"And six feet beneath its shifting red sands," Aluino commented, looking up through the spread of his fingers. He held Aradia's gaze. "My prince had ordered the man set free and I meant to see his wishes carried out."

"It seems Jaelan owes his life to us both," Aradia said.

Aluino sat up straight. "I've never given the matter a second thought. I did what had to be done and asked no debt for having done so." 'The hell you haven't thought of it," Jaelan mumbled. "Every time you get pissed at me you remind me you should have hanged me that day." He arched a brow. "Just as you did a few minutes ago."

"Reminding you only to annoy you is one thing, Jaelan," Aluino sniffed. "Meaning it is quite another."

Aradia smiled. Their banter amused her, and she thought of how often she and Phillipa swapped insults. "You haven't told me how you wound up in Diabolusia in the first place."

The men exchanged a quick look. "That's a tale best left for another rainy day," Jaelan said, getting to his feet.

Aluino swept a hand over his face. "If you plan on taking her back to Abbadon, I suggest you tell her the whole of it before someone else does." He winced. "Someone like Saahira." Jaelan scowled and folded his arms over his chest. "Aluino may be a Death Lord, but sometimes I think he's afraid of his own shadow."

Aluino sighed. "Nay, just the Shadowlord."

Jaelan snorted, then changed the subject. "Why were you looking for me?"

"I had forgotten." Aluino looked at his friend. "As ifthis situation isn't bad enough, we..."

"You consider our Joining a bad situation?" Aradia growled, her smile vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"His Joining withany woman without the Tribunal's permission is a bad situation, wench, and he knows it."

Aradia looked at her husband. "You needed permission?"

He shrugged. "Not necessarily..."

"Can they overturn it? Would they?" When he and his friend remained silent, Aradia pressed the issue. "Well?"

"That depends," Aluino answered. "Considering the other bad situation, the question of them reputing Jael's Joining might be a moot point."

"What other bad situation?" Jaelan asked.

"There must be more to these Amazeen than a man like me can see." Aluino shook his head. "They are beautiful, there's no denying that, but I'm thinking they're far too much trouble to warrant risking my life and limb."

"Has something happened to Orithia?" Aradia demanded. "Is my sister all right?"

Aluino's turned stricken eyes to Jaelan. "This one's the sister?" he squeaked. "By the Prophet, that's the worst news I've heard all year!" "Spit it out," Jaelan ordered. "What's going on in Abbadon, 'Lui?"

"The king has decided to make the Amazeen his legal wife."

"What?" Jaelan and Aradia shouted in unison.

"And we know the Tribunal will never allow that," Aluino stated.

"Why not?" Aradia asked, more offended that Orithia might be considered unworthy of a Hasdu king than concerned for her well-being.

"A Rysalian monarch is not allowed to Join with a woman who worships outside his religion," Aluino explained.

"Until she accepts his religion as her own," Jaelan amended.

"That, she will not do," Aradia stated. "Our faithfulness to Alluvia is sacrosanct."

Aluino's eyebrows shot up. "Then that means--"

Jaelan cut him off with a lethal look. "There are ways around every law."

"Not this one," Aluino said. "The Joining will not be recognized by law, and therefore, not a permanent Joining. The Amazeen will be nothing more than the harem girl she is now."

"King Hasani must think he can get away with it," Aradia said. "Heis the king, after all."

"Being the king doesn't place him above the law," Jaelan countered. "As stupid as Hasani is, he should know that."

Aluino groaned. "Jaelan, please! Watch what you say! The walls have ears, and you know that happened the last time you opened your big mouth and criticized someone!"

Jaelan responded with a careless shrug.

"Why would Orithia agree to such a marriage?" Aradia asked.

"Who said she had to agree?" Aluino challenged.

"An Amazeen would never willingly marry a Rysalian unless there was a good reason."

"Such as the agreement you and I have?" Jaelan asked, searching her eyes.

Aradia blushed and said nothing.

"You mean yours wasn't a love match?" Aluino snorted. When both Jaelan and Aradia frowned, he raised his eyebrows and palms in a gesture of peace. "One thing is for certain," Jaelan said. "Orithia sure as hell can't have fallen in love with Hasani. Not even his own mother loves him."

"He's offering her something," Aradia said.

"A reasonable assumption," Jaelan commented.

"But what?"

"Probably Jaelan's head on a platter," Aluino quipped.

Aradia looked at him. "Why?"

"Women just don't like this man," Aluino said. "And your sister has reason to dislike Jae--"

"What of Nadira?" Jaelan interrupted. "I can not imagine the king's first-wife standing idly by and allowing him to flaunt the law." "What is she like?" Aradia asked.

"Meaner than a rabid dog."

Once again, Aradia's gaze locked on Jaelan. "What happened between you and Orithia that she would want you harmed?"

"You should tell her, Jael," Aluino said and searched his friend's bare chest. "By the way, the scratches have healed."

"What scratches?" Aradia asked.

"The ones your sister gave him," Aluino replied. "She did a brutal job of it, too."

Aradia arched a brow, willing to give her new husband a chance to explain before she passed judgment.

Jaelan cast Aluino an annoyed look, then directed his gaze to his wife. "When the redhead was killed, I had to subdue Orithia. She was caught up in her grief and anger, so she fought me."

"Did you hurt her?"

Jaelan shook his head. "I tried to keep her from being hurt."

"You've made an enemy of Orithia. She will not forgive you for having conquered her and helped to place her in the seraglio."

"I've heard she threatened to unman him if they should ever meet again," Aluino said.

"She'll have to get past me to do it," Aradia stated.

"Ah, young love," Aluino sighed. "I think you're dangly is safe for the present, Ben-Ashaman."

"Yours won't be if you don't shut up!" Jaelan grumbled. "Go see to our horses since you have nothing better to do than to cause me grief."

"You do that well enough on your own," Aluino shot back, starting to the door. "Which mount is hers?"

Jaelan told him, and felt relief when his friend left. As the door closed, he turned to his wife. "Why do you think she's agreed to marry him?" Aradia scratched her cheek. "It couldn't be to gain her freedom, and we've ruled out love." She frowned. "Could he really have offered her vengeance against you?"

"Doubtful. I'm of more use to him than what she has between her legs."

Aradia blushed, though she rolled her eyes. "We do think highly of ourselves don't we, warrior?"

"There are more beautiful women in Rysalia than there are Shadowlords."

"That's probably true, but you're overlooking something. We are reasonably sure she could not have fallen in love with him, but what if he's fallen in love with her? Orithia is an Amazeen. We are not docile, but from what I know of Rysalian women, they are, at least to their men."

Jaelan's dark brows clashed together. "True. Go on."

"King Hasani is accustomed to women doing what he wishes, seeing to his every want and need. But Orithia will challenge his authority. She won't be meek or submissive. She'll fight him tooth and nail, as she fought you."

A worried look began forming on Jaelan's dark features. He began to pace. "She'll intrigued him. He'll admire her bravery and see how far he can push her."

"Which won't be far."

"The intrigue will turn to admiration for her daring, and the admiration will turn to respect for her courage."

"Then the respect might turn to something more tender," Aradia said.

The worried consideration on Jaelan's face shifted into an apprehensive look. "You might be right, wench."

"And if he loves her--"

"He'll do things for her that are neither appropriate nor wise," Jaelan finished. "Even something as foolish as testing the will and power of the Tribunal."

After a light tap at the door, Aluino returned. "There are darker clouds building, Jael. We need to ride. Now!"

"I thought this godsforsaken country was arid," Aradia grumbled. "All I've seen is rain and more rain..."

"As I told you, we're in the rainy season," Jaelan said. "We'd best be going."

Chapter 9.

"What happened when he was thirteen?" Aradia asked Aluino,. The rain had overcome them soon after leaving the inhospitable confines of Uadjit. With lightning forking all around and wind buffeting the horses, the trio had taken shelter in a cave with their mounts to escape the pummeling rain. After helping Aluino scramble for fodder to start a fire, Jaelan had come down with what he called a "sick headache." He had taken a measure of tenerse--a drug he had mixed with vinegar to lessen his headache--and now slept beside the fire, his back to them.

"Did you ask him?" Aluino countered.

"I don't think the warrior likes to talk about his childhood."

Aluino poked at the fire with a stick. "He doesn't."

"Whatever the people of Uadjit received, I imagine they deserved."

"Actually," Aluino said, laying aside the stick, "Jael would disagree with you on that account."

"They have no love for him. Don't tell me he has any feelings for them!"

"I won't. He hates every last one of them, and with good reason. Well, all except maybe Samiel. I think he has some misguided feelings for that old bastard."

"So what happened?"

Aluino looked at his snoring friend.

"He's asleep and can't hear us," Aradia said.

The Diabolusian snorted. "He may be asleep, but I wouldn't put it past him to be listening to every word."

"He was right. Youare afraid of your own shadow!"

Aluino disdainfully lifted a shoulder. "You're a fool if you don't fear him, wench. He may have taken a liking to you, and may have even willingly brought your little viper's body to his for Joining, but never underestimate him. He is above all else a Death Lord and as Shadowlord, deadlier than anything you've ever encountered!"

Aradia ground her teeth. "Are you going to tell me what happened or not?" She squinted. "Or are you too afraid to open your big mouth?"

The Diabolusian leaned against a rock and regarded her. "Did the innkeeper tell you people were murdered in Uadjit that day?"

"He said one-fourth of the men were taken to the dungeon at Abbadon and a fourth of the girls were sent to a convent. He said nothing of killings."