by Rayna Tyler
“He is fine.” Khyron looked down at Draejill and smiled. “Should he awaken and find interest in pulling my hair again, then I will gladly let you have him.”
I heard a familiar whimper and knew if I looked under the table, I’d find Fuzzball sitting near my feet, hoping I’d sneak him a scrap. Since Harper wasn’t around to scold me, I didn’t have a problem slipping him a bite, though I’d wait until Garyck wasn’t looking to do it.
Ben and Gabe had been thrilled when they found out Khyron and his friends would be joining them to eat. They’d had plenty of questions, mostly about how good the vryndarr were at throwing blades. Now that the boys had emptied the plates they’d heaped with food twice, they were ready for more conversation.
Ben looked at Khyron. “I heard you helped Celeste kill the leezacorrs.” He folded his arms across his chest, then glanced at Melissa as if he didn’t believe she’d been telling him the truth.
“Yeah, me too,” Gabe chimed in. “How did you do it?” He swept his arm through the air, mimicking the swipe of the sword.
“Yes, I did assist with their demise.” Khyron’s answer had all three children expectantly leaning on the table and waiting to hear his explanation.
I suspected Khyron’s proud grin meant he had no problem explaining what happened in great detail. Too bad I heard footsteps coming from the hallway, figured it was Harper, and knew she wouldn’t be happy to hear what I was sure would be a gory rendition of killing the leezacorrs. “I think telling them about it can wait until later.” I placed my hand on Khyron’s arm and, with a small shake of my head, directed my gaze across the room.
“Tell them what?” Harper seemed more exhausted than usual. Even her normally brisk walk had slowed.
“Oh, nothing,” Ben said.
“Uh-huh.” Harper scrutinized each of the children in turn. “Why don’t you three clean up the dishes and stop pestering the drezdarr?” She tucked a few loose crimson strands behind her ear. “And when you’re done with that, it’s time to get ready for bed.”
All three children groaned and slowly got up from the table. They continued to display their displeasure by haphazardly stacking the dirty plates into piles before loading them into their arms and shuffling from the room.
“Harper, why don’t you sit down and have something to eat?” Laria scooted closer to Jardun to make room between us on the bench.
I didn’t think she’d appreciate it if I added before you fall down. After she took a seat and grabbed a clean plate off the stack in the middle of the table, I reached for the platter with the remaining slices of leezacorr meat.
None of us had a chance to talk about the incident with Travis, and I was certain everyone wanted to know how he’d gotten past Marcus’s men. Now that the children were out of the room, it seemed an appropriate time for a discussion. “Garyck, did Rygael say anything to you about Travis when you brought him here?”
“No,” Garyck said.
I’d hoped for more of an explanation, and rather than ask Sloane to coax more information out of him, I turned to Harper since she’d spent the most time with Rygael. “How about you?”
“He didn’t really say much to me other than to thank me for my help.” Harper placed a few slices of meat and some plant cakes on her plate.
“It might be a coincidence, but it seems odd we found proof of the presence of a luzardee at the same time Travis arrived.” Jardun leaned forward with his elbows on the table.
“Is it possible they were working together?” Laria asked.
“The thought had occurred to me,” Khyron said. “Rygael might be able to supply us with more information. He had to have seen the transport arrive and been watching Travis. Otherwise, how would he have known Melissa needed help?” He adjusted Draejill to keep him from sliding sideways. “In the morning, Celeste and I will go alone to speak with him. He is used to a solitary life, and I do not wish to overwhelm him.”
“Your safety is still a concern, and I recommend you allow one of us to accompany you.” Jardun shared a knowing look with Garyck.
After the incident with Travis and the presence of a luzardee, I knew it wasn’t a request. Jardun was politely informing his drezdarr that he would have a bodyguard whether he wanted one or not.
I’d expected a quick response from Thrayn and glanced at the far end of the table where he’d taken a seat so he’d stayed as far away from the children as possible. His attention perked, then faded when he realized we’d be coming back here in the morning.
Since he didn’t volunteer, I decided to press the issue. “I think we should bring Thrayn with us.” Normally, Sloane was the one with the wicked side, but I knew the children made Thrayn nervous, and I couldn’t resist tormenting the arrogant male just a little.
As I’d expected, his shoulders tensed, and a muscle along his jaw twitched. “It would be my honor.” His tone lacked enthusiasm, reminding me of the way Gabe, Ben, and Melissa acted when they were assigned chores.
Khyron realized what I was doing and smirked. “Do not worry, Thrayn, I will protect you from the children.”
***
Khyron
Once the meal was over and the young ones had been sent to bed, I accompanied Celeste to her home since it was closer to Harper’s place than Burke’s. She was not happy about having sleep induced by the healing drink and preferred to use her own quarters.
After she went to her room to settle into bed, I headed into the kitchen and prepared the brew from the packet Nayea had given me. On my return to her room, I ran into Sloane on her way to her sleeping chambers. Jardun and Laria spent their evenings at Burke’s place, so I assumed she was the only other person in the dwelling.
She stopped to sniff the mug’s contents, then made a face at the unpleasant smell. “Does Celeste really have to drink that?”
“Yes, if she does not want her arm to become infected,” I said.
“I’m glad it’s her and not me.”
I chuckled. “On that we both agree.”
“I guess I’ll say good night, then.” She turned to leave.
I was a male who had been trained to handle any situation, to be confident in my decisions. When it came to Celeste and our reuniting, I found myself questioning my actions before proceeding. “Sloane, before you return to your room, would you mind answering a question for me?”
“Not at all,” she answered with a wry smile.
“What does bossy mean?”
“Depends on who said it, or if it was aimed at someone specifically.”
“It was Celeste who made the reference.” I preferred not sharing the circumstance that elicited the word’s use. It was bad enough I had admitted my ketiorra had assigned the human term to me.
“Ooh.” Sloane tapped her chin. Her blue eyes sparked with interest. “And I’m guessing she was talking about you when she said it.”
Annoyed by her perception, I nodded.
“Pretty basically it means an arrogant, overbearing person with control issues.” Sloane placed a comforting hand on my arm. “If that’s the worst thing she’s called you, I’d say you’re probably doing okay.” She headed for her room, pausing in the doorway. “Oh, and good luck.”
I was a ruler, a warrior who depended on skill, not luck, when making decisions and going into battle. But if luck was what I needed to keep Celeste, then I hoped for an exceedingly large amount of it as I entered her room.
She’d turned on the solar glow emitters, their soft light casting shadows in the corners. Celeste sat in her bed beneath a blanket, propped on a pillow she’d braced against the wooden headboard. She appeared more beautiful than ever, with her dark, silky hair draped across her bare shoulders, the blanket barely covering her breasts.
She was a tempting vision, one which was difficult to resist and made me hard. I focused on the healing brew, the necessity that would keep me from indulging in a night of pleasure with her.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Everything is
fine.” I sat on the edge of the bed next to her and handed her the mug. “You must drink all of it.”
She took a sniff and made the same face Sloane had. After a few reluctant seconds, she finally took a sip. “This is nasty. Do I really have to drink all of it?” She tried to hand the cup back to me. “I won’t tell Nayea if you don’t.”
If her health was not an issue, I would have relented to her request. I maintained a stern resolve and shook my head. “I will not be telling Nayea anything because there won’t be anything to tell her. Now, please finish it.”
Celeste’s harrumph led to an adorable pout. “Fine.” She bravely downed the liquid, then handed the empty mug back to me. “Happy?”
“Yes.” I got off the bed and patted the space next to her. “You should lie down. It will not take long for the drug to take effect.”
“Aren’t you going to join me?” She scooted farther under the blanket, turning on her side and smiling at me. “I believe you promised to take advantage of me.”
“It distresses me greatly not to feel your body beneath me, but your health is far more important to me.” I leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her cheek. We had spent the day together, but had not discussed whether or not I would be sharing her bed. Now that I knew what bossy meant, I did not want to make any presumptions. It would pain me to sleep apart from her, but I would return to my room at Burke’s place if it was what she wished. “Now sleep. I will check on you in the morning.”
She grabbed my wrist when I turned to leave. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I assumed…”
“Well, don’t assume.” She lifted the edge of the blanket invitingly. “The least you can do after making me drink that horrible stuff is curl up next to me and let me use your naked body as a pillow.”
Chapter Sixteen
Khyron
The night spent with Celeste in my arms was the most restful one I had experienced in the last year. It had been torment at first to feel her soft skin pressed against mine and not be able to give her pleasure, but once I finally relaxed and enjoyed her nearness, sleep had not evaded me. When I woke, I was refreshed and mentally ready to address whatever issues arose from my conversation with Rygael.
When Celeste, Thrayn, and I arrived at Harper’s home, she was leaving the kitchen with a tray of food with Melissa following close behind her. Jardun and the others had agreed to wait at Burke’s place for a report once we finished our visit.
“Is Rygael awake? We would like to speak with him,” I said.
“Come on back. We were just taking him his breakfast.” Harper walked into the room ahead of us, then spoke to Rygael. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like to eat, so I made a few different things.”
Rygael’s gaze never left Harper as he watched her walk across the room and place the tray on the stand next to the bed. His chest was bare, the dirt wiped from his white scales and skin, his cuts cleaned and sealed with a light coat of healing salve. The material of his pants covering his injured leg had been cut down the front all the way to the end, exposing the wrap Vurell had applied to his wound.
“Here let me help you with that.” Harper moved closer to the bed and adjusted the pillow so Rygael could lean back comfortably.
There was a softness in the male’s reddish pink eyes when he looked at her. He also used the opportunity to sniff her with a subtleness that went unnoticed by the female. Celeste, ever observant, had not missed his actions either. She gave my arm a slight nudge and lifted an inquiring brow in Rygael’s direction.
“The sweet cakes were my idea,” Melissa said proudly, then plopped on the edge of the bed, careful to avoid Rygael’s injured leg. “You know…to say thank you for saving Fuzzball and me from the bad guy.”
“Thank you, Melissa.” Rygael stared at the meal as if it were a treasured gift, something he had never received before. I wondered what unpleasant event or combination of events had driven the male into living a solitary life. I hoped one day to discover what had happened in his past, and determine if there was anything I could do to lure him into moving his home into the settlement.
“Good morning, Rygael. I assume you are doing better.” I took Celeste’s hand and urged her into the room with me.
“Yes, drezdarr.” Rygael bowed his head, acknowledging my title.
“Please, call me Khyron. You have already met Celeste, and this is Thrayn.” I tipped my head toward the doorway.
I was glad I had asked the others to remain behind. As it was, Rygael eyed Thrayn warily, exposed muscles tensing.
Celeste must have noticed the male’s discomfort as well. “Hey, Rygael,” she said, taking a step forward. “You look a lot better than the last time I saw you.”
Rygael’s gaze focused on the wrapping on Celeste’s arm, and he frowned. “I am sorry you were injured after helping me.”
“It’s nothing.” She refrained from glancing in my direction but squeezed my hand, urging me not to disagree. “And the least I could do after you helped Melissa and Fuzzball.”
After hearing the furry creature’s name, I instinctively surveyed the floor. Melissa saw me and giggled. “He’s outside with Ben and Gabe, so your tail is safe.”
Rolling my eyes at the child only encouraged more laughter, which I ignored by returning my attention to Rygael. “Please do not let us intrude on your meal. I only have a few questions, then we will be on our way.”
“Here.” Harped picked up the tray. “It will be easier to eat if I set this on your lap.”
Rygael moved his hands out of the way so she could situate the tray. He did not tense or seem bothered when she perched on the edge of the bed next to him.
“What would you like to know?” Rygael asked.
“Can you…” I was interrupted by a loud commotion coming from the hallway and did not get the chance to ask Harper if it would be best not to have Melissa overhear my questions.
It seemed young ones were quite adept at knowing when visitors entered their dwelling. It was not long before Gabe and Ben arrived, then pushed their way past Thrayn. Fuzzball rushed through the gap in his legs and ran straight for Melissa and not my tail.
“How’s it going, Rygael?” Gabe waved at the male, then stood next to Ben at the foot of the bed.
Rygael smiled at the two young males. It was apparent by the male’s reaction that the three children had been spending quite a bit of time visiting with him.
“How come he gets sweet cakes and we don’t?” Ben whined.
Melissa scooped Fuzzball off the floor and returned to her spot on the bed. “’Cuz he’s a hero, that’s how come.”
“Okay, everybody out so Khyron and Celeste can talk to Rygael.” Harper got to her feet and ushered the young ones toward the hallway. She tapped Thrayn’s arm on her way out. “Come on, Thrayn. I’ll fix you a nice cup of freegea while you wait.”
“I do not suppose there are additional sweet cakes available, are there?” Thrayn asked eagerly.
“I’m sure I can scrounge up one or two.” Harper disappeared into the corridor.
“In that case…” Thrayn grinned and followed after her.
Once Thrayn was gone, I released a disbelieving sigh. “The male is worse than the young ones.”
Celeste clasped a hand over her mouth, trying to hide her laughter.
Even Rygael grinned as he bit into a piece of meat. Once he finished swallowing, he asked, “What were your questions?”
“How did you know the human male was trying to abduct Melissa?” I asked.
“I saw him leave his transport and followed him.” Rygael took a bite of a sweet cake, then made an appreciative moan. “I have never had anything this delicious before.”
I wanted to ask him how long he had lived in the caverns, but decided the question might bring up personal things he did not wish to discuss and decided to save it for another time. “Where did you see the transport?” If Travis found a way to get past Burke’s males, then others would be able to as we
ll.
“There is a passageway in the rocks near the ravine where you found me. It can be used to access the other side of the rock formations. That is where the human left his transport. I can take you there if you like.”
“Oh, no, you won’t.” Harper had reappeared in the doorway and looked as if she would tackle him if he tried to get out of bed, which would have been amusing to watch considering how much larger he was than her. “Vurell and Nayea said you can’t put any pressure on that leg for several days.”
“I appreciate the offer, but it is best to follow Vurell’s instructions. You need to get more rest so you can heal properly.” I received an appreciative smile from Harper. “I am sure we can find it without any difficulty.” I stood and motioned for Celeste to follow me. “We will be back to check on you later. In the meantime, if you need anything, please let Harper know.”
“Drezdarr, I mean, Khyron,” Rygael muttered.
I stopped and turned. “Yes?”
“Thank you… Thank you both.”
***
Celeste
After returning to Burke’s place and relaying what Rygael had told Khyron and me to the group, which included Jardun, Laria, Sloane, and Garyck, we decided to take a trip to find the transport. Cara had gone with Burke to the trader’s market to talk to the handful of people who came from the outlying areas to sell on a regular basis. Many of them would know Joe. If Cara and Burke were lucky, they’d find someone who knew Travis and might be able to tell them how he’d acquired Joe’s transport.
Personally, after my run-in with Travis at Harper’s place, I was pretty sure he’d killed Joe and stolen his vehicle. I also had a feeling Travis had been working with some mercs to steal children, and wanted to have my suspicions confirmed one way or another. If mercs were involved, there was a good possibility that others would try to find a way to snatch the children, which presented another problem for Khyron and Burke to address.
After a discussion, which lasted well over an hour, we decided to travel as a group and try to locate Travis’s transport. Not long after we entered the wooded area behind Harper’s place, an unsettling dread wound its way through my system. I couldn’t shake the feeling we were missing something. Something important. Something menacing that had me fingering the hilt of my sword, the secure feel of metal against my skin reassuring.
