Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Lyrica studied the tall soldier while speaking with Maeve. “Of course, it’s all right. The supplies are for everyone. There’s a large kitchen through that door if you need any other food, and we have just received fresh perishables.”
“We’re good,” Ralstad said shortly.
Maeve sighed. “Actually, I would like to order a couple of items for our cabin.”
“No problem,” Lyrica said. “Do you want to come into the office?”
Ralstad took his mate’s arm. “We don’t need anything.”
“We need a boot warmer,” Maeve corrected him.
His face darkened. “We most certainly do not need a boot warmer.” He looked sideways at Lyrica. “Thank you for your offer, though.”
Irritation and temper warred inside Lyrica. She didn’t want to cause a scene, but this was ridiculous. “Maeve, if you want a boot warmer, considering it’s freezing outside, I am more than happy to get you one.” She lifted her chin.
Maeve glanced at her mate, then over at Lyrica. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”
Surprise filtered through Lyrica, then warning as Ralstad’s expression darkened even more.
“We’ll be going now. Have a nice day.” He pivoted smartly on his humongous boots.
The woman turned to go with him.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay and hang out with me for a while?” Lyrica asked.
Maeve hustled along with her mate. “No thank you. I have bread to bake. Have a blessed day, Lyrica.”
They bypassed the kitchen and went directly outside into the snowy day.
Lyrica shook her head. She had to get Maeve alone. This was an untenable position. She would help the woman if it was the last thing she did. Concern filling her, Lyrica eyed the coffee station and immediately began to replenish the automatic dispensers. A lot of the soldiers wandered in around lunchtime for more coffee.
The outside door opened again and she turned, hoping to see Maeve.
Instead, Genevieve and Lukas walked inside, holding hands, Genevieve giggling. They paused when they saw her and dropped their hands, guilt flushing across Genevieve’s face.
Lukas looked at her directly.
“Sorry I’m late,” Genevieve said. “We went for a walk down to the river. It’s beautiful.” Her eyes lit up and a pretty smile curved her lips.
Lukas nodded. “I’m off duty this morning, so we thought we’d take advantage of the pretty morning outside. Have you seen the sun?”
“No,” Lyrica said, surprised. The sun finally made an appearance? She might have to actually go outside. The sky had been dark and cloudy for too long. “I appreciate that it’s pretty outside, Genevieve, but please be on time for work.”
The girl was an hour late.
Lyrica hadn’t been worried because Genevieve rarely showed up on time. She wanted to slow down that romance.
Lukas’s chest puffed out. “Vero ordered me to provide protection for you today, Lyrica. He mentioned that you wanted to visit some of the cabins, and he also ordered Jonathan to be with us. He’s taking your protection very seriously.”
Gee, that was great. Now if only the guy would talk to her.
Genevieve patted Lukas’s hand. “I better get into work.” Today the girl wore a pink sweater and jeans with what looked like new white snow boots. She shrugged off her matching white puffer jacket as she disappeared into Lyrica’s office.
“What time do you want to go?” Lukas asked, his gaze on the now empty doorway.
Lyrica didn’t feel hungry, so she figured she’d just skip dinner. It would soon be dark, and she was happy to have the escort. “Maybe in an hour?”
“All right, I’ll be back,” Lukas said. “Perhaps Genevieve can come with us.”
Lyrica thought about it. She didn’t want to encourage a romance between the teenagers, but perhaps Maeve would respond better to somebody younger like Genevieve. “Not tonight. It’s really cold out there,” she said.
Lukas’s eyes lightened to a mellow violet. “That’s true,” he said. “But she always does make the night lighter and warmer.”
Oh, for goodness’ sake.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Vero strode down the stairs to the carved-out basement and walked to the first cell. He opened the heavy wooden door and moved inside to find Silas sitting on his cot, playing solitaire with a deck of cards.
Silas looked up, his light red eyes narrowing. “You know, I’ve been thinking.”
“Really? How’s that?” Vero asked, shutting the door behind himself.
“We don’t have satellite hookup or our computer bank, but we have excellent prisoner cells. Does that tell you where our priorities lie?”
Vero studied the male he’d known since birth. “I think our priorities are exactly right. Unfortunately, we’ve never existed in an era without war.”
“Ah. But whose fault is that?” Silas leaned back against the rough cement wall. “I mean, look at this place, Vero. We might as well have been trying to split a mountain in half with a hammer to make space for, what was it? Three cells?”
“Yes,” Vero said smoothly. “We have three cells down here and yes, I remember the dynamite.” He looked around the rough room. “Although the cells have come in handy. We have two out of the three occupied.”