nykos because I was sure that he would overlook my feelings for another once I gave him a child. But Balak was angry that I rejected him." Now she looked away and Dijana wondered if she was really seeing shame. "That night, when I was suffering my fumbling husband's mating efforts, Balak burst in and stabbed him in the back. Before I even realized what happened, he was raping me."
Her gaze met Dijana's. "I am sorry, Dijana, if this causes you to feel shame when the shame is mine. After Balak fell asleep, a slipped out of my bridal chamber and I went to Roehan. And every night thereafter, when Balak was snoring, I went to your father. I had no way of knowing who your father was when you were born, not when your feathers had not fully formed. Nykos was fair as you were, so I accepted what the council decreed when they gave me to Balak under the condition that he accept Nyko's child."
Dijana could not believe what her mother was admitting and even Chaela seemed to be stunned.
"The gods have punished me cruelly for what I did," concluded her mother.
"Why did you wait so long to rescue me?" demanded Dijana. "Do you have any idea what that monster did to me? All along I thought he was my father and no one told me differently!"
Neria flinched. "I … I did not know ..."
"Did not know what? That I was Roehan's child and not Nyko's?" Dijana was furious. "I was still your daughter!"
Her mother was taken aback by her anger. "I did not have enough support until after the Varoonyan attack. When the emperor sent his warriors, I took advantage of the chaos to contact Trey. I knew that I must make an alliance with him or I would never escape. Because his daughter was married to Avar, I had no way of knowing if he would back my worthless son or help me regain my throne. I arranged your marriage to a Calabrian warlord and I planned for him to take you away, but I did not know he had accepted until I learned that Lord Taeron had come for you."
"Not the only plan of yours to backfire," snapped Dijana irritably. She hated hearing that she was a pawn.
Neria straightened and raised her chin. "I will not be spoken to in this manner! I am still your mother."
"I have no mother! And I have no mate! You can tell that Calabrian dog that he can go to the netherworld along with his lying bastard brother and that odious imperial princeling!" Dijana spun on her heel and turned away, crossing her arms over her chest. "I hate all of you!"
A moment of silence ensued, and then Neria said, "We have found what is left of the council. Olwyn, of course, and three others. You can present your case to them. If they agree to your request, they will rescind the marriage agreement with Calabria."
"I hate them too," Dijana muttered mutinously. They had never acted in her best interest, and the two that had ever shown her any kindness were dead.
"As do I, my dear daughter, but they are a necessary evil." She knew she had gone when the door closed.
Chaela did not speak and when Dijana looked at her, her friend did not hide her shock. "You would do that to Taeron? He has bonded to you."
"Then he should not have lied!" cried Dijana in frustration, denying the ache she felt to imagine what her rejection would do to him.
The other woman opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. "I suppose you do not wish to share the meal with them in the hall."
"Did you use your Guerani powers to know that?" asked Dijana with a frown.
"No, my intuition as a woman."
Chaela glanced anxiously at the door, so Dijana forced herself to smile. "You must want to be with your brother." She squeezed her hands. "You have much to talk about."
Her friend smiled gratefully. "It is very strange to have Amyr's voice in my head, and he has never been much of a brother until today." Tears glistened in Chaela's amber gaze. "His magic is stronger than mine, and he gave me no small amount of comfort when he learned of Kaerwen."
She laughed then. "Did you see him trailing after Taeron like a puppy? I cannot believe it! He used to say such cruel things to Taeron and now he calls him 'lord prince'."
Dijana tried to smile, but she could not when she felt like a fool after they had all lied to hide Lord Prince Taeron's identity from her on Norvana. "You should spend time with them. Arrange to have a meal sent to me and we can talk later."
Chaela nearly skipped to the door and Dijana felt a stab of envy. "I will see you later, then."
When she was gone, Dijana returned to her bed and she tried not to cry, but the tears rolled down her cheeks anyway. She had to get some sleep so that she could face the council, and this time they would listen to her. Disgusted to be Roehan's bastard, she was consoled by imagining his imposing presence would frighten the council into giving her whatever she wanted. What she wanted was to reject that Calabrian liar so that she could go on with her life.
Then why did she feel that her life was on the verge of ending?
After ushering Taeron out of Dijana's chamber, Amyr had gone in search of Chaela, and Stryfe had gone with him so that he could hear whatever she had to say about the events of the last few months. Darlac remained with him and had chased away the curious females that had offered to help him bathe. The last thing he wanted was for Dijana to think he was cavorting with females in his bath. He was not up to cavorting with anyone at the moment, not even Dijana if she were inclined to consider him. Remembering the look on her face when she had awakened, he might run out of his medicine before she looked kindly upon him again.
Darlac poured a bucket of water over Taeron's head, and he squeezed out the soap before he stood and reached out blindly for the towel Darlac handed to him. He was glad to get out of the tub that was far too small for him, and this process of pouring water from buckets was little better than washing on a battlefield. He looked forward to returning to Calabria so he could soak in the bathing pool in his chamber at the palace.
"I see that you have bathed, my lord prince."
He blinked the water from his eyes to see Queen Neria standing in the room, her blue gaze moving over his naked body. Taeron lunged for the towel, but he slipped on the wet floor, and yet as he fell, he managed to wrap the towel around his waist. With Darlac helping him from the floor, he could not be less dignified and he could see the humor in the older warrior's eyes.
"And I see that you have the proper parts to please my daughter." Her brows arched high. "Very proper parts."
Darlac chuckled which earned him a glare from the queen.
"Get out," she ordered him.
"My lord prince?" He looked at Taeron for approval.
Taeron wasn't sure he wanted to be left with Dijana's mother given what they had learned that day. Her behavior with males almost made his mother's look tame, but he doubted she would try to seduce him so he nodded to Darlac to obey the queen. He still hesitated for a moment, and when he left, it was to take a position just outside the door which he did not close.
Neria glanced at the door, then back to Taeron with a curl to her lip. "Does he think that I am going to violate you?"
"It is his duty to guard me."
She made a derisive sound. "You need a guard? Even Prince Amyr is a useless apendage to you."
He stiffened. "I am honored to fight with him at my side."
"At your side? You mean with him twenty paces behind you wading through the entrails of your enemies."
Taeron went to the bench over which a clean tunic lay. Turning his back on the woman, he removed the towel and slipped the tunic over his head. He did not expect her to comment, but he should have known better.
"You are very well formed, my lord prince, and you have mated with my daughter, so the only reason that I can imagine for her rejection of you is that you failed to please her."
Gods curse the female! Not this again! "I assure you ..."
She did not give him a chance to finish. "She plans to ask the council to reject the provision of the treaty with Calabria that calls for your marriage."
Taeron felt acute pain to his heart, but he did not show her mother how hurt he was by Dijana's rejection. "If that is what she truly wants ..."
"I do not care what she wants," she interrupted him. Before he could tell her that what Dijana wanted was the most important thing to him regardless of how it affected him, she went on. "Dijana is in no frame of mind to make the kind of decision that will not only affect the rest of her life, but yours as well."
"I am not concerned about how this affects me," Taeron told her. He had finished dressing as she spoke, conscious that she watched him. He was tired after the day's fighting and wanted nothing more than to have his meal and sleep on a comfortable bed for the first time in many weeks. He had not dared to imagine that he would be spending this night with Dijana, so he had already taken his medicine.
"You should be. We cannot predict how the council will rule, but given what has happened to my daughter, their sense of fairness, what little there is, will sway them to her demand." She came closer and Taeron checked the urge to stumble back. Her wings flew out and he swallowed nervously. "Under no circumstances will you leave Teralon without my daughter!"
Turning on her heel, she walked out, snapping her wings back so that she could get through the door.
Did that mean she would not let him leave Teralon? He had responsibilities on Calabria. And how would he go about countering her demands to a council that would be predisposed to granting her wishes?
Throughout the celebration meal which Dijana did not attend, Taeron could not imagine what he could say to the council of elders that would convince them to honor the treaty as agreed to by Queen Neria and Emperor Trey. He barely paid attention to the queen's rousing victory speech and when she thanked him for his efforts he almost did not acknowledge her. Amyr looked at him curiously and Taeron wondered if he read his mind and wished he would not intrude on his private thoughts. If Quynn were there, she could distract him, but she had not come to the palace so she must be busy preparing the fleet transports for departure. The banquet lasted almost all night, and when Taeron finally escaped to his chamber, he was joined by Amyr, Stryfe and Chaela. He was glad that Chaela had come because he wanted to tell her how sorry he was that he had not realized how miserable she was in her marriage. When she told him what Avar had done to her son, he held her in a consoling embrace and while there was still grief in her eyes, he could see that the gods had granted her comfort.
Taeron thought that Avar got exactly what he had deserved. What was left of his body was burned on a pyre in the valley along with Balak and countless others who had warred against their lawful queen. Taeron knew that Trey would be devastated by what had happened to his oldest grandson. He had never held Kaerwen, but he had contacted Teralon weekly to see his grandson and he frequently sent gifts. Before his departure, Trey had asked Taeron to bring Chaela and Kaerwen back to Calabria, and now, in addition to dealing with Staefyn's rebellion he would have to suffer the news of his grandson's murder.
When they had finished talking about Kaerwen, Chaela turned to the subject he had been avoiding. "Dijana is very angry and hurt," she told him with a chastizing look.
"I don't think anyone thought it a good idea for you to lie about your identity," remarked Stryfe and Taeron frowned at him because his brother shared in the guilt. He had been a willing participant in the deception. If Stryfe had admitted to the mistake, Taeron might have been embarrassed, but that would not have changed Dijana's actions.
"Did someone tell her it was a good idea to lie about hers?" He instantly felt guilty for what he had said.
"Well," said Amyr, "I think you have a defense."
"I am not going to say such a thing to the council! Do you know how that will make her look?" Taeron could not even imagine how she would feel about having that thrown in her face. What they had done to each other was between them, not the business of a council of elders. When they returned to Calabria together, they could sort this mess out in private.
"The princeling is right," said Stryfe. "You are going to have to play dirty with her or you are going to leave Teralon without her."
"I would not want to experience your future without your bonded mate," added Amyr.
When Taeron felt anxious at the thought, Chaela put her hand over his. "I know how much Dijana loved the Stryfe she knew, Taeron. You are not much of a deceiver, so I know you were not trying to hurt or humiliate her. She needs a chance to know you as Taeron, to realize that she loves you no matter who you are."
He squeezed her hand. Chaela was more his sister than Quynn because they were born only months apart and he had spent most of his life with her. "Thank you for being Dijana's friend."
"I have been letting her feed from me and I have protected her dreams from that bastard, Kai."
"Kai!" Taeron burned with fury. "What has he done to her?" He had hoped to meet the Varoonyan in battle, but the coward had not faced him.
"He tried to feed from her, but her blood poisoned him," she told him. "Is it possible that the magic in your blood is protecting her?"
"I have no magic," insisted Taeron, annoyed that she would bring it up, and yet he was relieved that Dijana had not been abused by the creature.
"Whatever the reason, her blood made his skin burn, so he dared not touch her. He went to her in her dreams, and Dijana would not tell me what he did to her, but I know that it caused her shame."
"Where is Kai?" he demanded, his hand closed around the hilt of his sword. He would hunt him tonight if Chaela could tell him where the warlord hid.
"We have not seen him since he came to tell us what happened on Calabria. He had followed Queen Neria when she escaped and spent several weeks there."
"We have no way of knowing where he is," said Amyr. "I should go see Quynn. She has been busy preparing for departure and I haven't heard from her or Jeshed all day, so she must be busy."
"Last I saw of her," remarked Stryfe, "she was organizing the evacuation of the more severely wounded."
"I should be helping." Amyr rose and he looked at Chaela. "Do you wish to join me? Perhaps we will run into Jeshed and you can meet him in his human form."
"Human form? The dragon is a human?" Chaela was amazed and Taeron caught himself smiling. After Jeshed saved her life, he had gently put her on the roof and flew away, and since then they had not seen him.
"Come along sister, you have to meet Taeron's brother."
"Taeron's brother?" She looked from Amyr to Taeron. "You have another brother?"
Taeron grimmaced. "Amyr will explain. I am not sure anyone understands, not even Jeshed."
Her brows drew together. "I do not want to leave Dijana alone in case Kai is still on Teralon. He may try to reach her in her dreams again."
Neither Chaela, nor Amyr moved towards the door for a moment and Taeron wondered if they were communicating with each other. He exchanged a look with Stryfe who shrugged.
Finally Amyr said aloud, "If she thinks she is dreaming, I think it can work."
"Why do I get the feeling that the princeling has come up with some ridiculous scheme that will make matters worse?" asked Stryfe with a roll of his eyes. And then he rubbed his hands gleefully. "And will it give me something even more delightful to add to my report to the emperor?"
"I don't think anything can top the story of Queen Neria spending her wedding night with three different men," commented Taeron wryly.
His brother scratched his head. "True. I think this will be my defining work. But I don't think he will be pleased to discover that Queen Neria left out a few important details about Roehan."
Taeron looked at Amyr. "What did you have in mind?"
"Chaela will put Dijana in a trance," Amyr told Taeron. "And then you will enter it to be with her."
"I will not!" she cried indignantly. "This was your idea. I will not betray the sister of my heart like that!"
"Just discussing it and not warning her is betraying her," pointed out Taeron. He also did not like Amyr's plan. Hadn't he deceived her enough?
"I only agreed to consider it because she needs protection from Kai."
"If we send her to a trance, Kai should not be able to follow," Amyr said. "And if she believes it is a dream, then you can have a chance to talk to her, and perhaps you can make her understand how you feel so that she will not reject you before the council."
"I don't like it," said Chaela.
"It's a very bad idea," warned Stryfe.
Taeron pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger and closing his eyes, he saw Dijana as he did that afternoon, the fear, the hurt and the anger in her eyes before she would not even look at him.
And then he remembered how they had parted on Norvana, her words of love. Could she stop loving him so easily? He could not believe it when he knew he would always love her.
"I will do it."
"Taeron!" Chaela was furious.
He ignored her outburst. "Go to her and offer your blood. Amyr and I will follow and when she is distracted, Amyr can put her in the trance."
Although she looked as if she wanted to argue further, Amyr must have communicated something to her because she shot them a disgusted look before she marched out.
"I hope you know what you are doing, brother," warned Stryfe although his eyes had a gleam of anticipation. That alone should have made Taeron put a stop to their scheme.
But Amyr put a hand on Taeron's shoulder. "Just do with her what you do best and she will find you hard to resist."
"Use my sword?" he asked in confusion.
Amyr chuckled suggestively. "Indeed."
They waited a few moments in which Stryfe half-heartedly tried to talk him out of the plan although he clearly wanted fodder for the tales he would recount to the emperor while Amyr encouraged him with promises of Dijana's favorable reaction to him in a trance. They continued to speak in hushed whispers as they crept through the dark corridors of the quiet palace, avoiding patrols of the winged warriors. They ran into Darlac and a handful of his men who were doing their own patrol to ensure the safety of their lord prince, and when Amyr told them why they were creeping around while the rest of the inhabitants of the palace slept, Darlac offered to incapacitate the Teralonian guards. Taeron doubted Queen Neria would appreciate it.
As it turned out, they were forced to rely on Darlac and his men because the residence quarters of the royal family as well as the council chambers were on the highest levels of the palace and the guards were alert to protect them from rebels that may be hiding in the palace. The black clad warriors from the second moon went ahead of their group and after several moments, Darlac returned to inform them that the way had been cleared. Although the slumped over bodies of winged warriors littered the corridor, they were merely unconscious and Darlac warned Taeron that they would not be for long.
So they hurried along, stepping over the unmoving men on the floor, but they had to stop when they came to a set of wide double doors that were slightly ajar. Taeron peered inside and saw more of Queen Neria than he wanted as she paced her chambers wearing only a flimsy scrap of a garment, her wings, as usual spread out behind her. Peering past her, Taeron saw her lover, Roehan lounging unclothed amongst tangled bedding on an enormous bed. If they moved past the door, the emerald-eyed warrior who was Dijana's father would see them and Taeron doubted the man would be sympathetic to their plan although Neria would probably actively help them.
"... and if we cannot persuade her to go with Prince Taeron, she will be unhappy."
"You mean that you will be unhappy, Neria, that your daughter will not be the mate of the lord prince commander of Calabria's imperial warriors."
"Shut up!" Neria sounded furious. "I am thinking of our daughter's welfare."
Roehan laughed huskily. "Come over here and shut me up, Neria. We can talk about Dijana tomorrow."
"Not now, Roehan! We must have this discussion about our daughter and I am displeased that you are distracting me."
"I thought you liked it when I distracted you."
Taeron wished Roehan would get up and distract her so that they could move past the door. He did not enjoy hearing their private conversation.
"Besides," he continued, "there is nothing to discuss. Dijana will do what she wishes and we will support her decision." He paused. "At least I will support her decision. I suppose you will make your own demands without giving a gods' damn what Dijana wants, but in the end the elders will decide."
Neria sighed as she paced, but her step faltered and she turned her head towards the door. She was looking directly at Taeron. At first he read surprise in her eyes, and then she glanced at Roehan before heading towards the door.
"We're done for now," whispered Amyr.
But she did not reveal their presence as she continued to talk. "I think Dijana would be more receptive to Lord Prince Taeron if only he could prove his worthiness as a mate." She had reached the door and she raised her gaze to Taeron's through the crack in the door. "I don't think he even knows how to pleasure a woman!"
The female had only one thing on her mind! And why did she think he was incapable? Dijana had not complained on Norvana. Taeron knew enough about women to know that her pleasure had not been feigned.
"I know how to pleasure a woman," purred Roehan from across the room. "Come back to bed so that I can demonstrate again."
Neria ignored him as she glared at Taeron. "I would be happier to know that Dijana has a man worthy of her, who can take care of her needs as a woman."
She wasn't talking to her mate and they both knew it. So did Amyr and Stryfe who had pressed their lips together to keep from laughing. Taeron took in a deep, calming breath to keep from seizing the door and slamming it shut.
"Perhaps, my dear Roehan, you should instruct him."
Taeron wanted to tell her that he did not need instruction, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Amyr and Stryfe leaning on each other in silent laughter. By the gods! This was a humiliating experience. It was bad enough that he had to suffer through this conversation before his mother and her mate, but to have his brothers hear it was deeply shaming.
"Come to bed, Neria and stop worrying about Dijana. You have said yourself that she has already mated with the Calabrian. If he does not please her as a man should please his mate, there is nothing we are going to do about it. I have no intention of instructing Prince Taeron. Are there no women at the Calabrian court that could have taken care of that education? I cannot believe there was no dearth of females drawn to that warrior."
"I spoke to several of them during my stay at court," Neria told him and Taeron started indignantly to hear that she had been discussing his intimate knowledge with females at the imperial palace. Taeron's stomach twisted in knots as he wondered if she had discussed her findings with his mother.
"They told me that he was a capable lover, but their knowledge of him was limited by the restrictions of unbonded mating practices. Aparently Calabrians behave like fumbling fledglings until they bond with a female."
"Some Calabrians," whispered Amyr with a smirk.
Taeron glared and him and whispered, "Most Calabrians."
"Stop talking about the Calabrian! I am starting to wonder if you would rather be in his bed instructing him."
The thought made Taeron's toes curl and Amyr and Stryfe moved away with startled looks on their faces.
"Hardly!" She sniffed. "I have all the warrior I need in my own bed." With one last raise of her brows and a look in her eye that would have frightened a lesser man, Neria snapped the door shut.
Dijana's room was further down the hall and Taeron headed in that direction although Stryfe and Amyr were whispering highlights from Queen Neria's remarks and quietly snickering. If they did not need to be quiet, he would turn around and beat them like the disrespectful fools that their remarks proved them to be. He could not begin to imagine how the emperor was going to react to the retelling.
They quietly entered Dijana's room and Taeron immediately saw that the two women were on the bed together. Dijana's head was bent over Chaela's wrist, her golden hair now longer than he remembered, hanging across her face as she drew in her blood. Despite the medicine he had taken earlier, his body reacted to the memory of her taking his blood, and like the mindless fool that he was, he jerked the dagger from his belt and raised it to his neck. He wanted to feel her lips on him, gently taking nourishment from him as he held her.
"What are you doing?" whispered Amyr furiously. "Wait until ..."
Taeron opened his flesh and when the blood dribbled out, Dijana raised her head and her glazed eyes met his.
Amyr made a sound of annoyance and lunged forward, his hands catching Dijana's before she could react fully to Taeron's presence. Chaela left her place in the bed, and after an irritated look at both of them, she stepped aside so that he could lie on the bed with Dijana.
Like a babe searching for its mother's milk, Dijana stretched against Taeron and he did not suppress the moan of pleasure when she found the cut he had made and drew in his blood. He heard Amyr say something about the trance and then he felt the energy in Amyr's touch before he was drawn away.
He became aware of soft, moist ground beneath him and opening his eyes, he saw that they were on the bank of the pond on Norvana where they had been together so many times. Dijana sighed softly and after licking the cut he had made to seal it, she raised her face to his and he saw that the pleasure he felt was mirrored in her eyes.
Cradling her face with his hands, he lowered his head to touch their foreheads. "I love you, Dijana," he said softly before touching his lips to hers.