Page 27 of The Oracle's Journey

CHAPTER 12

Lobikno

“The girl approached me.” I rolled my eyes. “Asked me to teach her to fight back. To protect herself.”

“Okay,” Lhoris said as he situated a trunk on the carriage roof. “Then what happened?”

“I asked her how she would pay me,” I said and handed the next trunk up to him. “And she said she only had herself.” Remembering how she trembled while she made her offer made me smile.

Lhoris dropped one handle of the trunk and hit me on the head with it. Intentionally. “What did you do to the poor girl?”

“Nothing, you asshole,” I swore at him and rubbed my head, checking for blood. “What the hell is wrong with you? I told her I’d give her a lesson in exchange for a kiss.”

“What. Did. You. Do.” Lhoris said, words clipped.

I picked up the last trunk by the handle and threw it at his head. He caught it, set it down, and hopped from the carriage.

“I showed her how to gouge out eyes and how to make frames with her arms and legs to keep someone from drawing her in close. Among other such useful techniques for defense,” I said through clenched teeth. “And when the lesson was over, I took my payment. That’s what the mother saw.”

Of course, I was almost on top of the girl in the grass and we were disheveled from training. The sound of her racing heart and timid nature made her such enjoyable prey. I told her I was going to take my payment though I had intended to kiss her cheek. But then she’d sat there, huge blue eyes staring up at me, looking so expectant and … excited. Nobody had ever looked at me like that before, especially anyone that didn’t want to take something from me. My resolve faltered, and I gave in to weakness, giving Eve that kiss she wanted.

“Lobikno, you and I know you wouldn’t actually harm Eve,” Lhoris said. “Maybe even Eve has figured that out about you, too. But I also know you enjoy fucking with people.”

I grinned. The mercenary must have taken my suggestion to heart. “I take it you’re not going to ask me for more courting advice.”

“No, but I am going to ask you what advice you gave Ozanna.”

“You didn’t like the gift bag?” I chuckled. The mercenary had been hesitant when I handed her the empty sack and nodded to Rhyfon’s body. I wasn’t sure until now that she followed through.

“No!” Lhoris shouted, shaking his fist at me. “And I had no idea what was happening. I’d knock your teeth in if I hadn’t been able to salvage the situation.”

When Lhoris returned my hammock after their hike, it reeked of sex and magic. I wasn’t about to feel sorry for him. “It didn’t seem to slow either of you down.”

Lhoris rolled his eyes at me. “What else did you tell her, Lobikno?”

“Ask her,” I snarled, my anger getting the better of me.

“Gods, you are such a miserable motherfucker,” Lhoris grumbled. But I saw the pity play across his face for a moment.

“I didn’t fuck the mother, either!” I spat and walked away.

Fuck him and his pity.

Emmelina

Lobikno and my maids collected a lot from the camp that could be sold or traded, but it was too much for the smaller cart that the bandits used. We loaded all the goods into the carriage instead. That meant everyone besides Judith, who was driving the carriage, had to ride on horseback. Ozanna, Lhoris, and Lobikno each led three riderless horses behind their own mounts after releasing the rest. Unfortunately, my strange little body couldn’t stay on a saddle, so I rode on Eve’s back, using one of my silk scarves as a sling.

Riding with Eve made me happy. She was just a few years older than me, so we knew the same songs and stories. She even caught me up on the last bit of gossip she’d heard before leaving Cudcona. The excitement of the previous few days had really forced her to get to know me a little, despite the madness. Even before I blew off all that power, I was sure we had started to become friends. I’d never had one of those before.

“Lobikno kissed you?!” I whispered, my little bird beak resting on Eve’s shoulder.

“I told you; it was payment for teaching me how to protect myself,” Eve whispered back, a little color on her cheeks.

“The scoundrel!” I squeaked. “Did you know he was going to ask for that as payment.”

“It was my idea,” Eve covered her mouth as if she’d said something scandalous. She was obviously excited to have someone to talk to after her experience with Lobikno.

I gasped a little and giggled. This was an excellent distraction from my own woes. “That was bold of you! What was it like?”

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