Read One Battle Lord’s Fate for Free Online

sat down at a table. Tory threw him a caustic look.
    “Fortune! It’s been over five months!” she hissed.
    When the servant girl came with their trenchers, the Mutah woman asked her for some milk. Without batting an eye, the girl quickly returned with three mugs.
    Around them they could tell inquisitive eyes were watching. They knew the couple held the Battle Prince, and the unspoken question on everyone’s lips was, “Where were his parents?” In the meantime, bits and pieces of the latest gossip filled the hall. The talk racing around the compound at the moment was the shock of seeing Yulen without his shirt, and realizing what the Bloods had done to the Battle Lord when he had been their captive. As well as finally comprehending the gruesome stories the survivors told, and the miracle of their rescue.
    Tory tried to ignore the curious stares as she tried to get Mattox to accept her fingers dipped in the milk. The child suckled the drops eagerly, but it wasn’t enough, and it wasn’t fast enough. The baby fussed. His unique, ruby eyes turned a dark, scarlet hue. She tore a small strip of cloth from her tunic and twisted the end, dipping it in the milk and seeing if he’d suck from it. That was also a miserable failure.
    For one of the rare times in her life, Tory felt a sense of helplessness come over her. She thought she could help. She honestly believed she could solve this small dilemma, but things weren’t working out the way she’d hoped. Mattox wouldn’t take the milk she offered, and he was quickly letting it be known his empty little tummy needed immediate attention.
    Fortune saw the expression coming over his wife’s face and realized she was beginning to panic. “Want me to call someone?”
    “Who?”
    “That Berta woman might be able to help.”
    Tory threw him a desperate look. Holding the baby to her shoulder, she tried to rock him when the main hall suddenly grew quiet. Fortune and Tory looked up to see the Battle Lord striding purposefully toward them. The first thing she noticed was that he’d changed clothes. The second thing she saw were the droplets of water still clinging to his hair. The man had just taken a bath.
    “Thank you, Tory,” he smiled softly at her as he swooped down to gather his son in his arms. “I’ll take him now. His mother’s waiting for him.”
    Before she could answer, she was stunned when he leaned over and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. Eyes wide, she touched the place on her face as they watched Yulen walk off, speaking soothingly to the crying infant tucked under his chin. It took another second for her to realize the man hadn’t been wearing his weapons belt.
    “You think it’s safe to go back to the lodge now?” Fortune grinned slowly. Tory giggled. The wetness on her cheek continued to burn, but her relief was easily readable to her husband. She opened her mouth to respond when two platters of food were dropped in front of them. The serving girl gave a Tory a grin and a wink before leaving them alone. They took their time to enjoy lunch before heading back to the lodge and their room on the bottom floor of the Battle Lord and Lady’s home.
    When they arrived back at the new lodge, they found the door unlocked. Walking inside, they were aware of the murmur of voices coming from the overhead loft bedroom. Tory lifted her face.
    “Atty? Yulen?”
    A moment later the Battle Lord leaned over the balcony.
    “Fortune and I need to speak with you, if you have a moment.”
    “We’ll be right down,” he promised, disappearing from sight.
    “You know, honey, you’re probably one of less than a handful of people who are able to tell the Battle Lord what to do, and get away with it,” Fortune teased his wife. Tory blushed at his comment. Before she could retort, Yulen was coming down the steps of the spiral staircase at a quick pace. Behind him, Atty descended much more carefully as she held Mattox in one arm. Tory’s quick eye noticed the glow in