Free The Stubborn Lord by Michelle M. Pillow Page B

first. Strong emotions boiled beneath his surface, held back by the hard shell of his exterior. She tried to stand her ground, but he won. This was a strange land and she was at his mercy for the time being. Even in her irritation, she was rational enough to realize that much. She kept her distance as she moved past him to go to the large beast. The giant animal didn’t seem so fearsome now compared to Alex’s liquid-gold expression.
    She felt more than saw Alek behind her. He touched her waist and she tensed.
    “I did not mean to speak so harshly. He is my brother, Kendall,” Alek said softly. “He would not disappear on his new bride. Something must have happened to him. I must find him.”
    Kendall nodded, sensing more than seeing his concern. Her anger faded as fast as it had risen. Sibling worry was something she understood all too well. Her own worry for her sister filled her. She allowed Alek to help her onto the animal. He took his place in front of her, forcing her to hold on to his waist. Soon the ceffyls were running at a hard, fast pace. They traveled in relative silence. Only once did Aeron speak, venturing to ask Kendall if she’d seen Riona Grey, Aeron’s sister. Apparently, the woman had left without saying goodbye to Aeron. Kendall knew enough about Riona to not be surprised. Riona was a known gambler and had made no attempt to hide her profession. Kendall couldn’t respect the woman, not after what her own gambling father had done to her. Some said gaming was a disease. Kendall didn’t care what those some called it. Gambling had ruined her life. It had been all she could do growing up to keep the fueling station in one piece, and her father away from the gaming chips. Even with her diligence, she’d clearly failed to watch him at all hours of the day. She told Aeron everything she knew about Riona’s whereabouts, which was absolutely nothing.
    The path suddenly ended in a steep incline. Alek leaned forward. Kendall held on tightly as the animal began to climb. It quickly zigzagged up the small cliff. The ground leveled but she didn’t loosen her hold until Alek tapped her gripping fingers. Aeron’s animal followed closely behind them.
    A long building stood back from the edge of the cliff nestled into dense underbrush with a dirt path leading around the side. Unlike the forest by the ceremonial grounds, the trees here were skinny with thick, willowy tops. Behind her, the view stretched for miles. It only proved how out of her element she was. This world was nothing but open spaces and wilderness dotted with tiny signs of civilization.
    The building was constructed from blocks of precisely cut grey stone and topped with a flat roof. A single plank of wood made the oversized door, the grain spiraling from the middle. Most likely, the wood came from the forest near the palace. There didn’t seem to be any trees that thick in the mountains.
    Alek swung off the mount and held his hand to Kendall to help her down. The ceffyl stretched out on the ground, resting lazily as he licked at the thin slivers of grey-blue grass. The beast twirled his tongue around the stalks before pulling the blades into his mouth. A low hissing noise sounded as he chewed.
    Kendall turned to follow the others but kept her eyes on the beast. Her inattention caused her to trip on a bag Aeron had dropped on the ground. Alek automatically grabbed her arm, steadying her. She shivered a little at his touch, but he didn’t seem to notice as he looked over the clearing.
    “I’ll see if he returned while I was gone.” Aeron said from the cabin door.
    Alek lifted his head and inhaled deeply. He let go of Kendall’s arm. “No. He’s not here.” His eyes shifted to gold. “I detect his scent in the forest, but it is faint, hours old.”
    “You can tell that just by smelling?” Kendall asked, surprised.
    Alek nodded absently. He gazed down the path they’d traveled, focusing intently. “Go inside. Stay here together. Do not