Shield's Lady

on. It was fortunate that the hallway outside would probably be empty. She could make it to her own suite without being seen. She opened the door and let herself out of the room. A moment later she was safely in her own chambers.
    As she closed the door behind her a small, slithering sound made her look down. The scarlet-toe was making its way toward her across the floor.
    Sariana laughed shakily and bent down to scoop it up. “I don’t know why I bother to keep you in a cage, Lucky. It’s obvious you’re too smart to stay trapped in one. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to be free?”
    The scarlet-toe leaped from her hand to her shoulder and curled happily into her warmth. Sariana looked at her bedraggled reflection in the mirror. Her gown was drooping, her hair was tangled and her eyes were huge and shadowed. The lizard looked like a brilliant scarlet jewel on her shoulder.
    “Maybe it’s too late for you to be free, just as Gryph said,” Sariana whispered. But it was her own reflection she was studying as she spoke, not the lizard’s.
    For better or worse, she seemed to have embarked on an affair with the Shield lord. She wondered if it might be better to limit the event to a one-night stand.
    Sariana wasn’t sure she could survive another night in Gryph’s arms.

Chapter
    7

    THE vivid dawn light awakened Gryph the next morning. He lay still for a moment absorbing the knowledge that he was alone in his bed. Then he sat up slowly, wincing at the ache in his shoulder.
    All things considered, he was not particularly surprised to find Sariana gone.
    As a wedding night, last night had bordered on being a complete disaster. The groom had been clumsy from beginning to end and had fallen asleep immediately after the main event. The bride had undoubtedly been traumatized by the pain for which she had been totally unprepared. She certainly had not gotten any satisfaction from the encounter. On top of everything else, Gryph suspected Sariana didn’t even realize she was married. He’d been too groggy from the medic’s painkiller to explain the law of the First Generation Pact to her.
    He made his way into the antechamber that held a huge sunken tub, a sink and other assorted necessities. He needed several of those necessities this morning.
    The tub in Gryph’s chamber was fashioned to resemble a grotto, complete with its own waterfall and a collection of vivid green plants. He turned the bird-headed spigot that set the waterfall in action and then stepped underneath the hot water. Deep in the basement of the Avylyn household vapor heaters kept plenty of hot water available at all times.
    As he stood there contemplating the imitation rock wall in front of him Gryph tried to decide how best to approach Sariana this morning. It was not an easy decision. When all was said and done, he did not know a lot about women. No man did. The fact that this particular female was from the eastern provinces further complicated the matter.
    She had lived in Serendipity for a year, but it was clear she did not yet know all the local customs and laws. If she had known them, she would have stayed in Gryph’s bed last night. Any western woman would have recognized the full significance of what had happened.
    Gryph was faced with the task of explaining everything to Sariana this morning. He turned off the waterfall and reached for a thick towel. He did not look forward to the coming encounter. Something told him his new bride was not going to enjoy learning of her status. He had really botched this business of wooing a Shieldmate. Gryph damned the medic’s painkiller and damned his own impatience.
    There was nothing to do but go forward and finish the business. He tossed aside the towel and went back into the main chamber to dress.
    He did so carefully, pulling on a clean shirt, trousers that had recently been pressed by one of the household attendants and his best jacket. Then he spent several minutes cleaning mud off his boots.
    When he was finished he critically examined his image in the gilded mirror. He looked reasonably neat and clean, but that was about all that could be said for him. Nothing he did was going to make himself look handsome by city standards. It was difficult to turn a warrior into a man of fashion.
    Gryph turned away from the mirror, his mouth hardening into a determined line. Sariana had started all this, whether she realized it or not. She would have to take the consequences. Gryph just wished he had a