Ellard pulled back and nodded.“Lie against the wall and I’ll take the side nearest the door.”
If he rested with his back to the door, none of the reivers would see much of her or him either.She could do this.
“Take off your tunic,” she suggested.
“Why?”
“I like looking at your sexy chest.”
He eyed her with a steady gaze.“You’ll see my arm stump.”
“It won’t scare me.”
“It’s not looking that good.Because my Stores ripped off, it hasn’t healed in a nice way.The combination of my shift and the plant made a mess.”
Gweneth made a choked sound.“I’m so sorry.I know your feline genes will have healed you, but you should see a medic.Ellard, what are we going to do?”Gweneth bit her lip.“No forget I said that.”She pressed a kiss to the base of his neck, drawing in his familiar scent.
“We’re going to pretend we’re in the privacy of my suite with an entire eve ahead of us.No drama.Nowhere else to be.We’ve just eaten a delicious meal—”
“What sort of meal?”
He stroked a finger across her lips.“A steak.A thick, juicy malpack steak and one of Keira’s pies to finish.Keira makes good pie.That’s how Jarlath and I met Keira.She was picking berries to make a pie.”
“That sounds good.”Gweneth lifted her chin to search his gaze.“Do you have anything against vegetables?”
“I can eat a few.”
“Good to know.”Cracks were beginning to appear in her brave front, her throat so tight with fear it had become difficult to squeeze out words.
“Hey, hold on to your confidence.We’ll get out of this somehow.”
“It’s hard.”
“I know.Back in the war, after I learned Marjo and Mareeka, the twin chameleon shifters, had duped me, I found it difficult to get my mind straight.I blamed myself and when I lost my arm…” He stared at her, passion swirling deep in his gaze.“I didn’t want to live.”
“I’ve heard bits and pieces about the war.The leader of the House of Cawdor was a nutter.”
His brows rose.“What is a nutter?”
“His brain tripped its wiring.He had kangaroos in the top paddock.”A loud giggle erupted at his expression and she clapped a hand over her mouth.“He was a sandwich short of a picnic and had bats in his belfry.”
“You’re poking fun at me.”
“Earth speak.I learned it from my friend Olivia.”
“The leader was a despot,” Ellard said.“He wanted to rule Viros and take advantage of our mineral deposits.”
“He failed,” Gweneth said.“These people will fail too.We will get Leeam and Sheera back to their family.”
A thud sounded on the door and Malasses strode into the area between the cells.“I expected the pair of you to be busy by now.”He sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring and making an odd sucking noise.“You haven’t finished because I should smell sex.”
Gweneth froze and peered over Ellard’s shoulder.“It’s him.”
“Ah!”The man had taken his attention from them to study Leeam and Sheera.“A young couple.You have done well, Captain.”
“We put the collars on them like ya told us.The trap knocked the stuffin’ outta ’em,” the captain drawled.He stood apart from the horned man, his hand on his sword hilt.
“I can see that.They require food.”The horned man turned to their cell, his face hard with determination.“Feed my possessions.I go to dine.On my return, I expect to see them looking healthier.”He wheeled around and strode away.
