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"Will Samju follow us?"
Mutely, I nodded again and snuggled into his embrace as he nudged his horse into a trot to take us back to his stronghold.
For as long as I could remember, I had always loved riding, but never more than while I sat snuggled and safe in his arms.
"Is there anybody besides you that can handle your creature from dubnos—hell?" he asked when we were back in the courtyard.
"No," I said, sliding off his horse before he could lift me off. With a small frown, he followed me and together we approached Samju, who had indeed followed us.
"Hey," I greeted him, nuzzling his nose.
Brogan stepped next to me to pet Samju's flank. Samju nervously shifted from one foot to the other and let out a small snort of disapproval about this stranger being next to him.
"He needs to learn," Brogan said. "You won't always be available to take care of his needs."
For some reason, his words flushed my face with heat, and I was proud of myself for being able to utter, "I will make the time."
"Not when your belly is swollen with my seed," Brogan said into my ear, causing more heat to flush my face and weakening my knees while raising apprehension. Had I agreed to more when he made me promise to kiss him whenever he so desired? Did I want to?
Samju, sensing my mixed emotions, snorted again, moving his head up and down.
"Where…" I cleared my throat. "Where can I take him?"
"Come." Brogan took my hand and led me into the large stable that housed his and his warrior's horses.
He found an empty one and wrote Samju's name on the stall door. "I will have something better ordered to be made tomorrow," he promised.
"Warlord, a word?" A man I hadn't seen yet approached, looking a bit nervous among the stalls.
"I'm in the middle of something, can it wait, Grian?"
"I'm afraid not, Warlord," the man replied, licking his lips and looking from one stall to another as if expecting horses to break out and attack him.
"Very well." He kissed my forehead. "You will be alright here?"
I nodded vigorously, touched by his concern.
With a sigh and a worried glance at me, Brogan left with the other man, and I took Samju's saddle off.
Grateful for falling into a mind-numbing routine, I rubbed Samju off with dry grass, brushed him, fed and watered him. Before I knew it, night was falling.
The stable's ceiling was made from the same clear crystal as the windows in the stronghold, allowing the light from the Comden sun in during the day. But now it was darkening and gas lights turned on automatically. I lingered by Samju's side longer than necessary, trying to untangle my mixed emotions as I went over the events of the day. I didn't know how much time had passed before I realized I was the only person left in the stables.
My stomach growled, but I had no idea where to go. I had used Brogan's chambers earlier, but I wasn't sure if I was invited back there or not. Was I to eat in the great hall like I supposed everybody else did, or did humans eat at another place? Did the servants?
Brogan had basically hired me as a horse handler—and a kisser, don't forget thatmy mind reminded me, but I disregarded that for the moment—so I was a servant of sorts.
Where had the other handlers gone? Was I supposed to eat with them?
I took a tentative step toward the door but lacked the courage to just cross the courtyard and enter the main keep.
Uncertain, I gnawed on my lip. My stomach growled again, but I ignored it. It wouldn't be the first time I went to bed hungry; the question was just where my bed was.
Brogan was a warlord, a man of such high, powerful standing, I could hardly believe the time he had spent with me, but I wasn't fool enough to think that he would just welcome me back into his quarters.
Remembering his earlier words,not when your belly is swollen with my seed, brought another wave of heat to my face, but I still didn't imagine that they had held an invitation to enter his keep, walk up the winding stairs and into his private chambers. I simply lacked the courage and self-confidence to do so.
"What to do, Samju?" I asked my friend who didn't seem to mind the vast improvement of his new surroundings.
