Moira sighed. “It was a misunderstanding. Ragvald is still getting to grips with the finer points of our culture.”
“Your outlander ways make no sense.” The giant flung his arms wide, nearly flattening the nearest four counselors. “I remember you well, oath-sister! Let us greet each other properly, as shield-siblings should!”
Alarm flashed across Moira’s face. “Ragvald, no—”
Too late. Ragvald had already pounced. Buck just had time to catch a glimpse of Honey’s startled expression before the enormous man swept her up in an enthusiastic, bone-crushing hug.
NO
The beast surged forward, slavering with animal rage. A snarling maelstrom ofprotectanddefendandminethundered through his body, trying to twist his bones out of shape. He forced the shift back, nails digging into his palms.
“Ah…” Moira cast Buck a sidelong glance. “I think that’s enough now, Ragvald.”
The big man set Honey back on her feet. She swayed a little, looking somewhat pink and squeezed.
“And you, shield-brother!” Ragvald turned to Buck, arms opening. “Let us…”
Buck looked at him.
“… exchange warm and friendly greetings,” Ragvald finished, wisely abandoning the attempted hug. “From a distance.”
Where the hell did Moira digthisone up?Buck wondered. Moira, as a member of the sea dragon royal family, was required by the over-protective Sea Council to take a bodyguard wherever she went—which Buck knew because Zeph had bitched more than once about dour sea dragon knights casting a pall over the camp. Ragvald was definitelynotyour typical hidebound, honor-obsessed sea dragon.
Exactly what he was would have to wait. Leonie blew her whistle again, waving to attract everyone’s attention.
“Has everyone found another pair to join?” she asked, looking round for stragglers. “Great. This is an old one, but a classic. You’re going to take it in turns to do trust falls. One person will fall backward, letting the other three catch them. No cheating! Trust your fellow counselors to have your back.”
“Oooh, I love this sort of thing,” Honey said, with what Buck felt waswaytoo much enthusiasm. “Buck, you go first.”
He folded his arms. “Absolutely not.”
She made a face at him. “What, don’t you trust me to catch you?”
This was the precise opposite of his concern. Unbidden, his gaze drifted down to her breasts, clearly visible under her tight camp t-shirt. It was all too easy to picture falling into all that inviting softness. Ideally face first.
He shook himself out of the arresting vision. “Woman, if I fall on you, you’re going to find yourself holding more than you can handle. No.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You three catch me, then.”
“Believe me,” he grated out, past the possessive growl that wanted to rise in his throat, “that’s not any better.”
From Moira’s expression, she’d also figured out that this was a bad idea for multiple reasons. “Perhaps I should go first?”
Ragvald shook his head firmly. “Nay, Princess. I fear I cannot allow you to trust your well-being to warriors unknown to me. Not until I have confirmed their strength and worthiness, at least. But never fear! I shall test our new oath-siblings’ honor myself!”
Without any other warning, Ragvald spun around and toppled backward, rigid as a felled tree.
Time seemed to slow. Buck saw Honey’s eyes widen, her hands coming up. He saw the enormous man, at least three times her size, descending on her like a baseball bat on a baby rabbit.
After that, everything went red.
CHAPTER6
As Ragvald descended on her like a landslide, Honey had just enough time to think, quite clearly:I am going to die.
And then someone barreled into her, sweeping her out of the way. Ragvald hit the floor with a window-rattlingthump.
Honey stared up into Buck’s face, only inches from her own. He had her practically horizontal, dipped low in his arms as though they were halfway through a passionate tango.
