A Noble Estate Read Online Free Page B

patted Tebber’s shoulders. “I apologize for not making that clear before. He is yours, and you are his. That is how a bonding works.”
    Tebber bobbed his head. “Thank you.”
    Ioli and Liast were standing together some distance from the prince’s guard. Liast was eating a bar of chocolate. “Travel nerves,” he mumbled.
    “Where is Jethain?” asked Rak.
    The prince hurried out to his impatient avtappi. “It’s not like I can drop everything,” he grumbled. Bello, his death hound puppy, galloped at his heels, snatching at his cloak. He briefly greeted Varn and swung up into his saddle. Everyone else followed suit. “Let’s ride!”
    They headed out. Rak rode beside Jisten and Jethain, Liast and Ioli came next followed by Tebber and Kennit, and the various guard forces took up positions around them. The wagon rumbled along behind, the draft avtappi following the others with no need of a driver to direct them.
    “We’re visiting my lands,” Jisten said as they rode. “It seems to me that it’s past time for me to see the place I am now in charge of.”
    “It’s a seven-day ride,” said Jethain cheerfully. “And every noble should be familiar with his lands.”
    There was much cheerful laughter and banter. Everyone appreciated getting out of the city. Once they were out on the open road, Jisten told Jethain about the meeting in the king’s study.
    Scorth’s shadow passed over them, reassuring them all. The smaller shadows of wyvern flitted about his.
    “My dearest Thezomeh,” said Liast, “did I not hear that there were cacao trees on the lands of your noble mate?”
    “You heard correctly,” replied Rak. “And a café plantation, as well.”
    Liast beamed. “As your healer, I must sample each batch of cocoa to assure its quality.”
    Everybody laughed. Liast’s love of chocolate, and his stratagems for acquiring it, had already reached legendary proportion.
     
    * * * *
     
    Jisten brought Zala close to Vyld, and with a quick, skilled maneuver, slid off Zala and onto Vyld behind Rak. He wanted the feel of wings around him. He stroked Rak’s bare thighs in greeting.
    Rak leaned back against him. “ Xai’εtε , master,” he said teasingly.
    Jisten kissed his neck above the torque and stroked the wing undersides in revenge. Rak’s wings unfurled and encased Jisten almost reflexively.
    Rak moaned and muttered, “That is so unfair.”
    “You started it,” Jisten breathed in his ear. “I’m going to enjoy our time at our manor.”
    “Keep this up and our journey will be delayed!”
    Jisten felt around to Rak’s belly. The baby fluttered. Rak’s belly had a rounded appearance to it now, which was another reason he was happy to finally be leaving Summertown. Rak’s condition was getting harder and harder to deny. “Food, sex, relaxation, sex, swimming, sex, wine, sex,” Jisten whispered in Rak’s ear. “Or do you want more food than that?”
    “With, perhaps, some sex?” asked Rak. “And more food?”
    “Sex, food, relaxation, sex, food, swimming, sex, food, wine, sex, food, and sex?” Jisten kissed Rak’s neck again and hummed at the same time.
    Rak squirmed, rubbing his posterior against Jisten’s growing interest.
    Jethain said, “Get a room, you two!”
    “Nothing illegal here anymore!” Rak replied.
    “I have a whole manor full of rooms now!” Jisten called back.
    “Decency laws,” retorted Jethain to Rak. “No public sex allowed!”
    “Koilathans are no fun!” Phonasa declared. “Law this, law that!”
    “Phonasa is right!” agreed Rak.
    Jisten knew he was blushing scarlet. No matter how calm and collected he tried to be, he couldn’t seem to overcome his sheer embarrassment at conversations like these. The fact that Rak, and Rak’s guards, all thought it was cute didn’t help. He suspected they went out of their way to include him in conversations about things that belonged behind bedroom doors.
    Rak whispered in Jisten’s ear, “I am wearing only a