The Tiger Prince Read Free Page B

I’ve always told you to stay out of my way in a fight.”
    “Sorry. I thought it time I took a hand. You were in a temper, but you didn’t really want to kill that lummox.”
    “Didn’t I?”
    Ian wrung out the cloth and laid it on Ruel’s forehead. “Killing is a mortal sin. Life is much easier when you’re not forced to carry around those kinds of burdens. Do you wish a drink of water?”
    Ruel nodded, then studied Ian as he reached down and filled the iron dipper from the bucket beside his stool. Ian was in his middle thirties now, but Ruel could see little change brought by the years. The big, loose-limbed strength that had enabled Ian to lift Ruel as if he weighed no more than a feather was clearly still there, as was the neatly barbered black hair, the slow, deliberate way he moved and spoke.
    Ian brought the dipper to Ruel’s lips, holding it steady while he drank thirstily. “There’s stew in the pot on the stove over there. Mila made it only a half hour ago, and it should still be warm.”
    Ruel shook his head.
    “Later, then.” Ian returned the dipper to the bucket and gently wiped Ruel’s forehead. “This Mila appears to be very loyal to you.”
    “In a hole like this you cling to the people you can trust.”
    “I assume you’re bedding her? She did try to take that machete for you.”
    Ruel smiled with genuine amusement. “I admit I have a certain talent in that direction, but even my conceit won’t permit me to think a woman would risk being beheaded by a machete to keep me between her legs.”
    He deliberately changed the subject. “But she’ll keep an eye on me until I’m better. You don’t have to stay.”
    “Are you sure you won’t have something to eat? It will strengthen you and I’d like to be able to travel in a fortnight.”
    “I’m not going with you.”
    “Of course you are. What do you have here? Mila tells me Barak has recovered and taken over your claim.”
    “Son of a bitch,” Ruel muttered.
    “Probably.” Ian grimaced. “But I admit to being glad he occupied himself stealing from you instead of wreaking vengeance on me.”
    “You should have thought of that before you interfered.”
    “Possibly.” He smiled faintly. “Particularly as you weren’t able to fight my battle for me as you did when we were boys.”
    “You were never merciless enough. You could have bested anyone in the glen, but you never learned to go for the jugular. You can’t let anyone—”
    Ian interrupted. “I suppose the minute you’re on your feet you’re going to go after Barak and try to retrieve your property?”
    Ruel thought about it. “No.”
    “Very sensible.” Ian tilted his head to study Ruel’s expression. “But not at all like you. As I remember, you always believed in taking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
    “Oh, I still do,” Ruel said. “But these days, when the issue isn’t important, I sometimes let fate exact vengeance for me.”
    “Which means?”
    “The claim here was played out a week ago.” He smiled with supreme satisfaction. “I’m going to enjoy thinking about that bastard breaking his back working that claim and getting no more than a pouch of gold dust for his trouble.”
    “I see.” Ian paused. “Then your gold mine was another failure like Jaylenburg?”
    Ruel stiffened. “What do you know about Jaylenburg?”
    “Just that you staked a claim, stayed there for six months, and moved on.” Ian dipped the cloth again and wrung it out. “You’ve moved on a good deal. Australia, California, South Africa …”
    “You seem very knowledgeable.”
    “Not really. I paid a young man to find you, but he always managed to just miss you until Krugerville.” He shook his head as he laid the cloth on Ruel’s forehead. “You’re not a boy any longer. You can’t chase rainbows for the rest of your life.”
    “I’ve never chased rainbows.” Ruel smiled faintly. “I was always after the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,