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And then I remembered the other human kallinies, and I chuckled. She must have thought she was going to bunk down with them. After all, I hadn't specifically told her that she was to move into my quarters.
I returned to the hall and demanded, "Where are the human tributes housed?"
"I believe Grian put them in the large guest bedroom," one of the guards who was not as wasted as the others yet answered.
I ignored the foreboding that I wouldn't find Alahna there either and turned to the stairs that would lead to the stronghold's guest wing. I knew which room would have been assigned to the kallinies and hurried that way.
I opened the door with more force than necessary. Small cries of dismay from two of the four kallinies greeted me when the door banged against the opposite wall.
The room was dark save for a fire in the fireplace and a small gas light turned down low, but it was easy to see that only four of the six beds were taken and none of them were occupied by Alahna.
"I beg your pardon, kallinies," I pressed out and managed to tame my impatience enough to close the door before I tried to collect myself in the narrow hallway, weighing my options.
If I sounded an alarm, I would have the full power of the entire stronghold looking for her, ensuring I would know within the hour if she had left or not. However, that idea didn't sit well with me, and not only because it would undermine my authority as a warlord who failed to keep track of his tribute, but it would also cast her in a bad light with my people.
Think Brogan, think, where else could she be? I wracked my brain until, with suddenly clarity, I knew where she would be and nearly slapped myself for my own stupidity. There could only be one place where the kallini could be and that was in the stables with her gods be damned horse.
Curses from the warriors in the hall accompanied me when I stormed through the entrance, not bothering to close the large doors behind me and allowing cold air to blow in, most likely shuffling cards to the ground. It didn't matter to me.
I rushed over the cobblestones and ignored the cold wind blowing in my face. The cold season was definitely upon us. We would have another day, maybe two if the gods felt generous, but then we would be locked in the Grymburg Stronghold for many months.Many months with a warm luscious body, I reminded myself with a grin, my mood rising the closer I came to the stables.
The doors were closed to keep the cold out and here I made sure to secure them behind me before I made my way down the wide corridor lined with closed half doors to stables on both sides. Here and there a head poked over a door, but I ignored all of them, even Vespa, when he whinnied in recognition.
And then I reached Samju's door. I closed my eyes for just a moment and sent a silent prayer up to the gods even though I was sure I would find her inside.
As sure as I had been to find her here though, I hadn't expected to see her lying there, curled into a ball, barely covered by dried grass with a giant horse hovering over her protectively.
Samju pawed the ground with his right front leg in warning and when I opened the stall door, he snorted, pinning his ears back threateningly.
"I'm not going to hurt her," I assured him, reaching into a side pocket in my breeches where I always kept a treat for Vespa.
"Here," I held out the morsel, but Samju just stared at me as if he tried reading my mind. I slowly moved forward, hands up to show I meant no harm.
As relieved as I was to find her, I realized me entering the stable had put her in danger. If Samju spooked and kicked out at me, he could become agitated enough to kick out with his hindleg and hit Alahna.
I tempered the strong urge to rush to her side to pick her up, and instead hissed her name, trying to wake her, "Alahna."
Samju pawed the ground harder, and I let out a breath of irritated air. Never in my life had I been forced to deal with such an obstinate horse as this one. Or a kallini like Alahna for that matter.Why didn't she simply go to my chamber and wait for me there? I wondered.
Which was when I realized that I hadn't told her to. I had simply assumed she knew I wanted her in my chambers. Every kallini on Thyre would have jumped at the opportunity, but not this one. I sighed.
"Ahlana," I hissed again, and this time she stirred. "Call your watchhorse off," I demanded.
She blinked and sat up, and I gave her a moment to understand what was happening. "Samju," she finally called the horse. "It's okay."
She tiredly moved to her feet and when she walked over to me, I felt happier and prouder than I had in my entire life, just because of such a small act.
When she was within easy reach, I pulled her off her feet and into my arms, turning my back to Samju, so that if he decided to kick out, he would kick me instead of her.
My heart melted even more when Alahna instantly snuggled into my arms, her eyes were still hazy with sleep, as she leaned her head trustingly into my shoulder.
I bent forward and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Why didn't you come to my chamber?"
"I wasn't sure where you wanted me." She yawned.
"In my bed," I rasped before I could think better of it.
Dried grass was stuck in her hair, and her eyes blinked sleepily at me while a soft smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She looked so adorable; I nearly pulled her into the nearest stall to rut her the way my cock demanded.
