folded over, and Paole could see no food or drink stains on the cover. Normally, this would please him, but his irritation overrode everything. “I didn’t damage it.”
“I told you to mind your tongue.”
Gaelin’s mouth snapped shut. Paole instantly regretted his temper, but he couldn’t apologise to the
boy because that would show weakness. Instead he put the supplies and book away, and tried to calm
down. He was a wreck after a few hours owning this boy. Such a dreadful mistake he’d made.
He fetched a fresh bread roll from his new purchases, thinking to offer that instead of an apology. He
found Gaelin talking to Peni and scratching her jaw. “Leave her alone.”
“I was just—”
“I said, leave her alone!”
Gaelin stepped back at his bellow, and Peni whinnied in distress. Paole closed his eyes and took a
deep breath. He opened his eyes, and held out the bread. “Here. That’ll tide you over until I make supper.”
The boy took the bread and mumbled a wary “thank you”. He made sure to keep well away from Peni
and from Paole both.
Paole walked off. This wouldn’t work. After he finished in town, he’d return to Kivnic and leave
Gaelin there. The slavers would be gone, and the boy would have to fend for himself. He was smart
enough, and there were the mysterious friends he couldn’t bring himself to tell Paole about. They could
help him.
The decision made, he felt calmer. Better to put this stupidity behind him and find another way to
make it through the winters. At least this way he’d only be hurting himself.
Gaelin was back under the tree when he returned, the roll already eaten. Time to make the fire and put
on the beans he’d had soaking. The boy said nothing until Paole had the fire laid and the beans and dried
meat cooking.
“You could leave me that kind of thing to do.”
“No thanks.”
The boy sighed. “My friend has that book. She had one she said was better though, from Uemire.
Hosta’s On Medicinals. Do you know it?” He’d switched to Uemi to ask the question.
Paole answered in Tetu. “One, I don’t read Uemi because I was a child when I was abducted, and two,
stop trying to be nice.”
The boy straightened up, haughty indignation on his pretty features. “I’m not trying. I’m not the one in a bad mood all the time. I enjoyed the book. Sofia used to dose her family, and us. She sometimes read
to us from that book. I didn’t know what it all meant but it sounded interesting. Is that what you do? Make medicine?”
Paole knew better than to answer, but he did anyway. “Yes. I’m a healer, though not certificated. I
have the Healing Sight.”
“Oh, like Raina.” The enthusiasm sounded real. “I was travelling to Grekil with her clan. I thought it
was a rare gift, though.”
“It is.”
Who was this boy? So friendly with Uemiriens, yet possibly in league with slavers. Open about his
friends, but not about his family or his destination. “Why won’t you tell me the truth?” he murmured to
himself.
“Because the people who are after me will kill me, you and those who helped me, like my friends.”
Paole narrowed his eyes at the boy. “After you? Have you committed a crime?”
“Only to be born.” He said it with such bitterness, Paole could not believe it was fake. “I’m heir to property someone else wants. If they kill me, nothing stands in their way.”
“But then you could go to the law. The sheriffs or whatever you have in Sardelsa.”
“Not that simple. I really wish I could tell you, but Karvis is…well, the person after me has ties here.”
That made no sense. How much power could one person have? “Now you’re making it up again.”
“No, I’m not. But this is why it’s pointless to talk to you. I have trouble believing it sometimes. I’m
not surprised you do.”
Paole’s determination to rid himself of this boy wavered again. What if he was telling the truth? “If I
set you free, where would you go?”
“To Horches. My friend has relatives there. I’d be safe.”
“I only want the truth, Gaelin. All of it.”
“I know. If I gave you my word to work for you for three years, would you let me go after that?”
Why three years? “Not exactly a bargain for me.”
“I’m sorry, but if I don’t return home then, my sisters will be left to suffer.”
Paole shook his head. “I gave you the deal. It’s more than most masters would offer.”
The boy grimaced. “You’re not being fair.”
“Fairer than anyone treated me at your age. Move back and keep quiet. I have things to do.”
The only way to break free is to let go.
Lynx
© 2010 Joely Skye
In order to protect his shifter kin, FBI agent Trey Walters hides his ability from his employers. For
him, a vacation means a whole midwinter month in the Canadian wilderness, free to live in his wolf skin.
When he happens upon a rare lynx shifter, he’s fascinated. And his protective instincts kick into
overdrive. The young man needs to be shielded from werewolves and humans alike, whether he likes it or
not.
Jonah can hardly wrap his head around the fact that other shifters exist, much less endure the presence
of a stranger in his lonely sanctuary. Blaming himself for his brother’s death, he lives in self-imposed
isolation. Trust? Forget it. Yet Trey’s patience penetrates Jonah’s fear, and it doesn’t take long for him to fall like a rock for the wolf.
Trey hadn’t planned to embark on an intense, passionate affair, but he finds himself vowing to return
after his next undercover mission is over. As months stretch into years, however, Jonah fears that Trey has broken faith with him—or is dead. There’s only one way to find out. Leave the safety of his lair and
venture into a dangerous, deadly world…
Warning: violence, explicit sex.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Lynx:
Jonah had spent a hellish night lying awake, too wound up to sleep and worried that if he did, he’d
have a wet dream with Trey in the same room. Gawd, he and his body’s urges were making himself sick.
“You’re looking a little peaked,” Trey observed.
“I’m fine.” He could barely force his breakfast down, and he was going to have to get out of here,
away from Trey again. Jonah had never seen such a dubious expression on Trey’s face. He tried harder to
pass off his bizarre behavior. “I’m tired, that’s all. Didn’t sleep all that well.”
“Any reason why not?”
“No.” He hunched at the tone of that no, which sounded surly, like he was twelve years old. But God, he wasn’t prepared to explain why. He had no ability to handle this gracefully.
“I think we need to have a talk.”
Jonah’s head shot up, and he stared at Trey, heart beginning to pound hard, worried that somehow
Trey could read his mind.
“Because,” Trey continued, “I’ll be gone in a week, and you’ll still be here. On your own.”
Jonah had been studiously ignoring anything to do with the fact Trey might be departing. He didn’t
see what he could do about it and he didn’t want to think about it. But he said, “Okay.” It came out hoarser
than he would have liked.
“So, I thought we should talk about strategies that could make you a little more comfortable with your