Deadly Intentions (Blood Feud - Volume 2) by David Temrick Page B

loop? Tristan cheered and she pulled another loop,
this one tighter than the last and he was forced to flex his leg
muscles to keep from sliding out of the saddle.
    For close to an hour she offered to fly
dangerous and highly enjoyable stunts with Tristan strapped to her
back. He began to appreciate how this could help in battle,
especially if she could fly inverted as she had for him to scoop a
handful of snow from the peak of a mountain. He held his hands,
palm up on her bareback to melt the snow and drink the water out of
his cupped hands.
    He sensed that she was getting tired; his
added weight was something she was going to have to get used to.
Her communications were becoming clearer as she searched his mind
freely; looking for words to associate with the images she
presented him with. We can return now if you like Bethia. He
offered her.
    Thank you. She answered, much less
disjointed than it had been a short time ago.
    You learn very quickly my large
friend. Tristan chuckled.
    You fly better than father does. She
returned a compliment.
    She and Tristan laughed as she presented the
unnerved image of Socolis in his human form of Otis on her back. He
appeared terrified, yet smiling despite his fear. Slowly she
circled the hole in the mountain they had burst through, and
descended inside at a steep glide. The pair of them touched down
with her mighty wings batting the air, causing the others who had
returned to their cushions to block the dust she sent swirling from
stinging their eyes.
    The Prince leaped athletically from her back
and patted her jaw as she swung her head around towards him. She
crooned, leaning her head closer to his hand and he chuckled as he
scratched her where her skull met her first neck plate. Bethia
sighed in comfort as she sent a few errant sparks out of her
nose.
    “Well?” Otis asked with his eyebrows raised
theatrically.
    Tristan sent them all Bethia’s last thought; you fly better than father does. Followed by the image she’d
shared with him. Everyone burst out laughing, including Bethia and
Otis.
     
    ~
     
    Shortly after sunrise Tristan, Euri, Lesa and
Drake materialized inside Tristan’s apartment in the Guisian
capital. Maggie gasped as she came out of the bathroom, a towel
around her hair and another around her body. She bolted back into
the small room and closed the door with a huff. The Prince chuckled
as his sister and Lesa left the room. Drake put his hand on
Tristan’s shoulder and turned the young man to face him.
    “There are some hard times coming my boy.” He
said seriously. “We all have faith in you though, and if the Fates
are kind we’ll see each other on the other side of these times
happy and at peace.” With a final squeeze he turned and walked out
through the archway into the courtyard where he vanished in a blink
of light.
     
    “Are they gone yet?” Maggie called in
annoyance from behind the door.
    Tristan laughed as he replied; “Yes, they’re
gone.”
    Maggie marched forward, wound up and punched
him with surprising strength in his shoulder. “Ow.” Tristan
complained, rubbing the spot she’d hit.
    “That was for leaving without telling me!”
She accused, pointing her finger at his chest. Then she grabbed the
back of his head, pulled him close and kissed him passionately.
“And that’s for coming back.” She purred.
    Tristan laughed as he returned her affection.
A knock at the door interrupted their privacy forcing the Prince to
sigh theatrically as he untangled himself from Maggie’s embrace to
answer the door.
    “Breakfast begins in ten minutes my Lord.”
The servant reported as Tristan poked his head out into the hall.
The Prince nodded his understanding and the servant made a quick
bow before rushing off to the next doorway.
    Maggie hurriedly got herself dressed and
dried out her hair as best she could as Tristan explained where he
had disappeared to in the middle of the night. The Prince hated the
worried look that often crossed her