GALLANT (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 3) by Marilyn Campbell Read Free Book Online Page B

of the room. The Princess's second in command stood and strode to the novitiate. He was taller, heavier and had the advantage of experience, but the younger man reflected the utmost confidence in his own abilities.
    The servant woman brought forward a tray bearing two short-bladed knives and waited until each man had taken up a weapon. The moment she backed away, the experienced warrior and the young hopeful began circling each other.
    Honorbound stated the rules of the skirmish. "This is for blood only. Death is not acceptable. The fight ceases when the novitiate receives a scarring cut, the badge of his courage. However, I remind you that the longer it takes for the council member to deliver that blow, the greater the honor for the new warrior." She returned to her place then clapped her hands once. "To blood."
    The young man did not disappoint the observers as he demonstrated considerable agility to counter the smallness of his frame. He did not manage to mark the commander but he avoided being sliced for an impressive length of time.
    By the time the first novitiate received his cut, Josep's blood was singing in his veins. He was tempted to change his mind and take on one of the others after all but another hot look from the girl made him decide to conserve his energy.
    A different council member battled each of the young warriors and every one of them could be proud of his or her show of bravery. After all their wounds were bound in such a way to insure attractive scars, the Princess pronounced the end of the first part of the ceremony.
    The council briefly rehashed the skirmishes and declared that the two novitiates who had fought the most valiantly and the longest were the second young man and the maiden who had been eyeing Josep. They would be rewarded with the highest honor of all—having their virginities taken by the Princess and her chief advisor. The others were partnered by rank and ability in a like manner. In preparation, the stone table was cleared of debris and covered with a white cloth.
    Josep completely abandoned his veneer of civility as the Princess and the new warrior removed their wraps. From opposite sides, they crawled onto the makeshift stage, growling, clawing and biting each other like animals. Josep soon found himself urging the young man to greatness as loudly as the others. In practically no time at all, the Princess's bellow of pleasure proclaimed the boy to be a man in every way, even before she removed his white headband.
    Josep's own performance some minutes later earned so many cheers from his audience that he could hardly wait for the formal ceremony to end and the open celebration to begin. For that night at least, he was once again one of the infamous barbarian warriors of Illusia.
    * * *
    "You're blocking something from me," Aster accused Rom as they finished breakfast. "I feel it as strongly as this baby's kicks. Whatever it is, I'm going to find out sooner or later, so you may as well get it over with."
    Rom tried not to appear as guilty as he felt but she saw through that also. "I just didn't want to upset you. It's nothing serious."
    "Then tell me."
    With a sigh, Rom ran his fingers through his hair. "Cherry won't be having lunch with you today either."
    Aster narrowed her brows at her mate. "Yesterday, you told me she couldn't keep our lunch date because she was tied up. What's today's excuse?"
    "I didn't say tied up. I said detained, and that still goes for today."
    "Tied up, detained, whatever. It sounds like we're back to variations of the truth game." The Noronian code of honesty forbade anyone from lying outright but evasiveness was occasionally employed to avoid the whole truth. "Your daughter and I are both getting upset. I want to know what you're hiding."
    Rom shook his head in resignation. Actually, he had managed to keep it from her longer than he'd expected, hoping the whole time that Cherry would be back before Aster knew she was gone. It was probably best to get the