Sevin: Lords of Satyr by Elizabeth Amber Page B

night. But she’d been his woman. And though this had gone unspoken, all of them had known it.
    She’d shown herself to be innocent of her family’s wrongdoing. And she was neither a harlot, nor a mistress a man paid to enjoy between the sheets. Therefore, he must repay her for what she’d done in the way any man of good breeding must. With marriage.
    The thought was a new one, and one he’d never considered before with any woman. Not even Clara, for they’d been too young, and in her tribe marriage was not the expected result of a mating.
    Yet the idea of wedding this woman did not terrify him, strangely enough. Rather it filled him with determination to see it come about. He could not regret all that passed between them and found that he relished the thought of having her beside him in the years to come. His soul and body recognized her as his, as what was meant to be.
    After this night, a remembrance of their joining would remain with her, a new constant in her physical makeup. She would long to lie with him again, and if she proved stubborn and difficult to convince in the matter of a marriage to him, he would use her desire as leverage. As her husband, he would protect her, cherish her. He would not let her go the way that Clara had.
    “Lantern’s still got a few hours left in it.” Luc’s voice was pitched low so as to let Alexa sleep a few minutes longer. Already bathed and dressed, he stood across the room tinkering with the lamp.
    Sevin slanted a glance in his direction as he began buttoning his shirt. “Are you all right?”
    Luc shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “The headache’s gone, if that’s what you want to know. A Calling night always has the effect of relieving it. And I’m alive. Thanks to you.”
    “Thank her, not me.” Sevin nodded toward Alexa.
    “Maybe I will.” A slight smile tugged at one corner of his brother’s lips and then was gone. Luc gestured toward the riches stacked high in every corner. “That fountain and most of these artifacts were made in ElseWorld. Are they from the Forum digs? Stored here by smugglers, do you think? Or by the Patrizzis?”
    “Bastian is the expert,” said Sevin, shrugging. “He and I will come back later to examine everything. But first things first. I’ll wake her. Then let’s find our way out of here.”
    Luc nodded. “Any thoughts on which direction to choose? Toss a coin or ... ?” He broke off mid-sentence.
    Sevin glanced back to see him swaying on his feet.
    Luc held out both his hands, staring at them as if he’d never seen them before. “It’s happening again.”
    Alarmed, Sevin lunged for him just as his brother instinctively reached out for an anchor. His hand found Sevin, and clamped on his arm. The room around them began to waver and spin as it had the night before. Sevin felt disoriented and was hit with a sense of vertigo.
    “Wait—Alexa!” He started to jerk away, but it was too late. He only had time for one last glimpse of her before she and the room were gone.
    Or rather he and Luc were gone.
    Seconds later, the two of them were back in the Salone di Passione again, far across Capitoline Hill from the sleeping woman they’d left behind. He prayed to the gods that she would not become lost before he found her again.

    Hearing Sevin cry her name, Alexa was abruptly jolted from sleep. She sat up, remembering the entire night that had passed before with immediate clarity. Her eyes searched the room, lightning fast.
    “Sevin? Lucien?” Gathering the topmost coverlet around her nakedness, she stood and went to the door. Interminable darkness stretched in both directions. “Sevin!”
    Only her own voice echoed, mocking her. She was alone. In a very short time, she’d learned enough of Sevin’s character to be certain he would not have intentionally deserted her. She could only assume the two brothers must have traveled elsewhere in the same unexpected, magical manner that he’d said had brought them here last