Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 169943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 850(@200wpm)___ 680(@250wpm)___ 566(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 850(@200wpm)___ 680(@250wpm)___ 566(@300wpm)
“Are you sure?”
She pushes it away from her physically, her expression determined. “If I get caught with that thing, I’m a thief. If you get caught with it, you’re a holder’s daughter who’s being mischievous. Do you see the difference?”
I do. I tuck it back into my clothes and hate that she’s right.
THIRTY-ONE
ASPETH
2 Days Before the Conquest Moon
Isleep with Gwenna that night, because I don’t want to go back to Hawk’s side. I don’t sleep very well, though. I’m restless and worried, my thoughts focused on the ring I’ve looped around a ribbon and now wear about my neck.
She’s right that I won’t get into trouble for having an artifact. I’m a holder’s daughter and his heir. If I run into any problems, I can wield that information like a cudgel and browbeat everyone into letting me slip out of trouble. I can insist that it’s mine and take it back with me, but I’ll also be sent back to Honori Hold on the first coach out of Vastwarren, never to return. The others won’t have their Five and we’ll all be sunk.
I can’t let that happen.
I’m up before dawn, feeding Squeaker and rubbing her chin while I wait for Gwenna and the others to awaken. My uniform is a fresh one, and I’m starting to actually like the heavy, scratchy feel of the fabric against my skin. It reminds me that my old life is done, and this is my new one.
Plus the cat hair doesn’t stick to it nearly as bad. I flick a tuft of loose hair off my fingers, wincing as it floats in the air. Sheesh.
Breakfast is a tense situation. We all meet in the kitchen and sit at the table, talking amongst our Five until Hawk stomps in, the clap of his hooves against the stone floor obnoxiously loud. Mereden flinches with each step and I force myself to remain stiffly straight, my posture unbending as his chair scrreeeeeeches against the stone and then he flings himself down into his seat at the head of the table. The nestmaid hands him a bowl of porridge and he angrily stirs it, glaring in my direction.
I ignore him.
“Where’s Magpie?” he asks, flinging his spoon down. “Why isn’t she with you?”
“She’s sleeping in,” Lark says. “Since nothing’s getting done today.”
“Is she drunk?” Hawk snarls, glaring at her.
Lark, bless her soul, glares back at him. “No, and it’s fucking rude of you to even ask that. You’re rather moon-touched at the moment, aren’t you? Go jerk off or something.”
I pay great attention to my food, the tension in the room palpable. I’m pretty sure that Hawk looks at me a few times, but I ignore him and he picks up his bowl, chugs his porridge, slams it down, and storms out of the room. A moment later, he thunders back in and points at Lark. “Tell Magpie I’m going to guild headquarters, and if she leaves again without notifying me, we’re no longer partners. Understand?”
“Understood.”
He stomps back out again…only to return one more time. This time, he leans over my chair, all menace and male fury. “And you…you’re sleeping with me tonight. I don’t want you running off every single time we argue. Got it?”
“Say please.” My heart is racing like a rabbit’s.
I expect him to blow up at me, to lose his temper and shout, because his hormones are all over the place. But he can’t just order me around, not after avoiding me himself.
His nostrils flare and he leans in even closer. “Please.”
I nod.
He gives one of those indignant, annoyed snorts that only a Taurian can, and then storms back out of the room again.
“Whew, the moon is hitting him hard,” Lark says, her eyes wide with “Did you just see that?” amusement. “No wonder all the other Taurians are out of town or hitting the sex district.”
“They’re out of town?” Mereden asks, and Kipp tilts his head, equally inquisitive.
“Oh yeah. You guys don’t know about the Conquest Moon?” Lark hoots. “Man, is it a story. If you ever see a Taurian with red eyes, get out of his way or you’ll get your ass pounded into the ground.”
“They fight?” Mereden asks again.
“No, I mean they’ll fuck anything moving. Your ass pounded into the ground is…literally your ass…pounding…into the ground.” Lark punctuates each word with a punch of her fist into her palm, oblivious to the way I’m trying to ignore her. “No orifice is safe—”
“We get the idea,” Gwenna cuts in sharply. “Thank you.”
“All I’m saying is that the Conquest Moon is probably striking him hard.” She wiggles her brows at me. “That why you slept upstairs, Aspeth? Couldn’t sleep for the thing poking you in the backside?”
I ignore that and spear a slice of ham with my knife, then nibble on it. “Where’s your aunt this morning?”