Page 20 of All's Fair in Lion and War
“I am terrible with the phone communicating,” Saul said, wishing he’d paid more attention during Naomi’s demonstrations. The device beeped in his pocket. Repeatedly. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. Numerous messages flipped back and forth.
Penny ran forward, thrusting two of their infant children into Kann’s arms. “I already sent out messages to everyone. The girls in town are rounding up everyone not out here already. They are meeting us at Naomi’s.” She paused and stared straight at Saul. “Who the fuck are the Ka’lagh lions?”
“Penny,” Kann said, his voice soft.
“No, no, no. Noshuarrasugar-coating shit. Your heart nearly leapt out of your chest when he said that name. I could see it on your face.”
“They killed my mate, back on Reylea.”
Her eyes glassed over with sympathetic pain. Penny was tough as nails, but she had the biggest heart. “Oh, Saul. I had no idea. You never once mentioned them. I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “It was many years ago. But, this pride is dangerous and powerful and ruthless. We have no idea how many are here, but I took a woman from them yesterday. A prisoner. She was glowing. I—”
Penny reached out a hand and took his, squeezing it. “We’re going to protect her. Come get my gun bag.”
Saul followed them both into the cabin. Penny wasn’t a lion, but she was a weapons expert and no-one in the tribe without fangs and claws was more deadly. She’d taught everyone excellent gun safety and had them on a regular rotation for target practice. No one in their tribe was a bad shot, but no one was better than Penny either.
“Are they armed? Could you tell?” She handed him a heavy black canvas bag and began unloading a cabinet into it.
He nodded. “Yes, rifles.”
She grunted and grabbed a few more weapons from the bottom of the cabinet and tossed them into the bag. She yanked up her skirt and strapped on a thigh-belt filled with throwing knives—or as Kann liked to call them, penny-claws.
When the bag was so full it was obvious nothing else was going to fit, she zipped it up. “I’m going upstairs to grab Angela and Erik. Be right back.”
Kann cooed at the two other tightly wrapped infants in his arms.
Saul felt a hollow pain in his chest stab at his heart for the child he’d never met and lost the same fateful day his mate had been killed. He loved having the babies in the tribe. He loved helping to care for them. Loved holding them.
But he would’ve been lying if he hadn’t felt pain along with his joy. He’d lost hisshuarra. Being given the opportunity to bond with another female had never crossed his mind as an option. And now…his heart struggled even as it rejoiced.
Penny returned with two more bundled babies. “Let’s go. Saul, will you carry the bag back to Naomi’s? Tara already got my message, she and Owen are meeting us there.”
He snorted out a soft huff. Stupid phone message things. He needed to practice more, but it was embarrassing to admit he didn’t understand the technology. Everyone else seemed to have taken to it rather easily.
“Saul?” Kann asked, prodding gently.
“Yes, sorry. Of course. I was just—”
“Distracted. It’s okay. I’ve seen the effects of men seeing glowing women.”
They hurried out of the house and down the road. The short walk in the snow took only a few minutes before they were stomping at Col and Naomi’s door, knocking snow from their boots before pushing it open.
“Come on in,” Col said, his voice bellowing through the cabin.
“How did you know it was us?” Penny asked, her tone more amused than questioning.
“I could hear the babies outside.” Col appeared around the corner and walked into the massive entry. Big coats hung along the wall on a dozen hooks. Rubber-lined trays to catch the water from the snow boots lined floor beneath them.
The big alpha dragon held out his arms for the babies in Penny’s so she could take off her heavy coat and boots.
She handed them over without any hesitation.
Col sniffed the babies and smiled. “Angela and Erik, you are growing nicely.” He turned and walked off with the babies.
Saul wished he could be as calm on the inside as Col was projecting on the outside. He knew part of it was an act. He wasVraka. He had to remain in control. He had to be the example.
But the dragon prince was warm. He and Naomi both were.
