KAYDEN LIONHEART

The woman wasn’t just beautiful, she had courage too. Those icy blue eyes looked at him like she could see through him, right into the depths of his soul. It was both arousing and terrifying.

She stood her ground, taking him on as her equal, but a few subtle movements and flashes of fear in her eyes betrayed her.

Kayden should be more cautious, especially with someone possessing alien magic, but he needed to touch her, to feel her skin under his fingers. So he caressed her cheek, telling her that it would be a shame to end her life.

"As long as you don’t try to force me into anything I don’t want then I will do no harm. I did not run from the cruel mistreatment of a barbarian king to be treated the same in this world."

Kayden grinned as he stepped back. "Oh, darling, I'm not that kind of monster. I'm a king. I'm not always kind, but I've never hurt a woman in my life."

He’d never hurt an innocent, unarmed woman in his life. Those who had fought in the war against him were a different story.

Thankfully, his words hit the right cord because her muscles relax. "Please forgive me. I know what it is to be a leader and have to protect your people. It is why I wound up where I was."

For a few more seconds, Kayden searched her eyes. Leaving her here would mean she’d die, but taking her was a security risk.

“The desert is a cruel lover,” he said. “Luckily for you, this nation believes that a person wandering in the desert shouldn’t be judged by their past, but by their present.” He walked back to Thunder, knowing that he’d probably treat a man harsher. Hadn't he learned that women could be just as deadly as men? But his instinct told him that this woman wasn’t here to harm them. Or maybe it was his lust telling him that. Either way, he’d suffer the consequences of his action, hopefully without fatal results.

"You can take down the spell," Kayden called out.

A moment later, the air shimmered around them and his men were revealed a few meters away, lowering their weapons.

Surprise flashed on the woman’s face, and fear gleamed in her eyes, but she regained control quickly, and once again, stood tall, even though she wouldn’t have a chance against all of them. Or maybe she had. The implication of that thought scared Kayden, but he chased it away. No one could be that powerful. There were six of them, and only one of her. And water was limited in this environment. Unless she could control blood. Then they were in trouble.

"We need to get going to make it to safety before dusk." He mounted Thunder and reached down to help her up. "I'm Kayden Lionheart."

She gave a slight bow, bending at the waist and keeping her eyes on his. "Arelyn Aurora, you may call me Lyn." She took his hand and he pulled her behind him. "This is a magnificent animal. I love horses."

Kayden sighed, not wanting to chat, but he also didn't want to be rude. "Thunder is a great horse." He looked at the woman. "Hold on tight." He winked. "I don't mind when a beautiful woman is clinging to me."

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He turned Thunder and slowly galloped north. Arelyn’s hands rested on his waist lightly, but not out of fear of touching him. She moved with Thunder, holding on without the need to cling to him. The sign of an experienced rider.

"The village I lived in before." She paused, only for a moment then cleared her throat. "My village had both wild and tamed horses. My husbands were excellent trainers."

Husbands. As multiple men warming her bed. What a strange concept. No wonder she’d looked at him as her equal. This woman was used to bossing men around. How else could one have multiple husbands?

"How many husbands did you have? And what is the point of having multiple men? It’s not like they can provide for more children."

She laughed. It wasn’t a pure, joyful sound, but it was a laugh, and it meant that she wasn’t too tense and afraid. "I had three, on my continent the men outnumber the women so it is either multiple husbands or men go without love or the warmth of a woman's bed. As far as children, I had four. A set of twins, both boys then a boy and girl separately. The men care for the children as much as the women do, if not more once they are weaned. I do realize this isn't the case in all cultures."

He’d only asked about husbands, and not the number and gender of her children, and all the other things she’d shared. Men caring for children more than women. What a strange and yet fascinating culture.

Maybe he should’ve been concerned about her ability to talk one’s head off instead of her magical abilities. Next time he met a stranger, he’d start with the question: ‘How much do you talk?’ Kayden smiled. Yeah, that sounded like a good strategy to stay alive and sane.

“What about you? Do you have wives? Or is your society strictly monogamous?"

Maybe if he kept his answer short she got the hint and wouldn't talk so much. "I don't have a wife. I have chatelaines. Three. And only one daughter."

“What are chatelaines?”

He rolled his eyes. “A committed lover in a lower status than a wife would be. Women I take care of and in return they take care of me.” He hoped this was satisfying enough for her.

"Is there a reason you have chatelaines and not wives?"

The truth was ugly because marriage was about politics and not love. Love would activate the curse and the woman would die. So he, and other noble men in his country, stayed away from love because why feel it just to lose it?

“Because I didn’t find the right woman to marry,” he said simply. “But they’re under my protection, and I’m providing for them.”

Arelyn shuddered behind him. "Are your women not equal in status to men?"

Was that fear in her voice? For a woman used to bedding multiple men it must be odd not to be in control.

"No, they aren't." He shrugged. "My country... Well, it's complicated. But we need women to provide enough sons. Mostly because men die young."

"Why do they die young?"

Kayden rolled his eyes. Elaborating on the question hadn’t been his best idea to keep her silent.

"Traditions," he said simply. "My country is based on sheer strength, and its traditions are cruel. In most cases, you only get higher if you deem worthy."

Not to mention the fact that until recently, northern tribes had tried to gain land in his country for as long as people could remember. But adding that would mean she asked more questions, and he wasn’t in the mood to talk all day.

He looked up at the sun. "We'll reach an oasis around sunset." There was one more thing he wanted to know before they made camp. "Why did you escape?"