Reign Queen by L. Gibbs (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

Queen of Kavin. That couldnot be the same as Kambry do Brode of Paddlyrun. If it was, she wasgrossly misinformed. Lady Laurents would be livid if Kambryaccepted such an interpretation. Had she slipped out from underStahn’s brotherly protection only to shelter behind a husband? Shestamped. She would not stand for that.

“I’m still learning what it means to havesomeone in power with me.”

Kambry spun around, her gaze intent on hisconfused face. “Your mother was a subservient queen?”

“No!” He shook his head, nonplussed. “She wasstrong. My parents ruled together.”

“Then how am I different? Why do you expectso much less from me?”

“You have little experience.”

“No, I have little opportunity. What did youthink I did while you searched for Amily?” She marched to the roomthat held weapons sized for her. Russal strolled slowly after her,and she glared back at him from the doorway before striding insideand grabbing a small sword. She turned to find him just enteringthe room.

She held the sword out, her grip sure. Gordyhad trained her with one similar, though far more worn. “Is this atoy? Was it prepared for me to pretend with?”

His gaze shifted about the room. “I thoughtwe could train together.”

“I train with Lessa, Dorvea, Cole and Drew. Idon’t need you to be another trainer.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

She set the sword back in its mount andpushed past Russal, back through the door and to her side table.She held out her queen’s scabbard. “Is this an ornament?”

“Do you want me to say you look formidablewhen you brandish a sword?”

“Words. All you give me are words. And I’vebeen accepting them.” She stomped up to him and pulled the bladefrom the leather hand strap. “It is pretty, but don’t take it or mefor granted. It is sharp and can do considerable damage to vitalparts of one’s body.” She tossed the blade and scabbard on the bedwhen worry rose on Russal’s face.

Covey had supplied words. Explanations.Russal gave explanations, too. She had imagined Russal moretrustworthy, but they were just words. Both men wanted her. Sheneeded actions that meant something. “I don’t know whose words tobelieve.”

Russal’s gaze darted toward the stairwell.“What did Covey tell you?” His complexion blanched.

Did he have something to hide? “He showed mesomething. No, that’s not right. He told me something, but Kavinshowed me it was truth.”

He shook his head. “Nothing he could tell youwould be truth.”

But what did she have that proved Russal’swere? She needed time to think things through. Being with Russalleft her confused and angry. She didn’t want to feel that way aboutthe man she just married, but he’d neglected and disregarded her.Wanting time to think, she said, “Can that little room next to thestairs have a bed put in it?”

“What? What are you saying?”

“I need time by myself. I can’t be in herewith you.”

Stunned, he stood with his hands open at hissides. “This is our wedding night.”

“And you left me!”

“To arrange for protection.”

“Protection. Aren’t these rooms protected?Tomo tried to explain his concern, and you argued with him.” Shestared at the bed. “You had one thing on your mind then, but nowyou say you left to protect me, and moments ago you said it was tocheck on the injured guards. What are you not telling me?”

“Kambry, you are being hysterical.”

Beneath her anger, a new frustration rose. Hewasn’t giving anything she said any thought. “I need to be alone tothink.”

“Give me a moment.” He turned in place, hisface uncertain, blotchy. “Is this just for tonight?”

“I don’t know how long it will be. I thinkthat’s up to you.”

He cocked his head. “So if I refuse to letyou sleep in there away from me?”

“That would be a mistake. It would not bewords, but is it really the action you want to heap on top ofshoving me aside?”

He stared at the floor, his eyes closed. Thenhis chin lifted, and he looked toward the wall where he had letTomo in after removing the wall panels. Nodding to himself, hestrode to the corner and pulled the panel. In just a few seconds,he had the passageway open.

This hadn’t been what she expected. “Are youleaving?” Her voice broke. She had no idea what she wanted, butRussal leaving wasn’t it.

He jerked round to face her, a flash of hopefilling his expression. “Only for a moment.” He took a candle andlit it.

“You said that before.”

The candle shook in his hand, the flamedancing. “I’ll just be a moment. I promise.” He stepped into thedark passage, and she hurried to the opening. Nothing other thanthe sound of his footsteps and the faint glow of the candlesupported that he wasn’t far so quickly did he turn a corner intothe near impenetrable darkness. She heard his descending steps.

Something scraped and screeched, metal onstone. Thuds and a grunt accompanied his returning his footsteps,slow and stuttered. The candle out, he came around a corner intothe dim light from their room carrying something long and bulky. Awhite mass flapped and caught at the wall, and he staggered amoment before it flipped back down.

Kambry stepped back as he came closer to thepassage entrance.

The bulky object protruded into the room, andhe stepped one leg over the low section of wall, ducking and justbarely avoiding knocking his head into the wall overhead.

The cot. It was the cot he had slept on whenhe had watched her from the passageway. The wardrobe had concealeda passageway that led to the mistress’s room she had quartered in afew days. That seemed forever ago.

He lurched past her, the frame beatingagainst him and creaking as he carted it into their room.

“Would you open the door for me?”

Kambry hurried to catch the latch and swingthe door open to the small room by the stairs. He lugged the cot inand set it down. The mattress lay half folded over on the wiresstretched to support it. The sheets streamed down over the backedge of the cot.

He tugged at his tunic. “I’ll sleep in here.You take. . .our bed.”

“I said I would stay in here,” she said.

“Kambry, please,” he whispered, his faceturned away from her.

His voice tore at her. “Okay,” she said.

He flipped the mattress flat and sat