“Not without a good backup plan,” she said with a simple shrug. “And theirs went up in flames. Even having a pet is a foreign thing—couldn’t take it with me from job to job.”
I placed a hand over my chest. “No pets? What terrible existence are you trapped in?”
She smirked and shook her head. “I like the freedom, but yeah, I wish it wasn’t so lonely.”
“Wait, let me figure out what type of pet you’d have,” I said, tapping my finger against my chin. The meat seemed to be hydrated and warmed at this point, and the rich scent wafted my way, making my mouth water. Kali pulled it away from the flames. “You strike me as a bird type. Probably a corvid.”
“What, not a fluffy animal sort?” she laughed as she set the pot between us.
“Nah, you’ve got sharpness and curiosity. Plus, all dark and mysterious? Seems like a perfect fit.”
Her grin made her eyes crinkle, and the sight stole my breath away. Her dark hair framed her face, which was radiant from the flickering shadows cast by the dancing flames. Her bronze skin grew even bronzer in that light.
“Well, a pagwai seems fitting for you,” she responded, and I puffed up.
“Cozy and likes naps?” I said. “I approve.” Then I reached for a bit of the meat and popped it into my mouth. It seared against the roof, and I let out a choked noise. My mouth watered inresponse to getting burned, and I reached into my bag for a few more zingerberries to cool myself down.
“I did just pull it from the flames,” Kali said with an arched brow.
“I overestimated my ability to handle the heat.” I wrinkled my nose, hating the film on the roof of my mouth. I jabbed it with my tongue a few times. Wouldn’t be the first time a light burn happened, nor would it be the last. The meat at least helped the subtle ache in my stomach, so I snagged another piece, this time blowing on it until it cooled down. Between this and the zingerberries, we were eating pretty well for impromptu travels. Kali popped a few pieces into her mouth, watching me with a focus that made me shiver. I liked her eyes on me more than I cared to admit.
“Do you currently carry your whole life in your pack?” I asked, eyeing her suspiciously small bag. I wasn’t sure I could ever pare down to that little for the long-term. Part of living in one place meant collecting junk, which included my collection of stargazing implements. Despite my family being from Dun Steorra, I had very little magic, which meant I was better suited to till the land. I considered my berries my own sort of magic. Watching them bloom each spring and ripen each harvest season caused a little sparkle inside me.
“Nah,” she said. “I’ve got drop sites in different regions with my belongings, places I’m renting to keep my stuff until I find somewhere solid.” She shifted again, staring more in depth at the fire, as if she craved the solidity I so badly wanted to offer her.
“Are most of your jobs murdery or the tracking down sort like this?” I asked, curiosity striking again.
“While I prefer not to deal in death, sometimes it’s unavoidable,” she said with a shrug. “But the life is a lot lessglamorous than people think. Oftentimes, I get guard jobs or tracking down missing items.”
“Tying up and blowing random strangers,” I said with a grin. “Just the usual.”
“Mm, that’s a bit more unusual,” she said, giving me a pointed glance. “But there’s something sweet about you that I couldn’t steer away from. You’re an interest mix of princess and practical.”
Rarely was I seen like that, and warmth bloomed in my chest.
“So, if you’re Dun Steorran, I’m betting you can tell me about the constellations,” she said, giving an up nod to the somewhat obscured skies. I didn’t miss the way she detoured out of topics before they could get too real, but I let her, craving the steady flow of conversation between us.
“Not as well as the heavy magic users, but I’ve spent many a night out in the fields drinking by the bonfire and stargazing.” I shrugged.
“Bonfires, drinking? Tell me more,” she said, a flirt in her tone that I perked up at.
“How else do you think farmers unwind?” I teased back.
“Mm, I could think of a few fun ways,” she said, her heated gaze skimming over my body.
I shivered in my place. My fantasies were multiplying by the second.
“Fuck, I wish I had a few tools on hand.”
My brows rose. “What?”
“I’m from Gearwick, sweets. We’ve got devices for days, and after seeing how responsive you were, I could imagine a princess like you would love to ride one of my mechanical cocks.”
Flames roared through me. “Yes, yes, please.”
“I’ve got a nice harness tucked away with it,” she said, continuing to tease. “So I could drive into you over and over again.”
“What do you like?” I asked, my curiosity rising to a peak. My cock had stiffened, but I was more interested in what she wanted to do to me.
