Page 38 of Ancient Rising
She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.“I forgot my shoes.”
Ra chortled and murmured, “In that case, Harwin, head up and get the shoes and then come down.”
“The shoes are here.I have gotten better at pulling things around corners.”She wrinkled her nose as she caught the sandals in her free hand.“I just can’t bend over.”
He took the shoes and knelt, and Den gasped.“Left foot, precious.”
She slipped her foot forward and let him fasten her sandal.The same routine with her right and he rose to his feet.“Down you go.”
She thudded to the stone, and he leaned in and kissed her cheek.“Now, let’s show our guest where he can rest.”
They walked to the guest area near that of the ladies, and the bots had two rooms open.
Lord Den said, “Vanek will not be staying.It is uncomfortable for him to remain in warm climates for long.”
Harwin asked, “You are staying here without a shuttle?”
“Overlord Ra will provide me with emergency transport if needed, but I am here to stay if the primal he mentioned is interested.”
“Addy.Ariadne,” Harwin muttered.
“If the Lady Ariadne is interested, I will know one way or another when we actually meet.”
“How will you know?”
He smiled and pushed his hood back, exposing his black hair and gold feline eyes.His nose twitched slightly.“I will know.She will know.”
He was striking by human standards.Blocky, rugged features in a lovely shade of blue.Black hair waved from his forehead, and pointed ears poked out of the locks.She saw echoes of Ra’s features.
She looked to Ra.“They used a similar template for features?”
He laughed.“You can see that?Yes.Kethen is the only true rough one.Species responded well to my features and wings, so they were kept for the other Hmrain with one experiment.A sister was made without them, but it is easier to manage a crowd if you can fly above them.Lord Den is three generations past his Hmrain grandparent.”
“So, if we have kids and grandkids, you are going to be stamped on them.”
He shrugged.“It is what we were designed for.We were put here to guide and guard these worlds.Putting guardians in the population was part of that.”
“But you didn’t do that initially.”
“I did.I just did it to worlds that were in small star systems with singular worlds.”
“I meant you didn’t have kids.”
“Your species is small, and the details of mating were terrifying.I made do for sustenance with group contributions and blood.”
Harwin blinked and smacked a hand over her eyes.“Public orgies?”
He pulled her over to him.“If that is what you call it.I prefer your private attentions.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
He leaned in to kiss her.“Your makeup worked well.”
“It’s your makeup.Don’t think I didn’t notice your mark between my breasts on my back and shoulders.”
He laughed.“I wanted to make sure our guests didn’t do anything that would get them killed.”
Lord Den said softly, “No one would make that mistake.”