Unclean by A M Manay

Author:A M Manay [Manay, A M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pythoness Press
Published: 2019-02-18T16:00:00+00:00

Lanterns floated in the air above an open patch of meadow. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits as Shiloh watched from well beyond the edge of the crowd. A boar roasted in a pit, the scent of the meat filling the air and making her stomach growl. Kegs of beer and wine sat on planks set across sawhorses. Other tables held all manner of food, most of which Shiloh could not recognize.

The music was more familiar. Shiloh knew the mountain tunes on fiddle and drum, the same ones she remembered from Solstice feasts of her childhood. The dances, too, she felt in her bones. Her feet began to tap of their own volition.

A colorful banner flew from a tall pole, lit by a hovering lantern. It wasn’t until a gust of wind blew it out straight that Shiloh could read what it said: Welcome Home, Shiloh.

Her hand flew to her mouth, and tears filled her eyes.

“As far as my people are concerned, a child was stolen from us, and by some miracle, she’s come home,” Keegan said from behind her.

She wheeled on him. “I’m still angry with you,” she managed to say through her tears.

“I know. I’m sorry. I saw the look on your face when his leg broke. I shall endeavor to control my hatred for the man,” Keegan pledged. “I promise you, however, that I did not order Olin to do that.”

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

“You look lovely,” Keegan told her.

She looked down at the beaded midnight blue tunic and light tan leggings Gret had given her, along with a matching blue scarf for her hair. “Thank you. It is much more comfortable than court finery, and a welcome change from the uniforms we had to wear when we were imprisoned. All of us appreciate your wife’s gifts. Even Lady Mosspeak was smiling, and she’s probably never worn leggings in all her life.”

She caught some movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see Silas and Jonn striding toward her. Silas showed just a hint of a limp. They were decked out in leather breeches and vests, arms bare in the moonlight, every inch the Feral gentlemen of leisure and looking hilariously discomfited.

Keegan snickered. Shiloh whacked him in the chest with the back of her hand. “You’d look just as silly in velvet,” she hissed at him. “And the limp is your fault. Behave yourself.”

Shiloh walked swiftly to her husband and slipped her arm into his.

Silas smiled, looking much better than he had before the bath. She wondered if Jonn had pressed some comfort potion upon him.

“Shall we, my lady?”

“We shall.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.