Chapter 11

Vall and I gazed in amazement at the diminutive trio across from us. Vall spoke first. “He wrote it? Then, for some reason, Nilyn took it, gave it to Dreev, and then you three stole it from him?”

“They stole it from us!” Pel snapped. “We just took back what is ours!”

“What’s in the book?” I asked.

Pel sighed. “I don’t really know, because I can’t read it.”

“There’s a lot more to this book than you think,” Vall said as she lifted the talisman. “Why would someone create a talisman to find it?” She shrugged. “And, what if there are others with talismans?”

The halflings – I couldn’t think of a better word for them – looked at each other in dismay. “We want to keep the book,” Gim said defiantly.

I decided to avoid that subject for the moment. “Are you taking it home?”

Pel shook her head. “No, we are traveling to my grandfather’s house. Maybe he left something that will help us read the book.”

Vall glanced at me, and then looked at Pel. “We will come with you, then.”

“How do we know you won’t just take the book?” Ket said with a frown.

“You don’t,” I shrugged. “I want to learn more about this book before we take it back to Dreev.”

“You don’t trust your friend Nilyn?” Pel smiled humorlessly. “Now, isn’t that interesting?”

“Yes, it is,” Vall looked at me curiously.

“It’s either go with them, take their grandfather’s book by force, or tie them up and drag them back to Dreev.” I held up my hand as the males stood up. “I’m not planning to take the book, or you.”

Vall sighed. “You’re right.” She smiled at the trio. “So, we are your new friends.”

Pel studied us for a moment, and then she stood up and walked up to Vall. “New friends.” She extended her hand, holding out with her fingers flat, thumb up. Vall looked at it, and then up at Pel. “You don’t shake hands?”

Vall shook her head. “I have never seen this. What do I do?”

“Open your hand like this,” Pel flexed her fingers. Vall complied, and Pel grasped Vall’s hand, palm to palm, curling her thumb and fingers around Vall’s hand. “Now squeeze gently, and lift up and down a couple of times.” They did so, and Pel smiled. “That is a handshake. It is a greeting, but it can also mean agreement, the exchange of a promise, or one’s word.”

I put out my own hand in the same odd manner. “So, I promise to protect you, and to help you with the book.”

Pel took my hand. “And to not take the book from me?”

“I won’t take the book from you,” I replied.

She shook my hand twice and released it. Then, Ket and Gim did the same, with Vall and me repeating the same promises to them in turn.

“Now that we’re all friends,” Vall said dryly, “shall we get moving before nightfall finds us here?”

“As you command, My Lady,” I bowed in Vall’s direction. “Please, lead on.”

Vall stuck out her tongue. “That’s your job, brave hunter.”

“We dropped our packs in the grass over there,” Gim said. “I’ll go get them.”

I walked to the road and looked for anyone who may have been following us, but I saw no one. When the group gathered at the roadside, I looked at Pel. “Which way?” She pointed in the same direction we had been walking before, so I started off.

We walked on until nightfall, stopping once to eat a late lunch and to rest. Day’s end found us at a tiny hamlet, located at a crossroads. There was an eating house and inn, a stable, a granary, and a few houses. The halflings took their own room, as did Vall and I. We ate our evening meal, and went to our rooms.

After we had settled into bed, Vall rolled over to face me. I did the same, and kissed her gently. She smiled and drew back to look at me in the dim light. “I wish we had a bath like the one in the city again.”

I grinned. “I would be willing to build one, if it were possible.”

Vall traced her hand over my thigh, found my shaft, and grasped it in her fist. “For now, though, I want to sit on you.” She sat up, swung her leg over my body, and guided me into her wet sex with a sigh.

“I love you,” I whispered, reaching up to caress her breasts as she rode me, her hips rocking in a practiced rhythm.

“I love you, too.” She leaned down to kiss me, her motion changing as her belly met mine.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her gently as she rubbed her body against mine. Her ministrations were having an effect on both of us, and I felt her tense and sigh as a small spasm ran through her body. While I was only capable of a single release, she could have several of them, we had discovered.

I thrust harder against her as my own release began to rise, but then she sat up. Rising up off of me, she tugged at me, pulling me toward her as she rolled onto her back. “I want to try to have you on top of me again,” Vall said as she pushed her leg under mine and outward, opening her thighs to accept me.

“Are you sure?” I hadn’t dared to try again, since she’d been terrified the last time.

“Yes,” she nodded, pulling me down to her.

I moved carefully, not willing to frighten her again, and because I had never mated with her like this. I took myself in hand, and pressed against her soft flesh until I found her opening. When I moved to position myself, Vall lifted her hips, and I sank into her until my belly met hers.

“Ooooh,” Vall breathed, and she lifted her thighs, spreading them wide for me.

I pulled myself onto my knees, and leaned forward on my hands. I thrust into her, not pushing hard, and then pulled back out, and then I did it again. As much as I enjoyed having her ride me, being on top of her was thrilling.

Vall started to pant as I pushed against her, and she lifted her hips to meet me each time. “Harder,” she gasped, and I complied, driving my hips downward to thump solidly against her. She reached up and pulled me down onto her chest. I rested my weight on my elbows and knees so as to not crush her under me. “Take me,” she said in my ear. “Make me yours.”