|
d5a3865
|
With warm afternoons and chilly evenings, the weather during the cooling season was my favorite.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
40e184d
|
You are the Soulfinder. You should not be afraid of fire.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
d54cba9
|
Valek's scarier than Gede, so I listened to him.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
9490a44
|
Pasture or stall? Stall. Nap time. And what about your snooze before I groomed you? Pre-nap.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
62da553
|
Valek is the king of delegating.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
0a95011
|
I remained stubborn, believing the distance between us would make it easier for me to make life-threatening decisions.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
72bd306
|
You know what I want and need. And you love me.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
d32a6c1
|
You have my attention. But give me what I want, and you can have everything.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
ac0ffa1
|
You rush off to solve Sitia's problems and you don't need my help. But I want to be selfish, keeping you safe with me.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
70749d0
|
Wait, I thought all the Queen's servants had to be women.' 'Good thing no one thought to look up my skirt.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
2a2d4f3
|
Betrayals are brutal.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
f75b647
|
Looking at the firm set of my mother's shoulders, I knew she had reached the point where she would no longer bend to her emotions, but do what
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
1a198a8
|
I ate lunch then went back to my rooms where I collapsed into bed and fell asleep.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
d0218a5
|
Over the next week, my days fell into a pattern. Mornings spent with Irys to learn about magic, afternoons spent napping, studying and practicing my self-defense techniques. Evenings were spent with Cahil and Kiki.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
f714ae4
|
Dreams of Tula's hideous ordeal swirled in my mind that night. Over and over, I fought her demons until, at last, they transformed into my own demon's mocking face.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
671e41c
|
I started my reading assignments as soon as I reached my rooms. The afternoon flew by, and only the incessant growling of my stomach made me stop to find some food.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
0d11302
|
Lively groups filled the campus walkways and people hurried past me in every direction. My quiet walks through the Keep were at an end, yet I felt energized by all the activity.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
ff73774
|
I sorted through Zitora's clothes, choosing a long black skirt and a red-and-black V-neck blouse. The shirt had two layers of material. A pattern of fine black lace over red silk.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
5c921f9
|
Pulling my hair from its braid, I scowled at the limp mess. The year before I had cut out the snarls and tangles, and now the ends had grown in ragged. My black hair now reached past my shoulders. It would need a good trim and washing.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
9938aa2
|
Should we plan our escape route now?' I asked. She laughed. 'We'll push Cahil into their path to slow them down.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
88fe0f7
|
That's just great. I went from having none to having two mother hens.' Irys laughed. 'Some people just need the extra help.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
fdbc371
|
The new clothes hung on my small frame. I rolled up the sleeves and added a belt to keep the pants from falling down. A brief smile touched Valek's lips. 'They were mine. I'm not the best seamstress.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
57cca16
|
Sneaking through both the Keep's and Citadel's gates without a large animal is hard enough, love.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
fa0bc06
|
Valek? You have no smell. No aura,' Leif said. 'Is he a simpleton?' Valek asked me.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
ceaca82
|
Apple? You've grazed all night. How can you still be hungry? Always room for apple.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
206c7c9
|
Ooh, guard horses. How quaint.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
d3d9851
|
Worrying can not change anything.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
d4829ac
|
on occasion logic does not win against emotions.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
f107abb
|
It has made you smarter, Leif said. Then he added, not much smarter, but we can still hope for improvement.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
0ab1a95
|
Curtains are funny?' 'In comparison to all my other thoughts, yes, curtains can be amusing. But you, sir, are the best thing that's happened to me all day, all week, and, now that I think about it, all season.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
8ed12ef
|
Sarcasm? You've been hanging around with Leif too long.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
ce2578c
|
Death was not the end.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
c81eeca
|
Perhaps Valek would show up and we could get reacquainted in the straw.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
273ac13
|
Relax, Mitch. I'll get us there in one piece. After we jump the chasm of death, we're home free." "Funny," he deadpanned. "I don't suppose you have another helmet?" "Nope. But if we do crash, I'll aim for the right side to even out your injuries." He gave her a wry grin. "Enduring poor attempts at humour is better than being dead." Night Vision"
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
109af00
|
Are you brave enough to expand your nocturnal activities, and work with a partner?" "It depends." His smile faltered. "On what?" "On how close of a partnership you're talking about." He pulled her towards him. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her. "Is this close enough?" Instead of answering, she led him to her dark bedroom. "You can get closer. How's your night vision?" Mitch grinned. "Excellent." Night Vision"
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
7438c1f
|
Of course the right key had to be the third to last one I tried.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
1c55bda
|
Finding you became more important than living my own life.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
2a2ecb0
|
The promised meal consisted of beef stew served in a bowl made of bread. 'Less to wash,' Opal's mother said with a grin.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
a49115a
|
You can't let the past ruin your future. Let's call it even and start anew.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
4b345ca
|
We are careful with our seeds of life.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
b9f810c
|
It was my turn to groan. Dress shopping with Kade's mother. Kill me now. The alternative- arriving home without a gown- was equally unappealing. "Okay, but I'm taking my switchblade along." "To defend yourself against my mother?" He asked with an incredulous tone. "No. To slit my throat if the day goes badly." He laughed. "Make sure you don't bleed in front of her. She faints at the sight of blood." I'm so glad you have your priorities stra..
|
|
kade
opal-cowan
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
8976fcf
|
Is it considered improper if Valek and I...? You know.' 'Yelena,' Leif said with mock indignation. 'Don't tell me you and Valek--' 'Just answer the question.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
15fe218
|
Tell them what? That we lost them? I'd rather tell them Tauno is afraid of heights and Moon Man is claustrophobic.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
9e5fd84
|
I had plenty to worry about without creating phantom worries.
|
|
|
Maria V. Snyder |