Courting Kel by Dee Brice Read Free Book Online

flirtatious
smile and wink changed her mind. Instead, before either man could defend
himself, she jabbed her elbows into their hard-fleshed abs.
    “What is it, Kira?” Aren asked.
    “Storr wants to see you and Tage in his chambers. The
female, too.”
    Aren caught Kel’s fist before she coldcocked the page—child
or not. Baring her teeth, she felt mollified when the girl backed away.
    “Come along, Flame. Storr rages when he is kept waiting.”
    Your king knows nothing about rages. I was raised by the
queen of rages , Kel thought. But she let Aren lead her away.
    And heard the whispers that followed them. “Lucky girl.”
“Aren and Tage together?” “She’ll not walk for a week or more.” “I’ve heard
stories of their stamina.” “Lucky girl.”
    What did those women think? That because she left with both
men, they would both mate her? Is that what Aren and Tage expected? And what
about Storr? If he thought she would…he had another think due him.
    By the time they reached Storr’s quarters, Kel was about to
explode. Getting her first full look at the king, she stumbled to a halt. All
the people she’d seen on Ondrican were fair—almost white-blond. Looking at Aren
and Storr, she knew how Aren was so certain he knew his father.
    “Remove your cloak,” the dark-haired, black-eyed man
demanded, his voice less bellicose than it had been in the throne room. In
truth, he sounded almost cordial. Except for the parentheses around his mouth
and streaks of gray at his temples, he was Aren’s twin. Even at his age, his
shoulders mirrored his son’s, his height and physique magnificent. But she
disliked his attitude. She met his glare with her own.
    “Deal with the woman.” He addressed the order to Aren.
    “I believe my wife is waiting for your greeting,
Majesty. And please would help your cause as well.”
    A battle of glares ensued. At length, Storr shrugged and
gestured Kel forward. “Welcome to Ondrican. Please remove your cloak. Sit,
share a glass of winale with us.” Startling her, he took her cloak himself then
swore, long and louder by the second.
    “Tage, take this woman back to where you found her,” Storr
demanded, fury in his voice.
    “I can’t, Majesty. I don’t know where she came aboard The
Herald . Moreover, only her husband can banish her.”
    “Which I refuse to do,” Aren said, circling Kel’s shoulders.
    “You intend to keep this…” Storr waved his hands, obviously
unable to find a word to express his displeasure with her.
    “Yes, Majesty.”
    “Guard yourself well, son. If she doesn’t kill you, she’ll relieve
you of your personal wealth .” Repeating Tage’s earlier words, Storr
sneered at him as well.
    Kel laughed. All three men stared at her as if she’d lost
her mind. “The elders still tell tales of you, Storr. Not by name, of course,
and never within my mother’s hearing. But the elders smile and sigh and seem to
miss you.”
    “Your mother, the one female on your gods-blasted homeworld
who neither smiles nor sighs.”
    “And misses you not at all.” She shot him a so there! grin. Knowing a few tales he might not wish his son and nephew to hear gave her
the courage to stand up to him. At least for now.
    “Why?” Tage asked.
    “It’s unimportant,” Storr roared.
    “A small matter of rape,” Kel said then sighed. “Attempted
rape. He—your father, Aren—was stopped before he could rape my mother. Who was
only sixteen at the time.”
    “Woman enough to tease a man to frenzy,” Storr muttered.
“And she had her revenge, trying to geld me.”
    Kel chuckled. “How many women saved you, Storr?”
    “I’ve forgotten.” When Kel laughed, he said, “Four or five.
They appreciated my cock and balls.”
    As if suddenly realizing the importance of his father’s
actions, Aren said, “You and my wife’s mother never fucked?”
    “Tak the gods, never! You think you might have fucked your
half-sister. I almost wish you had. Incest would