"Be assured, you will hear her scream," Galen said grimly. "There should be time before we meet for the final vote this afternoon."

"Good." The old man turned his horse and rode away toward the tents of El Kabbar.

Sacha stepped forward. "Galen, I know you're angry, but you have to admit she had justification, and she wasn't as self-indulgent as you might bel—"

"Go find Viane and tell her to heat water for a bath." Galen wrinkled his nose. "Dear Lord, she stinks." He turned to Tess and asked coldly, "Can you walk?"

"Of course." She struggled to her knees and then to her feet. "I told you I wasn't hurt."

"Then go to the tent and wait for me there." He turned and took Pavda's and Selik's reins and started for the enclosure. "Pavda deserves more care than you do. You could have killed her on that fourth jump."

"I knew she could make it. I would never do anything to endanger Pavda."

He neither answered nor glanced at her as he stalked toward the enclosure.

Sacha gave a low whistle. "Be careful, imp. I've never seen him like this."

Tess was out of the bath, and Viane was wrapping her in a long length of toweling when Galen came into the tent. He carried a short riding whip.

"Leave us, Viane."

Viane gazed in horror at the whip. "Would not a small stick do as well?"

Galen smiled grimly. "The whip was sent by Hakim as a gesture of goodwill and a reminder of how a woman should be disciplined. Wasn't it kind of him?"

Viane hesitated. "I'm sure she didn't mean to cause trouble, Galen. Couldn't you—"

"She meant to cause the furor she did."

Galen said curtly. "Leave us, and tell your servant to start packing. I've told Kalim he's to form an escort and take you back to Zalandan this afternoon."

"But truly, Galen, she meant no harm. Could you not forgive her?"

"No, it's gone too far. If I don't punish her, I lose Hakim's vote for unity."

"That vile old man What do you care—?"

"He's right, Viane," Tess said quietly. "I must be punished. It's the only way. Leave us."

Viane gave her a worried glance and reluctantly left the tent.

"I didn't expect you to be so understanding."

Galen said without expression. "Was humiliating Hakim in the race worth it?"

She lifted her chin. "Yes."

"I disagree." He started toward her. "Nothing would be worth what I felt when I saw you—" He broke off as he stopped before her. "I thought you were dead when you fell off Pavda."

"I didn't fall off Pavda," she said indignantly. "I don't fall off horses."

He went still. "What?"

"Well, I did, but only because I wanted to fall." She frowned. "But I didn't know the ground would jar me so badly. I haven't taken a fall since I was a child, and I thought the sand would be softer."

"Would you care to explain?" Galen asked carefully.

"I told you, I fell deliberately." She shrugged. "I didn't wish to enrage Hakim or any of the other sheikhs by a total victory. That would have disrupted the council and your chance for unity. I thought if I took a fall and broke the carobel, it would be enough to soothe their wounded pride." She met his gaze fiercely. "But he had to be punished. He had to know a woman could best him."

"But you didn't best him. You gave up your victory just as you had it in your grasp."

"It was enough." She scowled. "No, it wasn't. I hated lying in the sand with him smirking down at me. Next time I'll—" She stopped and drew a shaky breath. "But it was enough for now." She looked at the whip again. "Do you wish me to kneel?"

"No, just turn around."

She turned her back.

"Now drop the towel. "

She unwrapped the towel and let it fall to the carpet. She waited, bracing herself for the first blow.

Then, incredibly, she felt not the lash but a warm brushing in the hollow of her spine.

She looked over her shoulder to see Galen kneeling on the carpet, his lips moving across the flesh of her lower back. The whip lay on the rug beside him. She felt a wild leap of joy.

"You're not going to punish me?" she whispered.

"I didn't say I'd punish you, I said I'd make you scream." His hands cupped her buttocks and began to knead. "And I fully intend to keep my word."

His hands encircled her waist, and he pulled her down to her knees.

"I thought you were angry with me."

"I am," he said thickly. He pushed her down on the carpet, his hands searching, petting, arousing. "Dear God, you frightened me. You deserve to be punished—but not with a whip."

She should be fighting him, she realized hazily as hot shivers began to race through her. She had been prepared for a beating, not his lust, and he had caught her off guard.

He parted her thighs, and three fingers plunged deep and then began a jerky rhythm that brought a cry to her lips, and her body arched upward in a delirium of pleasure.

He spread her limbs, and his hand left her. He bent closer until his warm breath teased the flesh of her inner thigh. "There are other, more delicate torments." His tongue flicked out, and shock convulsed her. "You see?"

His palms slid beneath her buttocks; lifting her, he drew closer. "I'll have no difficulty making you scream for all to hear."

Only a few minutes later his prophecy proved true.

His mouth…

She whimpered and screamed and whimpered again as he drew her from valley to peak and would not let her go. He permitted her to descend for not more than a moment before he began again. She was not conscious how long it went on. She was aware only of arousal and release, arousal and release. When he finally lifted his head and moved between her thighs, she was trembling so badly she could do nothing but cling to him.

His dark eyes glittered fiercely down at her, his chest moved in and out with the harshness of his breathing. "Never again," he said hoarsely. "You will never take a risk like that again." He punctuated each word with a bold thrust. "I— will—not—bear—it."

He plunged deep, thrust fast and furiously, and only moments later obtained his own pleasure.

She felt a tiny stirring of hope through the haze of exhaustion enfolding her. "It was necessary. There was no danger. You know I ride well."

He flexed within her. "Even better on me than on Pavda."

"Admit I did well."

He smiled down at her and gently brushed a lock of hair from her face. "When I wasn't tempted to stop and beat you, I was very proud."

"Truly?"

"Truly." He moved off her and reached over to retrieve the toweling she had dropped at his command. "And now I believe that our purpose has been accomplished, and sufficient time has passed for me to go to the council."

The heat rushed to Tess's cheeks. "You think they heard me?"

"Without doubt. At one point I was sure your cries would carry to Zalandan."

Her flush deepened. "I was… surprised."

Galen finished adjusting his clothing. "You won't be any longer, will you?" He moved toward the entrance of the tent. "Stay here in the tent until the council is over." He glanced back at her lying on the carpet as he untied the flaps of the tent. "You look entirely too satisfied and are notably lacking in bruises. I'll give orders that no one is to come to you but Said."