Read Online Knight's Prize by Sarah McKerrigan - Free Book Online
Authors: Sarah McKerrigan
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She
turned and pressed it into his palm.
He
favored her with a one-sided grin. "Sweetheart, my kisses are not for
purchase." He clasped her hand and turned it over, leaving the coin in her
palm.
A
troubled wrinkle creased her brow.
He
stifled a chuckle. He rather liked leaving Lady Miriel out of balance. She was
delightful, this naughty little spy who could match him in a battle of wits,
set him aflame with her kisses, and keep an entire household in order, down to
the penny.
Forsooth,
he found himself almost wishing he could extend his stay at Rivenloch, to
better acquaint himself with the intriguing lass.
Their
discourse was suddenly interrupted by the heavy footfalls of an intruder
tromping through the forest tow ard them. Miriel quickly tucked the coin back
into her purse.
""Mind? Miriel!"
'Twas her meddlesome maid, thank fully late to arrive. "Miriel!"
How such a small
woman could make so much noise, Rand didn't know.
“I’m here, Sung Li!" A note of slight
irritation colored Miriel 's voice.
When the old crone came shuffling
angrily through the leaves, she narrowed her already narrow
eyes at Rand in accusation, then elbowed her way past him to address her charge.
"You
should not be wandering about," she said, planting her fists on her hips,
then adding pointedly, "where there are wild beasts."
"That's
what I told her," Rand chimed in, giving Miriel a sly wink.
He
could almost see the hackles rise on the old woman's back. "You come
now," she said, grabbing Miriel's forearm.
To
her credit, Miriel pulled her arm away. "Sung Li, I'll come when I'm
ready."
For
a long moment, there was a standoff between the two, Sung Li with her squinting
scowl and Miriel with her superior glower. Finally, Miriel decided, "All
right. I'm ready."
Sung
Li crossed smug arms over her flat chest. "I am glad you could tear
yourself away. Meanwhile, the keep is drowning in wine."
"What
do you mean?"
"Your
half-wit kitchen boy does not know how to count."
Miriel
frowned. "What's he done?"
"He
brought more bottles of wine."
"That's
fine. I told him to."
"Eighty more
bottles?"
"Bloody
hell."
Miriel
rushed past Rand in a blur of blue skirts. If owing him one piece of silver troubled
her, he could only imagine her distress at having a surplus of twoscore
bottles of wine for the wedding.
He
trailed after them, done with searching the forest for the moment. Clearly no
one had camped in recent days, at least in this part of the woods, which was
where Lord Morbroch said they'd all been robbed. 'Twas possible the outlaw lived in
the outlying forest and only ventured close for his thieving,
which meant that Rand would have to widen his search over the next few days.
But
for now, it might serve him better to learn more about The Shadow from the folk
who knew him best, the denizens of Rivenloch.
Chapter 6
A s she
hurried back to the keep, Miriel's heart raced with...
was it panic or excitement? She couldn't tell. But she found herself
alternately annoyed with and grateful for Sung Li's interruption. Sweet Jesu,
she'd never felt so warm and giddy and wanton, enfolded in Rand's arms, at
least not without the benefit of a great deal of ale. But neither had she felt
so vulnerable. His embrace left her curiously powerful and weak at the same
time. Her body sang with strength, yet it seemed her knees would collapse
beneath her.
'Twas
a wonderful sensation. And yet terrifying.
In
warfare, self-control was everything. So Sung Li had taught her. Discipline of
one's emotions was essential. Mastery of one's body was key.
Miriel
had worked for years, learning to shut out pain and fatigue and doubt,
increasing her physical and mental strength, focusing her body to perfect
obedience and her mind to a point as sharp and effective as a sword.
How
could something as simple as a kiss so effortlessly destroy her concentration?
How could a single smile from a stranger, a wink, a nod, shatter her serenity?
How could the touch of his hand so
turned and pressed it into his palm.
He
favored her with a one-sided grin. "Sweetheart, my kisses are not for
purchase." He clasped her hand and turned it over, leaving the coin in her
palm.
A
troubled wrinkle creased her brow.
He
stifled a chuckle. He rather liked leaving Lady Miriel out of balance. She was
delightful, this naughty little spy who could match him in a battle of wits,
set him aflame with her kisses, and keep an entire household in order, down to
the penny.
Forsooth,
he found himself almost wishing he could extend his stay at Rivenloch, to
better acquaint himself with the intriguing lass.
Their
discourse was suddenly interrupted by the heavy footfalls of an intruder
tromping through the forest tow ard them. Miriel quickly tucked the coin back
into her purse.
""Mind? Miriel!"
'Twas her meddlesome maid, thank fully late to arrive. "Miriel!"
How such a small
woman could make so much noise, Rand didn't know.
“I’m here, Sung Li!" A note of slight
irritation colored Miriel 's voice.
When the old crone came shuffling
angrily through the leaves, she narrowed her already narrow
eyes at Rand in accusation, then elbowed her way past him to address her charge.
"You
should not be wandering about," she said, planting her fists on her hips,
then adding pointedly, "where there are wild beasts."
"That's
what I told her," Rand chimed in, giving Miriel a sly wink.
He
could almost see the hackles rise on the old woman's back. "You come
now," she said, grabbing Miriel's forearm.
To
her credit, Miriel pulled her arm away. "Sung Li, I'll come when I'm
ready."
For
a long moment, there was a standoff between the two, Sung Li with her squinting
scowl and Miriel with her superior glower. Finally, Miriel decided, "All
right. I'm ready."
Sung
Li crossed smug arms over her flat chest. "I am glad you could tear
yourself away. Meanwhile, the keep is drowning in wine."
"What
do you mean?"
"Your
half-wit kitchen boy does not know how to count."
Miriel
frowned. "What's he done?"
"He
brought more bottles of wine."
"That's
fine. I told him to."
"Eighty more
bottles?"
"Bloody
hell."
Miriel
rushed past Rand in a blur of blue skirts. If owing him one piece of silver troubled
her, he could only imagine her distress at having a surplus of twoscore
bottles of wine for the wedding.
He
trailed after them, done with searching the forest for the moment. Clearly no
one had camped in recent days, at least in this part of the woods, which was
where Lord Morbroch said they'd all been robbed. 'Twas possible the outlaw lived in
the outlying forest and only ventured close for his thieving,
which meant that Rand would have to widen his search over the next few days.
But
for now, it might serve him better to learn more about The Shadow from the folk
who knew him best, the denizens of Rivenloch.
Chapter 6
A s she
hurried back to the keep, Miriel's heart raced with...
was it panic or excitement? She couldn't tell. But she found herself
alternately annoyed with and grateful for Sung Li's interruption. Sweet Jesu,
she'd never felt so warm and giddy and wanton, enfolded in Rand's arms, at
least not without the benefit of a great deal of ale. But neither had she felt
so vulnerable. His embrace left her curiously powerful and weak at the same
time. Her body sang with strength, yet it seemed her knees would collapse
beneath her.
'Twas
a wonderful sensation. And yet terrifying.
In
warfare, self-control was everything. So Sung Li had taught her. Discipline of
one's emotions was essential. Mastery of one's body was key.
Miriel
had worked for years, learning to shut out pain and fatigue and doubt,
increasing her physical and mental strength, focusing her body to perfect
obedience and her mind to a point as sharp and effective as a sword.
How
could something as simple as a kiss so effortlessly destroy her concentration?
How could a single smile from a stranger, a wink, a nod, shatter her serenity?
How could the touch of his hand so
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