Intimate Weapons by Kathleen Scott

Author:Kathleen Scott [Scott, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Published: 2011-12-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Jovita moved through the garden, stopping at colored blooms to sniff their heady fragrance. It was a rare mild day. Storm clouds had rolled in from the west, bringing with them a nip of rain and a cold front.

Though the long Scicia summers were legendary in their heat, the cold front had made the air bearable. Even if the clouds opened and it poured, Jovita wouldn’t mind in the least. She was in too good of a mood to care.

Her mouth hurt from smiling.

It had been that way since Mallic left her suite to answer the Regent’s summons. “Mind if I join you?”

The voice spoken in her ear was low and intimate. How had Prince Rohan gotten so close without her feeling his presence? Her mind was so filled with thoughts of Mallic she had no room for anything else.

She had no answer except those that would be terribly impolitic. The truth of the matter was she wanted very much to be left alone to her delicious thoughts of how her morning began.

Prince Rohan took her silence as consent and fell into step with her as she moved to the next flowerbed.

“Living in Vanden seems to agree with you. You look radiant this morning.”

Jovita gave him a subtle shrug. “Amazing what a good night’s sleep will do for one’s disposition.”

And a morning tryst with a new lover.

Nadja followed them at a discreet distance as were his guards. They were far from alone. For once she was damn glad of all the extra company.

“Have you not been sleeping well?”

Oh, she didn’t want to talk about this. Not now. Not today. Unfortunately, she had no notion as to how long he planned to stay in Vanden, so any answers she hoped to dig out of him she had to work for now while he was readily available.

She stopped at a tall vine that laced up the side of an elaborate trellis. Interspersed in the verdant green leaves were the most delicate pale purple flowers. The rich fragrance filled her head, giving her a burst of euphoria.

The nanites swirled in her blood, unsure what to make of the mix of fear and euphoria. She took a deep cleansing breath and let calm wash over her as she moved away from that particular plant.

“Jovita?” Prince Rohan raised a brow and canted his head, trying to get a good look at her face when she turned away from him.

Time for more truth whether he wanted to hear it or not.

“I’m haunted by the memories of what Wulfgrad and his scientists did to me on Theta. I live with it as a constant pressure under my heart. But here,” she spread her hands to indicate not just the garden but the entire palace complex, “I finally feel as if I’m making slow progress toward recovery.”

She took a few more steps away from him, casting her eyes to the distance spires of the Ashlin Temple located outside of the main gates. “It wasn’t always that way. I haven’t been here long, but it’s been interesting at times.

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