Conri by Kerryn Bryant Read Free Book Online

brief
moment before receding to normal teeth.
    “We will discuss this later.”
    “ Mi ’
Lord?”
    Conri spun, “Yes Lilly?”
    “Your daughter is requesting an audience.”
    “Daughter!” Sarai didn’t mean
to shout. Why hadn’t she known he had a daughter?
    Conri looked at her. “Daughter is to strong a word.
She is the daughter of a once dear friend. Just before he was killed in battle
against the Reprobates he asked me to watch over his mate and cub. I have taken
them both into the fortress as family. But they are not my true family. The
female has since taken another mate. But when Hanna, the cub, needs something
big- the female always comes to me instead of her father. If
you will excuse me.”
    Conri walked away and Lily stepped next to Sarai.
“Does he not have a mate of his own?” Sarai did not know why she asked the
question. Hopefully curiosity doesn’t kill the cat.
    “He did once.” Sarai looked at Lilly, her eyebrows
raised. “She died in the birthing chamber with their cub.” Lilly clapped her
hands together once and the sudden sound made Sarai jump. “I heard you are
interested in learning to spar?”
    Sarai’s head spun with the subject change, “Um, yea-
yes. Yes I would like to learn to fight.”
    Lilly’s smile was wicked. “The king will not like
this, so you must keep it quiet. But I can teach you. I was on the track to be
a warrior until…” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I was one of the best and
brightest at the time. I have retained a lot. I can teach you my technique and
it will serve you well.”
    “Really? You would really do
that for me?”
    “Of course. I already feel as
if we are sisters or at least destined to be sisters. But I will warn you, even if I go easy on you… it will be grueling.”
    “I would expect no less.”
    “Twice a week the King goes on the hunt with the
group. We will work on those days. But for this week, since Leigha is fresh out
of training he will accompany the group the entire week to ensure her safety. He
will supervise to make sure she can make kills without being harmed. So this
week, my new friend, we will work every day.” Lilly smiled wide and clapped her
hands again.
    “May I ask a question that is really inappropriate?”
    Lilly gave her a sly look, “You may ask all you want.
Whether I choose to answer….”
    “Fair enough. Um, how old are
you?”
    Lilly barks a laugh. “That’s not inappropriate. I’m
thirty.”
    “Thirty!”
    Lilly’s smile widened. “I look so much younger don’t
I?” Sarai could only nod. “Good genetics I suppose.” Or bad genetics , Sarai thought to herself. She still hadn’t decided
how she was going to breach that subject. But Lilly looked like she was sixteen-tops.
To find out she was older than herself, floored Sarai. She smiled at her
friend.
    “When do we start?”
    *
    The next two weeks were a blur. Training for two hours
with Lilly, breakfast and dinner with the King, reading in the library- she had
called her job to let them know she was taking   some personal time because she was stranded up
north- and then evenings spent with Stella and her new boyfriend Flynn, Core
and Kellen. She also called the local newspaper and put an ad in the paper for
sublet on her apartment. She knew it was a good location but was still
surprised that someone had responded within days. She wasn’t sure how long she
would be up here, but if mother nature was to be believed it could be all
winter.
    “Straight! Read ‘ em and weap !”
    “Got me beat.” Flynn said.
    “I knew I should have folded,” Core groaned.
    “Two pair, Ace high- but that just means I’m still
beat.” Sarai conceded gracefully.
    “Winner winner, come to papa…”
    “Not so fast hot shot,” Stella laid her hand down one
at a time. “This looks like not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR of a
kind- BOOM!” Stella tossed her other cards down and reached for the pile, “Come
to mama.”
    Kellen groaned and banged