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would expect.”
    “Your Majesty,” Lanfer bowed again and started to back away, clearly heading for his horse.
    “Warprize.” Atira stepped forward, speaking in Xyian. “There is still the matter of the insult to my person.”
    Heath jerked his head around. Atira was standing there, one hand on her hip, the other on the hilt of her sword. Her blond hair gleamed in the sun as she gave Lanfer a considering look. With the brown of her leather armor and the shine of her weapons, she took Heath’s breath away.

    ATIRA ALLOWED HER GAZE TO LINGER AS SHE looked the blond city-dweller over. The man flushed up a bit, but met her look straight on.
    “Your pardon, Lady Atira.” Lanfer bowed his head slightly. “I meant no offense to you.”
    “I think you did.” Atira started around the man, giving him the once-over as if he were a piece of meat.
    Lanfer stiffened, but did nothing else as she walked a circle around him. “Shall I show you my teeth, Lady?”
    Atira gave him a slow smile as the warriors around them chuckled. “I am no Lady, Lanfer of Xy. I am a warrior of the Plains. There is an old saying of my people: ‘You can’t know the taste of the meat until you slay the deer.’ You are pleasing,” she stepped closer to the man. “Perhaps you should come to my tent and see for yourself if I am worth chasing?”
    Lanfer didn’t flinch as she’d half-expected. Instead, he studied her face, and quirked up an eyebrow. “You intrigue me, warrior. Alas, my duties press me to return to Water’s Fall. Perhaps another time?” He pressed his hand to his heart, and inclined his head.
    Atira laughed, and stepped aside to allow him to mount his horse. She watched as the Xyian lord and his escort rode off.
    But to Atira, the look of outrage on Heath’s face was even more satisfying.

    LANFER? SHE WAS FLIRTING WITH THAT POMPOUS, snot-nosed, stuck-up ass?
    The Warlord’s voice cut through Heath’s anger. “That was about what I expected,” Keir said. “Although I thought a warrior of the Plains would be the first to strike.”
    “Trust Heath to take the initiative,” Lara said, accepting a mug of kavage from Marcus. She ran her other hand through her hair with a sigh and gave Heath an amused look.
    The other warriors all chuckled.
    Heath ran his fingers through his own hair. “He deserved it,” he said. “Lanfer has always had a mouth on him.”
    “Which you should be used to,” Lara pointed out. She paused then, looking off toward the city. “Why do you suppose he of all people was sent with that message?”
    Heath shook his head. “I don’t know. But something is not right.”
    Keir gave him a questioning look.
    “The message was from Lara’s Council,” Heath said. “Not Lord Warren, not from my mother.”
    “All the prior messages were written,” Keir said. “That is also different.”
    Lara shook her head at that. “No, in an emergency they would send a spoken message. But there was nothing from Eln, or from Anna. Yet they know we are not that far away.”
    “If he left just after my father collapsed, they wouldn’t have any information for us,” Heath added. “But still . . . something is off.”
    “He didn’t even ask if you wanted to ride into the city with him, Heath.” Lara frowned. “Simple courtesy would require—”
    “Lanfer and I have never seen eye to eye.” Heath shrugged. “I wouldn’t expect him to make such an offer.”
    “If that’s known, could that be the reason why he was sent?” Keir asked. “And why is there no word from the warriors I left to secure Xy?”
    Heath shrugged again.
    “Poor Anna. She must be beside herself with worry.” Lara sighed, staring into her mug. “I wanted to make a formal entrance into the city, to let the people of Xy see that I have returned with my Warlord and an heir.” She turned a troubled face to Heath. “But maybe we should just ride to the castle as quickly as we can.”
    Keir’s smile flashed in the light. “We would