Andrea scowled. “It’s not like I’m going to stop him if he decides to go. It’s not as if we’re dating or something.” Even if the thought of him participating in some kind of bachelor contest did make her feel grumpy. “What’s the prize, anyway?” she asked, grudgingly giving in to her curiosity.“A date with any of the eligible women who chose to sign up as potential prizes, a red sash for any man who doesn’t have one, a small fortune in prismatic silver and a war stag. Not that Mathin needs the last.” Rihlia grimaced, tossing the end of her dark braid over her shoulder. “Bad tempered though he is, no one would argue that Mathin’s stag isn’t one of the best in the land.”

Shaken by his story, she stared at the stones. Were she and Mathin supposed to love so fast? Was Mathin even in love? He hadn’t said so. “He claims to want me because of these premonitions he has.”“Even better.” He shrugged. “If you can’t trust a vision, what can you trust?”Frustrated, she stared at him. “That’s not logical! I need more than that.”“Then you’ll always need more,” he said, standing up. He extended a hand and helped her to her feet. “If you love him at all, learn to have some faith in him. Watch him with his friends and the ones he cares for. Speak to them about him, watch how he responds i

He chuckled. “You’ll improve.” His voice dropped an octave. “I’m a patient teacher.”A quiver started in her belly and vibrated without ceasing as he levered out of the pool and lay beside her. She couldn’t look.“Today, I will not touch you.” He waited until she dared a look at his face. “Today is for overcoming your fear of looking.” When she looked back at her hands, he said nothing. Now was not the time to rush her.It wasn’t easy to face him. Nor could she quite look there, though she was dying of curiosity. For a long moment she simply stared at the muscled planes of his chest as he lay on his side, watching h

The challenger stabbed the end of his staff at Mathin, attempting to scorch his face.Without looking at his footing, Mathin shifted onto another post, delivering a wicked low swing that came close to cremating the warrior’s hope of future pleasure.If he was shaken, the man didn’t show it, coming back with a deadly rain of blows. So swift was attack and counter attack that Andrea couldn’t follow, could only tense in rising panic. Arcs of fire painted the gray morning, leaving a tracery of lighting over her vision. How could they see?A gasp rose from the crowd as the challenger suddenly flipped backward, coming to rest with perfect control on a pillar.

She grimaced and rubbed her head. “Nice way to end a make-out session, wasn’t it?” She sighed. “At least it explains the mood swings.” Her mood brightened. It wasn’t nearly so humiliating if she could blame it all on PMS.Mathin let out his breath in a long, slow stream. “Thank the Deity. It wasn’t the way I’d wished to begin our marriage.” A tug sent her tumbling into his lap where he crushed her close. “I didn’t want to lose you, and I never, never want to hurt you.”Uncomfortable with the reminder of what giving herself to Mathin entailed, she squirmed. She’d been going on instinct, unable to consider the consequences. She’d love to blame it all on hormones, but was uneasily ce