Page 33 of Feathers and Thorns

“I’m so close,” she whimpered.

He leaned forward, pressing Adaryn’s knees to her chest, kissing her hard. She moaned into his mouth as she climaxed, her body coiling, as taut as a bowstring. She tightened around him as he spilled into her, and their tongues danced until he stopped pulsing.

They stayed like this momentarily, foreheads pressed together, limbs locked and breaths ragged. Adaryn broke first.

“Um … we should probably …” She paused midsentence.

“Yeah,” Jai replied, slowly removing himself from her. He grabbed a couple cloths from a nearby cupboard and used one to clean himself and Adaryn off. Then he scrubbed his hands in the sink and used the other to clean the counter. He tossed the rags in the wicker laundry hamper just as Mrs. Ferndale waltzed into the kitchen to start baking the morning breads.

She startled when she noticed the two of them, having expected the kitchen to be empty. Then she lifted her brows and crossed her arms, taking in the sight before her.

“Anyway, I should get back to my room before my lady’s maids report me missing to Father,” Adaryn said, briskly brushing past Jai.

“Yeah, I should try to get some rest. It’s been a long night of travel,” he said as she rounded the stout woman and left the room.

“Mrs. Fern”—he nodded—“nice to see you again.” It was no use playing dumb. This woman had washed his soiled diaper rags—nothing was getting past her.

“Jai,” she said with reverence. He knew by her tone that he was about to get one of her lectures. Something that had occurred all too often for his liking in his childhood. “Don’t you go and do anything stupid now, you hear? You have put that poor girl through enough as it is.”

His tail sat firmly between his legs. “I know.”

Her face softened, and she pulled him in for a quick hug, patting his back. She had been like a second mother to him growing up. “I’ve missed you, dear. Now, run along and get some sleep. You look like hell.”

Jai couldn’t help but laugh. “I missed you, too, Mrs. Fern.” He gave her another quick squeeze then headed for the door.

“Oh, and Jai?” she called from behind him.

“Yeah?”

“Your trousers are still undone.”

Soren rolled off her cot in a daze. The dreamless sleep tonic had worked wonders, but it left her groggy and out of sorts when she first awoke.

She pulled on yesterday’s trousers, dawning fresh socks and undergarments before slipping the brown, long-sleeved shirt over her head. She slid the black vest under her bust and tightened the strings before strapping on her boots.

She noticed the tracker had joined them at some point in the night after he had reconnected with Adaryn. She silently thanked him for having self-control over what surely would have been a disastrous exchange of physical intimacy. She couldn’t imagine how awkward waking up this morning would have been if he hadn’t stopped himself from kissing her. Let alone if Adaryn had walked in on something actually happening.

She shook her head, annoyed with herself, and popped out the door in search of Baz and Enara, who had already vacated the premises. She found them in the kitchen, assisting a kindly older woman with wiry red hair that had begun to whiten at the roots. She was full-figured and was waving a hand in exasperation as she spoke to Baztien.

“No, no, no.” She pressed a palm to her forehead, leaving behind a trail of flour. “You have to sprinkle flour over the surface first or the dough will stick!”

“Oops,” Baz said as he held up the dough that had somehow weaved itself between all ten of his fingers. He tried shaking it loose, causing a chunk to fling sideways and affix itself to Enara’s cheek.

She laughed it off, wiping her face, and assisted him in trying to save the unfortunate-looking food item. It was then she looked up from the counter and greeted Soren.

“Hey, lady, how did you sleep?”

“Not bad. A little groggy. I’m gonna have to get more sleep drought soon. I only have a few days’ worth left.”

“Maybe we can run into town and get some,” Enara offered.

“Where’s Jai?” Baz asked, blissfully unaware of Soren’s interaction with the tracker from the night before.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “He had a late night. I figured we should let him rest.”

“Fair enough,” Baz replied.

Soren poured herself a large mug of coffee and observed as he continued to work on his dough under the watchful eye of the servant lady.

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