A Court Of Night and Fire

Chapter TwentyOne

Everyone left Articus with their instructions except for Mia and Weryn. His former slave looked at Weryn and Articus could hear her voice inside his head.

"Leave us."

He gave her a stiff bow and left them. But as the door shut, Articus heard Weryn in his head like a whisper.

"If you hurt her..."

Articus got the impression that what ever the ending was, it wasn't a threat, it was a promise. Articus turned to see Mia frowning at him and he realized he'd been staring at his door.

Ignoring her, he walked to his dresser and started packing. She tried to help him but he politely brushed her away. "You never were my slave."

The redhead took a hesitant step back and when Articus looked up, he saw hurt. And then, uncharacteristically—or very characteristically of her, he didn't know which—her face went scarlet.

"I am your slave, whether you like it or not Articus Lykos."

"Ladies aren't bloody slaves nor do they want to be." Baffled by her stupidity, he went back to packing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Mia bow her head. "No, they aren't. But then, you weren't meant to live."

His hand froze half way between the wardrobe and his saddle bags. Since his first Awakening, Articus read between the lines a lot more clearly and the two other awakenings only made him read quicker. What his mind was screaming at him...

It was there, he knew it. Articus just didn't know if he wanted to reach for it like she was doing. Articus bloody Wayden courting a Lady gone slave. Oh the jokes that will ensue.

"Mia..."

"We should get you packed," she overrode him, pushing passed him and started slamming fists of clothes into his half open bags. Articus really didn't know her, he realized. She was pissed.

Instead of arguing with her, he walked to the nightstand and picked up his weapons. As he strapped them on, he felt the new constant warmth in his chest. He reached for it out of sheer impulse.

Turning to the mirror, he released his new power and watched himself appear before his eyes. Grabbing it and releasing it, he played with it. Mia paused in her tirade, watching him.

"I'm sorry," Articus whispered. "Just a lot of things have happened the past moon--almost to the point of overwhelming."

"I understand." The words came out of her like a sigh.

He laughed bitterly. "Not in a million years would I have guessed where I'd be three moons ago."

Mia dumped the last of his clothes into his saddlebags and walked up to him. The woman's head met just up to his chin.

"I don't even know you," he whispered, his throat drying at the sudden closeness.

"Who truly knows anyone?" She shot back just as soft. The corner of her mouth turned upwards.

The nearness of her body made Articus uncomfortable. Mia leaned her head into his chest and exhaled loudly.

"We could use someone like you.... I – I could use-"

Without warning Articus's door opened and Celia walked in.

I swear the Gods have marked me for open season.

"Articus..." Celia said with a start, her eyes darting from him to Mia and back. Thankfully his manipulative little slave stepped back from him... but not as quickly as she could have. Mia was back to meekness but Articus caught a hint of satisfaction coursing through her body language.