Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Bah, it does not matter if they like me or not. I pick up the spoon and sniff the gruel again, trying to decide if it is something I have seen her eat in the past. I glance around the fire at the other females…and pause.
A short distance away, O’jek stands next to D’see. They talk to R’hosh and his mate, who are all smiles. O’jek has his back to me, and his long braid is a neat and tidy line down his back. His hand is on D’see’s shoulder, and I notice her yellow mane is tied in the same way his is. As I stare at them, she laughs at something, looks up at O’jek with a radiant smile, and caresses his lower back, dangerously near his tail.
They look happy. Content. Their resonance must have been over quickly.
I scowl at the thought, my own khui yet singing endlessly in my chest. F’lor needs to eat more, I decide. I bet O’jek made D’see eat all the time. With that decided, I grab one of the bowls and slop a large spoonful of the mess into the dish.
“You’re welcome,” M’rsl calls, her voice light with amusement. “Make sure you grab a spoon unless you plan on eating that with your fingers.”
C’lie giggles, and I contemplate heading back to my hut. No, not my hut. F’lor’s hut, since I have brought my gear there. My mood is growing darker by the moment and the giggles of other females are not helping. Nor is the sight of O’jek, gazing down at D’see with such intense devotion. I am happy for him. I truly am. I am just annoyed for myself at my current situation, and I yet resonate as fiercely as I did when I started.
Turning away from the fire, I clutch the bowl to my chest when someone calls out. “There! The dragon!”
A shadow flies overhead.
I pause, gazing up at the sky as A’tar, the golden dragon, flies in fancy circles over the encampment. On his back are two laden baskets, and as I watch, a head pops out of one of them.
Oh no. T’ia.
This morning grows from bad to worse.
“I’rec, there you are.” O’jek turns and sees me, his face alight with happiness. “I have heard you and F’lor are to be congratulated. Have you heard that D’see is finally mine and I am hers?”
I grunt, hugging the bowl of gruel to my chest. I want to race away and find F’lor so we can meet T’ia together, but she is down on the beach and O’jek is dragging D’see toward me. The pretty female O’jek has lusted after for so long smiles at me, her expression sweet. “I hope you’re not too disappointed.”
“Why would I be disappointed?”
“Because I know you don’t like me.” D’see gives O’jek another radiant smile, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. “You never have. But I’ve turned over a new leaf.”
Why do I care if she is turning over leaves? What does that have to do with anything? “There will be more Shadow Cat clan. I do not see a problem with anything.” I watch as a few of the others stand and head for the slope to the north, where A’tar will land. I need to get away, to find F’lor on the beach and pull her from her fishing. Make her eat, and then we will talk to T’ia together. She will see that we are meant to be mates, and it will all be explained easily. But I need to make sure I find F’lor first.
“You have always been dismissive of D’see in the past,” O’jek comments. He puts both hands on his mate’s shoulders and gives her a gentle push toward me. “I would have you tell her she is welcome.”
Distracted, I try to move toward the beach. The look on O’jek’s face is determined, though. He stands at D’see’s side, and she looks worried. As if I have time for this?
“I do not care,” I say, and I mean it. If they are happy, I am truly unbothered. I have bigger things to deal with. I gaze over O’jek’s shoulder. T’ia has dismounted and is searching the crowd gathered nearby. The pit of my stomach sinks as I see her gaze lock on me. She races across the sands toward me, a wide smile on her face.
I panic.
“I must go and find F’lor,” I say to D’see and O’jek. “We will speak later.”
“Oh, I see Flor right now,” D’see tells me, nodding at something behind me. “Here she comes up the beach.”
“I’rec,” T’ia cries in that moment, pushing past O’jek and D’see. She flings her arms around me and kisses me on the mouth, the gruel in my hands smashing against my chest in a hot, sludgy mess. She makes a happy sound, her arms dragging around my neck as she hauls me down against her and her tongue pushes against my lips.