Forging Day (Crucible of Change Book 1) by Noelle Alladania Meade Page B

staring right at us. “Hey! What are you doing over there?”
    Well, that certainly got everyone’s attention. The assemblage was staring at him like a bull in a china shop—sorry, I couldn’t resist.
    Tessa’s shoulders drooped a bit, and then she glanced at me. She lifted her chin and glared back at him. “I’m sitting where I choose. And you know what, Derek? I don’t choose you. You could say I’m mooooving on.”
    “You ungrateful little bitch! I brought you here, and I’ll tell you where to sit!” He actually took a few steps toward us, and people were moving to intervene when Wendy used her mom voice, which was way more serious than the queen voice. “That’s enough! Sir Mehmet, I have indulged you enough today. We all play the roles we choose, but you don’t own anyone, costumes to the contrary. Take one more step in that direction, and I will radio the rangers to escort you out. Am. I. Clear?”
    For a second I thought he was going to come after us, right in front of everyone. One of his friends whispered urgently in his ear as she pulled him back to his own table. Augra stuck out in Derek’s group since they didn’t have many women who weren’t slave girls, and she tended to be imposing. Right now, we owed her one.
    Conversation was subdued for a bit, but quickly got back to normal as food was brought out and regular dinner chatter picked back up. Everyone was talking about the sheep-stealing today. It sounded like it had been a lot of fun, with only a few incidents of overzealous sheep procurement. The barbarian-adventurer types apparently took their sheep-stealing very seriously. I was kind of sorry I missed it, and made a mental note to talk to Korembi later. Maybe if I asked him nicely, he’d let me make some kind of critter so I could join in tomorrow.
    Somehow I ended up with the sun in my eyes again. Even with those freaky clouds, it was insanely bright, and it brought back my headache with a vengeance. I even felt a little buzzed, and I’d had nothing but water all day. I muttered, “I swear it must be a full moon or something. Leo can’t make it. Mooohmet is a bigger idiot than usual. My freaking ears will not stop bugging me. And what is with the sun today? Did someone turn it up to eleven?”
    I felt cool fingers on my neck first, rubbing gently, and then warm breath in my ear. Tessa whispered, “Thank you for letting me stay with you. I’m very grateful. I don’t know how I’ll ever make it up to you. I’d be happy to give you a real massage after dinner, to help you relax.”
    In case her words left any confusion as to her meaning, the soft kiss on my ear and cool fingers trailing up my thigh removed all doubt. “Kat said I could stay in your tent. I hope that’s all right with you.”
    I assumed her question was rhetorical, because I couldn’t think straight to answer. I wanted to push the plates aside, lay her back on the table, and ravish her right there. What on earth had come over me? I’m not normally a ravish-someone-in-public-at-dinner kind of person.
    Tessa had the softest lips. She tasted like raspberries and sin. I was vaguely aware of Kat on her other side, nibbling on her ear and kissing her neck. Someone was tapping me on the shoulder and wouldn’t go away. I finally had to breathe. “What?” I snapped.
    It was Mikah. “I don’t know what the two of you are trying to prove, Olivia, but you should probably stop making out with Tessa at the table.”
    Oh my god… When did my hand get up her skirt like that? Thank god for the long tablecloth. What was wrong with me?
    “I don’t know what’s going on with you tonight, but if you keep it up, Sir Mehmet is going to have a cow.” Mikah looked horrified as soon as the words left his lips. “I cannot believe I said that. We’re all switching to water.”
    “I haven’t had anything but water all day. Just ask Berto,” I hissed back at him.
    I tried to extricate myself from Tessa and her garments as subtly