Ice Baron (Ice Chronicles, Book One (science fiction romance)) by Jennette Green Page A

trust, and so had her
father.
    Drawing a deep breath, Anya
touched his cool, papery hand. To her surprise, he didn’t snatch it free. “I’m
sorry,” she repeated in a low voice. “I’m sorry for the way my mother hurt you.
And I’m sorry that both of my parents betrayed you.”
    Richert looked away. A deeper
scowl knit his brows. He fumbled in his shirt pocket. As if summoned by an
invisible command, his wheelchair noiselessly rolled up to his chair.
    “I’m glad for a chance at a new
beginning,” she pressed on. “For you, me, Joshua, and my family.”
    The black eyes glittered. “I don’t
trust you, you know. I don’t trust anyone.”
    “I know. But we’ve taken the first
step toward peace, haven’t we?”
    Now he jerked his hand free. “We’ll
see.” With shaking arms, he levered himself up and plopped into his wheelchair.
With an impatient poke at a button, he whirred away.
    “Good job.” Amusement lurked in
Joshua’s eyes. “Ready to sweet-talk Onred next?”
    “You’d let me come?”
    “Not a chance.”
    Lowering her gaze, Anya spooned up
soup and blew on it. Joshua could read her too well. She was afraid her eyes
would give away her true intentions. He would be livid when he found out what
they were.

 
     
     
     
    CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
     
     
    Joshua slowed to a stop before Anya’s door.
    It was almost time for the mission
to begin. He looked forward to seeing Onred face-to-face—his visceral desire
was to kill the monster with his bare hands. First, though, he had to say
goodbye to Anya. She had left the lunch table shortly after Richert, and it was
why Joshua stood outside her door now.
    He didn’t want to leave her again.
What a waste, to never be able to show her or tell her how much she meant to
him. His overwhelming longing to hold her in his arms threatened his rational
mind; even worse, it threatened to undermine his fierce vow to honor, loyalty,
and duty. He had to control himself one more time. And he had to be prepared,
too, for he knew she’d beg to come with him. Part of him selfishly wanted to
grant her wish. He wanted her with him, so he could see her as long as safely
possible before he left for his ultimate mission. But Anya was too unpredictable,
and might find a way to follow him. So he absolutely could not allow it. It was
far too dangerous. Protecting her was his number one job. And he’d continue to
do so until his dying breath.
    So now he had to tell her goodbye.
    What if this was the last time he
would ever see her? Would it matter if he broke his sacred protector’s trust?
She would forgive him. Joshua knew it.
    If he died, his sins would die
with him. If he lived, perhaps there was a chance…
    No, there wasn’t.
    Joshua had lived so long tamping
down his hopes and his desires that it had become almost a reflex action, the
word “no.” Was it easier to say “no” than to experience the capricious
uncertainties of a risky, joyful “yes”?
    In battle, he had never accepted
less than complete conquest. It was easy, because it was the right thing to do.
He could follow through on his basic, primitive instinct to conquer. But with
Anya, he could not do the same. Always, he had to put the brakes on his
feelings and deny the deep desire to make her his.
    It was damn hard. But one more
time, he would do what was right.
    Joshua knocked.
     
    *  *  *  *  *
     
    Anya drew a breath and schooled
her features into petulant lines. She had to make this look real. Joshua couldn’t
suspect her true plan until it was too late. Her boots and parka lay in the
closet, ready for hasty donning. She already wore snow wear under her black
clothes.
    At Joshua’s second knock, she
opened the door.
    Those velvet brown eyes looked
serious, and a faint frown drew his straight brows together. He wore his cream
parka and boots, and he looked bigger than normal. He was ready to go.
    She shut the door after him.
    “I’m leaving,” he said, his mouth
a straight line.
    “I could