Out Of My Way

¿Is he ...? Does he finds me fricking funny? Kalina wondered, starting to get a bit pissed. Well, ¿who cared? While she was thinking like that, Irion's elbow brushed her softly, almost imperceptibly. So Kalina tried to concentrate. At least she tried.

Once the Council voted in favor of the pact, with unfortunate patience, the second minister stamped the royal seal in two identical scrolls. He had used lead. Kalina knew the lead seal was used only in the most solemn documents.

"We will trust this treaty to ..." The Minister continued: "Be carried by our aladarian ally, Ambassador Valian. Captain Valian, is my honor." Harluz ended pompously and, with parsimony, turned to the soldier covered with silver armor.

¿Valian? It fits him... ¿What had gotten into her? With an indecipherable expression, Kalina looked at how the warrior took the document with the royal stamped seal. He was a kru. Of course, with that height, it was expected.

Near the imperial seal of Sacra Terra with the lion and the wings, there was a scarlet seal with the shape of an unknown and fascinating creature. Aladar's Royal Seal. Kalina recognized it from her studies.

But, ¡how tedious was the whole alliance thing! Thinking that, Kalina repressed another yawn. Luckily, the matter was about to be finished.

However, to her total frustration, the second minister seemed to think differently.

Kalina was considering the thirtieth way to silence the excellent Harluz when the captain mocked again imperceptibly. No, you didn't. She gave a squint look to the man.

Behind the helmet, those eyes like fire, got visible for the first time. ¿Had they flashed? A light, unexpected tremor shook Kalina from her shoulders to the base of her spine. ¡Damn! Kalina did not bother to hide an inquisitor look. At that time, thanks to the gods, the minister was already releasing the council.

The nobles began to leave their positions in the room when Harluz called Irion:

"Lord Izutra" Yes, Irion had bought a title a long time ago. "I'll make the introductions. Here, Captain Valian will also be part of the expedition."

The captain chose to ignore Irion and shook his head at her. 

Kalina couldn't ignore the way his eyes sparkled once again. Then, the mischievous laughter caressed her ears. ¿How did he do it? Suddenly, something roared inside Kalina. And just like that, she was seeing in red. 

Someone gasped as she approached Valian unrestrainedly. This meant that, to an ordinary person, the movement had been almost imperceptible. Kalina could not transport herself like Irion and Syria. Instead, she was fast. Deadly fast.

For his part and to his credit, the kru did not flinch. While the honorable Prime Minister blinked, seeming to doubt his sanity. 

"I'm not impressed." Fire-eyes a.k.a Valian, let out and Kalina guessed the laughter in his words.

"Still." She returned, trying to match his amusement and completely failing. That man had a knack for annoying her, that was for sure. ¿Why? Kalina didn't know for sure. She felt a little stupid about the discovery, but there was something else. Something attracted her to him, that was undeniable.

"Stay out of my way," she teased under her breath, earning her a sidelong glance from Irion.

"I'm afraid you and I have a long way to go yet, little wolf." So he remembered her. "You bet." He assured her under his breath as if he had read her thoughts.

"What the fuck?"

"What a dirty mouth." The captain's words slipped out, almost as if they had been whispered into her mind. Also, somehow she could feel his eyes on her mouth for a few seconds. The unmistakable warmth of a blush reached Kalina's cheeks. ¡Damm it! ¡For all the power! Oh, the throne room had never been in greater danger.

It was fortunate that the captain turned to Irion, who was chatting softly with the second minister.