Captivity by Ann Herendeen Page A

as far as my depleted crypta would
allow. My lord husband. My love .
    Another voice, another hand, reached for
Dominic, from another direction. Companion , the voice said. My love . Niall was with Dominic, had also witnessed the
rape, perhaps had also participated, locked in communion with
Dominic, as I had. Niall, too, was frightened by his lover’s
exhibition of rage. You must not exhaust yourself, my love, Niall said. We must save our strength for the journey .
Through my link with my husband, I felt Niall’s hand on Dominic’s
arm, his tentative kiss.
    Niall had never seen this aspect of his
lover’s personality, whatever he may have heard of Dominic’s
reputation. As a gifted young man of good gentry stock, Niall had
followed the usual path, entering the ‘Graven Military Academy
where Dominic was Weapons Master, sometimes Commandant. But Dominic
stayed true to Stefan, and Niall had been for two years an adult by
Eclipsian standards, eighteen when he came to Aranyi as Dominic’s
lover. Between the two of them there had been, for over a year now,
only mutual love and respect. Dominic saw in Niall a reminder of
himself, some twenty-five years ago. Niall had found in Dominic
someone he could look up to, a leader to emulate, and had not
expected to have to set an example of behavior for his older, more
experienced, lover.
    There was a slow relaxation in Dominic’s taut
ferocity at Niall’s touch, then a return of control. Two
days , Dominic said, to me and to Reynaldo. I will be there
in two days. Then we will – He took a breath. Negotiate .
    Reynaldo uncurled himself from the protective
ball his body had formed, scrambling to his feet at the resumption
of communication. He discovered, as he had known he must, that he
was unhurt, whatever his mind had endured. “Two days,” he repeated
aloud for the benefit of his men. Very good, Margrave , he
spoke deferentially to Dominic. We will be ready .
    Ready? Was I imagining it, or was
Reynaldo smiling? He had undergone excruciating pain with Dominic’s
abuse, pain I had sensed without sharing it. His tears and cries
had not been feigned. Yet the incident, now that he knew the worst
had passed, had left him in some way triumphant.
    I must find a way to enter his mind without
his knowledge, I reminded myself. Right now the prospect was as
daunting as Jana’s plan of murdering forty men with my spare
dagger. My weakness was draining all initiative, all skills of
training from me.
    My husband embraced me in a quick farewell. Dominic , I said, shielding my thoughts shakily, Dominic,
be careful. He is planning something .
    So am I , Dominic said. He kissed me on
forehead and lips. Try not to worry, Amalie. Look after the
children and hold on for two more days . He broke the communion,
smoothly but with finality.
    Groping in the telepathic ether, too late, I
searched for Niall. I had hoped to warn him too. But the connection
was gone.
    In the interior silence that followed, the
noise of my immediate surroundings blasted my ears like coming up
from under water. Val was crying, a fretful uneven sound from a
strange kind of hunger he had never known before. Jana plucked at
my sleeve, saying something I couldn’t yet catch. Reynaldo’s men
stood uncertainly, shuffling their feet, waiting for a signal from
their leader.
    Reynaldo struck out at the men nearest him,
cuffing and slapping them indiscriminately. “What are you staring
at!” The men bore his blows stoically, used to this treatment,
turning in the doorway to leave. Reynaldo had been humiliated in
front of them, was venting his own anger in the only way open to
him, but the men seemed as loyal and obedient as ever. Their leader
had not been defeated, merely shamed. They were willing to wait and
see what the passing of two days would bring.
    Reynaldo stopped, facing me in the light from
the doorway, baring his teeth in a grimace. “I see Margrave Aranyi
values his family after all.” He fought a desire to share