By the time Leiffen stumbled into the ice cavern, the candle the old man held had burnt to a stub. A green, phosphorescent mist floated over the large pool. Leiffen kneeled before it and drank a handful of water, then splashed some on his face.

Starlex watched the mouth of the cave nervously until at last Bonn appeared. Peeling back his sweat-soaked jerkin, the Skaard warrior staggered toward the pool. Starlex ran to meet him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she helped him to the water's edge. He sat down, exhausted, his elbows resting on his knees, his breath coming out in white puffs.

"Did you get them all?" Wallick asked in a tremulous voice.

Bonn nodded. "For now." Panting hard, he turned to Leiffen and said, "Better call them back."

"Of course, mate." Groaning, Leiffen got to his feet, skirted around the pool, grabbed a torch, and disappeared into the tunnel. He whistled after the fleeing women and children.

"You sill here, princess?" Bonn asked with a short laugh.

"Yes, by your side where I belong."

He smiled and drew her to him. "Let's have a kiss."

Their lips met and the world dissolved around them.

"I love you, princess," he whispered in her ear.

"You do?" Her voice was husky, breathless.

She looked around to see if anyone was watching.

Wallick and Bratag sat together on a rock at the pool's edge. Her gray head rested on his shoulder.

Starlex snuggled closer to Bonn and asked, "Are all the Thrades dead?"

He nodded. "But more will come."

"When?"

"Don't know. Could be a week; could be a day."

"Should we return to camp tonight?"

"No," he said standing. "Tonight we stay here."

From the black mouth of the tunnel came flickering torchlight. Leiffen was leading the people back.

"Come." Bonn reached down and pulled Starlex to her feet. He picked up a torch, lit its tip in the fire, and led her up a rough stairway carved into the damp rock-face.

"Where are we going?"

"Someplace private," he replied with a slanted smile.

She followed him. Deep within a black rock mountain, it felt like no one could harm them, that they were safe, safe in each other's company.

Crouching to not hit his head on the rocky ceiling, he clasped her hand tightly. When at last they reached the end of the tight tunnel, Bonn handed Starlex the torch so he could squeeze through a tiny crevice.

"I was just a boy," he said with a grunt, "skinnier than you the last time I was here."

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Her giggle echoed off the rocks as she slipped easily through the crack behind him. When Bonn stopped suddenly in front of her, she looked up and gasped as he raised the torch over their heads.

They were standing in the center of a crystal cave, its rock walls, floor, and ceiling sparkled like multi-colored jewels, holographic hues of red, purple, blue, and green.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

Bonn set the torch into a tight crack in the wall. "The first time I saw you standing before that Nazeer fool wearing that gold crown too big for his head I thought of this place."

"You did?"

"I did," he said, pulling her close. Running a rough hand along her soft cheek he added, "The way your eyes shine."

His warm kiss was upon her lips and suddenly their fur-lined capes fell from their shoulders, making a bed on the rocky floor. The lovers lowered themselves on it, melting into each other's arms. Starlex's skin trembled with pleasure beneath Bonn's calloused caresses, her throat arched to his rough kisses.

She gazed up at the ceiling, higher than any Oran temple. It spun like a kaleidoscope of oscillating shades of crystal light with their bodies at the center.

"I can't take you, princess," he said, rolling off her with a groan.

"Don't you want me?" she asked.

"Little fool," he chuckled. "I want you more than life itself, but not until you are my proper wife."

She wanted nothing more than that, but when would it happen?

"Stay still," he whispered.

She lay back gazing at the shimmering ceiling while his hands traveled slowly up her legs. Her breath caught when his fingers found the tender flesh above her wool stockings and slowly pulled them down to her knees. Her hips arched upward to meet his caresses. She gasped as he parted her legs and his mouth lowered on her.

Never had she felt so known, so vulnerable. It was what she had always longed for. There, within their private crystal cathedral, their feelings for each other were revealed and sanctified.

At last, I found love, she thought, her slim white fingers weaving through his long blonde locks. Each caress released her more and more with quick catches of breath building to a final moan of pleasure that echoed off the jeweled walls.

"I love you," she gasped, clutching his muscular arm that was capable of such deadly strength, yet had just given her pleasure beyond what she had ever known.

"I love you too, princess," he said in a low rough-textured voice.

With tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, she curled up against his chest and fell into a sweet sleep breathing in his scent.

When she awoke, the flame of the torch had dimmed and Bonn Skaard was propped up on one elbow and looking down at her with love shining in his ice-blue eyes.

"Can't you sleep?" she asked.

"Not yet, princess."

"What are you thinking about?"

He sighed and sat up, resting his arms against his knees. She watched the flickering torchlight dance across his rippled muscles. Reaching out with her fingers, she traced the outline of a fresh scar.

"I'm thinking about what can I offer you," he said.

She sat up and leaned her head against his shoulder. "You can offer me you. That's all I want."

"I want to give you much more, princess."

"I wanted to ask you..." she started hesitatingly.

"Go on."

"About your wife and son."

She felt his muscles stiffen beneath her fingers.

"I only ask because..."

He sighed.

"If it's too painful..."

"My village is called Yarhtah, further north along the coast."

"Is it not famous for shipbuilding?"

His jaw hardened beneath his beard. "That is all in the past now. The Thrades attacked last spring. I was out fishing when it happened. When I returned, our homes and most of our fleet were destroyed, burned to ash. My wife and son—my entire family—gone."

The only sounds were their breaths and water dripping from the ceiling.

Starlex said softly, "I know nothing will ever erase the pain of their loss, but if I can help..."

He turned to her and smiled. "You've already helped, princess."

She snuggled close to him. "I'm glad. But I'd like to do more. I want to help your people."

"How?"

"My brother-in-law, the king, greatly wronged you when he went back on his promise. If I were to return to Oran and tell him the truth of what I've seen, of how close the Thrades are to crossing the Crimson Sea, of threatening Oran herself, I know he will listen to me."

Bonn’s eyes glistened with hope.

"Do you approve of this plan?" she asked. "Will you take me back to Oran?"

Purring like a playful lion, he rolled on his back and pulled her into the crook of his arm. "I approve. We will start out for Yarhtah in the morrow."

Succumbing to exhaustion, at last, Bonn closed his eyes.

Gazing at the waning torchlight dancing on the crystal ceiling, Starlex raked her fingers through the tangles of Bonn's golden hair and sang him softly to sleep. Although she was homeless and in a place of great danger, she had never felt such happiness in all her life.