Page 126 of Knight's End
I laughed as I stood in my robe. Gennifer slunk off away from the bench I’d been sitting on, having finally managed to undo all of the tiny pins in my hair. I sighed with pleasure as I walked over and sank onto Ryan’s lap.
His hands immediately started to stroke my hips through the fabric, as if he couldn’t help caressing me.
“Well, who knows, Declan? Maybe we will have time to get to that,” I yawned. “I mean, we finally might be able to get back to some sort of normal.”
“Normal?” Connor laughed. “Raj’s territory has dissolved into civil war to see who’ll take his place. Sedara’s navy is pretty much destroyed, so the most powerful country in the seven kingdoms is suddenly hampered. No idea how that will affect trade, by the way. We were told we could use Gitmore’s undead army but not that we could kill them off—”
“For all that Shenna knows, they could have died in battle,” I protested, snuggling into Ryan’s chest. His chest was so warm and inviting. And while it wasn’t soft, it was comfortable. And it felt so good to feel safe enough to sleep again.
“She knows,” Connor rolled his eyes and flicked a grape at me.
I shrugged. “Well, what can she do about it? They’re gone.”
Connor sighed. “I don’t know. I’m hoping she’s too distracted with her fairy men to think much of it.”
Blue went over to the bearskin rug by the fire and plopped down. He stretched out on his back as he said, “Connor, you worry too much.”
“It’s my job to wonder what those other countries are doing,” Connor protested.
I waved my hand. “Dini said she’d grow along the border with Raj. So, we should be protected there.”
Declan said, “Ryan can always try to multiply some jewels to compensate Queen Orgasm for her undead.”
Quinn sent us all an image of the queen of Gitmore. But instead of fairies suckling her tits, the undead gnawed at her. Their horrid, throaty sounds mingled with her very fake orgasmic moans. Everyone dissolved in laughter.
I shook on Ryan’s lap until tears formed in my eyes. “That name still gets me every time!”
Declan said, “Well, she was.”
“Best joke you’ve ever made, Dec,” Ryan said as he wiped his eyes.
“Maybe I should stop being a knight and become a jester—”
I cut Declan off. “King.”
“Yes, well that’s gonna take some getting used to,” Connor said. “I’m going to have to get new wax seals made.”
Quinn made his way over to us and sat down on the rug next to Blue.I call the biggest crown!
Ryan protested, “Obviously, I should have the biggest crown.”
Blue held up a hand, “Guys, guys. It’s not the size of the crown, it’s what you do with it.”
Connor pelted him with grapes.
Declan said, “Well then, you get the smallest crown.”
I laughed so hard I choked on my own spit. Ryan had to thump me on the back to stop me from choking.
That’s why it took a minute to hear someone knocking at my door.
Connor walked over and answered it.
Lizza stood in the hall, several vials in her hand. “I rode that godsawful gargoyle all the way here. I came with a restorative potion,” the undead castle mage said, tromping in. Her bare bit of skull gleamed in the moonlight that streamed through my window. “It will help you sleep without dreams tonight and help restore the body.”
Just thinking about sleep made me want to yawn again. I felt like I hadn’t slept in weeks. With Donaloo’s wakefulness potion, I probably hadn’t.
We each took a vial and thanked Lizza.
