Page 72 of Stealing the Star Stone
On instinct, Eli dropped to a knee, tugging Nova down with him.
Amenkar rose, his broad smile lost amid the gold of his skin.“I found these two, or should I say, they found me?They were hunted by the Skrillith, and they bare the Kovari Shol’s touch.”He circled Nova but didn’t linger.He caught Eli by the shoulders and lifted him.“Your hair is beautiful.It is like ours.”He flicked his hair with gold strips woven through the braids.
“Thank you for the compliment, my chief,” Eli said.
“You say you are here for the Kovari Shol.”He shifted his gaze to Nova.“My apologies.Such power should never have left this world.”He grimaced.“To make amends, I must offer you a Lethari welcome.”
“We don’t want to inconvenience you, my chief,” Nova said.“We simply wish to be free…of each other.”
The man glanced between Eli and Nova.“A hot bath, food, and a soft bed cannot be declined.Not when you both smell like a yuxmet.”He chuckled.“Spend a moon, and at the next sun, I shall have my men escort you to the temple.If it chooses to grant you its Kovari Shol, I have no power to deny it.”
When Eli opened his mouth to back her up, Nova nudged him with an elbow and hissed, “He said a hot bath.Shut up.”
Two women appeared and escorted them away.When Eli peered over his shoulder, he caught the chief whispering to the scarred man carrying a lance.An unknown tension tightened their posture.
That didn’t bode well.
He prayed he’d read the room wrong.
Chapter Twenty
The moon, Lethara
The city of Vael’Tir.
Keep your hands to yourself.
Day Four.
Novawasledintoan enclosed alcove, shielded by stone and flames.In the center of the small room was a hot springs, steam and bubbles rising off its orange surface.The heat was delicious after the night spent clinging to Eli for warmth.Beside it was a jar of what looked like honey, a sponge of sorts, and a stack of white cloths.She turned to smile at Eli but found herself alone.
Rushing to the entrance, she almost slammed into a glowering old man dressed in a white loincloth.His hair brushed his ass, braids and beads interlocking and releasing as he hobbled toward her.
“It is not often I serve one such as you,” he spat.“But if our Chief Amenkar deems you worthy, I cannot object.Come, remove your offensive garments.Why do you wear so many?What are you hiding, boy?”
“Nothing, as long as I get these back.”She set the bag against the wall, along with the blaster, dagger, machete, and rifle.Hesitating for a minute, she wasn’t sure she could expose herself to a stranger.She’d walked around bare chested which pretty much invalidated her self-consciousness.Realizing the man waited, she stripped off the coat and handed it to him.
“This…is soft,” he said, stroking the leather.“What manner of animal is this?”
“Cow, if it’s real leather.”She knelt to undo her boots and peeled them off, then the wet socks.
“How can it not be real?I hold it.”The man waved the coat at her.
She swallowed a chuckle.“Please, call me Eli,” she said, removing her jeans.Dropping onto her ass, she swung her legs and sank them into the water.A moan escaped, the heat melting the aches from her abused calves.
“You honor me with your name.”He bowed.“I am Khepan if you should need to summon me.”
When she reached for the jar, he cried out and waded into the water, coming to stand before her.
“I must prepare you for cleansing,” he said.“This is my duty to honor the Great One, Lethaar.”
She held up her hands as if in surrender.“Cleanse away,” she said, hoping not to offend him.
Khepan urged her to stand on steps she hadn’t noticed, then poured the honey onto the sponge.Every inch of her was scrubbed, even her ass.Twice.A layer of foam coated the pool by the time he was happy.
Her skin glowed pink from his attention—she was, no doubt, missing a few layers.The sponge had been coarse, but in a good way, giving her a head-to-toe scratch.He patted her dry with the cloths, not missing a drop, then tutted when he tried to braid her hair and found chunks missing.
“Beads are bestowed upon the wearer for their good deeds.I will give you mine.”
