The Shadow Queen

wear one of my shirts and those sheer white stockings. Nothing else.”
    She made a small sound. Might have been a whimper.
    “I’m going to plump up the pillows and make myself comfortable. You’re going to straddle me. Sheathe me. And then, my darling, I am going to make you stay perfectly still. I’m not going to let you touch me in any way except to give me sweet kisses while I enjoy touching you. I’m going to play with you, lover. I promise I’ll be very, very gentle, and by the time I’m through, I’ll make you very, very happy.”
    Her eyes were glassy, and she looked dazed by the force of sexual heat now surrounding her.
    “Why don’t you go into the bathroom and get ready?” he said, taking a step back.
    He hardly dared to breathe until she closed the bathroom door.
    He wanted her desperately at that moment, but he knew what he was asking, knew what he was going to do. He had to give her enough time to think clearly and decide if she was willing to play.
    He took off his shoes and socks, removed his belt. He pulled back the covers, plumped the pillows into a mound, and reclined against them, waiting.
    The Sadist as lover.
    Oh, yes. He wanted to play.
    When she came out of the bathroom dressed exactly as he’d requested, he knew in a way he hadn’t before that there was no part of him she feared—and that was the most arousing thing about her.
    He was pleasure and trust—even as the Sadist.
    When she climbed onto the bed and straddled him, he caught the scents of nerves and excitement. By the time he allowed her to sheathe him, she whimpered out of need.
    And hours later, while he watched her sleep, he knew he had made her very, very happy.

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    CHAPTER 22
    TERREILLE
    T heran walked out on the terrace and crouched beside Gray and the honey pear pots.
    “Anything poking out of the dirt yet?” he asked, even though he could see perfectly well there were no seedlings.
    “Too early,” Gray said, sounding distant and distracted. And sad. “Won’t know for a while yet if anything will want to grow.”
    You didn’t sound this discouraged when you found the things. And what does “if anything will want to grow” mean?
    “Something wrong?” Theran asked. “Are you worried about going to the Keep for dinner tonight?”
    Why wouldn’t Gray be worried? He was worried. They wouldn’t be dealing with either the High Lord or Yaslana or Sadi; they’d be dealing with all three. As far as he was concerned, those were three good reasons for having nightmares.
    At least this dinner had been the leverage he’d needed to stop Cassidy from going into town for the outdoor concert. She’d been disappointed—and unhappy with him—but she had accepted his “request” that she remain at the estate and not take risks.
    The Darkness only knew what sort of excuse he could find the next time she wanted to expose herself to the Dena Nehele people.
    “Cassie doesn’t want to plant the seeds she brought from Dharo,” Gray said quietly, keeping his eyes fixed on the pot in front of him. “When I asked her this morning why she hadn’t picked out a spot in the garden for them, she said maybe it would be a mistake to plant them, that maybe things that aren’t from Dena Nehele shouldn’t be trying to put down roots here.”
    “Makes sense,” Theran said. “We don’t want our own plants pushed out because something else was brought into our land.”
    “She wasn’t talking about the plants,” Gray said. “Not really.” He sighed and looked at Theran. “I love you, Theran, and I am grateful for the way you’ve taken care of me these past years.”
    “There’s nothing to be grateful for,” Theran grumbled. “We’re family.” And you wouldn’t have needed that care if you hadn’t been protecting me.
    “When Cassie goes back to Dharo, I’m going with her.”
    The words shocked him. Chilled him. Showed him a potential loss that wasn’t about a physical distance separating them.
    “Gray,” he breathed. “Gray, this is your home. Here. In Dena Nehele.”
    “She doesn’t think there’s anything here for her. She doesn’t think she can put down roots and make a life.”
    “You’re talking about going to Dharo,” Theran argued. “About going to Kaeleer. ”
    Gray nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it all morning, after she said that about not putting down roots.” He shifted so he was sitting on the flagstones. “If Cassie doesn’t belong here because her bloodlines began in a different place, do we belong here,Theran?”
    “What?”
    “I guess you belong here because