Heart's Lair by Kathleen Morgan

they would do to you."
    Suspicion roughened his voice, turning it harsh and grating. Liane flinched and jerked away. "Yes, perhaps it was. But what does it matter? The result was the same. I didn't betray you."
    He turned from her, moving to the ledge to retrieve their packs. Liane wished she could have seen his face when she'd answered him. Had her words hurt as much as his had? She hoped so.
    Ordering her to wait, Karic stealthily crept into the main chamber and over to the falls. He returned after a short time.
    "They're out there, camped across the lake. I don't know if they suspect something or are just bedding down for the nocte. At any rate, we'll be spending it in here."
    Liane's nose wrinkled in distaste. It was dark, damp and cold in the cave. But what choice had they? Only the falls protected them from discovery from the search canus. "As you wish," she sighed. "Where do you propose we sleep?"
    "This is as good a place as any."
    "Up on the ledge?" Liane asked in dismay. She didn't think she could stand a whole nocte cramped up in that hard spot.
    "No. I think down here in front will be all right. That way we're close to it if we need to hide again."
    "Good. Can we have a fire for heat and light?"
    "No. Light from the perpetual flame box you brought is fine, but no fire. If the trackers reentered the cave, they might smell the smoke, if I were even able to find any dry wood in here."
    It was better than nothing, Liane consoled herself, and it would just drive some of that terrible, smothering blackness away.
    She squatted and began to rifle through the packs. The domare hide backpacks were virtually waterproof. If there were any dry clothes or blankets, she supposed she'd survive one nocte in the cave.
    A half hora later Liane was changed into a fresh set of clothes and huddled before the perpetual flame box, wrapped in a blanket. After the numerous times that Karic had seen her naked or nearly so, she had dispensed with modesty when she had shed her wet clothing. Besides, if he wished to rape her there was little she could do about it. He neither said nor did anything, his eyes narrowing briefly before he turned away.
    Karic shed his tunic but remained in his damp breeches. There was no extra clothing for him. He loosely slung the other blanket about his broad shoulders, as if impervious to the cave's pervading chill. Liane wondered at his ability to bear so many kinds of hardship without it seemingly affecting him.
    His glance caught hers, thoughtfully staring at him. "What is it, Liane?"
    Warmth flushed her face, and she shook her head. "Nothing. It was nothing."
    His keen eyes scrutinized her, and he shrugged. "Then I have a question for you."
    "Yes?"
    "After what the trackers said, can I assume you now deem it safer to go with me than escape? Primasedes is certainly no longer an option."
    "Are you sure?" A mocking smile touched Liane's lips. "If I truly know the location of your lair, don't I still have a bargaining piece that Necator wants? Don't you think it would buy me safe passage at least back to Primasedes?"
    "You're right, of course," he growled, his eyes darkening in anger. "I'd forgotten about that."
    "And if I don't know your secret," Liane continued, "my choices are virtually the same. One way or another, it seems I'm going to be raped."
    "At least you won't die at the hands of my people."
    The savageness of his reply startled Liane. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, her welfare mattered to him. She couldn't let it change her resolve, though.
    "If I lose my maidenhood I'll dieone way or another."
    "Why, Liane? Why is it so important to you? There's no shame in mating, no degradation if the loving is gentle and considerate. Most would even say it's pleasurable. What are you afraid of?"
    "I'm not afraid. It's not that, Karic." "Then what, Liane?" He pulled her to her knees, the flickering light throwing dancing shadows across his rough-hewn features. "What is the reason?"  

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