Page 28 of Between Two Barbarians
Twisting my mouth, I raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you saying I can’t make friends with humans?”
She shrugged, though she looked like she was fighting a laugh. “I mean, if the minute your barbarians aren’t fawning over you, you’re bored out of your mind, I assume that means you don’t have any friends. After this long with the clan, I just assumed you were bad at making friends. I figured the herd was easier.”
“You’re such a bitch,” I laughed.
She didn’t take offense, her grin positively wicked. She was enjoying tormenting me.
“The horses are better company,” a male voice said, making us both look around. I hadn’t realized there were more than just us nearby, I hadn’t seen anyone close, and it took a second to find him. He was lounging against a sleeping horse, fingers laced over his belly, using the giant animal as a pillow. He only opened his eyes when we came close enough, stretching like he’d been in the middle of a nap himself and was only just waking up.
“Godr, when did you get here?” Abigail asked.
“I’ve been out here for a while,” he replied with a grin. “While my bondmate and son are busy, I prefer the company of the herd to the rest of my clan.”
“Uh huh,” Abigail smirked. “So this has nothing to do with you avoiding Drin since his clan arrived this morning?”
Godr wrinkled his nose, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “He refuses to let the past go, despite being happily bonded himself. He still treats me as if I led him on. It is easier to be out here when Ambrose is busy.” He jerked his chin at me, changing the subject. “You’re a new face. Looking for better company amongst the herd?”
“He’s pouting because his barbarians are busy, so I brought him out here to distract him,” Abigail answered for me. “He’s bored.”
Humming thoughtfully, Godr pushed to his feet, brushing the sand from his clothes. “I understand this. Some days move slower than others. Those days are when I take the younger horses on long rides to get their energy out. Can you ride?”
“Some,” I answered, waving a hand at Abigail. “She’s been teaching me.”
“Not enough to control the colts,” she argued with a shake of her head. “He’ll be tossed, and I don’t want both Torgrind and Brenek coming after me for allowing him to come to harm while out here.”
Godr shrugged. “That’s fine. He can just practice riding on his own. Does he have his own mount?”
The stallion from before, who’d demanded treats, bumped into me right as I replied, “No.”
Godr smirked, raising an eyebrow at me. “You sure? Sometimes, it is the stallion who picks the rider, not the other way around. He seems to like you.”
He walked toward the horse, sidestepping when it tried to bite him and pointing a stern finger. “None of that. He’s too small to climb up by himself. I’m going to give him a boost. You be nice.”
Chuckling, Abigail followed, waving for me to follow so I could get on the horse. “A ride is a good idea, but only along the water. It’s too hot for a desert ride, and if he falls off, I’d rather he do it where he’d have a softer landing.”
I scowled at her even while moving where they wanted me, using both their shoulders and Godr’s laced fingers to get me up onto the back of the massive horse. “I told you already, I’ve never fallen off while riding before.”
“A cock doesn’t count,” she replied with a smirk, like she knew there was a distinction to be made, making Godr bark out a laugh.
“True, but it doesn’t hurt,” he agreed, climbing onto the back of a younger horse who only seemed to allow it because he was given a treat beforehand. “Come on. Let’s have some fun.”
He led the way to a gate where Abigail met us, her own mount waiting while she let us through and closed it behind her, using the fence to hop up on the larger animal’s back. Maybe I needed to do that next time.
As we headed for the river, I found myself looking between the pair of horsemasters curiously. “So what do you do for fun then, if work doesn’t count?”
Abigail tipped her head, looking thoughtfully up at the canopy of trees. “I spend most of my time with the horses. They’re fun, and even if I’m not training or caring for them, Godr is right that they’re good company. But if the weather is bad or another horsemaster is in the paddock and I’ve got free time, I like to create little decorations with spare leather or clay. You’ve seen the decorations on the tents?” She waited for me to nod before continuing. “They were made for Henry to find his way around without his bondmate to help him, so he can move by touch. The whole clan helped make them, but I found I quite enjoyed it.”
“I play games with the kids,” he replied easily, then made a face. “I still haven’t figured out how my son is cheating, though. I know he is.”
That made me snicker. “I’m skilled in card games. What does he play? Maybe I can figure it out.”
I hadn’t spent much time away from my barbarians since I arrived, and I was realizing slowly that I was missing out. There was more to the clan than I gave them credit for. Perhaps I needed to be more open minded.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
JAMAL
I went for a long ride with Abigail and Godr, which was more entertaining than I’d expected given how boring the rides were on the journey here. They were good company, and watching Godr wrestle with the younger horse a time or two when it decided it no longer wanted a rider and tried to buck him off was entertaining. And it wasn’t work. I would remain stubborn about that. Despite what my father wanted, I didn’t come out here to work.
