Redemption, M J Marlow [best way to read ebooks TXT] 📗

he drew away from her with true regret. He was astounded to find that he truly meant it. “You are so very beautiful.” He backed away and held out his arm. “Shall we?”
Marit nodded and allowed herself to be escorted down the long flight of stairs and out into the Great Hall. He showed her everything, introduced her quite proudly to the servants as ‘his future bride,’ and continued on. They came out into the courtyard and the first darkness touched the glow around her mind. Justin and Tavin both hung in frames, their wrists shackled to the thick wood. Barnabas was standing nearby, talking to their torturer, lord Talbot, with evident delight. Her cousin’s and Justin’s pain struck her mind and she paled.
“Their lives are in your hands, my lady,” Barnabas told her. “Refuse the Emperor Alexander and your father’s forces lose two able warriors.” He nodded to the guard and water was thrown. Justin looked up and his eyes widened as he saw Barnabas. “Welcome to Atherton, prince Justin. I believe you know my other guest?”
“You will pay for this, Atherton!” Justin exclaimed, pulling on the shackles holding him. “Her father will destroy you!”
“Her father will do nothing,” Barnabas laughed. “He has been given a choice, princeling,” he continued as he nodded to Marit and Alexander. “If Marius agrees to give his child to the Emperor, the Emperor’s armies, including mine, will cease attacking the borderlands. Through alliance with the Emperor, Marius assures that his domain and the lands he protects will remain safe from the war and devastation my lord would have wrought on them.”
“It is a sound plan, Princess,” Alexander smiled down at Marit. “Think of all the innocent lives that will be saved once you are mine.”
“Don’t listen to him, cousin,” Tavin cried. “He will not keep faith with your sire! “The moment he feels your sire lulled into complacency, he will attack.”
She could see his rage and knew it mirrored her own. But she could not answer him, she had no knowledge of the man who was standing next to her. How could she trust that her cousin was telling her truth, after what he had tried to do to her? She looked over at Justin and he was staring at Alexander, puzzled. Alexander’s face was carefully schooled. Something was going on between them that she had no knowledge of. More secrets?
“Prince Justin and I are known to each other, my lady,” Alexander said, looking down at her face. His willingness to tell her what was going on softened her feelings towards him even further. “He was sent to Dunlevy when he was younger for schooling.”
“I thought you my friend, Alexander,” Justin snapped at him. “The princess Marit is promised to me.”
“You could never protect her, Justin,” Alexander told him firmly. “Your people would rise up in arms if they learned your bride was of the Stormkeep bloodline.”
“They would learn to accept her,” Justin protested. “We could make them see that the old prejudices should be set aside.”
“Before they had her burned as a demon?” Alexander asked his friend. He saw Justin cringe. “You did not tell her about that, did you?” He saw Marit’s face going pale and knew he’d pushed too hard. “It is not my place to tell her of that incident.” He looked at Justin and nodded as the boy hung his head in shame. “I am sorry you do not approve of the change in alliance, prince. Your approval is of no concern to me.” He turned to Barnabas. “Cut them down and give them guest chambers. They are to be guests at the wedding. Afterwards, they will be returned to their sires after certain concessions have been made.”
He went inside, knowing his orders would be followed, and went to his chambers with Marit on his arm. Alexander sent the servants out and closed the door behind them. He brought her a goblet of wine and Marit took it and sipped at it, making a face at the taste. Such a beautiful child, Alexander thought, as he watched her. She blushed so prettily under his regard. He waited until her goblet was empty and then he drew her into his lap and claimed her lips.
“My beautiful lady,” he smiled as he heard her whimper of protest. “Tonight I shall finally be allowed to know you.” He pushed the gown off of her shoulders and trailed kisses from her shoulder to the top of her breast as she shuddered. “You are,” Alexander smiled down at her as he lowered her gown further to expose her breasts, “a pearl beyond price.” He lowered his head and claimed her breast, her body arching as his suckling sent waves of desire shooting through her. She was whimpering with need now and he was delighted at how easily she had fallen. There was a knock on the door and he put her on her feet and pulled her gown up. “Enter.” He nodded as the servant women came in. “I will leave you with your slaves, my lady. They will prepare you for the feast.”
Two hours later, Marit was escorted down to the feast hall on Barnabas’ arm. Alexander and the rest of the guests rose to their feet as she entered and she smiled up at him as he came to give her his hand. He pulled her hand up to his lips, his eyes shining with what she saw as attraction. He truly wanted her to be his own, Marit realized. She waited for the thought to anger her, or frighten her, but it did not. She felt only a strange warmth cascading through her; along with intense confusion over why she was so attracted to a man she should abhor.
“Drink some wine, my lady,” Alexander smiled as a servant filled their goblets. “It will help you relax.”
He leaned close to her and rested his cheek against hers. As he did so, he saw the look on Justin’s face and it made his blood boil. But the look on Tavin’s face was quite intriguing. Alexander hissed as he realized what it meant. The animal had plans for mating with her, his own cousin.
“You go too far, prince Tavin!” Alexander snarled as he yanked Marit to her feet. “She will not be tainted by your foul practices.”
“It is the way of our house,” Tavin shot back. “Marit was bred for me!” he snarled and jumped to his feet. “No other male may have her!” He saw the look of shock on Justin’s face. “Did you really think you were worthy of a daughter of our house, prince of Northfell?”
There was the sound of fighting as the gate was attacked. Marit looked up to see men in her uncle’s house colors coming through. At the same time, winged creatures descended and began to attack them. She grabbed a fallen knife and held them off as Alexander motioned one to take her away. She was not going to let Alexander keep her, she decided. In fact, she was never going to let any man near her again. But her plans were changed when Tavin grabbed her and they ran into the courtyard where his men were waiting. He lifted her up to one of his men and followed the retreating horses as a wolf.
“You would have been as weak as your mother,” Tavin said as they stopped for camp several hours later, “when you were meant to be so much more.” He kissed her to keep her quiet, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. His mate, his mind and heart sang. “My mate,” he sighed as he began to nip along the back of her neck, “If only I could have you now.”
Marit shoved him away from her and turned to run. He yanked her back, pressing her face down against a tree. She could not help the whimper as he nipped at the nape of her neck. She was shivering in horror at what he was doing to her; her mind screaming in protest. This was not right! She did not want him. Tavin leaned over and kissed her gently. Then he shifted and went to hunt; leaving Marit shackled and under guard. They never took their eyes off of her, so Marit knew she could not hope to run. Tavin returned with a deer and he left it to his men to dress and roast it. When it was done, he brought her a piece.
“You must eat, little cousin,” he said as he looked down into her angry eyes. “You will need your strength for the first time.” He nodded as she bit into the meat he held out to her. “You are beginning to feel it, aren’t you?” he asked as he saw her expression. “Your body is telling you what your mind will not accept,” he smiled at her gently. “You belong to me.”
“No!” Marit protested. “You are misreading me; seeing only what you want to see.” She glared at him coldly. “I hate what you are trying to do to me, cousin! If you take me, it will be against my will!”
“My lord,” one of his men hissed as Tavin set the meat aside and pressed Marit up against a tree. “She must be a virgin for the ceremony.”
Tavin snarled and moved away from Marit. He motioned her back to her meal and moved out of camp. Marit watched him go, frowning as she remembered how her body had responded to his nearness. But not like it had with Alexander, she realized. Despite the way he had introduced himself to her; she wanted him with an intensity she had never felt before. She finished eating and went to the water bag to pour some out to wash. The guards watched her alertly. She would have to wait until they were asleep and take her chances on the one left to guard. Her plans for escape died, however, when her uncle and his men rode in.
“You are well, niece?” Taryn asked as he strode over to her. He cupped her chin in his hand and saw her anger. He nodded as two men brought in a sack that was struggling and kicking. “We brought you a companion, child.”
The men dropped the sack and cut it open. Marit pushed them away as she saw Susa and untied her friend. Susa was in tears as she looked up at her friend. For once, the irrepressible girl was truly frightened. Marit helped her to her feet and took her to the fallen log near the fire. Once Susa had eaten, she was less cowed. She glared at the men who had brought her in coldly.
“They attacked us while Rafel and I were out riding,” Susa told Marit. “He had no chance to fight them all off.” She shuddered as she remembered the sight. “They left him lying there as if he were nothing…”
“He is nothing,” Tavin broke in as he returned. He clamped arms with his father, pleased at the success of their actions. “You will be companion to my cousin now. If you behave,” he continued as he met Susa’s stunned eyes, “we may find a mate for you in our house.”
“I don’t want any of you,” Susa protested. “I want Edmund!” She turned to Marit. “He asked me to marry him, Marit!”
“But I thought you and Rafel…”
“Your cousin?” Susa laughed. “That’s only what I wanted him to think so I could keep an eye on him.” She leaned closer to Marit. “He has been behind a lot of the things that have happened to you, Marit. I overheard him talking to lord Talbot…” She frowned as she saw the strange expression on her friend’s face; a hopelessness that