“We thought you were on guard,” says Noreth easily.
I glare at him. “How kind of you to assume. I naturally have the solha’s safety at the forefront of my mind, but perhaps you would care to relieve me.”
“No problem.” Kaelun leaps up nimbly from the bedroll. “Keep my bed warm for me when I return,” he says to Yalina with a wink.
I do not step aside as he approaches, forcing him to walk around me to get out the door. I glare at him as he moves past,letting out a low growl so he is in no doubt about what would happen to him if we ever duel again.
He only laughs and pats me on the shoulder as if he wants to die. “Don’t worry so much. We’re perfectly safe here.”
“Youare not safe anywhere from now on,” I mutter under my breath. Taking the opportunity, I set up my bedroll right next to Yalina’s—the one good thing about this situation. Unfortunately Jah’ruud chooses the moment that I lay down bedside her to re-enter the tent from wherever he went off to and Yalina shifts away from me uncomfortably.
Sigh.
This is going to be a very long, very irritating journey, and I will not be sorry to see the back of both Noreth and his servant.
Yalina
The thin settlements and farms which dotted the road out of the city yesterday peter out until it is only us and the barren landscape. We left the path of the river days ago, cutting across to take a shorter route up into the mountains. Inside the carriage I am thoroughly distracted, though, and I hardly notice the long hours of travel. As soon as Aurelion lifts off into the sky, the tension in the party lifts with him, and I can breathe again. I wish it wasn’t like this. I enjoyed the time we spend together at the palace, but that side of him is gone, replaced with a stony suspicious guard, always on the lookout to catch Kaelun out on something.
Kaelun and Jah’ruud for their parts seem to be doing their best to get caught, forever whispering dirty secrets and finding any opportunity to touch or tease me. I should be concentrating on our journey and the purpose for it, but I find I am caught up in the madness of it, arousal constantly at a low ebb, ready to flare to life at the slightest touch or the simplest of phrases.
As soon as we set up the tent, Aurelion leaves to patrol the area, casting a suspicious look at the rest of us as he ducks under the tent flap. The next moment Kaelun crawls between my thighs, tugging at the hem of my skirt. “Do you think I can make you cum before he gets back?”
I smother my laughter, watching the door, expecting at any moment to get caught. “You are bad. Are you trying to start another argument?”
Warm hands are already sliding high up my thighs even as I push uselessly at my skirts. “No, Yalina. I’m trying to make you cum.”
There’s a pop of air, and Jah’ruud appears behind me, pulling my arms behind my back and covering my mouth with a hand. “Shhh. He is getting much better at it. It will not take long.”
My protests subside into a haze of pleasure as Kaelun’s clever hands find all the right places and just the right pressure. Soon I need Jah’ruud’s hand to smother my moans as I roll my hips, rocking against Kaelun’s touch. He knows just the right moment to slide two fingers into my wet and waiting channel. I gasp as he strokes a place within me that makes my toes curl and has me collapsing back against Jah’ruud’s steady hold.
“Shhh,” Jah’ruud whispers into my ear as the pleasure peaks and staying silent becomes almost impossible.
My breath is coming fast, my chest rising and falling rapidly. I’m hot all over, melting into Kaelun’s touch, rushing toward the end of a passageway about to burst out the other side.
Suddenly Jah’ruud tenses behind me. “He’s coming.”
Just in time, Kaelun slips his hand from me, making a point of licking his fingers so I can see. My pussy throbs angrily at being deserted, but I have no choice other than to shove my skirts back down and try to compose myself as the tent flap swishes open.
Thankfully Jah’ruud has released me. He’s vanished, leaving me sitting flustered on my bedroll.
Aurelion narrows his eyes and looks around the tent. His nostrils flare. “Solha, may I have a word with you?”
He glares until I respond. “What is it, Aurelion?”
His gaze switches to Kaelun as he speaks. “I must speak with you alone.”
Reluctantly, I follow him out of the tent and into the dappled shade of the late afternoon sun through tall palm trees. We were lucky enough to find an oasis where we made camp for the night, giving us a chance to fill our waterskins and water the horses.
Aurelion grabs my arm roughly and pulls me further from the tent toward a bright, clear pool of sparkling water. “Have you forgotten what we shared? What I promised?”
He grazes his thumb over the still tender mark on my neck, and I suppress a shiver. “I haven’t forgotten what you took from me.”
He growls, and all of a sudden it’s more than arousal and confusion rushing through me. Have I pushed him too far?
Leaning in until his lips are a hair’s breadth from mine, he speaks in a low rumble. “You smell like them, Yalina. It’s all over you. Every breath in is like a slap in my face. And yet you hardly even look at me.”
I flush. So he knows. About Jah’ruud too. Even though I am still angry with him for the bite, I do feel a little bad for hurting his feelings. “I am sorry, Aurelion.”
