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)
“Why wouldn’t it be okay?” My face immediately colors bright red, making a mockery of my casual tone.
If she notices my blush, she doesn’t say anything. “You’re normally not quiet about all this,” she whispers, gesturing at the wagon. “You’re usually nattering on about how they did things in Old Prell or how traditional guild members do things.”
I fuss with the hem of my sleeve, agitated. Keeping my voice low, I say, “Do you think Hawk is upset over Magpie being here today?”
“Why would he be? Isn’t she the one in charge?” She nudges me. “Or are you afraid your lover is going to be upset?”
I clap a hand over her mouth. “Shhh!”
Her eyes widen. She licks my palm, forcing me to release her, and I wipe my hand on my clothes, glaring. “What the fuck,” she whisper-mouths. “Are you—are you blushing?” Her gaze moves to Hawk and then back to me and she leans in closer. “Are you two fucking already? I thought you were waiting for this moon shit?”
My face feels as if it’s on fire. “We are. It’s just…he…I…” I shake my head, unable to continue.
“He…” she prompts, giving me an encouraging look. “Rearranged your organs? Gave you the dicking of your life? What?”
I twist my blouse in my hands. I don’t have anyone to share such things with. Never have. Even when I had my heartbreak over Barnabus, I couldn’t confess to anyone how hurt I was, how foolish I’d felt. Gwenna had been my servant and it would have been inappropriate of me. But now we’re both just guild fledglings. And I desperately want to talk to someone about it.
I lick my lips, and then lean in to whisper. “He licked me. Inappropriately.”
She blinks, and then a sly smile curves her mouth. “You do know it’s not inappropriate if you’re married, right?”
“Hush. I just…I was taken by surprise.”
“I am, too. He seems kinda like a stern type, but that’s a good sign. A man who isn’t afraid to make his lady come first is a good man in my book. He did make you come, right?”
That does it. My face is going to be permanently red. When they paint my portrait, I’ll look like a ball of fire from neck to hairline. I do hold up two fingers, though.
Gwenna nods slowly. “My esteem of him grows by the day.”
Mine does, too, so help me.
* * *
We arrive at our campsite near dusk. It’s a pretty area, with a lot of trees growing near a winding stream. On one side of the water are fields and pastures with cattle grazing. On the other side, things are a little more wild and unkempt. The trees cluster together tightly, not a single path to be seen, and the underbrush is so thick that I can’t imagine crossing it. Scrubby bushes mingle with weeds and lead to taller trees in the distance.
It’s in this rather unimpressive place that Magpie smiles and waves a hand in the air. “Here we are!”
“Where is ‘here’ exactly?” I ask, glancing around. I don’t see any sort of buildings nearby, or a tunnel into a cave. If we’re camping, surely there’s going to be a cave involved, right? Since we’re training to be familiar with caverns and ruins and such things?
“This is the perfect spot of land for terrain practice,” Magpie declares, rubbing her hands together.
“You always did love terrain practice,” Hawk says from nearby. I want to turn to look at him, but my face feels rather hot again, and instead I tug on my collar, trying to get air in my blouse. Sure is warm here.
“Terrain practice?” Mereden asks, glancing over at Lark, who shrugs.
“Terrain practice,” Magpie repeats.
Gwenna slings her pack off her back, ever the hard worker. “Great. Shall we set up tents and get started, then?”
“No tents just yet. It’s too bright out.” Magpie squints at the sky.
“It’s sunset,” I point out. At my side, Kipp snorts, and I don’t know if he’s amused or irritated.
Magpie just grins at me. She’s got deep hollows under her eyes and her skin has a greenish cast to it, but if she feels poorly, she’s hiding it well. “Sunset, aye. We want it to be fully dark.”
“Why?” Gwenna blurts.
“Because it ain’t well lit in a tunnel,” Magpie says, enunciating each word slowly. “Just like it ain’t all even and level, either. Or dry. Some tunnels are wet. Some are nothing but rocks. There’s nothing about it that’s easy. So we’re going to keep those packs on your backs.” She points at Gwenna’s pack, indicating she should put it back on. “And then we’re going to go marching up the stream. The water here is only ankle-deep. It makes the rocks slippery and treacherous, which means it’s perfect terrain practice. I haven’t been in a tunnel yet that’s as smooth and easy to navigate as the streets of Vastwarren.”