Conflict Read Online Free Page A

her, leaning against the wall. He straightened and walked to the wardrobe in the bedroom.
    She followed, and he pulled clothing out that was unrelieved black in colour, but definitely smaller than anything else in the wardrobe.
    He handed her a pair of boots, and she pulled them on. Curiosity ran through her. “How can these fit?”
    “You were measured while the Heshi did its work.”
    She stood, and he handed her a black leather dress that fell to her ankles. It had slits up the sides that met the top of her knee-high boots.
    “The lacings should improve the fit. May I?” he moved behind her and tugged at the leather ties, drawing the bodice of the dress tight across her breasts.
    The neckline was wide and showed off her chalky cleavage to advantage. When the laces up the back and sides had been properly tightened, she took a deep breath, confirming that she could still move in the gown.
    He held out a small shrug that would cover her from shoulder to wrist, and when she was dressed, he led her to a dressing table that she hadn’t remembered seeing the first time she was awake. He pressed her down onto the chair and lifted a brush. “I am definitely getting used to this hair of yours.”
    She sat while he expertly divided her locks and ran the brush through her tangles until her hair lay in a smooth blue-green curtain. She looked at herself in the mirror and winced at the contrast between his inky darkness and her paper-white skin.
    He placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled at her in the mirror. “I want nothing more than to throw you back onto that bed and slake my thirst in you, but for now, I believe you should be introduced to your new home.”
    She took the hand that he extended to her and let him tuck it around his arm. His skin was warm under her hand, and she took in the feel of velvet and muscle against her palm. “Why don’t you need to wear a jacket?”
    “Being Ikanni means that I am a little more robust than you are. Bael Hislar recommended that you be encouraged to wear more insulating clothing.”
    They walked out of the bedroom and into a living room that was well organized and snug. “I thought your house would be bigger.”
    “It suits my needs. I do not require more.”
    She looked around. “Where did the food come from?”
    “Gathika. She still considers you a patient.”
    He opened the door to the outside, and a blast of autumn air struck her in the face. “Oh, wow.”
    The village was made of stone and wood. The streets were paved, and all roads appeared to lead to a marketplace.
    “Where do you normally get your meals?”
    “There is a small kitchen off the back of the house. I cook when I need to.” He chuckled.
    “Interesting. Can I try my hand at cooking? I used to enjoy it.” They walked to the market, and with the crispness of autumn came the salty tang of the sea. She couldn’t see anything because of the compression of houses, but she could definitely smell it.
    The amount of fish in the market proved their proximity to a large body of water. The fish were peculiar looking, but they had a familiar body shape that she could deal with if necessary.
    “Can you really cook?”
    “Well, I will have to learn what these fruits and vegetables are, as well as the taste of the fish, but I should be able to manage.” She sniffed, touched and squeezed her way through the displays. The vendors were helpful, but Kaia knew it had something to do with the presence of their leader immediately behind her.
    Samples were offered, and whenever she smiled with enjoyment, the vendor jerked his or her head slightly. She whirled to stare at Thaxis a few times, but he had an innocent expression fixed on his features.
    The clothing vendors had several options for clothing but nothing like what Kaia was currently wearing. “Thaxis, where did the design for this dress come from?”
    “Bael Hislar. She was most insistent that it would ease your discomfort to be completely covered. I drew the