Page 56

“So, come on. If you can move, you can dance. If you can dance, you can learn to fight with a sword. Follow me and stop holding your belly, the baby is not going anywhere,” Khuzaimah commanded as she began to execute a slow triangle-style pattern, punctuating each movement's end with a swinging variation of her sword.

The pregnant woman followed.

“Good, Aguya Kai,” Khuzaimah praised.

Aguya Kai. Avalore was pretty sure the woman with the swollen belly on the field was the mate of the Mckenna. They were the ones everyone was pretty vocal about the fact that the two were spending the day tangled up in each other, in the most carnal sense of the word.

Apparently, they’d had their fill of humping around, Avalore figured since Aguya was out on the practice field, against her will.

Whatever the reason, Avalore was happy she was here to watch Aguya learn.

Perhaps she could pick up a few techniques.

Even though she couldn’t think of a way out of going to the council with Liekki and his brother tomorrow, she was still planning to leave when they returned.

Having a few skills to protect herself if she ran into something again out in the wilderness would make her more comfortable.

She was bold before Liekki, but she was stubborn enough not to recall how terrified and helpless she’d felt hiding under the bush through the night, unable to see even her hand in front of her face. She had been afraid something would find her hiding spot and drag her out.

The night had passed with nothing more than her being startled by one sound after another, however, it was the daylight she should have feared. Obviously, that was the time of day a dragon dropped down from the sky.

During the next hour and a half, Avalore watched the trainer take the pregnant woman through her paces. She showed her various ways to thrust her sword to maim or kill, and even more styles of defense, all while they did a sort of dance around the field.

When they actually started to put sword against sword, Avalore was amazed at how well the long, slender weapon held its own against the bigger broadsword.

The other trainees stopped to watch, and others came over to observe and cheer on their Aguya Kai as they chanted. Avalore swore that the few dragons circling overhead were also close to spy on the sparring pair.

Even Avalore stopped gasping every time Aguya darted out of the way of Khuzaimah's swing, fearful that the woman would topple back and fall. However, it soon became apparent that Aguya was more steady and quick-footed than either suspected, and she could quickly use her training skills.

Avalore was spellbound, and her palms tingled, wanting to hold a sword and learn. But she was an outsider here, a human, and unlike Aguya who was mated and married to the Mckenna, Avalore knew it was doubtful she’d get such a chance.

Yet it didn’t stop her from recording each step and movement in her brain, supplanting Aguya's place on the field with her image in her mind.

“Excellent, Aguya Kai. You have done our Thunder good this day and will become a great swordsman soon,” Khuzaimah declared at the end of the session with a swift pound to the side of her chest.

Aguya scoffed. “Doubtful. But I enjoyed it and look forward to our next session. Tomorrow, if you have the time while Aodh is at the meeting.”

“I’ll make it.” Khuzaimah turned in her direction and offered a curt nod before she walked over to greet a few others walking into the field with swords in hand.

Avalore had no reason to believe Khuzaimah was greeting her, so she glanced over her shoulder expecting Liekki still to be there, but was shocked when her gaze fell on a Drahk who almost dwarfed Liekki’s massive form, only by a few inches.

He stood shoulder to shoulder with Liekki as if they had been discussing something, even though Avalore had not heard a peep from Liekki or the other man who were only three feet behind her.

She had a moment to take in the imposing figure since he was not staring at her but over her head at something in the ring. Both of them were dressed in the standard vest, pants, boots, and there was a family resemblance between Liekki and the other Drahk, even though they didn’t really look alike.

Where Liekki had violet eyes, the man’s were some sort of turquoise.

Liekki wore his hair shaved low on one side, while the inky black cascades of waves on the other side went past his shoulders.

This other shifter kept his hair short, almost military in style.

Another difference was that while the other man had strong, commanding features, that made it evident he was a powerful force and could back it up.

Her stalking giant’s defined jawline was set in a permanent scowl that didn’t invite anyone to get close, and threaten retribution.

The most notable difference between the two was that the bigger Drahk had cornflower-blue flames in his eyes, illuminating his markings as he stepped by her to greet someone.

While Liekki’s gaze, fixed solely on her, was a blazing combination of tangerine and sapphire.

She didn’t need a color code to feel the tension in Liekki’s body and know he was annoyed at her and...lust.

Avalore was too familiar with the latter shade around her.

“You make me proud, little flame.”

Turning away from Liekki, still not ready to discuss his announcement, she glanced at the shorter-haired man as he tenderly cupped Aguya's face.

“You're sweet, Aodh. Thank you for making me do the training.” The medium-brown-skinned woman kissed Aodh’s palm.

“Even I could not have predicted Khuzaimah bestowing such honor.” Aodh fingered one of Aguya Kai’s coils and tugged her closer.

Avalore heard Aguya giggle like an enamored schoolroom girl.

“She was just being nice. But it did feel terrific to wield the sword. Thank you again for the gift.” She stroked the black-jeweled hilt of the sword still in her hand.

“You’re welcome. And know that Khuzaimah doesn’t spout words she doesn’t believe deeply.”

Their intimacy clued Avalore in quickly, realizing the big Drahk was the Mckenna.

Oh, hell . Nervous, she swallowed and stepped back, bumping into the hot, muscled wall behind her. Unlike at Liekki’s place when she fought against his presence at her back, now she found comfort in it.

“Do not fear, little lure,” Liekki’s imperious tone was low.

Avalore shifted, relaxing a bit more.

Her movement must have drawn the pregnant woman’s attention, because she finally glanced beyond Aodh’s mammoth shoulders and looked at her.

She smiled. “Is this Avalore, Liekki?”

Avalore was shocked to know that the Mckenna’s mate knew about her.

Liekki didn’t respond vocally, so Avalore had to believe the stoic one nodded affirmatively.

Aguya’s smile widened as she moved along the fence a step so that she was directly in front of Avalore. “Usually, introductions are made, but if I waited for Liekki to do it, he’d either say something sarcastic or nothing at all.”

Avalore laughed. “True. Aguya Kai, it is nice to meet you.” She stepped forward but didn’t extend her hand, recalling the lesson she’d gotten from Chumana about Drahks not touching.

However, Aguya broke with custom and held her hand out. “You can just call me Kai, please. It’s good to have another human in the territory. Well, there is another, but she’s mated to a Drahk who patrols our Northernmost post and they’ve yet to come to the center.”

“May I ask why everyone calls you Aguya?” Avalore tilted her head.

“It means ‘Mistress of Fire’ in Drahk. Like a queen or consort to a leader.” Kai rubbed her protruding belly. “The designation given when the Mckenna’s claimed mate conceives.”

“Oh.” Wow . “That means you're very important to the Drahks.”

“Yes. For many reasons but most of them connected to the little one. Still, I’d prefer you to call me Kai.” Kai extended her hand further.

She clasped the other woman’s hand. “Well, Kai. I’m Avalore, but I’ve always been called Ava.”

“Ava it is.” Pulling her hand away, she placed a hand on the forearm of the Mckenna. “This is Aodh, the Mckenna of the Drahk and my mate-husband.”

Avalore shifted her gaze to the huge man a few feet away, leaning on the fence, but she didn’t know what to expect from him.

However, a growl pierced the air before Aodh could do more than set his gaze on her.

Liekki. The overbearing dragon-shifter must have a death wish if he was going to snap at his brother, the leader of their Thunder.

Aodh only arched a single brow so high, Avalore was shocked it didn’t touch Aodh’s hairline.

Kai covered her mouth as if she hid a smile.

Avalore was annoyed. She went to take a step forward to greet the leader, only to feel a hand on her hip immobilizing her. She started to shoot a look at the man behind her, but the Mckenna’s voice pulled her back.

“Disregard my brother, he frequently rises on the wrong side of his dragon, making him surly and cocky,” Aodh tossed out.

Liekki grunted, practically confirming his brother’s comment.

“I’m Aodh.” He did not extend his hand as his mate had. “Welcome to the territory, Avalore. Liekki shared some of what brought you to our lands. Tomorrow, I’ll have time on our journey to the preternatural council meeting to hear how you came to be unescorted beyond the wall.”

Damn it. His words confirmed she could not plead her case about not attending the meeting and leaving.

“Yes. The meeting. What time is the planned departure?” Maybe .

“Don’t even think about it, little lure,” he whispered.

Avalore did shoot Liekki a look this time before facing Aodh and Kai again.

How did the big ogre know I was thinking about getting out of town before they rallied to go?

“It all depends on whether Liekki’s dragon carries you there or not.” Aodh's smile was broad as she glanced above her head at Liekki.

“Liekki’s dragon—” Avalore swallowed and shook her head. “I’d prefer to keep my feet on the ground, thank you. And one run in with the blue beast was good for me.”