things.”
“I say them, and I mean them.” She bumped her shoulder into mine. “Don’t be such a prude.”
“You’re right.” I never expected those words to cross my lips. “If I must marry one of Mother’s choices for me, perhaps I should take a lover. I ought to have that much choice, don’t you think?”
“I, um, well…”
“No. For once, we are in complete agreement.” I don’t know why the idea never crossed my mind before. “I will take my first lover.” I slid my gaze her way. “Are any of the guards handsome?”
Her expression turned pained. “You’ve lived here all your life and never noticed?”
“If we rode through a forest with hundreds of trees but were told we could only seek shelter beneath five of the sturdiest in the woods, would you spare a glance for the others as you passed them?” I let her ponder that. “Or would you keep your gaze focused ahead on the trees you were allowed to use?”
“You’re comparing cones to needles.” She waved her hand. “ There’s more to it.”
Ah, yes. Isolde and her elusive more . “What else is there?”
“The burn in your gut when a handsome male smiles at you, or the way your lips tingle before a male kisses you.” She made smacking noises. “You don’t waltz into a room and pick a male, check his teeth and his papers then decide if he’s worthy. You feel it. Your nipples get as hard as stones—”
I covered my ears. “Enough.”
“You’re right.” She yanked on my arms. “It’s really the males who get hard— Oof. ”
I elbowed her again , harder. “You’re ruining the appeal for me.”
“If you take a lover, it won’t be all roses and sweet wine.” She chortled. “You realize that?”
“I am very well aware of how sex works, thank you.”
“It’s a messy, sticky business,” she warned me. “You have to get naked and then he pulls out—”
“ Isolde .” My face was burning so hot I should have breathed fire.
She patted my cheeks and grinned. “What are friends for?”
“I hope you’re pleased.” I fanned my face. “You’ve just sent me to my future husband a virgin.”
“Aww.” She looped her arm through mine. “ There’s more to sex than your mother told you.”
The rest of the way down to the west end, she took great delight in educating me.
Ahead of us loomed the dark tunnel leading to the guards’ quarters. If I squinted, I could just see a male standing in the center with his hand on his sword. He was Theridiidae. All our guards were. That meant he was highly venomous and the prick of his teeth could kill me without a dose of antivenin.
I kept that in mind as I approached him, taking care to stop a careful distance away.
The older male inclined his head. “What brings you here, lady?”
“My friend won this off a guard.” I nudged Isolde until she held up her prize. “Would you be so kind as to locate him for us? I would like to see his property returned to him personally.”
If I left Isolde to do it, gods only knew what she might come back carrying.
“I can’t leave my post.” He narrowed his eyes on the blade. “I will see it to its rightful owner.”
“ Ha.” Isolde whipped it out of his reach. “We don’t know you or that you’ll keep your word.”
The guard drew himself up taller. “Are you insulting my honor?”
She glared up at him. “Whether you have any honor is the question.”
“Forgive my friend.” I clamped a hand over Isolde’s arm. “She means no disrespect.”
His scowl slid onto me. “No doubt you believe that, miss.”
“If you can’t leave your post, then let me escort her to the common room. We won’t enter any of the guards’ quarters or private spaces. We won’t disturb them more than necessary.” I smiled at him. “I trust your clansmen to protect my honor as Mother trusts your clan with the welfare of our nest.”
That made hi s chest swell with pride. “They’re good males. They won’t trouble
“I say them, and I mean them.” She bumped her shoulder into mine. “Don’t be such a prude.”
“You’re right.” I never expected those words to cross my lips. “If I must marry one of Mother’s choices for me, perhaps I should take a lover. I ought to have that much choice, don’t you think?”
“I, um, well…”
“No. For once, we are in complete agreement.” I don’t know why the idea never crossed my mind before. “I will take my first lover.” I slid my gaze her way. “Are any of the guards handsome?”
Her expression turned pained. “You’ve lived here all your life and never noticed?”
“If we rode through a forest with hundreds of trees but were told we could only seek shelter beneath five of the sturdiest in the woods, would you spare a glance for the others as you passed them?” I let her ponder that. “Or would you keep your gaze focused ahead on the trees you were allowed to use?”
“You’re comparing cones to needles.” She waved her hand. “ There’s more to it.”
Ah, yes. Isolde and her elusive more . “What else is there?”
“The burn in your gut when a handsome male smiles at you, or the way your lips tingle before a male kisses you.” She made smacking noises. “You don’t waltz into a room and pick a male, check his teeth and his papers then decide if he’s worthy. You feel it. Your nipples get as hard as stones—”
I covered my ears. “Enough.”
“You’re right.” She yanked on my arms. “It’s really the males who get hard— Oof. ”
I elbowed her again , harder. “You’re ruining the appeal for me.”
“If you take a lover, it won’t be all roses and sweet wine.” She chortled. “You realize that?”
“I am very well aware of how sex works, thank you.”
“It’s a messy, sticky business,” she warned me. “You have to get naked and then he pulls out—”
“ Isolde .” My face was burning so hot I should have breathed fire.
She patted my cheeks and grinned. “What are friends for?”
“I hope you’re pleased.” I fanned my face. “You’ve just sent me to my future husband a virgin.”
“Aww.” She looped her arm through mine. “ There’s more to sex than your mother told you.”
The rest of the way down to the west end, she took great delight in educating me.
Ahead of us loomed the dark tunnel leading to the guards’ quarters. If I squinted, I could just see a male standing in the center with his hand on his sword. He was Theridiidae. All our guards were. That meant he was highly venomous and the prick of his teeth could kill me without a dose of antivenin.
I kept that in mind as I approached him, taking care to stop a careful distance away.
The older male inclined his head. “What brings you here, lady?”
“My friend won this off a guard.” I nudged Isolde until she held up her prize. “Would you be so kind as to locate him for us? I would like to see his property returned to him personally.”
If I left Isolde to do it, gods only knew what she might come back carrying.
“I can’t leave my post.” He narrowed his eyes on the blade. “I will see it to its rightful owner.”
“ Ha.” Isolde whipped it out of his reach. “We don’t know you or that you’ll keep your word.”
The guard drew himself up taller. “Are you insulting my honor?”
She glared up at him. “Whether you have any honor is the question.”
“Forgive my friend.” I clamped a hand over Isolde’s arm. “She means no disrespect.”
His scowl slid onto me. “No doubt you believe that, miss.”
“If you can’t leave your post, then let me escort her to the common room. We won’t enter any of the guards’ quarters or private spaces. We won’t disturb them more than necessary.” I smiled at him. “I trust your clansmen to protect my honor as Mother trusts your clan with the welfare of our nest.”
That made hi s chest swell with pride. “They’re good males. They won’t trouble
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