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14
He poked her. “Stop slouching and straighten your back. The stag won’t respect a spineless rider.” She obeyed him, but persisted in leaning forward to avoid body contact. He sighed in frustration and pulled her back flush to his chest with a small jerk, holding her shoulders to keep her there. “Unless you’re racing, you must sit straight in the saddle. You’ll never have a proper seat otherwise, and the ride will be uncomfortable.”
He released her, and she silently did as he instructed. If her muscles got any stiffer, though, he’d be able to take her off the stag and use her for a poker. With that in mind, he began to massage her shoulders.
She hunched them, trying to discourage him, but he persisted, and slowly she relaxe
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The hallway opened up unto the head of a broad staircase leading to an inner courtyard, and she stared in awe at the view of the triple moons and scattered stars. Slowly she sank down to absorb the view. The evening breeze caressed her cheek, pleasant with the scent of flowers. Her guard settled unobtrusively against the wall.After a time, curiosity got to her. “You guys don’t talk much, do you?” she said softly, loathe to break the serenity of the night. To her surprise, the Haunt answered her in the sign language she’d seen the guards use. When she continued to watch him, he repeated himself slowly, fingers to chest, an inclination of his head and then fingers to lips.“You do talk?” she guessed, intrigued. Hm. This could be fun.
The Charmer 16
“You would.”Keilor brought two glasses with silver crests to the table and poured a generous shot into each. “If I’m going to be playing with real coin against shells, I’d have to agree with Jayems. We should at least get a kiss if we win the game.”“No.”Jasmine hesitated for a moment. Their newest plan depended on robbing these two blind. The question was, what was she willing to do to get home?Anything.Well, almost anything. Taking a bracing breath, she negotiated, “No tongues.”
The Charmer 17
Wiley drew in a shocked breath of protest, but choked on her own saliva. While Jayems thumped her on the back, Keilor regarded her intently. “Strip poker?”Jasmine looked down and tapped her finger on the table, her nerves jangling a warning. And whe
The Charmer 18
“She’s better off asleep until the medicine kicks in,” Keilor explained in a business-like manner as he capped the vial of dream flower oil.Rihlia was still pale, and Jayems touched her shoulder in concern. She knocked his hand away and turned her back on him. “I don’t want to see her.”“Rihlia...” Jayems began, concerned. He hadn’t seen her this upset since before Jasmine arrived.
The Charmer 19
Not about to let her slip back into self-pity since he’d gotten her this far, he stepped into her space. Boxed in on all sides, she had no choice but to look at him.He let his eyes light with golden fire and spoke with contempt. Fear would serve her better than pity, would stir up constructive anger. “I order you to serve my cousin tonight,” he told her with soft menace. “If you doubt my authority to do so, I will gladly demonstrate why the Haunt are so feared.”Anger narrowed her eyes, and just a trace of doubt. He could s
The Charmer 20
Wiley stared at an older woman with braided silver hair, and the woman looked back at her with sky blue eyes alive with emotion. Wiley had a look of consternation fixed on her face, but the other woman…The queenly lady glided forward, entranced, until she stood blinking fiercely at Wiley. Her voice was hoarse when she whispered, “Daughter?” Suddenly she hugged the stiff young woman, shaking her head over and over. “Rihlia,” she said, and her eyes were wet with tears.***
The Charmer 21
She rubbed the edge of the table with her thumb. What would he say first? That she’d made a fool of herself last night? That she ought to be nicer to Wiley? “What if I promised you I wouldn’t cause any trouble if you agreed to take me home?”His eyes glinted dangerously. Her scent was making him feel aggressive. He needed to touch her. “I’d tell you to stop sulking.” In a lightning fast maneuver, he snaked his hand around her waist and pulled her roughly up to him. She pushed against him, but was no match for his large, battle-toned body.
The Charmer 22
“That’s a load of garbage!” Rihlia’s eyes shot sparks as she sat forward, gesturing angrily. “She might be a little shy with men, but Jasmine has always been a pretty girl. I don’t think it’s fair of you to blame some mythical pheromone just so you can have an excuse for being attracted to a human!”“What I feel, what Fallon feels, what Knightin feels,” he answered with grim conviction. “What every unattached male above the age of puberty will feel whenever she is near.” He leaned forward, determined to make her understand. “She's pretty, and it doesn’t help, but it wouldn’t matter if she were fat and bald and covered with boils, men would s
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