Warrior Queen (Skeleton Key) by Shona Husk, Skeleton Key Read Free Book Online Page B

patted him dry and his face burned like a sunset. It was quite amusing.
    He flicked her a glance, his eyes full of questions, but this was not the place to answer them. They would need to be alone for that, and she was so rarely alone. She let her gaze drift down his chest and lower. Perhaps she could find a reason for them to be alone.
    Her body gave a twinge of longing. It had been a while since she’d done anything for fun. Bryce let his hands fall to his side. There was nothing strange about what was between his legs.
    His country of Australia had sent him as a potential consort. It was a lie that grew too easily. He hadn’t been sent by his country. His country was so far away only magic could reach it. There would be no political ties or beneficial trading. She shoved aside all thoughts of pleasure.
    She was Queen and had to think of her people first.
    She met his gaze. “Why do you keep your hair short, Ambassador Bryce?”
    He chin jerked at the title. “It was a requirement for the job. Most men keep their hair short. Some women.”
    The attendants held out a variety of skirts for her to choose from. She hadn’t been sure what to dress him in or what role to give him. Now she knew. “Not the green or blue.” They were both too plain. If he was an ambassador he should wear something befitting that station. “The orange.” It had a small sunburst pattern.
    The attendants wrapped him in the skirt.
    Her heart did a little jump like when she leaped before shifting.
    He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. Now there was a warrior waiting to be unleashed. But she refused to let the smile form.
    “Can I not wear pants?”
    “Yours are being washed and we have none. Besides, why would you want to wear such restrictive clothing?”
    He opened his mouth and shut it promptly. Instead he took a few steps as if testing the garment out. Each step revealed and hid the curve of his thigh. She didn’t want to look away so she let herself watch and enjoy. She could allow herself that small delight.
    Bryce stopped walking and faced her. “What about under garments?”
    Keleti lifted an eyebrow. The bath attendants stifled laughter.
    “They are for children who haven’t learned to control when to release their waste. I’m sure you don’t need them.” She smiled at him. Dressed as one of her people, he no longer looked so strange—his hair would grow and cover those ugly ears.
    He had that pinched look that she coming to recognize as uncertainty, but he was just going to have bite his lip instead of speaking.
    She wanted to know what his home was like if he found everything here so disconcerting. Would she be just as perturbed if she was there? She’d ask him later. Maybe this evening. She stood. “Come, Ambassador, there are things to do and preparations to be made.”

    B ryce followed Keleti around the palace. He was very aware he was wearing a skirt and no underwear. It felt wrong. There was too much of a breeze between his legs. Surely she’d been having him on about the underwear. He found himself trying to work out if other people were going commando.
    He could see no tell-tale panty lines on anyone, male or female. The whole thing was distracting. Why was no one else distracted? …Then he realized that to them this was normal, and there was nothing weird about free-balling in a calf length skirt. After listening to her talk with various messengers and watching the hawks be sent out, he had a much better understanding of how dire the situation was.
    Why did he have to arrive on the losing side?
    It may not be as bad as it seemed. Castles could withstand sieges, he knew that from history. He wasn’t sure if he was in a castle. He hadn’t seen much of the city at all. If he was in Keleti’s position, he wouldn’t be showing himself the city either. He’d be keeping himself on a short leash. Which was exactly what she was doing.
    As they walked, and he tried to ignore the guards not that far behind,