Free Aliandra: nymph: Book 1 The Nymph chronicles by Jacqueline Marshall

you stay busy I will be back before you know it. How are you going to deal with it when I have to go to college for years? I don't want you wandering around as miserable as a whipped dog all the time we are apart" said Ali.
     
    "I will deal with it. I do have plenty of business to catch up on that I have been putting off since you came. I will just make sure to see you as often as I can at the campus. It is just that our relationship is so new it hurts to be apart right now. I will miss you, I can't help that. It is what it is" said Donny cryptically. "I will ride with you through the mountain pass in case there are some multipeds still hanging around. I have packed your bow and arrows too."
     
    "Time to mount up" said Ali.
     
    They rode quietly through the forest leading to the pass. Donny trailed Ali's spare steed behind him. Ali reined in her steed. "I want to collect some glow worms in case we need to distract multipeds. There seems to be a population explosion of these little dudes" exclaimed Ali as she dismounted and began shoveling handfuls of glow worms into a sack until it was full. "Done!" and she hung the sack from her pommel before she remounted.
     
    In the middle of the mountain pass Donny pointed out a few multipeds that lay in wait. Ali threw handfuls of glow worms in their direction and as they ate they keeled over and within minutes lay unmoving. At the end of the pass Donny passed the reins of the steed to Ali then circled around to the other side. He leaned in and kissed her firmly and passionately until they were both breathing heavily. "That should keep you warm for the desert ride" he smiled lovingly into her eyes. His hand brushed her nape as he held her gaze and said fiercely "Hurry back to me." Ali was still a little dazed by the kiss as he kicked his steed into a gallop towards the forest.
     
    The return journey back across the desert to Eureka was riddled with potholes and gullies. Ali rode hard, eating on the way without stopping. She changed steeds at intervals so she could continue to ride at a fast clip. At noon she stopped to water the steeds and continued on. By the time she pulled up outside her mortal home she and the steeds were exhausted. The door opened and faces peered out the windows.
     
    "Ali!" shouted her ma. "Ali is home! We expected you later, you made good time. You look so grown up, my darling girl" Ali fell into her mother's waiting arms. Her pa came out and lifted her off the ground in a big bear hug. Chet and Lacy waited their turn to hug their sister.
     
    "I had two good steeds to ride. I got here as quick as I could. We need to telegraph the main lodge and let them know I arrived safely" said Ali.
     
    "I'll put your steeds in the stable. Chet saddle up one of the new steeds and ride into town and send the telegraph" instructed pa.
     
    "On my way, I'll be right back Ali. Save the good stories until I can listen in" insisted Chet.
     
    "Ma and I have made tea. Come in and sit" said Lacy.
     
    "I'm covered in dust and sweat, maybe I should wash off in the barn" said Ali.
     
    "Not a chance. You come inside and Lacy will draw you a bath. How long can you stay?" asked ma.
     
    "Grandma said I can be gone five days at the most and that includes travel time. We have to attend a college interview soon" answered Ali.
     
    "Your pa has taken some time off work to spend with you while you are here" said ma.
     
    "How was the keening?" asked Lacy.
     
    "Much more painful than I imagined. I transformed during the hardest part. I don't really want to talk about it and worry y'all. It is a fact of life for me that I will go through more keenings and I just have to deal with it" said Ali matter-of-factly.
     
    "Have you made friends in the tribe?" asked ma.
     
    "Yes, I have been made a member of their tribe. They have been really nice to me. There are some guys I hang with and they call me their little sister. I also have a boyfriend too. His name is Donny. He works as door security