Shady

“Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you, then,” he said with a little smile. But in reality it just made his gut feel that much worse. He’d ...

(Oops that’s embarrassing… being hanging out on too much social media lol) Derik gave Jerica a warning look. She heard it loud and clear and dropped her gaze. She was ...

“No doubt,” Derik agreed with a nod, glancing ahead. “It’s too bloody cold out here.” And at this rate — sure, it was stressful the thought of having to buffer ...

“Mm… perhaps whatever it is knows it’s not welcome?” Derik suggested.

Kieran gaped, then looked back at Jerica pleadingly. He was suddenly struck with the horrifying idea of what it would be like if he ended up trapped with Chieftain D’Ara ...

“Ma’am?” Kieran’s voice was small and timid. “Mm?” Jerica glanced at him, furrowing her brow slightly when she saw the expression he was giving her. It was pleading. Desperate. “Can ...

Derik nodded in agreement. “Let’s hope it doesn’t end up between us and the Keep.”

“Hopefully nothing too concerning,” Derik murmured, also watching intently. “Sounds big, though.”

“Mm.” Derik nodded. She had a point. And local knowledge. He’d defer to her… at least until or unless evidence to the contrary presented itself. But at the very least— ...

Derik didn’t, either. And he liked it even less when she said that. “Perhaps we should speed up a bit?”

Kieran started and nearly tumbled off the side of the litter. He was already so anxious to be in the middle of this hostility — even though none of it ...

Derik glanced where she gestured. “…small party.” Not many horses, from the looks of it. “Do you suppose they all went?”

Jerica prickled. She said she wasn’t going to do it. Why wasn’t that enough for D’Ara? And who did she think she was anyhow? She took orders from Derik. No ...

Kieran shrank a little, not enjoying being between them. “…I’m not going to do it,” she grumbled, deflating a little. She glanced away. “But I could .”

“Good.” Pratik glanced back at Gabriel. There was no way to ensure that what he said was true. But, then, there was no way to ensure Gabriel wasn’t going to ...