22. Chapter 22

I hadn't been able to find rest before Gwyn had entered my tent. After she left, I knew any rest tonight would be impossible. I still tasted her lips, her mouth. No amount of lingering pain from bringing up the past could erase the memory of the arousing sensation of her tongue pushing against mine.

I hoped the next few days would move by faster than the first of our journey because I suddenly found myself impatient to mate Gwyn. It had been a long time since I had looked forward to or desired anything for myself, but I wanted her. In every way. Even if I didn't deserve her. Even if I would damn her to a life living with my moods. A chuckle nearly escaped me at this. So far, she had shown herself very capable of dealing with my moods. The glimpses I had received of her personality made me admit that Vorag had made a good choice with her .

From outside, the first sounds of people rising penetrated my tent. This wasn't my first sleepless night, but yesterday had been a trying day and evening, and I felt the aftereffects, nothing a quick cleanse with cold water wouldn't cure, though. I splashed the icy liquid from a bowl into my face. Sa, that did the trick; at least it woke me up. Some of my injuries were still aching, but that was nothing I couldn't deal with. I had dealt with worse.

I strode outside to give the warriors a chance to disassemble my tent. I could have done it myself, but my status demanded that at least some of my needs be taken care of by others, even though we hadn't brought any servants on this trip.

In hindsight, I should have. The females were needier than I expected them to be. All but two: Gwyn and Dawn.

Sandra most definitely would have had enough energy to make herself useful. Instead, she chose to spend her time plotting. It wasn't a bad thing. Females like her were useful in their own way—I just needed to find the right male for her. Under no circumstances would I allow her to choose her mate or have a male choose her by contest.

The moment I stepped out, my eyes searched for Gwyn, and my breathing only evened when I found her helping take down tents. She must have sensed my gaze because she straightened and turned. When our eyes met, she sent a shy wave my way, and I gave her a curt nod.

"Khadahr, I have the xythrax spoils ready for you." Bra-Tar offered me a leather strip holding four smaller teeth artfully arranged between a few red gemstones .

I perused his work with a critical eye, but as usual, Bra-Tar's techniques were excellent.

He held out a few more leather strips with a tooth each, as well as the tail, which still needed some work. Most of everything else of the creature would be useless. The meat was tough and bitter, the fur rough. It would make a nice leather hide. The large fangs would be turned into daggers, but that would also take a few days.

"Thank you, Bra-Tar. You outdid yourself again," I praised, then looked at the leather straps and said, "Give those to Del-Khet and Mak-Thar." A warrior should wear the symbol of surviving a xythrax encounter. They might have died in yesterday's attack had I not shown up, but they would have done so bravely.

"Will you wear this?" He held out the strip with four teeth.

I shook my head and lifted the one I already wore, the one I earned to become khadahr.

"Nek, but I know who deserves one." I took it from him, and he bowed slightly.

Without another word, I strode toward Gwyn, who was still keeping busy rolling up furs. "A word?"

She startled and nearly dropped the fur. "Do you always sneak up on people like this?"

She looked tired, the skin under her eyes was dark and bruised. I figured she must not have gotten much sleep last night, either. Her day yesterday had been just as trying as mine, so I forgave the sharp tone of her voice and her chastising words.

"You deserve this." I held out the necklace.

Her eyes grew wide. "Are those… from that creature yesterday? "

"A xythrax, sa," I confirmed.

Her hand rose, and her fingers carefully brushed over the sharp teeth. A shudder moved through her body before a grin spread across her lips.

"How fitting," she said with a gleam in her eyes I had only seen on hunters after bringing down a kill before.

She pushed my hand, holding the necklace toward me. "But this should be worn by you. You killed the beast."

One more time this morning, I pointed at the leather I already wore around my neck. "I don't need more than one, and you did more than a fair share to help take it down."

"Oh." She stared at my neck as if seeing it for the first time. "I had no idea where they came from."

"How would you? Now, come here." I entwined two fingers into the collar of her shirt and pulled her closer to me so that I could place the necklace over her head.

"There." I stepped back to admire how she looked with it. "It suits you."

She huffed a small laugh and gently lifted the teeth to better study them. "I don't know about that. It does seem like divine justice to wear this since those teeth nearly tore me apart."

A grin lifted the corners of my lips. "Very well put."

"Thank you." Her eyes turned from the necklace to me. They were filled with more than gratefulness for the gift. She was also thanking me for saving her life.

"Always," I retorted, and wondered why my voice sounded so raspy.

"Well deserved from what I heard." Szun-Var joined us, his eyes glued to the necklace.

Since I was sure Gwyn didn't understand him, I translated and enjoyed the way her eyes lit up at his praise.

"The warriors already started a song about her last night. Calling her senti gallis," Szun-Var filled me in. Again, I translated for Gwyn, who blushed.

"I'm not brave." She shook her head.

"You are much braver than you think. They are right. You are senti gallis," I assured her.

Heat rushed into her face, and I couldn't help but press my hand against her soft cheek.

"I have to go," I said. Szun-Var hadn't come to join us just to talk about the necklace.

"I'll see you later." She smiled, pressing her cheek into my palm, which was quickly becoming one of my favorite gestures.

"As I stepped away from Szun-Var, I noticed Sandra standing with her group a little farther down, her eyes glued to Gwyn. An expression of hate contorted her otherwise beautiful features, giving me pause to think that it might not be a good idea keeping her close. Unless she very quickly adjusted to me having chosen Gwyn over her, she might be too much of a challenge to keep her around.