Read Online Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) by Laura Jo Phillips - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Jo Phillips
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him.
“Princess Tanjelia Dracon, this is Marbic, our navigator, and you’ve already met Khurda.”
Tani nodded to each man in turn, noticing that they were both smaller than Steel, and that Marbic, like Khurda, didn’t have Steel’s top knot. He had long, dark brown hair worn in a braid, greenish brown eyes, and a thin mustache. “And please, call me Tani.”
Her easy manner and friendly smile relaxed both men, as she’d intended. They returned her smile, then chose seats a few feet away from the women, and bent their heads, and their attention, to their meals. Steel sat next to Astra and the two spoke quietly while Tani very carefully didn’t listen.
“How are you this morning, Tani?” Steel asked after Astra had assured him that she was fine. “I trust you slept well?”
“I did,” she said. “In fact, I was able to contact my Aunt Glory.” Everyone stilled at her words and all eyes turned to her in surprise. She started to smile at their surprise, but before she could explain herself, Steel shot to his feet, sending his chair flying back so hard that it crashed into the wall ten feet behind him.
“You sent a message knowing that it would put all our lives at risk?” he growled furiously. “You lied to me.”
The moment Steel shot to his feet, something deep inside of Tani stirred. When he accused her of sending a message, it came fully awake. When he accused her of lying, it fought to come to the surface. Tani noticed this on a subliminal level only as she watched Steel’s reaction with growing anger.
She rose to her feet slowly, her soft gray eyes glowing like twin moonbeams, her lips pulled back in a snarl, baring teeth that suddenly looked a little too sharp. “You’ve insulted the honor of a Dracon Princess, Ganzorig Khaan. Speak carefully, or I shall be forced by honor to challenge you to a death duel. Be warned; if we duel, I will win.” Her syntax was formal, her delivery cold, and her voice deep, growly and not remotely human.
Steel froze as every instinct he possessed warned him to be very careful, remain silent, and to make no sudden movements. He was facing something more than Tani right now, something that he’d awakened with his short temper and careless words. He wasn’t afraid, but he understood with absolute certainty that she could, and would, do exactly as she’d said, and his superior size and weight wouldn’t slow her down a bit.
For several long moments no one moved. They barely dared to breathe. Then Astra stood up and walked around the table to Tani’s side. She placed one hand on the smaller woman’s shoulder, gaining her attention. “Would you mind changing my dressing now, Tani?”
Tani stared at her, blinked, then nodded slowly. The entire room cautiously relaxed. “Of course,” she said, her voice still too deep, but much more…human…than it had been moments earlier. She turned her gaze back to Steel, her eyes no longer glowing, but no longer warm, either. “You, King of the Khun, should assemble knowledge before you speak.” Tani picked up her coffee mug and left the room without a backward glance.
When the women were gone, Steel retrieved his chair and sat back down, more shaken by his instinctive wariness of Tani than the sudden and unexpected change in her eyes and voice. He picked up his coffee cup, put it down, then stared at the cooling food on his plate.
“What in the nine hells just happened?” Khurda asked.
“What happened is that Steel let his stars-be-damned temper get away from him again,” Marbic said with disgust. “We need that woman’s help, Steel. Our families, all of our people, need her to convince ICARUS to help us. And you call her a liar to her face! What is wrong with you?”
“She broke her word,” Steel said without conviction.
“No, she didn’t,” Khurda said mildly. “First of all, the only transmitter on this ship that I haven’t
“Princess Tanjelia Dracon, this is Marbic, our navigator, and you’ve already met Khurda.”
Tani nodded to each man in turn, noticing that they were both smaller than Steel, and that Marbic, like Khurda, didn’t have Steel’s top knot. He had long, dark brown hair worn in a braid, greenish brown eyes, and a thin mustache. “And please, call me Tani.”
Her easy manner and friendly smile relaxed both men, as she’d intended. They returned her smile, then chose seats a few feet away from the women, and bent their heads, and their attention, to their meals. Steel sat next to Astra and the two spoke quietly while Tani very carefully didn’t listen.
“How are you this morning, Tani?” Steel asked after Astra had assured him that she was fine. “I trust you slept well?”
“I did,” she said. “In fact, I was able to contact my Aunt Glory.” Everyone stilled at her words and all eyes turned to her in surprise. She started to smile at their surprise, but before she could explain herself, Steel shot to his feet, sending his chair flying back so hard that it crashed into the wall ten feet behind him.
“You sent a message knowing that it would put all our lives at risk?” he growled furiously. “You lied to me.”
The moment Steel shot to his feet, something deep inside of Tani stirred. When he accused her of sending a message, it came fully awake. When he accused her of lying, it fought to come to the surface. Tani noticed this on a subliminal level only as she watched Steel’s reaction with growing anger.
She rose to her feet slowly, her soft gray eyes glowing like twin moonbeams, her lips pulled back in a snarl, baring teeth that suddenly looked a little too sharp. “You’ve insulted the honor of a Dracon Princess, Ganzorig Khaan. Speak carefully, or I shall be forced by honor to challenge you to a death duel. Be warned; if we duel, I will win.” Her syntax was formal, her delivery cold, and her voice deep, growly and not remotely human.
Steel froze as every instinct he possessed warned him to be very careful, remain silent, and to make no sudden movements. He was facing something more than Tani right now, something that he’d awakened with his short temper and careless words. He wasn’t afraid, but he understood with absolute certainty that she could, and would, do exactly as she’d said, and his superior size and weight wouldn’t slow her down a bit.
For several long moments no one moved. They barely dared to breathe. Then Astra stood up and walked around the table to Tani’s side. She placed one hand on the smaller woman’s shoulder, gaining her attention. “Would you mind changing my dressing now, Tani?”
Tani stared at her, blinked, then nodded slowly. The entire room cautiously relaxed. “Of course,” she said, her voice still too deep, but much more…human…than it had been moments earlier. She turned her gaze back to Steel, her eyes no longer glowing, but no longer warm, either. “You, King of the Khun, should assemble knowledge before you speak.” Tani picked up her coffee mug and left the room without a backward glance.
When the women were gone, Steel retrieved his chair and sat back down, more shaken by his instinctive wariness of Tani than the sudden and unexpected change in her eyes and voice. He picked up his coffee cup, put it down, then stared at the cooling food on his plate.
“What in the nine hells just happened?” Khurda asked.
“What happened is that Steel let his stars-be-damned temper get away from him again,” Marbic said with disgust. “We need that woman’s help, Steel. Our families, all of our people, need her to convince ICARUS to help us. And you call her a liar to her face! What is wrong with you?”
“She broke her word,” Steel said without conviction.
“No, she didn’t,” Khurda said mildly. “First of all, the only transmitter on this ship that I haven’t
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