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her.
     
    “Hold tight to me. I have no desire to pick you up off the
    ground,” Kyne said.
    Fearing a sudden onslaught of emotions, she cautiously
    wrapped her arms around his lean waist and sucked in her
    breath. She waited for a flood of emotion at the contact, but
    sensed nothing more than Kyne’s tension. What blocked her
    empathic talent with this man? Relieved, she settled against
    him, taking an odd sort of comfort from the feel of his solid
    strength against her chest.
    This man held her life in his hands, but she didn’t fear him.
    Instinct told her justice was strongly ingrained in him. Once he
    realized her innocence, he wouldn’t harm her or see her hurt.
    But what of Laila? Where had she disappeared to? Could
    Kyne and the others be made to see that she too was innocent
    of any crime? Until Sianna could guarantee her sister’s safety,
    she couldn’t reveal herself.
    They travelled through the morning, deep into the craggy
    mountain range. Even if the opportunity presented itself, she no
    longer knew which way to flee. She couldn’t prevent a small
    shudder at the thought of being lost and alone in this wilderness
    of rocks and trees.
    ***
    When he reached down for the woman, Kyne had braced
    himself, but unlike when he touched her before, this time he
    sensed nothing. Her fingers felt cool and fragile in his grip.
    The heat of her at his back distracted him from any other
    thoughts. Through his heavy cape he felt her every movement—
    the shift of her hips as she eased the strain of riding, the turn of
    her head, the press of her soft breasts, the brush of her slippered
    feet against his calves and the feel of her small hands on his
    waist. Her sweet, feminine scent drifted under his nose. His
    body reacted, tightening in spite of his mind’s objections. Disgust
    that he should desire this woman pooled on his tongue.
    She shivered.
    “Are you cold?” How could she be? Self-loathing made
    him hot despite the crisp mountain air.
    “No. But I am hungry. You did not allow me time for first
    meal. Is starvation to be the punishment for my alleged crimes?”
     
    As if in emphasis, her stomach rumbled.
    Kyne restrained his smile at her tart words. “Reach into
    my pack, and you’ll find a bag of dried fruit and a skin of watered
    wine. Calm yourself. Until you are judged, you’ll not be
    mistreated.”
    She squirmed behind him as she hunted through his pack.
    Her shoulder bumped his hip and her voice was muffled as she
    answered. “Is that supposed to reassure me? Already I’ve been
    abducted, dragged from the threshold of my bed chamber in
    my nightwear, carted through the rain, terrorized and bruised,
    accused of foul deeds and threatened with horrible retribution.
    But I’m not supposed to worry because I’m safe until you see
    fit to be my judge and pronounce sentence on me?” She
    straightened and spoke her last words directly into his ear.
    “Forgive me if I prefer to remain agitated.”
    The rush of warm air across his chilled skin felt like the
    slide of hot oil over ice. Now Kyne shivered. “You are rash to
    chide me so when I hold your life in my hands. Do you not fear
    angering me?”
    He felt her shrug. “Fear pales after a time. If you will kill
    me, do so. But please do not talk me to death.”
    Though she spoke boldly, Kyne felt the tremor of her fingers
    against his waist. He squashed the smile teasing his lips.
    “Perhaps you would do well to consider taking a softer tone.
    My judgement might not be so harsh if I found you
    more...biddable.” Kyne wondered from what part of him these
    words sprang. Why did he taunt her with the possibility of
    salvation? Hold out the hope that if she played the helpless
    female, he might temper his wrath? Whatever way this woman
    acted or did not act could not influence his decision. He opened
    his mouth to take back his dishonorable bargain.
    “Biddable?” She seemed to test the word, then laughed
    softly, her warm breath teasing the hair