Free The Journal Keeper (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Leerene Evans Page A

which runs west from the southernmost tip of the Emddyn Bay,” Dorin answered.
    “Okay, that means nothing to me,” Rianne sighed.
    “I’ll show you the map when we return to the castle,” Dorin promised with a chuckle.
    “Promise?” Rianne asked, mock glaring at him.
    “Promise.” Dorin nodded, holding a hand over his heart.
    Rianne found herself smiling, enjoying the easiness of just being with him. As they continued on their journey, she realized just how much she liked it and began to worry that she might just be falling for him.
    She quickly shook that thought off, telling herself it was impossible to fall in love with someone after only two days. Besides, she still fully intended on returning home as soon as she found a way.
     
    * * * *
     
    The sound of swords clashing rang throughout the lists as the warriors went through their afternoon training. Dorin easily spotted Nikolas in the middle of the mayhem, standing nearly a foot taller than the wolves around him.
    Rianne stood beside him, her arm threaded through his as they made their way along the outer edge of the yard. A bench stood against the wall about halfway down, and that’s where he led her to, settling down beside her as they watched the fight going on.
    “Do they do this often?” Rianne asked, wincing at the sound of metal hitting metal.
    “Every day, though not always with swords,” Dorin admitted, taking her hand in his.
    Rianne gasped as Nikolas received a blow to his shoulder, but the giant bear just roared before going after the offender that much harder. In a matter of minutes, the wolf was pleading for the polar to stop. Dorin didn’t recognize the man, but Nikolas looked furious as he forced the smaller wolf to his knees before calling the match.
    Looking over at Rianne, Dorin noticed the way she held her bottom lip between her teeth as the watched the fight. He wondered if the aggression bothered her, whether or not she would be able to accept that side of Nikolas.
    “Is he all right?” Rianne asked, her nails digging into his arm.
    “The wolf? He’s fine. Nikolas didn’t even strike him,” Dorin assured her, patting her hand gently.
    “Not him. Nikolas. He’s bleeding,” Rianne pointed out, sounding almost frantic.
    Dorin looked back to the field and, sure enough, Nikolas had a nasty gash along the side of his head. While the swords they used for practice were dulled, they could do some damage if enough force was put behind it. He frowned at the wolf who had done the damage, making a mental note to have him removed from the guard until he could better wield his weapon.
    His attention went back to Nikolas when Rianne gave a sharp cry. The polar was staggering on his feet, his hand clutching the wound on his head. In an instant, Dorin was hurrying across the field to his friend, Rianne right beside him. They reached Nikolas just as the polar was about to fall over.
    “Easy there, brother,” Dorin grunted, hefting Nikolas back up.
    “It’s just a scratch,” Nikolas grumbled, attempting to shake his head.
    “It is not. You’re bleeding everywhere. Tell me you have a doctor or someone who can help him,” Rianne demanded from Nikolas’s other side.
    “We have a Healer. He’ll be fine, danalya . He has a thick skull,” Dorin reassured her.
    “Listen to him, capora . He would know,” Nikolas teased, wincing when Dorin jerked him slightly.
    “Dorin!” Rianne scolded, her hand leading Nikolas’s other arm around her shoulders to help carry his weight.
    “He’s fine, danalya . The Healer will have him fixed up in no time, and he’ll be back in the fields scaring his warriors.” Dorin grinned as they lowered Nikolas onto the bench they had been occupying a moment before.
    Rianne fluttered around the polar, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide as she pressed a cloth to the cut. The white linen was almost instantly soaked through, and Rianne turned tearful eyes to him.
    “Help him,” Rianne pleaded.
    “ Danalya ,