three in her socks.
At last she pulled up in front of a wooden door carved with the image of an ox.
He whistled softly. “This is ours? We’re right inside the freaking palace?”
“Shhh. Stick to Scythian. Too many people around. We’re sleeping here.” She lifted the latch and pushed him through the door, then looked around with a frown.
Besides a single cot to one side, and pegs next to the door, the tiny room was unfurnished. The only light came from a bright shard of moonlight flooding through the narrow window.
Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. “Guess who gets the bed?”
“The one recovering from a gunshot wound?”
She gave a feminine snort. “Dream on. I earned this bed.”
He dropped their bags in a corner and sat on the edge of the narrow, straw-filled mattress, ignoring her arched brows. “Maybe the floor is the better option,” he muttered as straw crackled under his hand.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” Excitement glittered in Fari’s dark eyes.
“You got invited to join her personal guard?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not quite, but I’m to start training with them. Hippolyta’s not that easily won over.”
Caleb gave her a nod, impressed with what she’d achieved so quickly. “ Nice. My being here part of the package?”
“I told her you’re my servant and that you see to all my needs.”
His eyebrows shot up.
She narrowed her gaze, frowning. “How else could I explain why I need you with me?”
“ All your needs?” he drawled, unwilling to let that phrase go. Not when her cheeks were darkening with a blush.
“You’re a new purchase. I’m not bored with you yet.”
He gave her a heavy-lidded stare even as he tried to hide a smile. “Your love slave?”
“My personal slave,” she said through gritted teeth. “You cook for me, clean for me, handle the horses….”
“Service the mistress…?”
She rolled her eyes. “I had to add that bit or the others might have asked for the use of you. They’re not a shy bunch of ladies.”
“I see.” His lips twitched as he noted her deepening embarrassment.
“No, you don’t see. We’re here. Inside the palace. We’re a step closer to our goal.”
Caleb relented, and stopped teasing her. “Right. So what now?”
She blew out a breath. “Dinner’s over. Most everyone’s settling in for the night. We might take a look around.”
“And if we’re caught?”
“I’ll think of something.”
“Do you know where the queen’s chambers are?”
Fari nodded in crisp assent. “She’s above stairs. Only those closest to her are allowed up there.”
“Heavily guarded?”
“Hippolyta has guards inside her chamber with her and Theseus. She may be besotted with the man, but she doesn’t trust him.”
“That’s where you think the belt is?”
Fari nodded again. “It’s that or the temple, but she doesn’t seem like the kind to hand power over to anyone. She’d want to keep it close.”
“Did you hear any mention of it at dinner?”
“No, and I didn’t ask.. First night here and I didn’t want anyone suspecting I was after anything other than to serve my queen.”
Caleb leaned back on his hands and studied Fari’s expression. “You’re enjoying this.”
She seemed caught off guard by the comment, but shrugged. “And why wouldn’t I? I’m going to train with the Amazons. The only militaristic culture in history to prize female warriors above their men.”
“Just don’t lose sight of the mission,” Caleb said quietly. “Or lose that cuff and decide to go native.”
One elegantly shaped eyebrow arched. “Babe, I’m all about the mission.”
He chuckled. “So, shall we do some scouting?” He pushed himself off the bed and opened the door. Together they slipped into the hallway.
The palace, so far as he could see, wasn’t much of a castle as he’d always pictured them. Certainly nothing like Sadam’s gold-and-marble palaces in Iraq, which Caleb had visited while
At last she pulled up in front of a wooden door carved with the image of an ox.
He whistled softly. “This is ours? We’re right inside the freaking palace?”
“Shhh. Stick to Scythian. Too many people around. We’re sleeping here.” She lifted the latch and pushed him through the door, then looked around with a frown.
Besides a single cot to one side, and pegs next to the door, the tiny room was unfurnished. The only light came from a bright shard of moonlight flooding through the narrow window.
Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. “Guess who gets the bed?”
“The one recovering from a gunshot wound?”
She gave a feminine snort. “Dream on. I earned this bed.”
He dropped their bags in a corner and sat on the edge of the narrow, straw-filled mattress, ignoring her arched brows. “Maybe the floor is the better option,” he muttered as straw crackled under his hand.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” Excitement glittered in Fari’s dark eyes.
“You got invited to join her personal guard?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not quite, but I’m to start training with them. Hippolyta’s not that easily won over.”
Caleb gave her a nod, impressed with what she’d achieved so quickly. “ Nice. My being here part of the package?”
“I told her you’re my servant and that you see to all my needs.”
His eyebrows shot up.
She narrowed her gaze, frowning. “How else could I explain why I need you with me?”
“ All your needs?” he drawled, unwilling to let that phrase go. Not when her cheeks were darkening with a blush.
“You’re a new purchase. I’m not bored with you yet.”
He gave her a heavy-lidded stare even as he tried to hide a smile. “Your love slave?”
“My personal slave,” she said through gritted teeth. “You cook for me, clean for me, handle the horses….”
“Service the mistress…?”
She rolled her eyes. “I had to add that bit or the others might have asked for the use of you. They’re not a shy bunch of ladies.”
“I see.” His lips twitched as he noted her deepening embarrassment.
“No, you don’t see. We’re here. Inside the palace. We’re a step closer to our goal.”
Caleb relented, and stopped teasing her. “Right. So what now?”
She blew out a breath. “Dinner’s over. Most everyone’s settling in for the night. We might take a look around.”
“And if we’re caught?”
“I’ll think of something.”
“Do you know where the queen’s chambers are?”
Fari nodded in crisp assent. “She’s above stairs. Only those closest to her are allowed up there.”
“Heavily guarded?”
“Hippolyta has guards inside her chamber with her and Theseus. She may be besotted with the man, but she doesn’t trust him.”
“That’s where you think the belt is?”
Fari nodded again. “It’s that or the temple, but she doesn’t seem like the kind to hand power over to anyone. She’d want to keep it close.”
“Did you hear any mention of it at dinner?”
“No, and I didn’t ask.. First night here and I didn’t want anyone suspecting I was after anything other than to serve my queen.”
Caleb leaned back on his hands and studied Fari’s expression. “You’re enjoying this.”
She seemed caught off guard by the comment, but shrugged. “And why wouldn’t I? I’m going to train with the Amazons. The only militaristic culture in history to prize female warriors above their men.”
“Just don’t lose sight of the mission,” Caleb said quietly. “Or lose that cuff and decide to go native.”
One elegantly shaped eyebrow arched. “Babe, I’m all about the mission.”
He chuckled. “So, shall we do some scouting?” He pushed himself off the bed and opened the door. Together they slipped into the hallway.
The palace, so far as he could see, wasn’t much of a castle as he’d always pictured them. Certainly nothing like Sadam’s gold-and-marble palaces in Iraq, which Caleb had visited while
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