Read Tempered (A Daughters of the People Novel) (Daughters of the People Series) for Free Online Page A

speaking into Jeanne’s
ear in a voice that carried no farther than the table’s occupants. “Let us be
clear, child. I allow you to live because Aaron is my lover and his affection
for you lingers. Otherwise, my sword would have already cleaved your pretty
little head from your slovenly body. Do not mistake my mercy for anything other
than what it is.”
    She released the
chair, letting it drop onto its legs with a thud.
    Jeanne reared
away from Hawthorne, her expression twisted with fear and loathing. “You’re
insane.”
    “Believe that if
you must.” Hawthorne nodded at Aaron and Jason, who gaped at her. “Gentlemen.”
    She strolled
away, confident her warning would be heeded.
    Behind her,
Jason said, “So, you’re building trust with Hawthorne, eh?”
    Aaron snorted
out a laugh. “In more ways than one.”
    Hawthorne
allowed a small smile to lift the corners of her mouth. Yes, Aaron Kesselman
pleased her. Perhaps when DragonCon had run its course, she would invite him to
attend her in Tellowee. He would come, of this she was certain, and he would
not think of another woman during his residence in her home.
    Her smile faded
abruptly. Aaron’s ex-wife had fumbled her bid for his heart. That the woman
could not accept the loss graciously spoke ill of her character, particularly
when considered in tandem with what Hawthorne already knew of her. A woman such
as that was unworthy of a man of Aaron’s talent and stature, but it was of
little consequence now. Hawthorne would see to that.
    She put the
matter out of her head and focused on the day ahead, ignoring the mounting melodramatic
hysteria issuing from the frightened Jeanne.
     
    * * *
     
    The day dragged
by as Aaron made the rounds, moderating one panel, sitting in on another one,
answering questions from aspiring comic book artists as patiently as he could.
His final panel of the day was on publishing. The illustrator on his left
droned on and on about traditional media versus drawing software. Aaron checked
his watch discretely and stifled a groan. How much more of this did he have to
sit through before he could be with Hawthorne again?
    He’d caught
glimpses of her throughout the day. After his first obligatory appearance, he’d
caught the tail end of her reading from her latest novel to an enthralled
group. She’d changed her accent for each character, breathing life into them
with an ease that had surprised him. Occasionally, she interpreted gestures,
too, making the audience laugh.
    Who knew the
somber woman had a sense of humor?
    Once, he’d
passed by her in the hallway as she knelt beside a group of young girls dressed
similarly to her, gently correcting their holds on sword-like weapons made of
balsa wood and tinfoil. Her eyes had shifted to his as he passed and drifted
down his body with a proprietary gleam, heating him through and through.
Hawthorne had murmured something to her fans too low for him to hear, making
them giggle, and then said plainly, “Someday, when you are great warriors,
perhaps you will win the hand of a handsome man.”
    He hadn’t known
what to think about that.
    She’d slipped
into the back of the room during one of his panels, her attention seemingly
riveted on their discussion of creating realistic characters. Not long after,
an officious little man had bustled up to her and all but dragged her out of
the room. Later, Aaron had caught sight of her listening to the same man, her
arms crossed under her breasts as she nodded solemnly. She’d looked up, her
eyes meeting his as if she’d known he was there the whole time. Another gaggle
of girls had surrounded her as the officious man stepped back, then Jason had
pulled Aaron away, effectively ending the seductive pull of her gaze.
    It amazed him
that they’d seen each other at all. DragonCon’s events were spread over five
venues and there were so many people in attendance, it was entirely possible to
go a whole day without seeing the same face twice.
    Some faces