Free EscapingLightning by Viola Grace Page B

a visitor and I made the necessary arrangements.”
    “Do they know I am missing yet?”
    “The news has not yet reached the palace. I think King Iro will find it more amusing than alarming though. You have done a good job removing your scent, can you continue it?”
    “Yes. I have supplements with me, so it would be best if I could hide them somewhere safe.” She nodded, watching her hair darken in the mirror.
    “I will store them for you. You can get them from me every morning. We have servants quarters, but it is not a private area.”
    “I understand. I seem to recall a uniform?”
    “Yes, a bandeau and tights. We do not share the Lanar penchant for hiding one’s body. Will that be a problem?” Mistress Welks moved to rinse her hair.
    “No, it should be fine. I will get used to it, I am sure.” The dye rinsed out, leaving long waves of black and glossy hair behind. Four rinses later and the colour was set.
    “Your hair can either be braided or pinned up. It is your choice. Either is acceptable.” Stripping off her gloves, Mistress Welks stood. “There, you look just like a standard blend. Half of those here have mixed blood, so it will not be unusual to for your golden eyes to be seen in the palace. Welcome to a life of service, Onari.”
    Onari stood and hugged the woman briefly. “I am at your command, Mistress Welks.”
    “Then, Onari, come this way.”
    In the first ten days, the Lanar guards combed every guestroom of the Regav palace. The king was irritated, but he knew he had nothing to hide. Onari held her breath every time they came through, but since she was polishing and scrubbing as they passed, they took no notice of her.
    Onari surprised herself by enjoying the manual labour. Her genes made her stronger than the standard Regav female, so it wasn’t long before she was speeding the delivery of firewood and towels to the noble guestrooms.
    The snow fell early for a Regav fall, and when Onari was sent to the city on errands, she was asked to wear the stripped fur that would mark her as a palace servant. The freedoms that she was given as a manual servant were far greater than she had experienced as a princess. She found herself enjoying picking up the special cuts of meat that the king preferred as well as the out of season fruit that had to be delivered from the greenhouses in a carefully insulated parcel.
    She was flying one of the small skimmers on the way back from a farm with the best of their harvest when a beast burst from the woods. She skidded sideways and braked, but the animal was struck with the tail end of the skimmer.
    Hissing, she left the skimmer and checked the beast, noting the huge paws and striped body. When he opened clear silver eyes, she shook. Kneeling in the mud, she bowed her head. “King Iro. I beg your pardon.”
    He shifted back into his human form and rubbed his thigh. “I should not have bounded across the road. Where are you coming from?”
    She blinked rapidly as her eyes took in slabs of muscle and his thick manhood resting against his thigh.
    “Holcross farm. I am bringing their best of the harvest to the palace.” She gave him a brittle smile and helped the very tall, very naked man to his feet.
    “That explains it. This damned weather has thrown everything off.” He looped an arm around her shoulders and nodded to the skimmer.
    “You had best take me in as part of the harvest. I don’t think I can shift again with this leg.”
    She nodded and hesitated. “Can I…may I try something?”
    She bit her lip and glanced up into his eyes. Surprise was in them as well as a dose of amusement. “By all means. I am always up for an attractive young woman to try something.”
    She settled him on the small seat and rubbed her hands together. Concentrating, she engaged her talent and pressed her palms to his thigh. Energy flowed through her hands and into his body, a side effect of which was his growing erection. She ignored it and continued to work on his flesh