“Oh!” Jisten positioned himself between Rak and the stall door.
Vyld nickered in reassurance while Jisten felt Rak’s forehead and then his pulse. He resisted the urge to run his hands all over the lithe body and focused on finding new injuries. When Jisten slid his hand to the back of Rak’s head, he felt a thick mat of crusting. He gently explored the very large area and said, “S’Rak, there’s a lot dried blood here. Thank the sunset that the stable shields held, but they’re especially strong in the large foaling boxes like this one. Let me see how deep it is. Lie down again.”
Rak lay down with another yawn. “I have a headache. I need café.” He looked up at Jisten and his lips curved upwards in appreciation for the view.
There was a large lump and a long cut. Jisten probed to make sure it wasn’t a long, deep cut. He felt Rak’s pulse again in a fussy manner. Rak winced once or twice, but otherwise was remarkably calm about the injury and the blood. He seemed more interested in catching Jisten’s fingers to kiss.
“Let’s return to your suite,” Jisten said. “For café and a bath, and to dress this wound.”
Rak stretched, spreading his fuzzy wings, which brushed against the sides of the stall. He shooed the cats off his clothing. “I am sorry I did not come back last night. It was last night, ai?”
“Yes,” Jisten said. “And now it’s second hour. Best to get dressed.”
Rak’s wings tangled in the tunic. A muffled curse issued forth from the depths of the fabric.
Jisten smoothed the wings through. “Cat hair, bah.” He swished some off.
Rak got his head through the hole and smiled sheepishly. “Cats are strangely attracted to me, and their fur adheres to my wings no matter what I try.”
“All the more reason for a bath.” Jisten steered Rak out once the Loftoni was dressed. The cat hair bothered him more and more.
Chapter Two: Hair of the Cat that Clung
Rak walked quickly to his suite, looking forward to what was to come. A bath? Wing-oiling? Sex was inevitable.
“Jethain is well settled with my best guards on him. Forael and my mother’s soup are on the way for him,” Jisten said. “Unless you’ve had another vision of more assassins.”
“Not at the moment,” said Rak. “I will tell you if that changes.”
As they walked, Jisten twitched cat hair off Rak’s wings. Rak shivered happily each time Jisten’s hand brushed against his sensitive wings. Jisten stopped when they entered the palace, but he kept shooting looks at Rak’s fur covered wings.
Rak sighed softly in disappointment and muttered, “Stupid Koilathan prejudices.”
“I agree,” Jisten said. “There would none of that in Valer Square. We must go there soon. I want you to meet my people. We would be…comfortable there.”
Rak nodded. “I would like that.” A lesser noble stepped out of a side corridor as they passed, so Rak said, “As an envoy, I should make an effort to learn more about the peoples who live in this land.”
“As is proper, S’Rak,” Jisten said with equal formality.
The noble cleared his throat. Rak glanced at him. “Do you need something?”
Jisten stopped when Rak did, standing at attention, hand on his sword hilt.
“I just wondered if you realized that every cat in the palace is following you.”
Rak and Jisten looked back at the feline procession. Jisten raised one eyebrow.
“They do that,” Rak told the noble, his expression and tone those of long-term suffering. “It is because I am Thezi. The cats at home do the same thing. If you can find a solution to this problem that does not involve killing or harming them, I would reward you richly.”
The noble laughed. He took a piece of sausage out of his pocket, knelt and held it out. Three cats proved interested. The rest did not. He shrugged and said, “It was worth a try. Good day, Prince Araken.”
“Good day, and night’s blessing on you.” Rak watched him leave.
“One of Prince Jethain’s supporters,” Jisten said. “Not that I needed to tell you that.”
Rak nodded. “I guessed as much.” He opened the door to the suite. “Polite, at least.”
Jisten waited for Rak to enter and followed him inside. Tebber presented Rak with a mug of café. Rak accepted it with a smile. “How did you know?” He took a long drink.
“Tebber always knows,” Jisten intoned.
“Indeed he does,” said Rak. He continued on towards the bathroom, still drinking the café. “Would you draw a bath for me, Tebber? I am covered with cat hair. And Captain Jisten is going to do something about the blood in my hair, he says.”
“Blood?” Tebber looked suitably alarmed.
“Dried. Small cut,” Jisten replied immediately and Tebber nodded, but his brow remained furrowed in concern.
“I have warded this suite against the flies,” reminded Rak. “In addition to the palace shields. And you have a fly amulet.”
“Habit,” Tebber said.
“A good habit not to break until we leave for home,” said Rak.
Tebber walked into Rak’s bedroom. Soon the sound of water being drawn was faintly heard.
“Please tell me that you remember the events of last night,” said Rak, almost plaintively. He had enjoyed Jisten’s love-making and was tired of him not remembering it.
Jisten rubbed the back of his neck. “What sort of events?” A blush started on his neck and traveled upwards.
“The sort that make you blush,” said Rak with a wicked grin.
Jisten chuckled nervously. “You enjoyed it,” he offered.
“Very much. As did you, I pray.” Rak offered a hand.
Jisten clasped it, then raised it to his lips and kissed each fingertip, gaze fixed on Rak. “More than you. I had the better partner.”
Rak’s smile, and happiness, deepened with each kiss. “I disagree with you there. You gave me everything I wanted.” They drifted towards the bathroom.
“You gave me more than I ever dreamed,” Jisten countered.
“Then we were both well satisfied.” Rak pulled Jisten’s
