Read Online Army of the Goddess: A Bona Dea Novel (Stormflies Book 2) by Elizabeth N. Love - Free Book Online Page A

she stay inside or at least with company.
    Miri just shook her head. Physically, she was worthless to a Stormfly. She possessed little strength of body due to her near-constant bouts of illness, and her inner workings left something to be desired. If the creatures were dependent upon absorbing nutrient from their hosts, they would find little to feed on in the frail, thin Miri Stockers. Besides, Miri was too familiar with the creatures themselves, having sensed them in the minds of her two mistresses, the current Protectress and the deceased Protectress-Past. She recognized what they felt like and what they looked like. She felt highly confident she would sense one coming long before it could find a way into her mind. Unfortunately, most others did not possess such ability.
    With steady crunches through the winter fallow, Mikel trudged downhill to his lover's side.
    “There you are,” he announced upon his arrival. “I've been looking for you. It's nearly lunchtime. I thought maybe you'd like to join me.”
    “I've already eaten,” she said to him plainly. “I'm sorry. I didn't know you wanted to eat together today, so I ate at eleven so I could leave the Protectress and Mr. Elgar some time together.”
    “Oh,” he expressed, disappointment dominating his face. He had a notion that since they were seeing each other in a romantic relationship, they should always eat together or always meet when the work day was over. Miri decided this was a manifestation of his personal insecurities. Mikel didn't like spending much time alone. He craved companionship constantly, be it Miri or members of his guard unit. Miri had no such need. Time alone was vital to her well-being. “I just thought…”
    “I can have dinner with you tonight, if you'd like,” she offered to appease him, attempting to nurture the romantic bud. “There are no formal plans this evening. The couple is staying in and wish to be alone.”
    Mikel emanated something akin to jealousy whenever the Protectress was mentioned, as though he rued the fact that the Esteemed Matriarch, the leader of their people, garnered more affection from his companion than he did. Miri suspected that, if they were to continue their relationship into something more intimate, or even permanent, he would insist that Miri resign as the aide. But until that time, Miri didn't want to worry about it. “Good. I'd like that. We should be spending more time together. There is still so much about you I want to know.”
    “We have plenty of time,” she insisted condescendingly. She fondled the tip of her thick, straight ponytail of golden blonde hair. “There's no rush.”
    “I'm too eager,” Mikel said apologetically, inviting himself to sit down next to her. “I always want to learn everything I can as quickly as I can. It helps in my line of work.”
    “True,” she agreed. A Palace guard needed to have his information quickly in order to provide protection and service. “This will be good practice for you to learn to slow down once in a while. Sometimes, you just have to sit and let the world go.”
    “Not when the world could come crashing down around you at any moment,” he denied, shaking his head so that his groomed chestnut hair broke loose from the click of hair treatment. “Those creatures are out there stalking us. One day, we'll all be running for our lives. I don't plan on being caught with my pants down.”
    “You can't let that eat you up,” Miri endeavored to instill upon him. “Yes, we need to be prepared, and we are getting there. The Council has a dozen plans active for different contingencies. At the end of the day, you have to let yourself live in the moment and not worry about it, if only for an hour or two. Otherwise you spend your entire life afraid.”
    Mikel rolled his whiskey-colored eyes under caterpillar brows. “You sound as free-wheeling as any Believer I've ever met. Their kind don't seem to live in the same reality as the rest of