She and Morlie both glanced toward the door.
Kai was stunned because in the days she’d been in the territory, Aodh, Tana, and even Ninki had just come and gone from the other room, rarely a signal of their entrance.Never knocking, but she understood the rhythm of the banging through the stone door for what it was.
“Wow, that is loud...different.”
Chuckling, Kai moved toward it.“Probably because the doors around this place are so thick and heavy.I didn’t even think hearing a knock on it was possible.”She strutted across the room, aware Morlie shadowed her.“It’s probably Aodh trying to be respectful of your privacy.”
Bang.Bang.
The person knocked again as Kai gripped the handle with both hands and pulled.Damn, this door is heavy.
Finally, it opened a crack and began to swing more effortlessly.
“Hi!”A tall, young woman with budding curves strutted into the room with a wide smile.“I’m Eilidh,” she greeted in a soft, husky voice.
“Eilidh.I’m Morlie.”Her sister approached the girl, who appeared around Morlie’s age, and extended a hand.
Eilidh glanced down at it but didn’t take it.Kai would have been offended on her sister’s behalf, but the other young lady’s big, friendly grin didn’t allow it.
Eilidh glanced from Morlie to her.A small, violet flame winked in familiar turquoise-opal eyes.“Then you must be Aodh’s—”
“Kai.”She rolled her shoulders back, sure of what the jovial young woman was about to say.
Eilidh nodded, but the humor still lit her gaze.“I figured you were tired of being cooped up.I wondered if you two wanted to come down for dinner in the hall.”
“Actually.Morlie just—”
“Yes.I could eat.”Morlie rushed on.
Shocked, Kai snapped her head in her sister’s direction.After all that Morlie had eaten, it wasn’t possible for the girl to still be hungry.She should be sick from it.“Morlie, I think it best if you rest.You’re still recovering and should try to get more sleep.”She attempted to inject a no-nonsense tone like their mother used to do.
“Come on, Kai,” Morlie whined.“I’m not even tired.”
“It’s just downstairs.Some of the thunder will be there, too, and I could introduce Morlie to my friends.”
Two sets of eyes pleaded with her, one the color of hers, the other Aodh’s.
Kai recognized they outnumbered her.“Fine, but only for a little while.You do need to rest.”
She’d barely gotten the words out before the two young ladies dashed out of the room, chatting like old friends.
Exhaling, Kai followed behind them at a moderate pace.
