Page 88 of Condemned

Chapter Thirty-Three

A month had passed. A month in which zero things of a suspicious nature had occurred. No soldiers, no assassins, and no spies had been seen. Takk’s sister and her partner had been running his farm while he was absent, and they had been sworn to secrecy. No one from the nearby town had seen her. When outside in the fields, she concealed her form with heavy clothes and a hat.

The lovemaking between her and her four mauleon mates had been... She paused to swallow, fork in hand at the dinner table. Smiling, Avalon looked around the wide table. Nothing could make her happier than this.

A month was almost up. After that they’d agreed the danger was likely to have passed.

Perhaps Uncle and whoever he associated with would decide she was too much trouble to eliminate? Assassins were not cheap. She knew this since hiring a good thief was expensive too. Or so she’d heard. Hadn’t really had a chance to climb the ranks of thieves, and she was glad of that.

Death at an early age, or prison, was a huge occupational hazard.

Zo was to her left and he had noticed her dreamily smiling around at the others, with the fork dangling from her fingers. His hand arrived in her lap. His claws sank through her skirt and into her thigh, making her gasp. The instant heat from his claws was familiar and welcome.

“Lower, please.”

“Minx.” Nevertheless he began to slowly walk his claws inward toward her pussy, making her wriggle.

A knock thundered through the farmhouse. Someone pounded on the door three more times. An armored fist, her brain told her. The sound was distinctive.

All her mauleons stiffened, faces tight, emotions locking down.

“I’ll get it.” Zo pushed out his chair.

But all of them rose soon after, and they headed for the weapons racked and stored near the entrance hallway.

Crap.She bit her lip, inhaled. Maybe she and they were imagining too much. Too dire a cause? It might be, what? The grocery delivery? She jogged over to Timin and crouched. He handed her a pistol. The power gauge read full, of course. She switched it on.

And then she prayed.

Voices murmured—Zo and some other male.

The rest of the mauleons, along with her, had flattened themselves to either side of the gap where the hallway entered the dining area. Weapons were clutched in their fists. Sword, pistol, laz rifle.

She was behind Timin and Takk. Kon was on the opposite side.

“Be good,” Timin hissed, glaring.

Meaning don’t get shot. Being pampered sometimes went too far.

“You can all come out here.” Zo stood in the hall opening. “Avalon included. It’s okay.”

“You’re sure, Zo? Not just imagining this?” Hesitantly, Takk peeled himself from the wall.

“I am.”

Kondio grabbed her hand and hung on. “Stay with me. Any problems run back in here.”

Her heart had ratcheted up to battle-ready level anyway. Please, let nothing bad happen.

With their weapons lowered but carried, and she was sure everyone was ready to use them, they followed him to the door, then out onto the wide front verandah.

A king’s officer waited, uniformed, gloved, but with his fancy silver and gold helmet under his arm. He nodded to them, smiled tersely.

Two dismounted cavalry stood by their florses, beyond the gate to the house yard.

“I have a message for you all. You have each been granted a pardon by the king.” He handed Zo a thick package. “It’s in there. You are not expected to attend court to accept this. That includes the huleon female previously, ahem, executed for her crimes, Avalon de Gorr.”

Which translated to not welcome in court, she decided.