Page 66 of On a Barbarian World

“Kavon!” Her word was sharp, but she was still grinning. “You can still imagine that last bit…but I’m pretty sure you don’t want an erection while riding one of these.”

Now, he tossed his head back and laughed at the morning sky.

When he looked back at her, she was staring at him.

“That’s a good sound, warrior. You should laugh more.”

He stared back. “I’ve never had much reason to laugh before.”

“Are we leaving or what?” Colm called out from his beast. Three other warriors—Darroch, Viken, and Kian—were mounted on their beasts behind him.

Kavon touched Aurina under the chin, then turned to face his men. “We’re leaving.” He glanced at his friend. “The diversion?”

Colm’s teeth flashed. “My men used Aurina’s special recipe for explosives. They blew up one of Drog’s grain storages, and are currently leading Drog and his warriors on a merry chase…in the opposite direction from us.”

Kavon felt a savage sense of satisfaction. It was less than Drog deserved, but damn, it would have been good to see. “Good. All right, let’s move out.”

Soon, they’d left the estate behind, following the mining road into the Wilds.

After an hour of watching Aurina learn to control her beast, including an amusing battle of wills after the beast wanted to chase some reptiles, Kavon almost forgot the danger of the mission.

Then Mount Furioso rose up ahead.

Kavon felt himself grow tense. The Wilds could and did throw anything at travelers stupid enough to venture into them. He’d seen that firsthand the last time they’d been here.

His gaze fell on Aurina’s back as she rode ahead of him. He would do anything, give anything, to protect her.

As they neared the base of the mountain, she pulled out her glowing Sync. She bent over it, muttering.

“Aurina?”

“The entrance is here…somewhere.” She scanned the rock face at the mountain’s base, her mouth pressed into a hard line. “I’ll find it.”

“What should we look for?”

“A cave entrance? Anything that doesn’t look natural.”

He nodded to his warriors, and they moved along the rock wall, circling craggy clusters of rocks.

Then a shadow passed overhead.

The hargon beasts all started pawing the ground and snorting fire. Kavon gripped the reins controlling Tarm and looked up.

Nothing. Just the clear, blue sky.

Then the great bulk of a flying beast appeared. It had circled the mountain, but now it flew over them again, and let out a deep, echoing squawk.

“Trondor!” Kavon called out.

“What?” Aurina clutched her reins, desperately trying to control her beast.

“Giant bird of prey.” He pulled in close to her, grabbed her reins, and barked an order to her beast. It instantly settled, but steam was pouring from its nostrils. “We have to get inside. Now!”

“I can’t find the entrance, Kavon.” She stabbed a finger at her device. “The map says it should be right here.” She waved a hand at the rock wall. “But I don’t see anything.”

Kavon studied the wall, and a huge pile of boulders that sat in a pile against it. Like they’d fallen from the mountain above…or been placed there. “The boulders.”

She blinked, then she nodded. “Of course. The entrance is covered up!”