Lahat ng Kabanata ng MATED TO MY BROTHER'S ENEMY : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Meetings SecretForgotten years' fragrance spidered across the wine cellar. With her back erect, Lyra stood flat against the stone wall as the echo of footsteps up in the hallway died. Two guards passed by, their voices vanishing off into the distance. She waited another minute before lighting the little candle she had brought; its flickering flame cast swirling shadows among rows of empty wine racks.Marcus emerged from behind an enormous oak barrel, his black clothes disappearing with the darkness. They had fallen into a pattern of secret meetings. It was the third night they had met following their talk on the tower. The clocks had always rung at midnight. Constantly in locales where inquisitive slaves would not stumble upon them.Lyra asked, her voice barely a whisper, "Any word from your informants? "Marcus shook his head, pulling a rolled scroll from his waist. "Kael moved his command tent. Here. " He unrolled the map across a dusty crate, his finger following a freshly inked ma

Suspicion in the packageMarcus sneered at the practice dummy, his sword hanging loosely in his grasp. As he tried to concentrate on the drill Captain Willem had given him, the straw man's painted face grinned back at him with a growl. His pack, five knights who had traveled out of the Northern peaks with him, honed their daily drill with wooden swords that clicked into leather shields."Marcus! " The voice of Sir Lucas snapped him from his trance. "Your guard is down. "Marcus looked up to see his lieutenant approaching him; a wrinkle deepened his furrowed brow. Having ridden for Marcus's father previously, the aged knight vowed his loyalty to the son, and his senses were akin to those of an animal."Just lost in thought on strategy," Marcus said to him, still wielding his sword's guard.Lucas said softly, "Defense strategy that makes you forget the basics? "You've been distant for the last couple of days. Distracted. The men are starting to worry. "Marcus examined the training yard

Intimacy between Marcus and Princess LyraDust and ancient years' odour weighted down the vacant tower chamber. As Lyra stood and waited, moonlight seeped through shattered shutters and threw silver patterns on the stone floor. Her heart thudded against her ribcage as the footsteps came towards the little stairs behind.Marcus stood in the doorway, his face serious but his eyes blazing in the faint illumination. Rising from the Great Hall, his doublet was yet fastened to his appropriate clothes. Their relationship pulsed more strongly now that she had expressed her remarks openly a few hours before.He told her, "You're insane," but his tone was more of awe than of rage."Happily. " Lyra strode toward him, her bare feet silent on the cold stones. Do you regret it?Marcus grasped her hands as she stretched them in front of him, his fingers interlaced with hers. "How could I regret the most beautiful moment of my life? "Their relationship caught fire when they touched. Lyra could sense

Lyra's RevelationLyra POVLyra pressed both hands against the icy window stone, staring down upon the long tent lines that had come to clutter the valley in one night. Kael's men, going about everywhere, like ants at a picnic-type thing, but you know, with a bit of murder. That was setting her powers tingling at the very edge. A slight effort, and her power caught the unpleasantness from the camp oozing out, the ordinary badness that soldiers carried with them, but this was something different. Too familiar with this fact, she compared it to déjà vu, except instead of wanting to smile, it gave her the urge to throw up.As Marcus shifted behind her, God, that warmth was preventing her teeth from chattering. Ever since the mate bond snapped, she could almost taste his worry. Not good. Not today.She jabbed her finger toward the thickest knot of dark tents in the center. "There. It's coming from there. Very strong there."He frowned, his visage full of concern and covered with stubble.

Council PressureLady Elena Moon busted into the council chamber like she owned the place, silk dress swishing, steel in her stare, and that hair yanked back so tight you’d think it hurt. Her eyes locked on Lyra like she was about to swoop down and tear her apart. The rest of the council trailed in behind her: Lord Gareth looking like he’d rather be anywhere else, Lady Morwyn pretending she was above it all, and Lord Aldwin with that permanent scowl. All three oozed grim determination.Lyra parked herself at the giant oak table, hands folded so politely her knuckles nearly turned white. Meanwhile, two floors below, Marcus was probably smashing swords together in the armory, their bond humming with the tension she tried desperately to hide. It was like he could taste her nerves.“Princess,” Elena said, sliding into the top seat with all the ceremony of a hangman reaching for the rope. “We need to talk about your future. The kingdom’s future.”Lyra kept her chin up, even though she want