Rital of Proof (21 page)

Green turned at the sound and grinned. "Do you really think you need that?"

He smiled, shaking a finger at her. "It's not for me." He picked up her hand and playfully deposited the fruit in her palm.

"Oh, you think I'm going to need it?"

His eyes flashed with a wicked gleam.

She laughed. "In your dreams. You have a ways to go to keep up with me, my fine name-bearer." Standing on tiptoe she placed the sweet balum in his mouth.

Jorlan swiftly captured her fingers, sucking on each one before he would let her pull her hand back.

"But you've made an excellent start," she breathed somewhat raggedly, moved by the stimulating act.

His arm swiftly came around her, shocking her. "I am willing to make an even better ending..." His lips lowered to hers.

Green placed her hands on his chest to forestall his action. She looked uncomfortably around the yard.

Fortunately, no one from the Slice was present to observe his untoward behavior. "Jorlan, what are you thinking? It is not seemly for a male to make such blatant overtures."

Jorlan flushed and pulled back from her. By his expression, Green could see he was hurt. The last thing she wanted to do was stifle his budding sensuality. He was just beginning to open to her.

Chum-off to the Slice! She liked him the way he was—as long as he didn't take this too far. Green placed her arm around his neck and pulled him down to her. "Personally I find it quite charming." She lightly kissed his mouth.

Jorlan hesitated but gave over to the kiss, if a bit reluctantly at first. Green felt his lips tremble under hers and knew he was having a hard time holding back. One part of her was delighted that he was so taken with her.

The saner part of her was worried.

His unrestrained responses of the previous evening had shaken her. Without any prior sexual experience, he had lost himself in a pleasure-seeking act of unbridled eroticism.

Not for the first time she wondered what complications would arise due to the fact that he was a Sensitive. And not just any Sensitive. Jorlan coupled the trait with an almost reckless disregard for decorum. The combination was dangerous.

He definitely needed her to guide him. That was certain.

And she needed him for the fire he brought to her life.

Last night had proven that for both of them.

"You were wonderful last night, you know. I thank you for such a beautiful and meaningful gift, Jorlan."

"It is I who must thank you, Green. Despite my initial reluctance, the experience was more than I had ever thought. I am sure it was due to your kind patience and expert tutelage. You made it memorable for me."

She smiled warmly at him. "Then I am forgiven for fastening you?"

His expression hardened. "No. But since it is done, and there is naught to be done about it, I will try to make the best of the circumstances."

He saw by her crestfallen face that there was no sense in trying to deny the obvious. He was just causing her unnecessary distress.

Unsettled, he ran his hand through his hair. She deserved more from him. He gave it to her. "In truth, I enjoy your touch—as you well know."

It was not what Green had hoped for; however, considering how he had been only yesterday, it was a vast improvement.

"We can explore more of that 'touch' later, if you like," she punned. Touch was a popular slang term, referring to torrid sex. ;|

His dimples showed. "I would like that very much,' but..."

"But what?"

"Need we wait for later?" He viewed her through that thick fringe of black lashes.

He was not going to step down on his attitude. Somehow, she knew he wouldn't. Somehow, she liked that.

"Not too much later," she promised him. "Meantime, I have something for you."

"Yes, so Avatar said. What is it?"

Green called out to the coophands. Two young women led a very frisky Klee out of the building. The energetic animal almost broke rein several times as they tried to bring it forward.

A huge grin spread across Jorlan's face.
"Sabir!"

At the sound of Jorlan's voice, the buoyant Klee paused in his bucking. He prawked a loud greeting. Then he rushed pell-mell toward his master, dragging the poor coophands behind him.

Jorlan heartily embraced the Klee around the neck. Sabir bleated in ecstasy.

Behind her, Green heard a suspicious
pharunk!

She turned and saw Kibbee watching the whole scene. Disgust was evident in every flesh-fold of her neck. She turned her back, showing the Klee her raised Kloo backside and dismissively fluttered off. But only after she made another terribly rude noise.

For some reason, Kloo and Klee often got into what appeared to be competitive mock battles for human attention. Strangely enough, the trait was mirrored by humans, who were vehemently divided into either Kloo or Klee camps.

Jorlan grinned at her as he patted Sabir's neck. "Thank you for bringing him to me, Green. I think your Kloo is jealous, and well she should be." Sabir trilled a happy agreement,

Green put her hands on her hips. No one insulted Kibbee! "Oh, really. I wonder if you would be saying that during an arc storm when this fine fellow left you to roast!"

"If he did such a thing, I would deserve it, for I would not have the ability to ride him and I would be endangering us both. But that is not the case. Sabir knows he can race the arcs with me if he wishes. He knows I will stay with him all the way."

"Race the arcs?"
Her face showed her confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sabir bleated. A shutter came over Jorlan. He shrugged. "A figure of speech. Klee are not the undependable mounts that people make them out to be. The problem is most do not know how to ride them—they only think they do."

"Most name-givers would not see it that way, they would not allow you to ride one. At least not until they have had their heir from you," she quipped.

Jorlan snorted. "Sabir and I understand each other, don't we?"

Sabir prawked.

"But you, my name-giver, cannot ride a Klee." Jorlan grabbed the reins in his hand and expertly slung himself up Onto Sabir's back. The Klee pranced playfully.

Green's jaw dropped. "Who says I can't ride one?"

Jorlan bent over the pommel. "I do," he whispered provocatively.

"You do! You can't be—"

"In any case," he interrupted her, "you don't have to worry about an heir just yet, Green, for I have no intention of giving you one."

"What?"
Green was staggered. "What do you mean?"

But Jorlan was already racing out of the yard and into the Tamryn hills. The way man and beast moved over the terrain it was a wonder they both didn't break their impossible necks.

Green clenched her fists.

She was going to have to talk to him about judging risk.

She was also going to have to find out what he meant by that last cryptic statement.

As far as she knew, no man had control over such things. It was strictly a woman's decision. Perhaps he did not understand that.

She shook her head. Anya really should have schooled him better in fastening matters. She sighed. She supposed it eventually would fall to her to enlighten him.

She laughed to herself. Maybe she could make the lesson instructive and pleasurable at the same time.

She called one of the coophands. "Lida!" The girl came running over.

"Yes, my Lordene?"

"Take a mount and find the Marqueller. Remind him that he must return within a few hours so he can get ready for the postfastening meal at his grandmother's."

"Yes, Lordene, but it may take me that long to catch up with him." Lida looked doubtfully at his dust trail.

Green nodded in commiseration. "His Klee will wear out long before your Kloo is even winded. And, while you're at it, follow him at a distance to make sure he doesn't break his fool neck."

The girl went to saddle a Kloo. "I don't think that beast is quite tamed, Marquelle."

Green was in complete agreement. "No, I don't think he is."

Only she wasn't referring to the Klee.

Green heard Jorlan's boot heels clinking on the flooring as he made his way into their chamber.

She had taken the opportunity to do some reading, a favorite pastime of hers and one she hadn't had very much time for lately. Her vid-tomes were stacking at an alarming rate! The small window in the corner of her airscreen was already blinking a warning that she needed to do some thinning of stock.

She sighed.

How was she to do that? The stories were too captivating! Maybe she could purchase another wristview? She bit her lip. She already had three and they were full to bursting, so to speak. Collecting is a nasty habit, she admitted.

Right after, she resolved to get one more wristview. She looked up from her seat by the window as Jorlan opened and closed the door. He was covered in dust from head to foot. A chagrined smile greeted her. It was rather endearing.

She smiled genially while snapping off the button on the wristview. "Did Lida find you?"

Jorlan rubbed his ear. "Ah, you might say we found her."

Green sat forward. "What happened?"

He chuckled. "Sabir and I doubled back and decided to take that old stone wall down by the—"

"You jumped the Tamryn Wall?"
The structure had been part of the original wall of the first Tamryn dwelling, built right after the settlers had arrived. It was an ancient landmark. "It's at least three and a half meters in height!"

"Probably higher." He grinned.

"Jorlan!"

He put a hand up. "Klee are excellent jumpers. They can easily achieve the momentum they need to clear—"

"Tell your grandmother that! That's-just how she almost killed herself."

She was altogether right on that one. Only his situation was entirely different. "Well... that's true about her; but—"

"Sweet Cybella!" Her face paled. "You didn't land on Lida; tell me you didn't!"

"Not exactly." He hedged.

She eyed him. "What do you mean, 'not exactly'?"

"I saw her before she saw us, so I managed to veer Sabir to the left. Unfortunately we were midair at the time."

Green got paler. "Did you have a fall?"

He gave her an insulted look. "No."

"Then how did you get covered in dirt?" She swept her arm, indicating his mussed-up condition.

He chuckled. "Lida's Kloo glanced up in time to see Sabir and me springing over its head—sideways. The Kloo, um... "—he looked up at the ceiling—"sort of fainted dead away. I think it thought we were a giant screech wing or something."

Green arched her eyebrow, crossed her arms over her chest, and tapped her foot.

Jorlan's gaze nickered to the left. "After we landed, I rode back to see if Lida was all right. She was, but her Kloo was so angry that it kicked dirt all over Sabir and me."

She tried not to smile. It definitely wouldn't do to smile. "Mathers has drawn a bubble-pool for you. We need to leave for the Duchene's soon."

He nodded and began to head toward the alcove. Green called after him. "Jorlan."

He looked at her over his shoulder.

"No more jumping."

He stopped. "I can't agree to that, Green."

"You must. It is far too dangerous. Everything today turned out fine, but only by the sheerest good fortune. You must see that this is reckless behavior. The risk far outweighs any momentary thrill you get from it."

He exhaled heavily. "It is not about momentary thrill. It is about feeling the wind and heart of the land, it is about moving like one with Sabir. It is about freedom of the spirit."

Touched by his impassioned words. Green held back what she was going to say. Could she take that away from him? But the danger... ! "Jorlan, I would not be doing my part as your name-giver if I did not at least try to safeguard you from what is surely trouble waiting to occur. I am only concerned for your safety and the safety of my people."

He noticed her distress; he walked over to her. "I understand that." He cupped her face gently. "I will ride more carefully."

She hesitated. It was in her power, and certainly her right, to forbid him to jump—or ride for that matter. Any other name-giver certainly would.

And Jorlan knew it. He waited to see what she would do.

She sighed softly. "Very well."

His eyes flashed with admiration and more. "I'm glad you feel that way, Green," he drawled huskily.

She lifted her chin. "And if I didn't?"

"I'd find a way to do it anyway," he answered truthfully.

"I figured that."

"Mmm. I figured you figured that."

They smiled at each other. "Go take your bath." She shooed him away.