Page 19 of A Kiss of Frost

The isometric exercises required very little actual movement, but he was still drenched with sweat by the time his female returned. She noticed immediately and rushed over to him, placing the bowl she was carrying aside as she put her hand on his brow.

“Why are you sweating? Do you have a fever?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “Much better now that you are here, zeretta.”

She put her hands on her hips and frowned at him.

“I wish I knew if that was true or if it’s simply male pride speaking.”

“I would not lie to you.”

Although, perhaps, he had not always told her the entire truth.

“All right,” she sighed and handed him the bowl. “I made soup for lunch. I think you’ll like it – Johnny has already eaten two full bowls. I just wish he wasn’t so thin.”

“This can happen when a young Tandroki male starts to become an adult. Is that not true for human males as well?”

“It is, but I still feel as if something is wrong. Maybe when we leave here, I can find a doctor to look at him.”

“Leave?” His heart skipped a beat. She was already planning on leaving him alone again?

“I don’t think we can stay here forever.” She sighed. “As you probably guessed when you saw me trying to cover our tracks, someone is looking for us.”

“Who?” he growled, the sound unexpectedly vicious in the small room as his claws threatened to emerge. “Another male?”

She gave him an astonished look as he did his best to smooth his face into the correct neutral mask.

“I suppose you could say that. It is my father.”

“You are fleeing your male parent?”

Was he as cold and unfeeling as his own father had been?

“Yes I am. He wants to marry me off to someone I despise, and make me leave Merry behind.”

“You do not wish to mate with this male?” he asked as neutrally as he could.

“No I don’t. He’s rough and he’s cruel and he’s already lost two wives.”

His claws began to dig into his palms and only the knowledge that any bloodstains would worry her enabled him to stop them from going any further.

“You will never be forced into a mating,” he vowed.

Her lips twisted. “I appreciate the offer, but you’re not always going to be around, are you?”

The question hung in the air between them. He wanted to assure her that he would never leave her side, but it was impossible. Revealing himself to this small group was one thing, revealing himself to the much larger human population was another. And what did he have to offer her?

Unless the technological source he had been seeking offered a solution. He had not even thought about his quest since he had decided to follow them. He should undoubtedly check again, but the warmth of the delicious soup filled his stomach and he felt strangely lethargic.

“I was just thinking.” If she was disappointed by his failure to answer, it was not apparent on her face. “Since it looks as if we will be here until the Longest Night, I would like to make the children some presents. Maybe you could distract them and tell them another story later today while I work on their presents?”

“I truly do not know if I recall any other stories.”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Children are quite happy to hear the same story over and over again.”

“If it assists you, then I will be happy to do so.”

“Thank you. Now why don’t you get some sleep?”

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