Bound by Sin by Jacquelyn Frank Page B

wondering what had become of him. Still, they were more than capable of functioning without him and he was sure they had plenty to do, taking over this city and making it their own. So too did he. But he had promised her one meal a day and he was a man of his word.
    He entered the main dining hall where the brothers’ personal chefs were already laying out a meal for Jaykun and his chief aides. His brothers were there as well and suddenly he had the urge to take a more private meal with her. She would find herself lost amongst all these men. Amongst all the tasks and discussions that would no doubt be overshadowing the meal. Tomorrow he would see things done differently, but for now, he had no choice but to let it happen. As it was, his brothers would be champing at the bit for him to get on with the day’s considerable business.
    The looks they shot him as he entered the hall revealed as much. But he didn’t really care. In his mind the morning had been well spent. Actually, it had been a really good morning, an easy one. And he had not enjoyed such for a very long time. His life was one of long, hard campaigns, one after another, eyes always set on the next goal. That morning his goals had been simple, not pressing or weighty. He realized he was grateful to her for it. It would not—
could
not—last of course, but it had been nice while it had been happening. He only wished he had appreciated it more.
    He sat down at the head of the table, a position given to him by his brothers in deference to his rank over them. Dethan may be the eldest, but this was Jaykun’s army and they wanted everyone to know it. The next available seat at the table was several places down on the left and Jaykun frowned. He hardly thought his promise of a meal with her consisted of her being out of comfortable speaking distance.
    “Would everyone be so kind as to shift down,” he asked of those on the left. They all paused their conversations and actions as if they had been suddenly caught in amber. Then, slowly, everyone on the left, including his brother Garreth, stood up and shifted down one seat. Luckily, Garreth did so without verbal comment, but his discontent was obvious. What it boiled down to, however, was that Jaykun’s word was law and it must be respected and obeyed…and his brothers must be the first to set the example or there would be discontent and chaos in the ranks.
    Jaykun held Jileana’s chair for her as she sat. Once she was in front of her plate, he took his own seat, and realizing how hungry he was, he began to pile food onto his plate. However, neither him nor his brothers could keep up with Jileana. She was voracious, taking one of everything and then some. She didn’t overstuff her mouth but instead seemed to savor every single bite.
    “Oh, this is all so good! What do you call this? And this? Oh, and what about this?”
    “We call it food. Do they starve you where you are from?”
    She looked at Garreth and smiled in the face of his acerbic tone. “Hardly that. As I have said, it is different. I should like to bring knowledge of some of these things back with me. Can you tell me how this is made?” She held out a piece of bread.
    “It’s just bread. You’ve no bread?”
    “No. And this is so warm and fluffy. It all but melts in my mouth. And yet it is chewy. Isn’t it delightful?”
    “Thrilling,” Garreth said with a sigh.
    If he’d been closer, Jaykun would have kicked his brother under the table. But the truth was, Garreth was tired and missing his wife and child. He wanted to go home to them, and the longer it took Jaykun to get entrenched in this city, the longer Garreth and Dethan would stay by his side. Winter was coming and it would take several weeks overland at best before they got home. With ships, the time could be made considerably shorter. However, the ships in the harbor were run by Krizan crews, crews that were not to be trusted if this morning’s incident was anything to go by. And