His Highness the Duke Read online

  “Bron?” she whispered. Did she dare speak his name louder? What if someone was in the forest? What if they came for her next? Or a hungry animal?

  Aeron closed her eyes, recalling some of the uploads. There were allusions to dangerous beasts native to the planet. If a ceffyl was considered tame, then she could imagine what a wild creature would be like.

  “Bron?” she said, this time slightly louder. There was no answer.

  Aeron scanned the forest floor, trying to find some clue as to where he could have gone. Old leaves and fallen logs intermingled with tiny shoots of the gray and yellow plants. Rocks covered in fine-haired moss jutted from a few places. Nothing she saw indicated Bron had passed by—not that she knew what to look for.

  “Come on, Bron,” she whispered, growing more frantic by the minute. “I’m not a field agent. Don’t leave me alone here. I don’t know what to do.”

  Aeron searched the distance from the cliff, squinting to see down the mountainside. Still, there was nothing. Going back to the house, she tried to wait, pacing the length of the home to look out one narrow window and then another. The skirts of her gown tangled around her legs and she jerked angrily at them as they tripped her. It was the same gown she’d been wearing for days. Without a change of clothes, she had little choice but to wear it again. Minutes turned to what had to be hours, and each passing second caused the knot in her stomach to tighten.

  Aeron gathered food supplies, hoping beyond hope that Bron would walk through the door and thus make any attempt at looking for him unnecessary. He didn’t and she was forced to brave the mountainside alone. The hazy light cast over her surroundings. At least it would not get dark.

  This was not supposed to be happening to her. There had been a calming effect to Bron’s presence, overbearing as it was. Now, without him by her side, she felt the full scope of the open terrain.

  “You’re in a ship. The virtual reality room is really enclosed by metal grated walls that are projecting this impression. Nothing here can hurt me. The computer has safety protocols activated.” It was all lies, but it made her feel somewhat better. Aeron made another lap around the house, trying to find clues as to where Bron had gone. Nothing. She secured the makeshift bag she’d created over her shoulder and eyed the ceffyl. “Security protocols are on. Nothing can hurt me.”

  She stepped toward the ceffyl. It turned its head, eyeing her. A long tongue slithered out and wiggled in the air for several long seconds. Slowly, she reached for the center horn and gave it a small tug. It didn’t respond. She did it again, harder, just like Bron had done. Again, it didn’t move.

  “Fine!” she grumbled. “Stay here. I’m going to find the palace and get some help.”

  A very ungraceful slide down the cliff saw her to the top of the long mountain path. The skirts of the gown she’d been given to wear after the ceremony offered little protection as they caught on jutted rocks. She had thought about taking some of the male clothing she had found in the home, but couldn’t bring herself to take it without permission. The gown would have to do. A stone scraped the back of her calf and thigh, causing a sharp sting to radiate along her leg. This rescue mission was not going well.

  Before she could take two steps down the mountain path, she heard hooves sliding. She turned to see the ceffyl standing behind her, eyeing her as if it waited for her to react.

  “Oh, now you come,” she said. The beast lifted its head and slithered his tongue. Secretly, she was glad for its company. Surely such an unsightly thing would scare off other unsightly things. Aeron focused her attention toward the distance. “Well, come on then, Hideous. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us.”

  Nothing. No one.

  Aeron kept walking, even when she was tired. The ceffyl followed her, stopped when she paused, moved when she moved, looked at her with its giant reptilian eyes when she ate until finally she set a piece of meat on the ground. She jerked her hand back just as the long tongue shot out to pick it up. She soon discovered the thing would put anything in its mouth, including little rocks it licked up along the trail.

  Suddenly, she heard a moan. The almost pained sound jerked her into motion. She rushed forward, up a small incline to see down the immediate path. Bron? It sounded like a man’s voice. What was he doing all the way…?

  “Oh! Ah!” Aeron gasped in shock. A couple stood on the path, in plain view of anyone and anything, locked in what could only be described as a very intimate, highly inappropriate, private embrace. The woman was partially hidden from view, but it was clear by the tugging motion of her arm that she was in the process of stroking her companion most intimately. The man’s position was little better. He had his hand gripping the woman’s exposed ass as he held her skirts up.

  At her intrusion, the couple stopped kissing and looked at each other. It took a very long moment for them to turn to acknowledge Aeron. She thought about running, unsure if she should have made her presence known to strangers in the middle of nowhere on an alien planet. But, as she was about to make good her not-so-subtle escape, the trysting woman turned more fully into view. She had blonde hair with red tips and deeply soulful brown eyes. Aeron recognized her from the Galaxy Brides’ ship as Kendall Haven. Flustered to be caught staring and yet unable to run away from the first sign of help she’d seen all day, she mumbled, “I… Apologies… Walking…”

  It wasn’t her most graceful of sentences, but the Draig man was glaring at her like he wanted to attack her for the interruption. Kendall studied her lover’s face before glancing down his body to where her hand still rested on his erection. Kendall turned red and she twisted her body away from Aeron to straighten her clothing. The man seemed loath to let Kendall go. His hands were much slower in releasing their hold. Kendall swept her hands over her body to make sure she was covered.

  Aeron forced her gaze down and to the side. It was a meaningless gesture, as she’d already seen what they’d been doing. “I didn’t mean to intrude.” She regained the majority of her senses. Maybe if she ignored what she saw and never mentioned it, they wouldn’t either. “I’ve been walking for a long time.”

  “Who are you?” the man questioned. “What are you doing with that ceffyl?”

  Aeron glanced behind her to the animal following her over the ridge. Her ceffyl caught up to her only to walk down toward the other animal waiting near the couple. The smaller ceffyl lowered its head and moved toward the much larger beast. The two ugly creatures began rubbing horns.

  “It followed me,” Aeron answered. She looked almost desperately at Kendall for help. The woman wasn’t a friend, but she was a welcome face in light of the man’s overly harsh tone.

  “Alek, this is Aeron. She was on the Galaxy Brides’ ship with me,” Kendall explained.

  “Aeron Grey,” Aeron filled in.

  “What are you doing out here alone, Aeron Grey?” Alek asked.

  Aeron gestured helplessly. The morning had given her ample time to worry about Bron. She might not think to live happily ever after with him, but that didn’t mean she wanted him dead or injured. “I don’t know.”

  “Where is your husband?” Alek took a step toward her.

  “I’m not really married. I mean, I am, but I’m not. It’s hard to explain,” Aeron said.

  Alek shot a sidelong glance at Kendall. “There seems to be that complication a lot with this shipment.”

  Kendall looked to the ground and took a step away from him toward Aeron. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know. There was the ceremony and then the king drugged me with this yellow pollen thing and then I was taken to,” she turned and pointed up the mountain, “to this cabin home in the mountains. I took a bath, went to bed, and I woke up alone.”

  Alek was on her in an instant. “The mountain cabin? What happened? Where is your husband?”

  “I…” Aeron automatically tried to get away from the charging man. His dark brown eyes narrowed in on her. Alek grabbed her arm and jerked her forward. His fingers bit into her
flesh. “I don’t know.”

  “What have you done?” he demanded, giving her a small shake.

  “I did nothing!” she cried. “I woke up and he was gone.”

  “Who?”

  “My husband,” she answered, desperately tugging at her arm. It did no good. The more she pulled the tighter his grip became. She looked at Kendall for help, but the woman didn’t move. Instead, Kendall stared at Alek with a strange look on her face. “I waited for him for hours, most of the day, but I think he must have gone out the night before and he didn’t come back. He didn’t say what he was doing. I tried to find him, but it was as if he was just snatched from the ground into the heavens. I couldn’t even see footprints.”

  “Who is your husband?” Alek demanded. And Aeron had thought Bron was high-handed in his manners! This man was infuriating. Only her fear of him kept Aeron from arguing.

  “B—Bron,” she stammered. “He’s the High—”

  “I know who he is,” Alek snapped. He let go of Aeron’s arm. She automatically rubbed the injured appendage. To Kendall, he said, “We must go to the cabin. Bron would not have left her alone. Not for so long. Something must have happened.” He looked suspiciously at Aeron. “Or someone did something to him.”

  There was definitely a difference in him when he looked at Kendall. For Kendall he softened some, even as he sounded gruff.

  “I—” Aeron began. His cold, mistrusting look stopped her from finishing.

  “We ride to the cabin,” Alek ordered.

  Kendall frowned. “What about your home? We were going—”

  “Our home will have to wait,” he broke in. “Get on the ceffyl.”

  Alek forced the ceffyls to run a hard, fast pace. Aeron thought better than to protest. Every time the man looked in her direction, it was to glare. Kendall rode behind him on his larger beast. Her expression seemed worried, only Aeron wasn’t sure why.

  “Kendall, did you happen to see my sister?” Aeron asked. It had taken her a good portion of the ride to get the courage to speak. Alek tensed, but said nothing. “I am sure she got back onto the ship since she did not find a husband, but I did not have the chance to say farewell to her.”

  “Riona?” Kendall confirmed. Aeron nodded. “No, I only saw her at the banquet. I’m sorry. I don’t know anything.”

  Aeron nodded again, disappointed but not surprised.

  She recognized the terrain as they reached the cabin. Knowing what to expect this time, she held on tight and closed her eyes as the ceffyl took her up the cliff to level ground. Aeron dropped the bag of food on the ground and moved toward the door. “I’ll see if he returned while I was gone.”

  Alek lifted his head and inhaled deeply. “No. he’s not here.” The man breathed again. His eyes shifted with gold. “I detect his scent in the forest, but it is faint, hours old.”

  “You can tell that just by smelling?” Kendall asked, surprised.

  Alek nodded. “Go inside. Stay here, together. Do not leave the house. I go to look for my brother.”

  Alek shifted, his body hardening like his eyes as he turned his attention to the mountain forest. The form of the dragon came over him, from the talons on his fingertips to the hard ridge along his forehead. He surged forward, disappearing into a blur within the trees.

  “Don’t be scared,” Kendall said. “The Galaxy Brides’ downloads were somewhat incomplete. These men are shifters.”

  Aeron nodded. “I know. Bron showed me.” Then, thinking of just how and when Bron had shown her, she quickly turned toward the cabin. “If I looked worried it was because I couldn’t help wondering what we would do if Alek does not come back.”

  Kendall seemed surprised by the thought and hesitated as she looked to where he’d disappeared into the forest.

  “It was just a worry. I’m sure he will return. He seems very taken with you.” Aeron managed a smile she didn’t feel. A wave of embarrassment washed over her at the idea of Bron abandoning her. She had insisted she was not there to be married. What if he simply took her at her word and left her? Now, Alek was out running in the forest, worried about his brother. She swallowed nervously. “I’m just glad someone else is here to look for him. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t know anything about these forests, let alone tracking. I’m not even sure how to get back to the palace. I was guessing.”

  Aeron felt so helpless, and worried, and embarrassed. She’d offered herself to Bron and he’d refused to sleep with her again. Now that Kendall and Alek were helping her, she had time to stop and think about what had happened. How much her life had changed in just a short time.

  She led the way into the cabin, turning the light on as Bron had shown her. Without bothering to ask Kendall if she was hungry, Aeron went to the kitchen and began pulling out food. It kept her hands busy and she found she desperately wanted something to do. Besides, assessing the cooking uploads forced her brain to concentrate.

  Kendall followed, watching. “You said you’re not really married? If you don’t plan on being married, why did you get on the ship?”

  “It’s a long story,” Aeron answered. Some field agent she’d turned out to be. Here she was trying to save a people and so far all she managed to do was find a husband she couldn’t want. Well, she could and did want him, she just wasn’t sure she wanted to spend the rest of her severely shortened life on a primitive planet taking orders from him. “And you? You seemed pretty comfortable with your husband, yet he appeared to be unconvinced of your plans to be his wife.”

  “It’s a long story,” Kendall answered.

  Aeron gave a short laugh. “Fair answer.”

  “Alek has his appeal,” Kendall explained, “and he did me a great favor, which makes me indebted to him, but I have a family matter that requires I leave.”

  “And if you could stay, would you?”

  Kendall gestured helplessly. “I don’t know.”

  “Bron has his appeal, as well,” Aeron said, “when he’s not speaking to me as if I am to be ordered about like a servant.”

  “Must be a family trait.” Kendall gave a wry smile. She made her way into the kitchen. “Can I help with something?”

  Aeron gave her some quick basic instructions before continuing the conversation. Kendall cut slices of raw meat into thin strips while Aeron boiled water. They talked of the ship, of the other brides, and how strange this new planet of alpha males was compared to the other places they had been.

  “I grew up on a fueling dock.” Kendall finished cutting one piece of meat and began on the next one. “I’m used to a variety of species, just not the wide open spaces.”

  “I work in a small metal room.” She dropped vegetables into the boiling water, only to snap her hand back when the steam heated her skin. “I’m not used to species or wide open spaces. In fact, I’m not used to conversations that don’t include a communicator.”

  “So, why were you on the Galaxy Brides’ ship?”

  “It really is a long story. I needed to secure a meeting on this planet and my sister,” Aeron paused and gave a small laugh, “my sister was in charge of the travel arrangements. She’s a little unconventional when it comes to such things. To tell the truth, she’s unconventional when it comes to most things.” Aeron realized she was staring toward the door. She drew her eyes away.

  “I would tell you that he’s fine, but I have no way of knowing if that is true.”

  “I’ll show you how to cook the meat strips.” Aeron took the meat and moved toward the cooking fire to lay them out. Then, quietly, she said, “Thank you for the thought. I honestly don’t know why I’m worried. This is their homeland. He probably just lost track of time, or was distracted by something important.”

  “I’m sure that’s it,” Kendall said, though she didn’t sound convinced. Then, wrinkling her nose, she asked, “Is meat supposed to smell like that?”

  8

  Bron strained against his ties. He wasn’t sure who had captured him, but there was one logical answer. Th
e House of Var. King Attor and his cat-shifting race of fanatics made for worthy enemies. They were powerful, ruling over the southern half of the small planet. Many, like Bron’s father before he died, believed that they were facing another war with the cat-shifters. Wars were terrible affairs for their kind, lasting sometimes for fifty to a hundred years with many deaths and seldom any clear progress or victory, just an uneasy truce while each side replenished their warriors and concentrated on rebuilding the population. Bron often thought something might happen soon to spark the next war. He considered his lonely prison cell and realized that now was the perfect time for the Var to strike. Seven of the eight noblemen had found brides. Marriage led to children, children grew into power, and so the next generation of fighters would be born. The best way to stop an age-old battle was to ensure the enemy had no future generations to lead or to fight.

  Still, even as he struggled against his chains, he couldn’t help but feel that his capture was very strange for a man like King Attor. Attor was from the old warrior class. It was not like him to take a prisoner of high worth only to ignore him. If Attor had taken him, he would want everyone to know. Unless he had reason to keep Bron’s imprisonment a secret.

  At the very, very least, the Var king would want Bron to know who had outwitted him and abandoned him in the ancient dungeon. The fact that Attor did not show himself meant his captors might be coming back for him. They would not leave him to starve, alone, letting his family to forever wonder what happened to him. This was not the Var way. And who else would dare to do this?

  Bron frowned, trying with renewed force to free himself. Chains clanked against the metal floors and wall. What if they stole his bride? It would seem suitable punishment by the gods for his dishonoring the ceremony by allowing the consummation of their marriage early. What if someone else wanted Aeron for his own? What better way to stake claim to her than to make it look like he had run out on his marital duties?