Free Rapture by Katalyn Sage Page A

was waiting for the right
kind of grub. There were countless other tents ahead of them, still much to
see. Besides, she was still full from her dinner at the winner’s banquet. It
had reminded her of the banquets her father enjoyed, though it was nowhere near
as plentiful. She had spent the entire time avoiding Ferox’s gaze, talking
herself out of responding the way her body wanted.
    Damn her, she’d promised herself she
wouldn’t think of him.
    Caleen swallowed down the last bite,
somehow having eaten the entire fish and vegetable in the amount of time that
it took Raine to glance over three more booths. “I guess I should get back to
ours. You sure you don’t want to help?”
    “Positive. I want to see what everyone
has while I can.” Caleen had yet to fight her battle, but Raine was most
assuredly in for the second round. She wanted a chance to see everything before
the second round began, especially since no one knew what the two other rounds
held in store.
    “Alright,” she replied, giving a
slightly pouty face. “You know where I will be.” She sauntered off, looking
over her shoulder and waving before she disappeared into the crowd.
    Raine turned toward the next tent
and peered at the contents on the table. They appeared to be no more than knick-knacks
so she hustled on to the next. Only, before she got to see what they offered,
her gaze settled on an attractive male as he turned away from the tent.
    He spotted her in that instant and
inclined his head. “Good evening, Raine.”
    “Ferox,” she replied, still
surprised—not excited—to see him. There went her plan not to see him.... And,
look there was another. His identical twin turned then as well and stood by his
side. “And Ferox’s brother.” Dear Odin, could they look more alike? They
appeared exactly the same, even wearing their hair the same way, by tying it at
the nape with a cord.
    “Damion,” his twin supplied, bowing
low.
    Another male stepped up, and Ferox
gestured toward the newcomer. “I’d also like you to meet my cousin, Raider.”
    She inclined her head. “Hello.”
    “It is nice to meet you, my lady.”
He bowed low just like the others had done earlier, and Raine couldn’t help but
notice the male’s friendly, calm demeanor.
    “Damion?” a female called. Raine
faced in the direction the voice had come from as a female rushed toward them,
dodging through the crowd. When she reached them, she spoke in a language Raine
couldn’t understand, and Damion’s expression told her he wasn’t pleased with
what she’d said.
    He responded to the woman in kind,
only his voice was gruff. Then he faced her and the others. “I had hoped to
spend more time getting to know you. Unfortunately, I am needed elsewhere so I
must take my leave. Will you join me, brother?”
    “No,” Ferox replied. “I think I shall
accompany Raine through the market.”
    Damion seemed none too pleased with
that answer, but he stepped forward anyway, taking Raine’s hand into his.
“Until we meet again.” He turned on his heels and huffed off, following the
tiny woman through the throng of demons. Twice, he turned and looked at her
over his shoulder.
    “What was that about?” she asked.
    Ferox returned his gaze to her after
Damion disappeared. “My father summoned him. Would you like to join me in
seeing the booths?”
    “I’m sure nothing would be amiss if
we just happened to view them at the same time,” she teased. “Raider, are you
joining us?”
    He flicked his gaze to Ferox before
returning it to her. “Yes, thank you.”
    Together, the three of them
meandered down the rows of tents, inspecting items, trinkets, weapons, and food
the different factions offered for sale.
    “This one is ours,” Ferox said when
they reached a bright red tent. “
Bethany
,”
he greeted the female inside.
    Raine nodded at the female in
greeting before peering at the items on the table. There were some weapons and
a few other things, but her eyes settled on