Read Online Finding Lara (Distant Worlds Book 3) by Kelly Lucille - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly Lucille
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were clearer than most of the men present and laughed. “There
is no way you would ever get any work done if that was really how you drank
your brew,” she said on a laugh.
One of the men said
something in Rindelee and the rest of the men laughed. She shook her head and
responded back in the same language, making the men look at her in surprise and
then laugh harder.
“What was that?” Barnos
whispered the question into her ear in the ship standard they had started with
and he felt the little shiver she fought to hide. Since she didn’t turn to
look this time she did not see his satisfied smile.
“The man said ‘free brew,
and a gullible woman, who needs work’.”
Barnos chuckled. “And
what did you say?”
“I said, ‘not gullible
enough to buy another round’.”
One of the miners said
something else that made the group laugh, winking at her and saluting her with
his raised glass. She blushed and Barnos raised a brow. “What did he say that
has that blush warming those pretty cheeks?”
She cleared her throat
prettily and then lied guilelessly to his face. “I didn’t catch it.”
Barnos snorted at that, but
he had to admit he was impressed. He didn’t know she had it in her to lie that
well. Plus, after chugging down three tankards of what had to be 90 proof, he
was impressed she was unaffected. And he should know. He was a connoisseur of
such things himself. Even the natives were starting to slur their words and
sway on their seats, yet there she stood, cool, crisp, and with good diction. “You
drink in a lot of bars, sassy?”
She smiled, and from
behind he only caught the side view and the way she dipped her head. “My fair
share.” She peeked at him over her shoulder and the twinkle in her eyes was a
bit more shiny than usual. It occurred to him that maybe she was more affected
than he thought. “Do you spend a lot of time in bars?”
He laughed. “More than
my fair share I would say.” He looked around at the dozen or so miners who all
seemed to be in a downright jolly mood. “Though I have to say this is the
first time I’ve been in one where I’m not wanting to hit someone for
something. Everyone seems to be happy and getting along.” He studied the room
again. “In fact, I’m wondering if you should lay off the juice. I think they
put something in it besides alcohol.”
This time it was the Lady
Lara who snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. I am Heti.”
He blinked down at the
top of her head. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“I calm aggression,” she
said blithely.
“Come again?”
She turned in her stool
and faced him fully. “Hetian people give off a vibe that calms. That is why
we are so prized as negotiators and ambassadors. I have been in more bars than
I can count and only once was there ever a fight.” She shuddered and he saw
the memory bothered her. She shook herself as if she could shake it off.
“What happened?” he asked,
wondering why her calming vibes did not seem to be affecting his suddenly
aggressive thoughts.
“A noble man who would
not be soothed or denied tried to . . .” She met his eyes, her own going a
little shadowed at the memories. “My sister Nori came and rescued me after I
cracked his skull open with a bowl.” She suddenly looked fierce, well, as
fierce as she was capable, which made him want to pat her on the head she was
so cute.
He almost smiled. “He
hurt you?”
“No,” she said raising
her chin the slightest bit. Then she sighed, looking dejected. “But he would
have.”
He probably should have
soothed her somehow, but instead he just said what he was thinking. “I’m
surprised it happened only the once, and it wasn’t worse.”
She blinked at his words,
then lifted narrowed eyes to his face. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means, sassy, that
after this adventure you should count your blessings and head on home to
is no way you would ever get any work done if that was really how you drank
your brew,” she said on a laugh.
One of the men said
something in Rindelee and the rest of the men laughed. She shook her head and
responded back in the same language, making the men look at her in surprise and
then laugh harder.
“What was that?” Barnos
whispered the question into her ear in the ship standard they had started with
and he felt the little shiver she fought to hide. Since she didn’t turn to
look this time she did not see his satisfied smile.
“The man said ‘free brew,
and a gullible woman, who needs work’.”
Barnos chuckled. “And
what did you say?”
“I said, ‘not gullible
enough to buy another round’.”
One of the miners said
something else that made the group laugh, winking at her and saluting her with
his raised glass. She blushed and Barnos raised a brow. “What did he say that
has that blush warming those pretty cheeks?”
She cleared her throat
prettily and then lied guilelessly to his face. “I didn’t catch it.”
Barnos snorted at that, but
he had to admit he was impressed. He didn’t know she had it in her to lie that
well. Plus, after chugging down three tankards of what had to be 90 proof, he
was impressed she was unaffected. And he should know. He was a connoisseur of
such things himself. Even the natives were starting to slur their words and
sway on their seats, yet there she stood, cool, crisp, and with good diction. “You
drink in a lot of bars, sassy?”
She smiled, and from
behind he only caught the side view and the way she dipped her head. “My fair
share.” She peeked at him over her shoulder and the twinkle in her eyes was a
bit more shiny than usual. It occurred to him that maybe she was more affected
than he thought. “Do you spend a lot of time in bars?”
He laughed. “More than
my fair share I would say.” He looked around at the dozen or so miners who all
seemed to be in a downright jolly mood. “Though I have to say this is the
first time I’ve been in one where I’m not wanting to hit someone for
something. Everyone seems to be happy and getting along.” He studied the room
again. “In fact, I’m wondering if you should lay off the juice. I think they
put something in it besides alcohol.”
This time it was the Lady
Lara who snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. I am Heti.”
He blinked down at the
top of her head. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“I calm aggression,” she
said blithely.
“Come again?”
She turned in her stool
and faced him fully. “Hetian people give off a vibe that calms. That is why
we are so prized as negotiators and ambassadors. I have been in more bars than
I can count and only once was there ever a fight.” She shuddered and he saw
the memory bothered her. She shook herself as if she could shake it off.
“What happened?” he asked,
wondering why her calming vibes did not seem to be affecting his suddenly
aggressive thoughts.
“A noble man who would
not be soothed or denied tried to . . .” She met his eyes, her own going a
little shadowed at the memories. “My sister Nori came and rescued me after I
cracked his skull open with a bowl.” She suddenly looked fierce, well, as
fierce as she was capable, which made him want to pat her on the head she was
so cute.
He almost smiled. “He
hurt you?”
“No,” she said raising
her chin the slightest bit. Then she sighed, looking dejected. “But he would
have.”
He probably should have
soothed her somehow, but instead he just said what he was thinking. “I’m
surprised it happened only the once, and it wasn’t worse.”
She blinked at his words,
then lifted narrowed eyes to his face. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means, sassy, that
after this adventure you should count your blessings and head on home to
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