Agnith's Promise: The Vildecaz Talents, Book 3 Read Online Free Page A

“She’ll manage the Duzky. She has Hoftstan Ruch to help her, and General Rocazin.”
    “And Poyneilum Zhanf, at least for the time being. I hope he will remain for a while once she returns,” said Ninianee. She knew that Erianthee would be angry with her for leaving before she returned from Court, leaving the Duzky in the hands of a stranger, but Ninianee hoped her sister would understand. When she returned with their father, she’d explain it all to Erianthee.
    “He is a great help,” said Doms.
    “Well, he is,” she insisted.
    “I agree with you,” he said, dropping his arm from her shoulder. “I’ve known him most of my life, and I’m sure he’ll do his best for Vildecaz.” He turned on the bench, facing her. “I know you have doubts about me, and you hear many nefarious implications in everything I say, but for once, put them aside and listen to me without suspicion.” When he was sure he had all her attention, he continued. “I love you. If there were no magic in the Great World, there would be magic enough for me in you. I would abandon all the gods and goddesses before I would abandon you. I will not leave you – I tried last winter, for I knew if I remained at Vildecaz there would be no leaving you, ever. The Mautsarej Ocean wouldn’t let me go. I will be with you as long as there is breath in my body.” He took a deep breath. “I’d promise you all this, but a promise is paltry compared to my ties to you.”
    Ninianee heard him out, trying not to allow her usual uncertainty color what she heard. If she let herself, she could succumb to him as she would to an enormous flood. If all he said were true, she would be a fool not to. But try as she would, she couldn’t silence the niggling fright that if she allowed herself to yield to him and he left again, as he had done almost a year ago, she would be utterly bereft. She took his hand. “I will try to give credence to what you say, without qualifications of my own.” How stiff and unconvincing she sounded. “I want to be persuaded without feeling gullible or trivial.” Abruptly she kissed his hand. “This is my barrier to climb, not yours. I wish it were otherwise.”
    “I’ll wait,” he said quietly.
    “You don’t have to prove anything to me. I have to . . . to decide if I am the woman you love, or if it is some ideal you have made, a Ninianee that belongs in one of Erianthee’s Shadowshows, not this – this Ninianee.” It was difficult to say, and she began to tremble, not from cold but from the emotions rising within her.
    His lips on hers began a melting kiss, one that joined them as surely as magic bound the Outer Air to the Great World. There was tenderness and passion in the kiss, as well as hope mixed with foreboding. He embraced her, his arms wrapped around her shoulders, and after a slight hesitation, she closed her arms around his waist, her pulse beating so powerfully that she was surprised he couldn’t hear it. Finally the kiss ended, but he still held her close, his lips against her hair, and she didn’t let go of him.
    “We have a long way to go tomorrow,” she said some time later. She let go of him, standing in spite of the dizziness that had taken hold of her.
    “We do,” he said, his face puzzled.
    “We had best bank the fire and get to bed, before the room gets cold again,” she told him, trying to sound matter-of-fact, though her breath caught as she spoke. They had lain in the same bed together since the last full moon, and although they had clung together for warmth, they had carefully avoided anything that might have led to greater intimacy. Now she wondered if that would ever happen again. She chided herself for being foolish, reminding herself that many men would have expected much more from her before now.
    “As you wish,” he said, getting to his feet as unsteadily as she had. “I’ll do the fire, shall I?”
    “If you would,” she answered, feeling unaccountably skittish. It was so