The Golden Barbarian Read Free Page A

in the forest. She’ll get lost or fall into another damn bog.”
    Sacha shook his head. “She knows the forest too well to become lost. She’ll be fine.”
    Galen’s lips thinned. “With a maid who fornicates under the child’s eyes? Are you going to tell her mother?”
    “No, she would dismiss Pauline.”
    “Good. An action much to be desired.”
    Sacha shook his head. “Bad. Tess, the poor imp, has little enough freedom. You’ve met my dear uncle Axel. His Highness has the distinction of being one of the most arrogant bastards on the face of the earth. He treats Tess little better than a chattel.” He grimaced. “Worse, when she angers him. At least with a careless strumpet like Pauline as a servant, Tess gets to escape that prison of a schoolroom occasionally.” He glanced curiously at Galen. “Why are you so concerned? You’re not one to worry about the morals of serving wenches.” He chuckled. “Unless it interferes with you having your way with them.”
    Galen’s reaction was as much a surprise to him as to Sacha. Something about Tess Rubinoff’s honesty and matter-of-fact acceptance of the world around her had oddly touched him. “Your cousin has courage. It’s a quality I admire.” He shrugged as he tugged on his left boot. “But it’s of no concern to me. I only mentioned it because the child is your kin.” He glanced at Sacha. “Though you seem to know overmuch about the lack of virtue of this Pauline.”
    Sacha nodded with satisfaction. “Last summer.” He puffed up his chest and beamed blissfully.“For four splendid weeks I gored her every night like the bull I am, and she loved every minute of it. I had her screaming with pleasure.”
    “And where did this goring take place?”
    “In her chamber.”
    Galen pulled on his other boot. “Beside the nursery?”
    Sacha frowned. “Yes. Why?”
    “No special reason. Just curious.” No wonder Sacha had not been worried about talking out of turn in front of his cousin. His presence in the slut’s bed had contributed as much as Pauline’s other partners to the child’s worldly education. Galen stood up, struggled into his silk coat, then swung up onto Telzan’s back. “Let’s get back to the palace. These wet clothes are beginning to feel uncomfortable, and I must be ready for my audience with your father in three hours.”
    Sacha nodded. “You know I would help you more if I could?” He shook his head. “A second son has little power in a monarchy.”
    Galen smiled as he urged his horse into a trot. “You’ve done more than I hoped. You’ve introduced me at court and persuaded your father to listen to the wild man from Sedikhan. I wouldn’t have received even that boon if you hadn’t interceded.”
    “I may not have done you a favor. Both my father and older brother have little use for me.… I’m much too flippant for their tastes.”
    But, Galen knew, beneath Sacha’s flippancy lay keen intelligence and a good heart. Soon aftermaking the acquaintance of Sacha Rubinoff, Galen had realized that the young prince’s notorious pranks and mischief-making stemmed from boredom. The society into which he’d been born simply did not suit his volatile nature. Of late, Galen had begun to wonder what kind of man Sacha would have been if he had been raised to the sword and seasoned by battle. “You’ve done me a very great favor. You’ve given me what I came to Tamrovia to obtain.”
    Sacha’s smile faded. “Don’t count too much on this audience. It’s difficult to stir my father into any decisive action these days.”
    “I have to try.” He tried to suppress any show of desperation. “I have to make your father see that an alliance must be formed for the sake of both our countries.”
    Sacha pushed back his chair and stood up when Galen strode out of the audience chamber into the anteroom. “How did it—” Galen’s stormy expression answered his question, “Not well.”
    “No alliance,” Galen said curtly. “His