Read Online Wyvern's Prince (The Dragons of Incendium Book 2) by Deborah Cooke - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Deborah Cooke
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never met a woman who he admired in both ways. Arista, for example, had been a good companion and partner in battle, but he’d felt no sexual desire for her at all.
Of course, Arista hadn’t really been a woman, so maybe that explained everything.
Venero’s reaction to Gemma was so uncharacteristic that it confused him.
Maybe that was the result of his recent celibacy. Years as a toad had left him with many unsatisfied urges. Maybe any attractive woman would have provoked such a reaction in him. Maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe he’d reward them both with a satisfying interlude after she helped him to earn his own freedom.
He hoped she got them out of here and soon.
Venero forced himself to listen and watch.
Gemma was all grace and solicitude, complimenting the maid so much that Venero thought she overdid it a bit. The girl blushed and beamed, though, more than happy to move a table for her gracious lady and get a cushion for the chair. She admired the ring at Gemma’s insistence, and smiled at the way the light flashed in the stone. She set out the meal, barely noticing how Gemma moved behind her.
Venero blinked as Gemma incapacitated the maid, her attack as quick as lightning and more effective than he expected. The maid was struck and she fell, but Gemma caught her. She was stripped naked, gagged and trussed helpless in the blink of an eye. She was unconscious but he guessed not injured.
He recognized the move from Arista. It was a trick of those trained on Cumae to stun a victim just long enough to see that individual bound, and it wasn’t easily done. It required a perfect balance of force and gentleness, as well as meticulous timing.
As he watched, Gemma touched the maid’s temple with a care completely at odds with the inflicting blow, a gesture Venero remembered well.
It had to be true, then, that Gemma had trained on Cumae. It was part of the story of the royal family of Incendium that the second daughter of the king had trained on Cumae and led a regiment of mercenaries on her return to her home planet, but Venero had always thought it was just propaganda. He hadn’t been able to believe that any princess would undertake that kind of physical challenge, much less succeed at it. Gemma’s moves proved that she had done it, and probably graduated at the top of her class.
He was impressed, so impressed that he almost forgot to watch Gemma dress.
Urbanus moaned a little more loudly then, recalling him to the situation. Venero hopped toward Gemma. “Hurry!”
The girl’s lashes fluttered as Gemma was putting on her boots. The maid blinked and frowned, then wriggled as Gemma pulled the lavish coverlet over her.
“I am sorry,” Gemma whispered. “It’s my only way out. Are you quite comfortable?”
The girl nodded, her amazement echoing Venero’s own. Gemma pulled her wedding band from her finger then and pushed it onto the girl’s smallest finger. Her hands were more plump than Gemma’s.
“Since you like it,” Gemma whispered. “Sell it if you like.”
The maid’s eyes widened and Venero knew she’d never imagined that she’d even touch such a ring, let alone possess it.
But Gemma didn’t look back. She seized the bucket from the water and the key from the door, then nudged her pet with her toe. As soon as she opened the door, the pavofel shot through the gap in a streak of vivid blue-green.
“Oh, my lady! The pavofel!” Gemma cried, mimicking the maid’s voice.
“Me! Me!” Venero cried, but Gemma was already scooping him off the floor with one hand. He felt her shudder of revulsion, then she dropped him into the pocket on the front of the maid’s plain dress. There was a handkerchief there and it wasn’t clean, which made Venero shudder with revulsion, then he jostled in the pocket as Gemma ran down the stairs.
At least she’d kept her promise. He found himself pleased with his companion.
“She wouldn’t know the word,” he felt obliged to point out.
“What
Of course, Arista hadn’t really been a woman, so maybe that explained everything.
Venero’s reaction to Gemma was so uncharacteristic that it confused him.
Maybe that was the result of his recent celibacy. Years as a toad had left him with many unsatisfied urges. Maybe any attractive woman would have provoked such a reaction in him. Maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe he’d reward them both with a satisfying interlude after she helped him to earn his own freedom.
He hoped she got them out of here and soon.
Venero forced himself to listen and watch.
Gemma was all grace and solicitude, complimenting the maid so much that Venero thought she overdid it a bit. The girl blushed and beamed, though, more than happy to move a table for her gracious lady and get a cushion for the chair. She admired the ring at Gemma’s insistence, and smiled at the way the light flashed in the stone. She set out the meal, barely noticing how Gemma moved behind her.
Venero blinked as Gemma incapacitated the maid, her attack as quick as lightning and more effective than he expected. The maid was struck and she fell, but Gemma caught her. She was stripped naked, gagged and trussed helpless in the blink of an eye. She was unconscious but he guessed not injured.
He recognized the move from Arista. It was a trick of those trained on Cumae to stun a victim just long enough to see that individual bound, and it wasn’t easily done. It required a perfect balance of force and gentleness, as well as meticulous timing.
As he watched, Gemma touched the maid’s temple with a care completely at odds with the inflicting blow, a gesture Venero remembered well.
It had to be true, then, that Gemma had trained on Cumae. It was part of the story of the royal family of Incendium that the second daughter of the king had trained on Cumae and led a regiment of mercenaries on her return to her home planet, but Venero had always thought it was just propaganda. He hadn’t been able to believe that any princess would undertake that kind of physical challenge, much less succeed at it. Gemma’s moves proved that she had done it, and probably graduated at the top of her class.
He was impressed, so impressed that he almost forgot to watch Gemma dress.
Urbanus moaned a little more loudly then, recalling him to the situation. Venero hopped toward Gemma. “Hurry!”
The girl’s lashes fluttered as Gemma was putting on her boots. The maid blinked and frowned, then wriggled as Gemma pulled the lavish coverlet over her.
“I am sorry,” Gemma whispered. “It’s my only way out. Are you quite comfortable?”
The girl nodded, her amazement echoing Venero’s own. Gemma pulled her wedding band from her finger then and pushed it onto the girl’s smallest finger. Her hands were more plump than Gemma’s.
“Since you like it,” Gemma whispered. “Sell it if you like.”
The maid’s eyes widened and Venero knew she’d never imagined that she’d even touch such a ring, let alone possess it.
But Gemma didn’t look back. She seized the bucket from the water and the key from the door, then nudged her pet with her toe. As soon as she opened the door, the pavofel shot through the gap in a streak of vivid blue-green.
“Oh, my lady! The pavofel!” Gemma cried, mimicking the maid’s voice.
“Me! Me!” Venero cried, but Gemma was already scooping him off the floor with one hand. He felt her shudder of revulsion, then she dropped him into the pocket on the front of the maid’s plain dress. There was a handkerchief there and it wasn’t clean, which made Venero shudder with revulsion, then he jostled in the pocket as Gemma ran down the stairs.
At least she’d kept her promise. He found himself pleased with his companion.
“She wouldn’t know the word,” he felt obliged to point out.
“What
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