Of Gods & Valkyries: Book Three

Favour For My Lady

– K Á R A –

We were seated before a great long table with too much food and extravagance. I didn't fail to notice the extra set of staff on hand at Tayah's flanks or the shining guards that were totally unnecessary posted at each corner of the room.

I snorted when a steaming silver platter was lifted before me.

Tayah looked up at the empty chairs opposite us and then at the mortal that was trying far too hard in every respect.

"I'm sure John and Kaden will join us soon. Their stomachs always guide them." Tayah murmured, pulling up a goblet and toasting it.

Lara Mundanesbrooke mirrored the move with a smile. I leant back on the legs of my chair so that I could assess the chandeliers above. Tayah suddenly elbowed me in the ribs and I came back down to four legs with a grin on the mortal instead of her.

"Apologies Lady, I can see you went to great effort for us all." I drawled, knowing it was in particular for my immortal. If the foolish woman knew the first thing about her–it was that Ashrive could never be bought with extravagance.

The doors slammed open at the other side of the room and startled the guards.

Two morons stood in the doorway clad head to toe in gleaming guard plate armour.

"FOOD!"

"Fetch me mutton wench!" John chorused, with a slap over Kaden's head.

Tayah palmed her face while the Lady of the table look mildly amused and lowered a hand to her guards that had drawn swords on the intrusion.

"It seems our guests have... dressed for the occasion." She concluded, sipping her wine.

"Don't call them that. It only makes them sound less like horses asses." Tayah muttered under her hand.

Kaden clanked into his chair opposite me while John piled into his own and admired the plates piled high with meats and breads.

"Do I even want to know where you–"

"Nope." John deadpanned, spearing a lamb shank.

"Who pissed in your goblet this span, Valk–assassin." Kaden corrected before I could take his tongue out. I watched the buffoon back wordlessly and drunk my wine in answer.

He nodded to himself like I had opened the option for discussion.

"I too had to fight the competition off. It's easier when you're my size... but then again I never had to compete with a Lady." He chuckled, spearing a ludicrous amount of meat onto his plate. He continued to drone on about his love life and got some input from the other moron but my attention was entirely on the mortal that took the opportunity of her own.

"You must tell me what became of you after Ravensbrooke, Tayah. All the town could speak of was your theft from the King's own treasury." Lara murmured leaning forward. She bridged her hands and placed her jaw on them.

Tayah drunk more deeply before answering.

"Vayleron of course." She downplayed her response, "We have history there too..."

"As the Three Lions of course I know the tales." She rolled her eyes, "I want to know what brought you back. What changed you... In ways I cannot completely decide yet." She murmured, scanning the silver in her eyes as plain as day.

That got my attention. My eyes were faster on the mortal and her erratic heart and my fist was tight. But truly she was nothing. A page turn in history and a boring one at that. Yet that curiosity and look in her eyes–