Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“What my husband means to say is that of course we’re Joined,” she said, stepping in, since Bravik still looked uncertain. She grabbed the big Kindred’s arm and smiled brightly at Kozen.
“What?” He frowned at them. “But you said you were UnJoined Ones, just now.”
“A, uh, problem with our translation bacteria,” Bravik said, clearly finding his voice at last. “Forgive us, please, Kozen—it sometimes causes us to say the opposite of what we mean.”
“Oh, well…” The H’raken leader looked slightly mollified. “So this lovely female is the other half of your heart?”
“Absolutely.” Bravik nodded firmly and put an arm around Danni, pulling her close to his side. “We’re Joined—as Joined as possible.”
“Yes, and so happy,” Danni put in, smiling up at the big Kindred as sincerely as she could. “Everyone says the Kindred make the best husbands, er, the best other half of your heart,” she added helpfully.
“Well, then…” Kozen gave them one last sharp look and then nodded, as though they had convinced him. “I am glad to hear it. I would have brought my own dear wife with me to greet you, but she was busy preparing tonight’s welcome feast.” He smiled. “I am very glad not to have to call it off, now that I know the two of you are Joined.”
“Yes, absolutely Joined,” Bravik said, also smiling. “I hope this early miscommunication won’t affect our good relations.”
“Of course not. As long as you are securely Joined to the other half of your heart, you will always be in good standing with the H’raken.” Kozen smiled at them. “Now that we have that all cleared up, would you please mount the lubby I brought for the two of you to ride? I fear it is a long, wearisome walk back to the township and we must get back before sunset.”
“To make it to the feast in time?” Danni asked.
Kozen frowned and shook his head.
“Oh no. The feast will wait. But the Riivers come out after sunset and it will be unsafe in the open lands.”
Danni wanted to ask what the “Riivers” were but their host was already gesturing to the riding creature again.
“Please—get on,” he said.
“Er…” Bravik and Danni both looked uncertainly at the pure white lubby with its long neck and big blue eyes.
Danni could guess what both of them were thinking—how incredibly awkward it would be to ride in close proximity—actually touching each other—all the way back to wherever it was Kozen was taking them.
“I’m, uh, not sure that the lubby can hold my weight,” Bravik said at last. “Maybe I had better walk.”
“Please don’t worry—our lubbies are very strong—they are, after all, bred to carry two, everywhere they go,” Kozen said. “And this one is very gentle—she is called “Lovely Eyes.” She will easily bear your weight—simply climb up and allow the other half of your heart to sit in front of you. The saddle, as you can see, is also built for two,” he added, nodding at the long leather saddle on the animal’s broad back.
“Well…” Danni looked at Bravik uncertainly. “Er…could you please help me up, uh, husband?” she asked him. She didn’t have to fake the nervousness in her voice—the last time she’d been horseback riding, way back in college—she’d been thrown. And she didn’t care how gentle “Lovely Eyes” was supposed to be, she was still really big and an alien creature.
“Of course I’ll help you, er, wife,” he said stiffly. Placing both hands on her waist, he lifted her as easily as though she weighed no more than a feather pillow and plunked her onto the front of the leather saddle.
Danni gasped and gripped for the front of the saddle to hold on to. When she’d asked for help up, she’d imagined he might make a stirrup with his hands and help her up that way—she’d never thought of the big Kindred just picking her up as though she was a doll and putting her in the saddle.
As Bravik got up behind her, she remembered him saying that she was “tiny.” She supposed she must really seem that way to him, though to her it sounded ridiculous. All her life she’d been fighting her weight and thinking of herself as too big. It was kind of nice to be with a male who could lift her like she was a feather pillow, she found herself thinking.
Then she gave herself a mental shake.
Stop that, are you crazy? Nothing about this situation is nice! Now you’re stuck pretending you and that asshole are married or Joined or whatever they call it! You’re starting the mission with a lie!
But it couldn’t be helped—what else could she have done to salvage the situation?
“This way—follow me, please.” Kozen was already back in the saddle and he turned his own mount back the way he had come—towards the foothills of the mountains rising in the distance.