Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“I…I…” she began, but she didn’t know how to go on.
“She’s so tiny but so beautiful and so brave, too,” Grath said, speaking to her mother. “You ought to see her when we’re out in the field together, exploring an alien planet—she jumps right in, whether it’s dangerous or not!”
The momentary spell was broken and this time Mattie did kick him under the table. He was going to give her mom the wrong idea about her job and make her worry!
“It’s not that dangerous, what we do,” she said quickly, as Grath leaned down surreptitiously to rub his ankle while he shot her a look. “Honestly, Mom! Why, we’ve only been to Class 1 planets so far—those are rated as perfectly harmless by the Kindred.”
“Well, I just hope you’re being careful.” Her mom had the same worried look on her face she’d gotten when Mattie had told her about her new job with the Kindred in the first place. “I don’t know how I feel about you going all around the universe to different planets where anything might be waiting for you!”
“Now, Louise, you know she’s fine. She has Grath here to protect her,” Mattie’s Dad said soothingly.
“I know, Peter, but it still just makes me nervous,” her mom said, picking at one of her homemade rolls anxiously.
“Please don’t worry about your daughter,” Grath told her soothingly. “I’m with her every step of the way—I’m her Protector.”
“Well…” Mattie’s mom began, still looking doubtful. But Grath looked her in the eyes and continued speaking.
“I have sworn an oath that not a single drop of your daughter’s precious blood will be lost unless all of my own is first spilled upon the ground,” he rumbled. “I will die to protect her if I have to, for her life is far more precious to me than my own.”
“My goodness!” Mattie’s mom exclaimed, her hand fluttering near her heart again and Mattie saw everyone’s eyes widen at this dramatic statement.
She felt her own heart give a little thump as well. She couldn’t help remembering that very first day—the day when Grath had been assigned to her and had knelt before her to give her his oath as a Kindred warrior to protect her. She had been half in love with him by the time he was done, but then he had spoiled everything by becoming so distant and sullen.
She had wondered several times afterwards if she’d been imagining the sincerity shining in his midnight eyes when he swore to protect her with his life. Now she was certain she hadn’t been—Grath had just been keeping this part of himself hidden, though she didn’t know why.
Still, she promised herself she was going to have a serious talk with him when she got him alone again. Her family was never going to believe she wanted to dump him if he convinced all of them he was the perfect protective gentleman and that he was madly in love with her!
Supper ended with a delicious lemon tart which was Anna’s specialty and then her mom suggested they take a walk down the road to see the Ice Sculpture Garden at the park at the edge of town.
“There are so many sculptures this year and they’re just beautiful at night,” she told Grath. “It’s just a short walk from the house and they’ve all got lights under the pedestals so it looks like they’re lit up from within. It’s so romantic.”
“I don’t know, Mom—it was pretty cold out there when we first came and now that it’s dark, it’ll be even colder,” Mattie protested.
“But I want to see these sculptures made of ice,” Grath rumbled, surprising her. “Come on, baby—I’ll keep you warm,” he added.
“Oh, well…okay, I guess.” Mattie shrugged. At least it would be a good chance to talk alone, without worrying that her family could overhear them. “Let me get on my coat and we can go.”
She got bundled up in her thickest coat, hat, and scarf and they waved goodbye to her parents.
Finally, she could talk to Grath alone.
SEVEN
GRATH
As soon as they got outside with the door shut, Grath turned to her and demanded,
“Why did you kick me under the fucking table?”
“Why did I kick you? Because you were laying it on too thick!” Madeline exclaimed. She cast a look over her shoulder at the shut door of her family’s domicile as though making sure no one could hear them. Grath doubted they could—humans didn’t have very sharp hearing as far as he could tell.
“What do you mean, ‘laying it on too thick’?” he growled. “I did everything you told me to! I kissed every fucking one of them—except your father—and I was perfectly fucking polite at Last Meal.”
“Yes, but you were going on and on about it being ‘love at first sight’ the first time we met,” she protested. “Why did you have to act like I’m some kind of goddess that dazzled you when we both know perfectly well you don’t even like me!”