The King's Executioner Read online

  “You look to have been on the road for some time. There is a small pool of water just beyond the feasting house that has yet to completely chill. A quick dunk and wash might be just what you need. Afterwards, I will have a fine meal waiting for you.”

  Anin was quick to accept. “That would be wonderful.” Her mum had scolded her for spending too much time in the streams or lakes when given the chance. She had warned Anin that her flesh would melt off her body with all the time she spent in the water. Anin had laughed, always feelings wonderful after a short dunk or a lingering one.

  Paine’s narrowed brow and tight lips told her that he did not feel the same.

  Anin smiled. “If you prefer not to, you need not join me.”

  He turned a smile on her that stole her breath, tightened her chest, and just as a ripple of pleasure passed through her... he yanked her up against him.

  “You know I cannot be long without you.”

  Though she was aware he spoke such endearing words to her for appearance sake, she took advantage of the moment and pressed her cheek to his, and whispered, “Nor I with you.”

  Her warm breath tickled his ear and her words were spoken with heartfelt truth that tore at his insides. He released her slowly and with much reluctance, though he kept hold of her hand.

  “It is so nice to see two hearts joined so strongly together,” Esplin said. “Now give me a moment to gather some cloth and a crock of salve that helps scrub the body and hair clean, then I will take you to the small pool to enjoy.”

  Paine leaned down to whisper, “You will behave, Anin.”

  “See that you do the same,” she said, looking up at him with a smile.

  “Think of our fate if we both do not behave,” he warned.

  It was a sobering thought and the lightness she felt in her heart quickly vanished. What did not vanish were Esplin’s words.

  Two hearts joined so strongly together.

  Whether Paine liked it or not, their hearts had joined and could never be separated, even if they were.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Take off your garments.”

  “As you wish.” Anin reached to pull her tunic over her head and not surprisingly Paine turned his back to her.

  “Let me know when you are done and while you dress I will take a quick dunk.” He sat on the ground to remove his boots and leg coverings.

  Anin did as he said, draping her garments over a bush. She snatched up a cloth and the small crock of salve Esplin had left them with once they had arrived at the small pool of water. It was a lovely spot with trees, bushes, and rock formations that lent the area privacy. Bog had joined them, sniffing around and wandering about.

  After laying the two items on the ground near the pool, she scooped up some of the salve and rubbed it into her hair, leaving extra to use on her body. Then she hurried and stuck her foot in the water. It held a chill, but was not icy cold.

  “Are you in the water yet?” Paine called out.

  “Testing to see how cold it is.”

  “How cold is it?”

  “Not as bad as I expected, though it is chilled.”

  “Then hurry and get in and be done with it,” Paine ordered annoyed. He could not get his mind off her standing there naked and the thought of the things he would do to her to bring her to pleasure. Naturally, his wicked thoughts aroused him and he cursed himself. He listened to her splashing around and he almost slipped his hand beneath his tunic to pleasure himself and relieve the temptation to bury himself inside her.

  Her sudden shout stopped him and spun him around. “What is wrong?”

  “Nothing. I am delighted that the water is so much warmer out here in the middle of the pool.”

  “Be done with it,” he grumbled loud enough for her to hear.

  Anin did not want to hurry. She enjoyed the soothing water, she always had. She taught herself to swim when she was young and had fallen into the body of water not far from her home. She had thrashed about fearfully, swallowing mouthfuls of water until she thought for sure death would claim her when suddenly she felt as if hands lifted her, held her, and told her what to do. She had been swimming from that day on, growing stronger and stronger at it. She was proud of herself, though two of her brothers were annoyed that she learned to swim before them.

  “Hurry,” Paine shouted again.

  Anin sighed and ducked her head under the water to rinse the last of the salve from it. The water was so warm beneath that she decided to take one last dive. She had learned to breathe under water for a good length of time often frightening her da and mum, so she was not worried about going too deep too long.

  Paine watched her go beneath the surface for a second time and as soon as she resurfaced, he intended to order her out of the pond. She was too far from shore, too far from him. He grew worried when too much time passed and she could not be seen. He had seen too many men not resurface once they had gone under and by the time someone had gotten to them it had been too late.

  He yanked off his tunic and ran into the pond, his strokes powerful and fast. He reached the spot he had last seen her and looked frantically around, hoping she had surfaced. When he did not see her, he dove beneath. When he could hold his breathe no longer, he resurfaced and not seeing her, he dove beneath again to search.

  He popped up out of the water, his chest screaming for a breath when he thought he heard Anin call out to him.

  “Paine. Paine are you all right?”

  He coughed and spit water out as he twirled around in the water to see her swimming toward him. Relief so strong almost stole his breath, but anger saved it. As soon as she got close enough, he grabbed hold of her arm.

  “Never again! Never again do that to me!” he yelled at her, words he seemed to repeat much too often to her.

  She grabbed onto his shoulder, his tight grip making it hard to remain afloat. “What did I do?”

  “You disappeared beneath the water for far too long.”

  His fear rushed through her, twisting her insides. She felt the pain of him thinking he had lost her and the overwhelming relief that he had not and she felt terrible for having put him through such suffering.

  “I am so sorry,” she said, moving closer to him. “I should have told you that I am adept at swimming.”

  “Adept or not,” he argued, “I will not have you out of my sight for that long or so far away from me.”

  She felt it, his fear of not reaching her in time, in not saving her. “I will not do it again.”

  “So you say, but you never do.” He gently dropped his brow against hers. “I cannot lose you. It would mean...”

  “Losing your head,” she finished when he did not, though it was not what he had intended to say. She felt what he had stopped himself from saying—losing the woman who has stolen my heart. She felt such a joy so strong sweep through her that she could not help but press her lips to his.

  “Do not,” he ordered, raising his head, ready to push her away.

  “Just this once... I beg of you.”

  Her plea was so soft, so heartfelt that he could not deny her. He did not want to deny her, but he had no right. She was to be Queen. She did not belong to him, she belonged to the King.

  He turned away.

  “Paine.”

  His name whispered with such sorrow, yet such hope, broke his resolve. He turned and captured her lips with his.

  They tasted softly of each other, taking their time, exploring until their hunger grew and they could not control it. Their arms encircled each other, their legs moving in unison, keeping them afloat and their bodies drifting close until they finally touched.

  Anin groaned against his mouth when her body rested against his and his hard, thick manhood nestled between her legs. She wanted to join with him so badly, feel him deep inside her and feel his seed spill into her.

  Paine could not get enough of her, not her taste, or the feel of her breasts pressed tightly against his chest. He let his hand drift down to her b
ackside and he pushed her hard against him, his manhood slipping between her legs. All he had to do was lift her just a bit and slip easily into her, join with her and—the taste of blood in his mouth brought him to his senses.

  He pulled away from her and seeing the blood drip down her chin, swore beneath his breath. The kiss had split her lip wound open.

  “You are bleeding,” he said with concern and wiped gently at her chin with his thumb.

  Anin stared at him, tears threatening her eyes, overwhelmed by his desire that had flooded her like a mighty wave. Though, it was how much he cared for her that had left her unable to utter a word.

  “I made you bleed,” he said annoyed wiping more blood away as it ran from her lip.

  She wanted to tell him that she did not care. All she cared about, all she wanted was him. Her heart ached at the thought of never joining with him. She wanted no other man. She wanted only Paine.

  She knew she would never have another moment like this, another chance to tell him how she felt, so she did what her heart told her to do. She drifted closer to him, pressed her cheek to his, and whispered, “Tuahna.”

  Paine had thought he had suffered unbearable pain when he had lost his family, but hearing her tell him that she cared for him more deeply than anything else in life brought him tremendous joy and an equal amount of sorrow.

  They could not be. They could never be and for him to acknowledge he felt the same would only make their parting that much more difficult. He pushed her away. “Never say that to me. That is meant for the man—”

  “I willingly give my heart to, the man who will always keep my heart safe, never harm it, and never bring it pain.”

  “I would do none of that. I would only bring you pain.”

  She shook her head, moving toward him.

  “Stop!” he ordered. “You and I will never be. This foolishness must stop. My ache for you is because I have been too long without a woman. I will find a willing one tonight and bring this madness to an end.” His words were hurtful, not only to her but to him as well, for they were far from the truth.

  Anin felt as if he had struck her with his battle axe. He could not mean it. She was not wrong how he felt about her.

  “Go and let me know when you have finished dressing.” When she remained as she was, he shouted, “Go now!”

  Anin turned to swim away, stopped and turned with tears in her eyes. She so badly wanted to tell him the truth that when she touched him she felt what he felt. That she had been able to feel what people felt with one touch since she had been young. She wanted to tell him it was why she went to Dunnard, to touch him and know of his innocence or guilt. To tell him he could lie to her all he wanted to, but one touch would tell her the truth. It already had.

  She could say none of that without placing her mum in danger for keeping the secret, but she did cry out, “You lie. You lie how you feel about me. I want you and only you. I will not wed the King.”

  Paine stared at her stunned as she swam to shore. How could she know how he felt? She could not. She did not know. She wanted to believe it was so and she was right, but he could never let her know that. And that she would refuse to wed the King? She did not know what she was saying, what she could suffer if she refused the King. He grew angry.

  “Anin!” he shouted, needing to make her understand she could not refuse the King.

  She ignored his shouts and hurried to finish dressing. She needed to be away from him if only for a while. She ran into the woods.

  “Anin! Do not dare leave! Anin!” he shouted and kept shouting as she disappeared into the woods.

  The trees began to whisper, drowning out Paine’s angry shouts and offering her comfort. She listened to them as she kept running, running from Paine, running from the hurt, running from fate... if only she could.

  ~~~

  Paine was on the shore and dressed in little time. He looked around for Bog, but he was nowhere to be seen. He shouted out for him, needing him to track Anin, but the wolf did not appear. He did not dare wait a moment longer. He went in search of Anin.

  ~~~

  Anin felt her breathing growing much too heavy and she slowed her pace until she finally came to a stop. She dropped down, the leaves crunching beneath her. Why? Why was she cursed? Why did she have to wed the King? Why did she have to care so deeply for Paine? Why had she confessed with one powerful word how she felt about him... tuahna? And what had been his response? That he had been too long without a woman and he would find a willing one to ease his ache, when it was her that he truly ached for.

  She shook her head. She had felt how deeply he cared for her, felt their spirits join, and nothing—nothing—could ever change that.

  She had once asked her mum why she had the ability to feel, with one touch, what others felt. Her mum had told her it was no ability but a curse and that she should fight against it, chase it away and never ever give it power. She had asked her mum who had cursed her and why, but her mum had no answer for her and told her to let it be, nothing good would come of anyone knowing she was cursed and so it became their secret.

  Suddenly a wind blew through the trees and Anin realized it was a frantic whisper. She hurried to her feet as she listened.

  Danger. Danger.

  Anin was not sure what to do. She would not be in danger from Paine. Could it be the Drust? She realized too late that running off on her own had not been a wise thing to do. She did not even know if her wild run had taken her out of the Wyse settlement. She listened for footfalls, but heard none. She thought to run, but in what direction? She listened some more and her skin prickled when she heard it, a low growl.

  Run back to Paine.

  She turned and took off as fast as she could. She could tell from the sound behind her that it was more than one wolf and they were gaining on her. Her legs were tired from her first run, but she forced them to run even faster than before. If she did not, the animals would catch her and tear her to pieces.

  This time she screamed out for Paine. “Paine! Paine!”

  She kept running, ducking under branches while some struck her in the face, jumping over fallen trees or large rocks and hoping she did not fall. The wolves remained close behind her, waiting for one or all of them to lunge at her.

  “Drop!”

  She immediately obeyed Paine’s forceful shout and fell to the ground. She heard him throw his battle axe as he kept running toward her and the horrible screech when it caught the one wolf. Bog appeared out of nowhere, jumping over her and attacking another wolf. Then another agonizing cry split the air and Anin knew that Paine had killed the third one.

  “Get up!”

  Anin scrambled to her feet and turned to see fury raging in his eyes.

  He grabbed her arm and all but dragged her along with him. “I will not waste words of warning on you again.”

  She knew what he meant. He would not warn her again about leaving his side. She wanted to tell him it was his fault for speaking falsely to her, but her words would be as wasted as he felt his had been on her.

  Esplin spotted them when they entered the village and went to them. “I have food waiting for you.”

  “We require time alone,” Paine said his strong tone leaving no room to argue.

  Esplin nodded and led them to a dwelling, stepping aside after opening the door. “All you need is within.”

  Paine nodded and shoved Anin inside, following her and shut the door behind him.

  The inside was a good size with a raised sleeping pallet against one wall, a soft blanket covering the stuffing beneath. A fire pit sat in the middle, its flames sending warmth to all corners of the room. A table, food aplenty on it, and two benches sat against another wall.

  Unfortunately, Anin had lost any desire to eat, to talk, to argue. She was tired, her limbs sore from all the walking and unexpected running she had done since dawn, and from the fear of almost being torn apart by wolves. She did what she wanted to do most. She sat on the raised sleeping pallet and
almost sighed with pleasure from how soft it was.

  Paine paced in front of her. He was still seething from her not only running away from him, but her near deadly encounter with the wolves. When he heard her scream his name in terror, he thought he was too late to save her. His fear had him running faster and it was good that he did, for the wolves had been about to lunge at her.

  He stopped pacing, though his heart kept pounding, and he glared at her. “This madness must stop. You cannot refuse the King. No one refuses the King.”

  “He will care not that I care nothing for him or that my heart belongs to his executioner?”

  “You do not know what you say.”

  “I know I care for you.”

  “Why do you care for me?” He stuck his hands out at her. “These hands bring only anguish, they know no caring.”

  Anin went to take hold of them and he yanked them away, stepping back, keeping his distance, and it hurt her that he did so.

  “You are a good man and you care for me, I know you do,” she said, wanting to go and touch him, feel the truth of her words, but he would only push her away, so she stayed as she was.

  “Understand this well, Anin... we will never be. I have warned you about this far too many times. Accept your fate and let this be. I foolishly kissed you because I was in need of a woman. That is all. I care nothing for you. You will be Queen and I am and always will be the executioner. Now eat and sleep and do not leave here.” He looked at Bog as he walked to the door. “Guard and stay!”

  Anin dropped back on the sleeping pallet as soon as the door closed behind him. Why did she feel as strongly as she did for Paine? And how had it happened so quickly? It was as if she knew he was meant for her, but how? How could that be?

  She knew little of him, only that he was the King’s executioner and that he was feared throughout the land. How could she care so deeply for a man feared by so many, and whose companions were misery and death? She had no answers.