Only Ozhobar’s closest colleagues were allowed to use the short form of his name, and inwardly he bridled at her casual use of it. But, almost in the same moment, he realized that he liked the sound of it from her lips. Reddening, he muttered something banal. She smiled then, thanked him and Brek for his time and, with Forin, walked from the room.
Brek was grinning. ‘Don’t say a word!’ Ozhobar warned him.
‘Perish the thought,’ answered Brek.
Outside the snow had turned to sleet, the temperature just below freezing. ‘Only a matter of weeks now,’ said Karis.
‘Ay,’ agreed Forin. ‘You look tired, Karis. You need some sleep.’
She chuckled. ‘You were right. You did look like a giant beetle.’ Then there was silence. Karis was loath to walk away from the green-eyed giant, and he too seemed ill at ease. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ she said at last.
‘It is already tomorrow,’ he pointed out. She shrugged and walked away. He called her name, his voice soft and low. Karis paused, then walked on. Damn the man, she thought. Why does he fill my mind?
As she strode on, a large black hound padded out from an alleyway and began walking alongside her. She stopped and glanced down. ‘Where do you think you are going?’ she asked. The hound cocked its huge head and looked at her. Squatting down, she stroked the squat muzzle, then patted its back; she felt the bones of its ribs under her hand. A figure shuffled out of the darkness and Karis rose, one hand on her dagger.
‘You won’t need that,’ said the elderly man. ‘I’m harmless enough.’ His back was arthritic and bent and he was struggling to carry a bundle of firewood.
‘It is late to be out,’ she said.
‘The house was too damned cold, so I took the opportunity of ripping a few sticks from a rich man’s fence.’ He gave a gap-toothed grin, then looked down at the dog. ‘He’s called Stealer,’ he said.
‘Your dog?’
‘No-one’s dog. He lives by his wits – and by catching rats. Good judge of character, is Stealer. He has a nose for a soft heart.’
‘His nose has betrayed him this time,’ she said.
The old man was unconvinced. ‘I don’t think so. Anyway, the chill is getting to me, so I’ll say good night
to you.’ He shuffled away into the moon shadows and Karis walked on, the dog padding alongside her.
At the gates of the palace she waved at the guards and made her way to her rooms. A servant had lit a fire some hours before, and the coals were glowing with a dying red. Stealer loped across the room and stretched himself out on a rug before the hearth. A covered platter had been left on the table. Karis lifted the lid and saw a plate of salted beef, a round of red cheese and a loaf. Suddenly hungry, she sat down. Stealer was immediately beside her, staring up at her with his large brown eyes. ‘You are a beggar, sir,’ she said. His head tilted. She fed him the meat, then tucked into the bread and cheese. Stealer watched until the last morsel was gone, then padded back to the fire. Karis added the last of the coal, then wandered into the bedroom.
Blowing out the lanterns, she took off her clothes and slipped under the blankets. Almost immediately a terrifying growl sounded from the main room. Throwing back the covers, she ran out to find Vint standing against the wall, knife in hand, the huge hound before him with teeth bared.
‘Come here!’ she called.
‘Me or the beast?’ enquired Vint. Karis chuckled. Stealer did not move. Karis strolled across to him and knelt down, stroking his muzzle.
‘This man is, loosely, what one might call my friend. Therefore it would be best if you did not rip his throat out.’ She patted the broad head, then stood and took Vint’s hand, leading him into the bedroom. ‘You are just what I need,’ she told him.
Moments later they were both naked. As they were caressing Karis noted a swift change in Vint, a sudden softness. ‘What is wrong?’ she whispered.