Summoned and Stolen (Summoned Series Romances) Read Free Page B

have the scent of summer meadows fill his nose, calling to mind peaceful days and better times. Fighting the urge to brush a kiss to her berry-tinted lips, Kel finally dragged his focus off of Lily and back to the Duke.
    Camford was watching him with malicious amusement, and seemed not at all concerned that Kel was currently holding the man’s precious battle prize in his lap. “And what do you think of her value now? Priceless, aye?”
    “Aye,” Kel answered, barely aware of what the Duke had said.
    “I’m glad you agree with me, mercenary. For tonight, she is yours. You have agreed that she is priceless, and so I have decided that one night’s pleasure with her is your payment for this victory,” Camford declared, his tone openly smug.
    Kel opened his mouth to protest, but Camford cut him off with a negligent wave of his hand. “You have never once partaken of my generous offers to share my slaves with you. I am starting to feel insulted.”
    Adrenaline coursed through Kel’s veins as he spotted, too late, the trap he’d stepped into. If he refused the Duke’s offer now, the Duke would take it as an insult and demand his honor be redeemed. This was how the Duke intended to avoid paying the full amount of gold Kel was owed for his services and that of the War Dogs.
    Kel channeled his anger and kept his word’s civil, though no one would be able to mistake the displeasure he allowed to show on his face. “You are too generous, Your Grace. I had not expected such a bonus .” Camford was even more arrogant than Kel had feared. It was the only explanation for why the Duke was trying to alter their contract just as it was about to end. It had been years since anyone had been this foolhardy. If Camford thought his rank would protect him from Kel’s anger, then the man was an idiot as well as an ass. Even now Kel’s mind raced as he considered how best to extract himself, and possibly take the Duke’s precious fae prize with him. The poor creature didn’t deserve the fate he knew awaited her at Camford’s hands.
    Camford frowned at him. “Her worth is more than that of gold, mercenary.”
    “Then perhaps you should have told me that before my warriors won this war for you, Your Grace.” Kel’s voice was soft and deadly even as he purred the other man’s title. “We have an agreement, and I must insist you abide by it.”
    The first sign of unease flickered over the fat man’s face. “You shall be paid as agreed upon…we shall consider this night a bonus as you said.”
    “You are too kind to offer such a gift,” Kel said, even as he saw the lie for what it was. Camford had no intention of paying any gold now that the battle had been won.
    “I am, aren’t I?” Camford agreed and clapped his pudgy hands together like a child who has gotten his fondest wish. “Not to worry, my fine fellow. And what a gift she is! Rockland was a fool who didn’t know what he had. He thought her beauty was her greatest gift. I knew better! She is the key to my immortality, and you have won her for me.”
    Lily sat as still as she could and listened, trying to make sense of what was being said. The gold torc around her neck was enchanted to allow her to speak and understand the languages spoken around her, but right now she doubted the spell’s abilities. Surely she hadn’t heard her master correctly. She could heal, aye, but to make someone immortal was far beyond her abilities. And why would he give her to the handsome mercenary when it was obvious Camford lusted after her himself? What was going on?
    She bit her lip in an effort to stave off her tears of fear and frustration. Lily was a creature of magic and healing, not war. She didn’t know the first thing about fighting, but right now she wished she could fly across the room and claw out her master’s mocking eyes. That thought triggered a burst of fiery agony inside her skull and she barely muffled a soft cry of pain.
    At least, she thought she’d muffled