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“Who knows what it’s plotting in that evil, furry head. For all I know, the moment we ascend a rocky hill, it will toss me off its back.”
“If the beast doesn’t toss you, I will,” Kai muttered beneath his breath, brows lowered in a particularly murderous glower, arms crossed over his massive chest.
Ere pretended not to hear, but he couldn’t ignore Kai’s impatient bark:
“Get on.”
Thankfully, before he had to navigate the indignity of climbing onto the donkey’s back, an auburn-haired shield maiden approached them, leading a gigantic speckled gray stallion with long white mane and white feathered hooves.
All three men gazed at her silently, question clear but unsaid.
“Good morrow, warriors,” she greeted formally with a small smile. Then, flicked a side eye toward Ere.
“And…pretty boy.”
Ere didn’t know how to take her words. Given that she was clearly a warrioress herself, they were likely not complimentary.
“My sister bequeaths you,” she spoke directly to Kai, “with this steed.”
She paused and added with a smirk, “For entertaining her last eve.”
Ere and Sorin slid their eyes to Kai as one, brows raised.
The warrior simply grunted, his usual stern expression darkening into a scowl. What fascinated Ere, however, was that his friend’s cheeks suddenly took on a burnished hue.
Interesting.
The female inclined her head in a graceful nod and said briefly, “I bid you good journey.”
With that, she walked away with sure strides, disappearing around the side of the longhouse.
Ere allowed a couple of silent beats before eagerly digging in.
“Sister, eh?” He waggled his brows at Kai.
The man ignored him, pretending to look over the gorgeous gray beast.
“I assume this is the black-haired warrioress who was eye-fucking you from across the hall last night?” Ere needled.
Not a single peep from Kai, though his nostrils flared with clear annoyance.
“Must have been some ‘entertainment,’ huh?” Ere persisted, the topic too delectable to let go. The subject of torment too easy a target.
“Ere,” Sorin murmured a warning, watching Kai closely like a hawk, as if he was afraid the berserker would let loose upon Ere any moment.
But of course, Ere had no sense of self-preservation. Teasing marks like Kai, and really just his long-lost dragon brother in particular, was amongst his favorite pastimes.
“You should reciprocate, you know,” Ere went on. “She gives you a horse. What are you going to give her?”
Kai swung on top of the gray stallion bareback and nudged the beast into action, clearly deciding that running away from Ere’s taunts was the most expedient countermeasure.
Ere looked to Sorin as the male loaded the donkey with blanket rolls and supplies, presumably also gifts from the Jarl or the farmer.
“I’m thinking a woman like that won’t care for flowers and poetry,” he continued his one-sided conversation.
“What do warrior princesses covet? Fine weapons and shields, right? Or form-fitting armors? Are you listening to me, Sorin? We have to help Kai win his lady love.”
“Don’t meddle,” his Mate advised brusquely, finally swinging on top of their own stallion and pulling Ere effortlessly up in front of him with one arm.
