“Go find some fallen wood,” Thanred said to Guro.
Guro furrowed his brow, puzzled by what was happening, but did as Thanred asked. He waved at two of the others to follow him. They returned a short time later with dried-out bits of tree and set them down next to where Royla had built her little pyramid of sticks and grass.
They stared, heads cocked to one side, as she began rubbing the thin twig between her palms. When smoke began to rise from the heated wood, two or three gasped and staggered back. “Sorcery,” she heard one of them whisper.
“She is a human witch!” Guro said, pointing a bony finger at Royla.
Thanred’s reaction was unexpected. Instead of growling or barking at the others as Royla thought he would, he held up a hand instead, quieting them.
Royla continued to twist the twig until a flame licked up from where the smoke was rising, igniting the grass.
More gasps came from the group. But as the flames grew, the fire latching onto the kindling she had built, they peered more closely, even stepping toward her to stare in disbelief at what she’d done.
“She is no witch,” Thanred muttered. “They know how to make fire, the humans,” he said.
Guro shook his head. “Thanred... with this... with this we could...”
Thanred raised his hand again, interrupting Guro midsentence. “Who here is loyal to Dodlin?” he asked, his eyes wandering around the group.
All of them shook their heads.
“None,” Guro offered.
“Good,” Thanred said. “Then tomorrow we return to Nefresh to reclaim the caves. Who is with me?”
For a moment there was silence as the others stared wide-eyed at Thanred. Guro curled his hand into a fist, punched the air and grunted. “I.”
A moment later the others did the same.
The forest filled with the sounds of their cries.
Chapter Twelve
Thanred’s cock flexed as he sat gazing into the fire. He turned to look at Royla.
She was huddled next to him, knees curled up against her chest, cheeks rosy from the warmth of the flames.
His cock hardened from looking at her.
Across the fire, Guro and Treg were talking, discussing a plan for the following day. Begis, Hotz, Keryp, and Druok were sitting farther away, sucking the marrow out of the rabbit bones they’d roasted over the flames.
Heat began to build inside him, his need for release causing a familiar ache to swell between his legs. He put a hand on Royla’s thigh.
She turned her head to smile at him. Noticing the motion in his lap, her eyes darted to his cock for a moment, before coming to meet his gaze once more. Her smile began to fade.
“I have need,” Thanred said, his voice low.
Royla’s mouth fell open and her eyes went wide.
Guro and Treg fell silent across from them, their heads turned to watch her reaction.
A fierce blush rose to her cheeks. She glanced at them, then down at the ground, as if not knowing where to fix hergaze.
Thanred squeezed her leg. His cock jumped again at touching her soft flesh. “I have need,” he repeated.
Her breath had quickened, and he could see her pulse racing in the vein in her neck. Taking her hand, he lifted it across his lap and wrapped her slender fingers around his bulging meat.
She turned to look the other way.
