Claire Delacroix by Pearl Beyond Price

Author:Pearl Beyond Price
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Congratulations,” the Persian woman purred into Kira’s ear.

Kira turned away from the latrines, astonished to find anyone else awake in the silent camp. The Persian woman smiled knowingly. “Well did I tell you that you were too pretty for war fodder. And no doubt was there left that Black Wind chose you as his woman.”

Kira felt her brows rise skeptically. “Indeed, the deed could scarcely be missed,” she commented sourly as she adjusted her chalwar. The other woman gripped her arm, and Kira glanced up in surprise.

“Know you not what he did?”

“Aye.” Kira winced in wry recollection. “I know well enough what he did.”

The woman smothered a smile. “Nay, Kira, not that. You do understand that ‘tis their way to stake a claim publicly?” she added in a lower tone. Kira felt her eyes widen.

“I do not understand,” she said carefully, not daring to believe what the woman seemed intent on telling her. Surely ‘twas not a custom to possess a woman before all the others?

The Persian woman nodded slowly as she saw comprehension dawn in Kira’s eyes. “‘Tis evident he wanted to leave no doubt that you are his,” she hissed. “Possessiveness in a man is good sign, indeed.”

Kira’s heart leaped and she flicked a quick glance to the warrior standing at the far side of the latrine. He was facing toward the open fields behind as though completely unconcerned with her actions, but well enough she knew by now that he was fully aware of what she did and precisely where she stood.

In a way, such an awareness was strangely comforting. Had it been someone who threatened her this morn, instead of merely the chat of this woman, Kira knew that little could go amiss before her warrior was at hand.

She rather liked that. The other woman chuckled and patted Kira companionably on the shoulder, jarring her out of her thoughts.

“Aye, little Kira. Well do you know what I mean. Make no mistake, for Black Wind has claimed you for his woman.”

Black Wind. Was that what “Thierry” meant? Kira turned to the other woman and looked right into her eyes. “How do the Mongols say `Black Wind’?” she asked.

The woman looked surprised, then smiled confidentially. “Qaraq-Böke,” she said, much to Kira’s confusion. Naught at all did that sound like “Thierry.” So harsh was the word in contrast to the name that the warrior had given her that Kira’s heart began to pound.

Surely he could not have told her the name he would confide in no other here?

“No other way is there to say it?” she demanded breathlessly. The woman shook her head quickly, confusion lighting her eyes.

“Nay, Kira. ‘Tis Qaraq-Böke he is called. Would you not say it to me first?” she asked helpfully. “Well you should know that but a slight inflection changes the meaning of a word in their tongue. I would not have you insult him when all seems to be progressing so well.”

Kira smiled and glanced to her warrior as the surety of her conclusion flooded through her.

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