Free Crystal Flame by Jayne Ann Krentz Page B

Whip was not looking at all pleased as evening fell the following day. He encountered Kalena as she waited in the wide, tiled entry hall of the house for the arrival of Arrisa and her friends. In honor of the occasion, Kalena was wearing her most vividly hued tunic, a daringly short affair of yellow and red Risha cloth over-blue-green trousers. She had high-heeled velvet boots on her feet and her best combs in her hair. Her one indulgence in the area of jewelry yesterday had been to purchase a set of ear clips fashioned of tinted glass gems that were supposed to imitate the fabulously expensive green crystal mined near the Talon Pass. The sparkling glass stones were mounted on narrow, flexible strips that encircled the entire outer curve of her ear. Kalena had never worn anything like them before in her life. All in all, she was feeling quite adventurous about the coming evening.
    Ridge came around the corner of the hall, apparently on his way to Quintel's apartment. He was wearing one of his new shirts with a small R worked on the left shoulder. He took one look at Kalena and his golden eyes came alive with angry heat. "So. You've decided to join Arrisa and her friends, after all."
    "I had intended to join them all along," Kalena answered pleasantly. "I simply didn't choose to argue about it over dinner last night."
    The flames in his golden eyes burned higher. "I forbid it."
    She sighed. "We both know you haven't that right, Ridge."
    "By tomorrow night I will have every right," he snapped. "By the Stones, Kalena, I will not tolerate such behavior. Do you think I am forbidding tonight's little jaunt just. because I enjoy exercising my authority?"
    "Umm. Yes. That seems to be the general reason men forbid women to do things."
    He took a long angry step toward her. "I have made this decision for your own good, you contrary little wench. The same way I will be making other decisions during the course of our marriage. I expect you to have the sense to obey me. Last night I got the impression you had some measure of common sense. I assumed—"
    The heavy knocker sounded outside and a soft-footed servant slipped into the hall to open the door.
    Kalena heard Arrisa's voice, and she smiled up at Ridge. "Have a pleasant evening, Ridge. This is your last night of freedom, also. You should celebrate. I'd invite you to join us, but I'm afraid the other women would object."
    "Dammit, Kalena, listen to me. This is not the sort of crowd you should be joining."
    She swept eagerly toward the door. "You're wrong, Ridge. This is precisely my sort of crowd. I have waited a good many years to be a freewoman."
    "After tomorrow night, you won't be free," he vowed, taking one more dangerous step toward her. "And the moment you are officially put into my keeping, I'm going to take measures to start correcting your stubborn ways."
    "I can see that you are going to make a very dull sort of husband." Kalena threw him a last, laughing glance and hurried outside into the balmy evening. The door closed behind her, blocking out the sight of Ridge's glowering face. "Arrisa, I'm ready."
    Arrisa stood on the stone path along with three other women. All were dressed in a dazzling array of bright tunics and flashing jewelry. They greeted Kalena with wide, infectious grins as Arrisa made introductions and Kalena knew the evening that lay ahead of her would be unlike any other she had ever experienced.

    "Let's be off," Arrisa commanded, taking charge of the small crowd. "I have ordered an evening meal at the Sign of the Dark Key. After all, we'll let the night take us where it will. Don't worry, Kalena, we'll have you back here in time for your wedding."
    Helpless to stop Kalena and thoroughly disgusted by that fact, Ridge opened the great hall doors and watched the brightly dressed flock of women disappear down the street. Their cheerful laughter floated back to him on the soft evening air. Tomorrow night, he promised himself, things would be different.
    Kalena