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ls he had learned…most probably among the courtesans of Al…Rassan…Ramiro was dismayingly adept at subverting her best intentions。
Even now； in the middle of a hot summer's day； with carpenters hammering and a barrage of shouting outside； and with the stem words of the world's end still echoing in her ears； Queen Ines found herself breathing a little more quickly at the images her husband's presence had conjured forth within her。 After almost twenty years and with the full knowledge of the impious evil of his ways； this was still true。 And Ramiro could read it in her as easily as her clerics could read from Jad's most holy Books。 He reached down now； not ungently； and plucked the god disk from her clasp。
〃Hold me like that；〃 he murmured； laying the disk aside and lifting her to her feet with his strong hands。 〃Love me the way you love the god。〃 Then he slipped his arms around her and drew her close so that she was made inescapably aware that the king of Valledo was wearing nothing at all beneath his white silk robe。 And that pressing awareness； as he tilted her head to meet his kiss； brought back for Ines all the wildly disturbing sensations she always felt when this happened。
I will have to atone； she told herself as their lips met。
He began unravelling the cloth that bound the coils of her red hair。 She would seek holy counsel and support later。 Her own hands； unbidden； as if bearing weights； came up along his robe； feeling the hard body beneath。 Ramiro drew back； then lowered his head again hungrily。 He bit at the corner of her lip。
There would surely be wise； consoling thoughts from her advisors of the soul later； the queen told herself。 Her fingers seemed now to be laced behind his head。 She pulled his hair； not gently at all。 The king laughed。 He smelled of some eastern spice。 That； too； was unsettling。 It was unfair。 She would need such a great deal of help to guide her back to the pure realm of the spirit。 For the moment； though； as her husband smoothly lifted and then carried her over to the wide couch he'd had brought into her new suite of rooms； the queen of Valledo was rather more preoccupied； to her great and enduring confusion； with increasingly explicit matters of the flesh。
At one point she cried his name aloud； and at another； suffused with her eternal mixture of desire and shame； she found herself riding above his supine form； knowing that this mode of congress was yet another decadent legacy of Al…Rassan； but unable to stop herself from gasping aloud with the pleasure it gave her。 Pleasure of the world； she told herself； somewhat desperately； moving up and down upon him while his fingers teased and circled her breasts。 Of the world。 Only of the world。 The realm of the god was otherwise。 It was eternal； holy； golden； transcendent； shining； not bound to the mortal bodies of frail…
〃Oh my！〃 said the queen of Valledo then； as if in great surprise； and held herself extremely still。
The second cry that escaped her a moment later was； in its own way； an admission。
〃Tell me about what happened；〃 she said； some time after。
He liked to lie with her； entangled indecently； after congress。 That much； at least； she was able to deny him。 Ines had donned a robe and had forced him to clothe himself as well； before summoning one of her women with refreshments。 Amused； satiated； Ramiro had obeyed。
The woman brought ale for him and a pear infusion for the queen and then withdrew。 Now Ramiro lay indolently upon the couch while Ines sat on a nearby bench； needlework in hand。 She was making a new pouch for her sun disk； to hang from her belt。
〃It went surprisingly well；〃 Ramiro said； turning on his side； his head propped on one hand。 He looked at her with such frank admiration it brought color to her cheeks again。 〃Thank you； by the way。 I do prefer it when you leave your hair down；〃 he said。
She hadn't intended to。 An oversight。 She was wrongfully proud of her hair； and as a penance kept it tied tightly back almost all the time。 Self…consciously she pushed a strand from her eyes。 He would laugh at her if she began binding it up now； she knew。
〃This morning；〃 she said firmly。 〃We are talking about this morning。〃
He grinned。 Sipped from his flagon。 The noise outside and below stairs continued。 Among other things； he was expanding the palace baths； after the Al…Rassan fashion； with hot and cold pools； and a massage room。 It was a scandal。
〃They both accepted my judgment；〃 he said。 〃There was a bit of noise when I said I would have executed Garcia； but no one actually spoke out。 Count Gonzalez is now bound by oath to defend Belmonte's family for two years。 No blood feud。 He has sworn it in public。〃
〃You announced he would die if they died？〃 He had discussed this with her some days before。 In fairness； she had to concede
that he was never reluctant to confide in her。 They had even discussed； all those years ago； his move into Valledo from Jalona。 He spent a fair bit of time in her rooms； telling her his thoughts。 Certainly more than her father had ever confided in her mother。
In fact； Ines suddenly realized； looking at the man on her couch； if he hadn't been so much an infidel in the most important matters； she might have been able to name her husband a paragon among men。
Her expression must have softened。 He looked amused again。 〃I meant to tell you earlier。 I love looking at your breasts from below；〃 he said。 〃They change from pears to melons； did you know？〃
〃I really hadn't noticed；〃 she said tartly。 〃Must we expound upon it？ Is the constable to die if a Belmonte does？〃
Ramiro shook his head。 〃I proclaimed it； and the count would have accepted； I think； but then Rodrigo asked me to withdraw that sanction。 Said if Gonzalez swore to their defense it was enough for him。 I wonder 。。。 could he be tired of his wife； do you think？ They've been married a long time。〃
〃Less long than we have；〃 Ines replied。 〃And if you think he's tired of her you are a great fool。 It is simply that Ser Rodrigo Belmonte is a pious man； a believer in the power of the god； and he was willing to trust to Jad's will and Gonzalez's public oath。 It doesn't seem surprising to me at all。〃
Ramiro made no reply for a moment。 〃Actually； what he said was that he didn't want our enemies able to force me to execute the constable by harming Rodrigo's family。 I hadn't thought of that。〃
Neither had Ines。 She'd had years of this sort of dialogue； though。 〃He just said that because you wouldn't have listened if he offered a reason to do with faith。〃
〃Probably not；〃 Ramiro agreed； far too placidly。 He looked at her happily。 〃I still think he may be tired of his wife。 He asked us to pray for him because he had to go home。〃
〃You see？〃 said Ines swiftly。 〃He believes in the power of prayer。〃
The king spoiled her triumph by laughing aloud。
Outside； the banging and rumbling noises of construction continued unabated。 Esteren's castle was being turned into a veritable palace； fashioned； all too clearly； after the courts of the south。 In a way it was an insult to the god。 She did like the plans for her expanded quarters though。
〃Again； my lady？〃 the king of Valledo asked his wife。
She bit at her lip。 〃If you e to chapel with me； after。〃
〃Done；〃 he said； rising from the couch。
〃And speak the prayers aloud with me；〃 she added quickly。
〃Done。〃 He came over to stand above her seat； but then he sank to his knees before her； reaching up with one hand to touch her hair。
〃And you will not make any clever ments about the liturgy。〃
〃Done。 Done。 Done； Ines。〃
It seemed a fair bargain for a summer's day。 She laid her needlework aside。 She even granted him a smile。 The work of Jad here in Esperana had turned out to be long and unexpectedly plex。 It had led her down paths she could never have foreseen back at home in Ferrieres twenty years ago； a girl dreaming at night not of a man but a god。 She slid from the bench to join her husband on the newly carpeted floor。 She liked the carpet； too。 It had e all the way north from Seria； in Al…Rassan。
Somewhat rashly； in view of all the circumstances； Rodrigo Belmonte elected to ride on alone through the last night in order to arrive home at dawn； ahead of his pany； which had travelled with him from Esteren。
He was one of the most formidable fighting men in the peninsula； and the country here was about as safe as any open country was in thinly populated Valledo； which is to say it was not； in fact； particularly safe at all。
Both of the wandering moons the Kindath named as sisters of the god were in the sky； and both were close to full。 In the far distance； beyond the ranches and the rising foothills； the faint outline of the mountains of Jalona could be seen。 Given bright moonlight and a brilliantly clear sky； Rodrigo would have been easily visible from a long way off as he rode alone over the grazing lands where the horses of Valledo still ran wild。
Of course that meant he should have been able to see trouble ing from equally far off； and his black horse was able to outrun anything on that plain。 If anyone was foolish enough to attack him； once they realized who he