Enchantment (63 page)

Her atten
t
ion
caught,
she stared
at
one
m
an
standing,
legs
braced,
his
sandy hair
pulled
back into
a
pon
y
t
a
il. Ma
s
sive
ar
m
s crossed
over
his
chest,
he
appraised
the
training
warriors
with
w
hat
s
he could on
l
y describe
as
a
s
erious
expression.
H
i
s
m
assive
fra
m
e
w
a
s
near
l
y
as
big as Kerrigan’s,
and
she
wondered
whether
he,
too,
was
a
dragon.
Butterf
l
ies
settled
in
her
sto
m
ach
w
hen
he
turned
to
stare
at
her,
and
glanced
a
w
a
y
w
hen
he
started
toward
the
m
.

I
wonder
if
they’d
notice
if
I
ran
away.

Kerrigan
stepped
fo
r
ward
with
a
s
m
i
l
e,
extending
his
hand
to
greet
the
m
an.
Unco
m
forta
b
le with
the
stranger’s
a
s
sessing
gaze,
Meeka
stepped
closer
to
Catz’s
lioness
for
m
.

The
feline
pr
e
ssed
up
against
her
legs.
“
Well,
at
least
the
y
’
r
e
all
hot
-
looking.”
Catz
sat
on her
haunches.
“
I
w
ouldn’t
m
ind
pla
y
i
n
g
cat-and
-
m
ouse
with
hi
m
.
”

Meeka
groaned
at
her
friend’s
co
m
me
n
t.
“
I
didn’t
know
y
o
u were—”

“Meeka,
this
is
St
r
y
k
er.
He
is
the
garg
o
y
l
e
c
o
m
mander,
warrior,
and
trainer.”
Kerrigan waved
her
forward
with
a
bare
l
y
there
s
m
i
le.

Meeka
stepped
fo
r
ward
and
shook
his
hand.
“It’s
nice
to
m
e
et
y
o
u
.” Str
y
k
e
r
bowed.
“
The
pleasure
is
all
m
ine,
my
lad
y
.”

Kerrigan
turned
to
address
Catz.
“And,
this
is
Catz,
Meeka’s
co
m
pa
n
ion.”

A
gain,
Str
y
ker
bowed
his head.
“
It’s a pleasure to
m
e
e
t
y
o
u
both.
I
trust Kerrigan has
been a good
h
o
st
?
”
He
offered
a
quick,
teasing
grin.

Meeka
snorted
at
St
r
y
k
er’s
com
m
e
nt,
her
gaze
m
ee
t
ing
Kerrigan’s
for
a
m
o
m
e
nt
before sliding
aw
a
y
.
“Indeed.”

If
one
can
comp
a
re
him
to an
iceberg floating
in
the
Bering
Se
a
.

“St
r
y
k
er
is
my
co
m
man
d
er
at
ar
m
s.
While
I’m
speaking
with
the
Counselors,
he
will
stand in my place
to ensure
y
o
u
r
constant
safet
y
.
He is
an
acco
m
p
l
ished
and skilled
warrior.
He kn
o
ws about
y
o
u
r
special
abil
i
ties
needing
to
be
developed
and
enhanced.
So
if
y
ou
think
y
o
u
can
keep up
to
the
gu
y
s, St
r
y
k
er will
be
y
o
ur trainer. For
the
m
o
m
e
nt,
at least.”

Keep
up
to the
guys. Of
course
I
can
keep up
to
them.

She
had
alw
a
y
s
been
athletic
and
excelled
in a
n
y
sport
she took on.
M
eeka looked at
the two giant
m
en.
“
I’m
ga
m
e. I’m
sure
it
w
on’t
be
difficult
at
all.”
She
pushed
her
sleeves up.

Str
y
k
e
r
looked
at
Kerrigan
with
a
coc
k
y
grin.
“
K
errigan,
her
dress
is
not
appropriate
for
our training.”

Kerrigan
clenched
his
jaw,
the
air
churned,
and
two
s
m
all
pieces
of
leather
appeared
in
his hand.
“
M
eeka,
I
hope
y
o
u’
r
e
co
m
fo
r
table with
this attire.”
He
handed
the
ti
n
y
pieces of
leather
to her.
“
A
nd
these
straps…”
He
p
a
ssed
th
e
m
over.
“Will
hold
y
o
u
r
knives.
Two
for
y
o
ur
ar
m
s,
and one
for
y
o
u
r
leg.”
Kerrigan
pointed
to
a
tent.
“
Y
ou
m
a
y
change
in
there.
Catz,
can
y
o
u
go
with her,
please?
St
r
y
k
er
and
I
will
wait
here.”

Meeka
tried
her
best
to
hide
her
e
m
barras
s
m
e
n
t.
She
was
basical
l
y
training
in
a
bikini! Deter
m
i
n
ed
not
to
let
them
discourage
her,
she
grabbed
the
pieces
of
leather
and
stor
m
ed
off with
Catz
on
her
heels.