“Besides, lions do not purr.”
Drace moved suddenly and she found herself lying on top of him. “Oh yeah? I bet I can make you.”
She started to make a smart retort, but Drace did something next that almost did make her purr. They were dangerously close to the edge of the bed when her leg slipped off and he rolled her onto her back. Nuzzling her neck, he tickled the back of her knee, making her squeak.
Drace lifted his head, grinning. “I believe that was the most undignified noise I have ever heard from the great Lady Ki.”
She gave him a look that turned him rock hard. “I am just Ki now.”
Drace swallowed past the lump that formed in his throat. “But you are great.” He said softly. “Do we have time?”
It was her turn to smile. “They cannot leave without us, so I would say, yes.” She pulled his head down to tease him with her mouth.
Chapter Nine
DRACE AND KI CAME DOWN to the main hall an hour later dressed for traveling. Both carried bedrolls, packed saddlebags, and their sword belts.
Ki had a definite beard burn on her neck and cheek and looked thoroughly kissed. Drace had nicked himself twice during a hasty shave with cold water and his hair was nowhere near properly braided. In fact it wasn’t even brushed, floating around his head in long wild tangles.
Four sets of eyes with knowing looks took them in when they walked across the hall to have breakfast.
Estelle clucked over how the breakfast was cold, but said nothing about the two’s appearance.
Vashti and Ka Ril sat patiently; Ka Ril was polishing his bow with a cloth, one corner of his mouth turned up in amusement. Vashti sat smiling smugly. Cearan was pacing in front of the huge fireplace— he was properly braided. He turned to face the hearth, gazing up at his father’s shield and sword, where they hung in honor over the huge mantle, to hide his broad grin.
Ki gave them all a look that dared anyone to say a word. Estelle came back from the kitchen, having found some warm bacon, biscuits, and some honey. “Everything else is ruined so this will have to do,” she said setting down the plates.
Drace split a biscuit, laid two slices of bacon in it and added a dribble of honey. He leaned down to kiss Estelle’s cheek. “Have I told you lately you’re a peach?”
She did not answer him, although she flushed slightly, and then pushed him towards the nearest chair. She poured them both a cup of milk, which to Drace’s surprise was very cold.
“There is a cold spring that runs through the cellars in which we keep milk, butter, and other things. There is another that runs by the stables. Those springs were one reason this spot was chosen for Oralia. Our water supply cannot be cut off or tainted from the outside during a siege.”
He grunted acknowledgement, as his mouth was full, he was starving. The Lady Ki took a lot out of a man. He saw her appetite was rather hearty as well. He rubbed absently at a bite mark on his chest through his shirt and contin- ued eating.
When Drace and Ki finished, they stepped outside to find all the horses saddled and ready, along with two other warriors who would be in the party. There were two extra horses loaded with tents and provisions. The two men were even dressed in light armor. Drace recognized one as the dark auburn haired warrior who had been sparring with Ki when he had first arrived. Ki introduced him as Zol, a half Lion-kin man from Oralia. The other was a pale blond-hair, blue-eyed human man of about Zol’s height but of slighter build. He was introduced as Tren who had come from Trevess, the seaside city Ki had spoken of.
Once mounted the group rode out the west gate and then turned towards the northwest. They rode hard for a couple of hours, and then rode at a more conservative pace for a couple more. This cycle was repeated once more before the group stopped to set up a camp.
A herd of elk was spotted grazing in the distance. Ki looked at her brother with a gleam in
Drace moved suddenly and she found herself lying on top of him. “Oh yeah? I bet I can make you.”
She started to make a smart retort, but Drace did something next that almost did make her purr. They were dangerously close to the edge of the bed when her leg slipped off and he rolled her onto her back. Nuzzling her neck, he tickled the back of her knee, making her squeak.
Drace lifted his head, grinning. “I believe that was the most undignified noise I have ever heard from the great Lady Ki.”
She gave him a look that turned him rock hard. “I am just Ki now.”
Drace swallowed past the lump that formed in his throat. “But you are great.” He said softly. “Do we have time?”
It was her turn to smile. “They cannot leave without us, so I would say, yes.” She pulled his head down to tease him with her mouth.
Chapter Nine
DRACE AND KI CAME DOWN to the main hall an hour later dressed for traveling. Both carried bedrolls, packed saddlebags, and their sword belts.
Ki had a definite beard burn on her neck and cheek and looked thoroughly kissed. Drace had nicked himself twice during a hasty shave with cold water and his hair was nowhere near properly braided. In fact it wasn’t even brushed, floating around his head in long wild tangles.
Four sets of eyes with knowing looks took them in when they walked across the hall to have breakfast.
Estelle clucked over how the breakfast was cold, but said nothing about the two’s appearance.
Vashti and Ka Ril sat patiently; Ka Ril was polishing his bow with a cloth, one corner of his mouth turned up in amusement. Vashti sat smiling smugly. Cearan was pacing in front of the huge fireplace— he was properly braided. He turned to face the hearth, gazing up at his father’s shield and sword, where they hung in honor over the huge mantle, to hide his broad grin.
Ki gave them all a look that dared anyone to say a word. Estelle came back from the kitchen, having found some warm bacon, biscuits, and some honey. “Everything else is ruined so this will have to do,” she said setting down the plates.
Drace split a biscuit, laid two slices of bacon in it and added a dribble of honey. He leaned down to kiss Estelle’s cheek. “Have I told you lately you’re a peach?”
She did not answer him, although she flushed slightly, and then pushed him towards the nearest chair. She poured them both a cup of milk, which to Drace’s surprise was very cold.
“There is a cold spring that runs through the cellars in which we keep milk, butter, and other things. There is another that runs by the stables. Those springs were one reason this spot was chosen for Oralia. Our water supply cannot be cut off or tainted from the outside during a siege.”
He grunted acknowledgement, as his mouth was full, he was starving. The Lady Ki took a lot out of a man. He saw her appetite was rather hearty as well. He rubbed absently at a bite mark on his chest through his shirt and contin- ued eating.
When Drace and Ki finished, they stepped outside to find all the horses saddled and ready, along with two other warriors who would be in the party. There were two extra horses loaded with tents and provisions. The two men were even dressed in light armor. Drace recognized one as the dark auburn haired warrior who had been sparring with Ki when he had first arrived. Ki introduced him as Zol, a half Lion-kin man from Oralia. The other was a pale blond-hair, blue-eyed human man of about Zol’s height but of slighter build. He was introduced as Tren who had come from Trevess, the seaside city Ki had spoken of.
Once mounted the group rode out the west gate and then turned towards the northwest. They rode hard for a couple of hours, and then rode at a more conservative pace for a couple more. This cycle was repeated once more before the group stopped to set up a camp.
A herd of elk was spotted grazing in the distance. Ki looked at her brother with a gleam in
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