Rital of Proof (25 page)

Defense squads hired themselves out to the aristocracy for various reasons, ranging from travel escort through hostile areas to general protection from threats. Lordenes accrued them on a regular basis, but Miara was on permanent retainer to the House of Tamryn.

Green had hand-picked Miara to her household, knowing that she would never disappoint. She had been right. Miara had assembled an expert team.

The protector-guards greeted Green and nodded politely to the new Marqueller.

Green mounted a Kloo, as Kibbee was brought around for Jorlan. "I thought this would be a good opportunity for you to get to know Kibbee better."

Jorlan stared at the preening Kloo suspiciously. "You've got to be jesting."

Green cocked her head to the side. "Not really; I told you, she feels you have been ignoring her."

Kibbee's neck folds fluttered, indicating her distaste. The Kloo had figured out who was expected to mount her. She was not overjoyed.

Neither was Jorlan.

He approached the attitudinous Kloo reluctantly. Kibbee shied away and prawked at him.

Jorlan rubbed his jaw. "Could I not take Sabir? You would be surprised by his endurance. Green. He—"

"It is Kibbee or nothing. We need to reach the high desert pass. You know as well as I that a Klee cannot get as sure a footing and he will not have the stamina for such an arduous climb. Now make haste, name-bearer; we are wasting time."

Several of the protector-guards snickered at the reprimand. Jorlan threw her a narrowed look. Wrapping the reins tightly around his wrist, he hoisted himself onto the Kloo's back.

Kibbee put up a fuss, skittering here and there, snorting and spitting; but it was just for show. With one stern look from Green, she calmed down and trotted into place behind Green's mount.

They started out with Miara and one of the guards in the lead followed by Green, Jorlan, another guard at his back, then Avatar and the remaining three guards taking up the rear.

"You see?" Green called back over her shoulder.

"Kibbee is a dear. You will learn to love her soon, just as I do."

Jorlan glanced doubtfully down at the Kloo's bobbing head. Kibbee turned and curled her fat upper lip at him in disdain.

"Terrific," Jorlan muttered. "I am enamored of you already."

Kibbee squawked and faced the trail but not before she took a playful nip at his boot.
Kloos.

They rode for most of the night.

After they had left the town limits and were traversing open plains. Green took the lead with Miara. The two women conversed quietly on and off, their low voices muted on the night breeze.

Jorlan leaned back in his seat and gazed up at the sky. Millions of stars twinkled brightly against the black backdrop of space. They reflected in his eyes as he stared in awe.

The Reynard estate was surrounded by foliage; he had never seen such a wide expanse of sky! Occasionally a comet streaked across the sky in a dazzling display. Jorlan slowed his mind of all thought, taking the time to absorb this moment of beauty. The excitement of adventure stirred his blood.

He inhaled the brisk air deeply into his lungs, taking pleasure in the puffs of vapor as he exhaled. The temperature was going down; they had been ascending the mesa steadily. Jorlan pulled his cloak closer about him, wondering how Green was faring. He hoped she wasn't cold.

Avatar pulled her mount up beside him, pacing her Kloo to his. "It is captivating. Where I come from, the sky seems so big, you can almost touch it."

"And where is that?"

"From the deep southern region. The South Lands?

You'll only see a taste of it on this trip, lad, for we're only going to Hadley Tip."

"I would like to see it some day, if it is as you say."

"Oh, it is. But it is a rough country. The clans down there have their ways and we have ours."

"Why did you come to
Capitol
Town
?"

"I needed something different. Happens to a person sometimes."

"Yes."

Avatar looked over at the young Marqueller. He was staring at the stars again. It struck her as odd—how knowing he was about the natural things in life, about people. He was sometimes quiet and contained as if he were studying everything around him. Only, it never made one uncomfortable. On the contrary, when he was calm, relaxed, there was a certain solace when one was in his presence.

He was a strange brew of contradictions. All fiery one time and quiet the next.
Quite the package,
she concluded. "The Marquelle would not let you be going to the deep southern regions so easy."

Unconsciously, Jorlan patted Kibbee's forefeathers. The Kloo's flesh vents quivered a low trill. "Why not?"

"She couldn't protect you down there—not a man that looks like you."

"I am fastened."

Avatar guffawed. "That wouldn't matter one bit. You'd be stolen as quick as that!" She snapped her fingers in front of his face.

The woman was trying to scare him out of traveling, He almost laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of it.

His teeth flashed in the night light as he gave Avatar a quick smile. "Do not be foolish. Green would never allow such a thing."

Avatar snorted, then chuckled heartily. "All right then, lad, but I'm not exaggerating."

He shrugged.

Up ahead. Green slumped in her seat, then righted herself.

Jorlan watched her in concern. "She's tired."

"Yes, she is—very tired. Seems like ages since she's been able to rest properly what with the troubles she's had."

Jorlan turned swiftly toward her. "Troubles? What troubles?"

Avatar realized she had said too much. She carefully edited her words. "Oh, this and that. Being a Marquelle carries a lot of responsibility."

Jorlan's brow furrowed. "Yes, and she did say she had recently returned from her western properties... Is this connected in some way?"

He is too sharp for his own safety.
Avatar thought. Green had expressly forbidden her and Mathers to say anything about her troubles with She-Count D'anbere. She pursed her mouth. "Don't think that would be likely, do you?" she replied noncommittally.

Jorlan gave her a sharp look. "Of course not."
What are they hiding?
he wondered.

Green slid over on the Kloo again.

Jorlan watched her carefully. She was close to exhaustion and there was only one thing that would make her stop. "Avatar, tell the Marquelle I need to stop to rest," he said decisively. "I grow tired."

Avatar arched her brow. The Marqueller wasn't the least tired. But he was a wise one. She smiled secretly at him. "You do look a little peaked around the edges, Marqueller. I'll ride up and tell the Marquelle we need to be stopping."

She pulled forward, speaking low to Green. Immediately concerned. Green turned to look back at him and wearily called out to Miara to seek out a spot to rest.

Tomorrow they would not be able to ride at nig They would be in razor-rock country.

Chapter Eleven

They had long since left the high mesa and were now traveling through lowlands where small streams etched their way through the landscape and rainbow trees edged the meadows.

Jorlan was captivated by their multicolored shades. His aqua eyes didn't seem to miss much on the journey, Green acknowledged. Whether he was taking in the pleasures of the surroundings, delighting in the joy of discovery, or simply being alert to his surroundings, Jorlan was
aware.

Green had noticed it from the moment they had set out.

Another Sensitive trait, she supposed. They had been fortunate to cross the short distance of high desert without encountering any herds of razor rock.

Or any brigands.

Although highwaywomen generally preferred the more traveled and lucrative Ginny trail, which led west, could never be too cautious. Especially when one had her precious name-bearer in tow. Green glanced over at her blaze-dragon and watched him fondly. Her affection for him grew with every passing hour. He had kept pace on the journey, and then some. Of his accord, he had quietly helped the guards whenever they stopped for rest, taking down supplies from the pack Kloos, helping to prepare meals, and setting up sleepers.

Even Miara, who was impatient with the pampered sons of the aristocracy, had remarked that Jorlan was well liked by her women. He worked quietly along with them and held his counsel.

Green marveled that none of them thought it strange that he was so able to fit in with them.

The sleepers were open to the sky, and on the nights they stopped to rest, he seemed to treasure when she made love to him as he looked up at the stars. It fascinated her to watch his eyes as they hazed over with starlight and desire and he lost himself to his passion. To
her.
On those nights, she would have to cover his mouth with her own to prevent his uninhibited moans from being heard.

It seemed that each time she made love to him, his sensuality deepened. His desire was unrestrained and sometimes uncurbed. Jorlan was becoming bolder and bolder. So far he had waited for her to come to him. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was going to cross the line soon—she knew that.

She just didn't know what she was going to do about it.

Instead of shocking her, his daring ways excited her. As his name-giver, she should put more of a firm
control on
him. Such untamed behavior was not considered proper for men. But she liked his wildness. It arose from deep within him like the unbridled change-of-season winds of Forus—the scorching winds whose airy touches brought defined pleasure to sweltering flesh.

She rode closer in to him.

"I remember the first time I saw the rainbow trees, Jorlan; I couldn't stop staring at them, either." Green reached over to Kibbee and gave her Kloo a sweet piece of balum fruit from her sack. The Kloo had been especially good with Jorlan, who was constantly trying to get her to pick up pace, being used to his faster Klee.

Kibbee squawked appreciatively, gobbling the succulent morsel.

Jorlan snorted. "She has you at her mercy."

"Of course she does." She grinned at him. "As long as I allow it," she added with underlying meaning.

Jorlan gave her a knowing look. "I suppose there is a message in that for me?"

"I suppose there is." She raised her eyebrows up and down, making jest of the comment.

He laughed and grabbed her reins.

"Jorlan! What are you doing? The guards—"

"Are paying no attention to us."

"But you—"

He sealed her mouth with his. The kiss was hot with promise. It amazed her how
good
he had become at it. He had long since exceeded her instruction and with every press of his lips had been adding nuance after nuance, until he took her very breath away. And it wasn't just with kissing, either.

Not even River, who was an accomplished lover, could kiss like this! Of course. River had always held back. Green often wondered what the expert pleasurer would be like when he finally let go.

Her thoughts left her as the tip of Jorlan's tongue played with the edges of her mouth.

"Sometimes I can be taken away from my thoughts simply by the way the corners of your lips curl," Jorlan whispered huskily. His sultry breath caressed her mouth.

"Is that so?" Did he know what she had been thinking?

"Yesss... " He bent his head, again sealing her mouth with a solid stamp of possession. Green moaned at the feel of him; her hands reached up and clasped his wide shoulders, bringing him closer. His tongue—

Kibbee prawked loudly.

Green heard female laughter. "Hey, you two!" Miara called out. "We'll be stopping soon enough for the night. Make him wait a bit for it, Marquelle, and he'll be dancing prettier in your bed!" Ribald laughter ensued.

Flushed, Green broke off from him, giving him a chastising look. "Now they are giving me intimate advice!"

Jorlan winked lazily at her. & Too bold by half, she rued. Her heart beat a tattoo in her chest.
I'm spoiling him,
she acknowledged to herself. He slowly licked the taste of her from his lips as he watched her from under lowered lids.

Green sucked in her breath.
And I have no intention of ever stopping!

"It's a little cold!" Green shivered in delight as she dipped into the cool, clear water.

They had found a place to rest for the night near a lovely small pond that was secluded from view by a thick grove of rainbow trees. Green had immediately thrown off her clothes and waded in, desperate for a real bath. They had been cleansing themselves by the streams they passed on the journey. It was adequate, but not the same.

On the bank, Jorlan cocked his head to the side and watched the droplets of water sluice down her pointy breasts. His hands rested on his hips. "I can see that, name-giver."