“Just Arawn, Lea,” he said, and shut the door behind her. He walked beside her to
the front of the room.
Lea was intimidated by the three older men who sat on a dais in front of which
Bevyn was standing, his back to her. Clothed in dark gray robes, they were sitting so
still she might well have thought them statues had not the one in the middle blinked.
“There is no need to be afraid of us, Lady Lea,” the man said. “We won’t bite unless
you ask us to.” He—like his fellow Shadowlords—was sitting forward in his chair, his
hands clasped on the top of the desk.
“And then only very gently,” said the one on the right.
“And neatly,” the other agreed.
Lea couldn’t keep from smiling. “I am grateful then, Your Graces, for I believe I will
pass on being bitten.”
“She is a very lovely lady, Lord Bevyn,” the man on the left said. “I can see why
you would give your heart into her keeping.”
“I am Lord Kheelan,” the man in the middle said. “The man on my right is Lord
Naois and on the left is Lord Dunham. We are the High Council.”
“Your Graces,” she acknowledged with a clumsy curtsy.
“First, let us put your mind at ease,” Lord Kheelan said. “Since Lord Bevyn has
sworn to protect you and honor you as his mate, we will not remove you from his care
unless he proves himself unworthy of you.”
“A situation we do not feel will happen,” Lord Dunham stated.
Relief flooded through Lea’s body. The blood was rushing through her head and
she felt faint at such wonderful news.
“Nevertheless,” Lord Kheelan said. “Your mate acted without the sanction of the
High Council and because he did, he must atone for his transgression.”
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Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Lea lifted her chin. “I understand that, Your Grace, and I am prepared to stand
beside him and undergo whatever punishment you see fit to extend to me.”
Lord Kheelan blinked again then sat back in his chair. “Milady, you are not the one
at fault here,” he said.
“I beg to disagree, Your Grace,” she said. “I am a firm believer that if a woman
stays in her place, the man will be forced to. I opened the door for Lord Bevyn and he
walked through. I am as much at fault as is he.”
Bevyn’s pride in his woman soared. He could feel Arawn’s respect as well and
though he dared not turn his head to look at either one—Lea on his right and the Prime
Reaper on his left—he could not stop the smile from twitching at his lips.
“I see,” Lord Kheelan said. He folded his arms over his chest. “You are far wiser
than your stubborn Reaper, milady. He believes he instigated the entire situation.”
“Not so, Your Grace,” Lea stated. “I desired him as much as he desired me.”
Lord Kheelan tilted his head to one side. “And why is that, milady, other than the
fact that he is a prime specimen of maleness?”
Lea relaxed under the High Lord’s steady gaze for she sensed an ally in this man
despite the fact that he was not smiling. His eyes were kind.
“Because I saw his loneliness, Your Grace, and it echoed my own,” she said softly.
There was complete silence in the room for a long time. The three men on the dais
were looking at her with unwavering attention and she could have sworn she saw
moisture glinting in Lord Kheelan’s gaze. When he spoke to her, he had to clear his
throat before he could begin for it seemed he was finding it difficult to speak.
“Milady, you have our deepest admiration and our fondest wishes that your life
with Lord Bevyn will be a long and fruitful one. We pray that happiness will ever be a
guest in your home,” Lord Kheelan said in a gruff voice.
Bevyn’s lips were trembling when the High Lord shifted his attention to the Reaper
2-I-C.
“Lord Bevyn?” Lord Kheelan queried.
Bevyn snapped to attention at the tone.
“You are to take your lady to your quarters and make sure she is comfortable. We
will give you one hour in which to say your goodbyes to her before you are to report to
Level One,” the High Lord ordered. “Do not waste a moment of that time in showing
your lady what a true treasure she is. You are dismissed. Send in that annoying
Amazeen.”
“Aye, Your Grace!” Bevyn said. “Thank you, Your Grace!” He saluted then reached
out for Lea’s hand, tugging her with him as he started for the door.
“Reaper?” Penthe questioned as Bevyn and Lea came out.
“They want you in there,” was all Bevyn said. “Hop to, wench, or you’ll be sorry!”
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Her Reaper’s Arms
Bevyn kept up a running commentary as he pulled Lea with him up the stairs to the
fourth floor. He was like a little boy showing off his proudest possessions.
“There are ten suites on this floor. We each have our own suite and it’s huge!” he
said. “If you don’t like the way it’s painted or the furniture, just tell Giles and he’ll get it
changed.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it, milord,” she said, stumbling along behind him, her skirt hiked
up to keep from stepping on it.
“There’s a big marble tub and a thing they call a shower,” he said as he let go of her
hand to press his palm against a strange-looking black glass panel to the side of the
door. “It’s like a mini waterfall and I’ve spent hours under it.”
“Hours?” she questioned, not believing that for a moment.
“Reapers can’t swim but they love water,” he said as the door swung open as if by
unseen hands.
The room into which he led her was the most wondrous thing she had ever seen. A
large sitting room was illuminated at one end by a long bank of windows that
overlooked the scorched plain, but beyond was the North Sea and the view took her
breath away.
“Oh Sweet Merciful Alel,” she whispered as she stared at the view. “Is that the
sea?”
“Aye,” he said. “And you can sit on the settee and stare at it all you like!”
There were three large settees, each of which had to be at least
