Urden, God of Desire Read Online Free PDF Page A

Nudging Sima with an elbow, Lensi belted out a laugh.
    Sima joined in and for a moment, Razi thought everything would be fine now. The war was far away on the other side of the planet. There was no way Shiemir Alonwei could stand against the Empire. Though the Shiemir was now his father-in-law, Razi wouldn’t mourn the man’s death. Alonwei was pressing his luck. It was only a matter of time before he stepped too hard on Kyleena’s toes and received an unexpected visit from an assassin. The Empire didn’t play political games for long.
    He eased back in his chair and planned what he would do to his bride once they were alone. A smirk spread across his lips. He turned away from his wife so she wouldn’t notice and watched the refugees across from them. One had pulled out a data sharer and was busy tapping at the screen. The Unangi are advancing at least, he thought, recalling the village where he and Sima had hidden away before they came to Alga. Most of the tribal people there wouldn’t have known what a data sharer was.
    The refugee glanced up at him, and he noticed her odd, golden eyes and the fairness of her skin. She wasn’t Unangi at all. Razi smiled and nodded at her. He turned his face to the window to watch the dimly lit farmland pass by. It reminded him of his youth, of days and nights hunting for food in the jungle to fill a stomach that never could be sated. He remembered his hunger and the cries of his younger sisters. They were starving. He had given up his freedom to save them. He wondered where they were now.
    The shuttle sped through the villages and outskirts of Alga to the little cottage rental set-up managed by Folar. Before they’d left, he’d checked with his landlord and found there were enough vacancies to accommodate Lensi’s newcomers. She always had money to pay their way, thanks to the Church of Habiri.
    They parked near the office and everyone exited. Like soldiers, they awaited Lensi’s orders and obeyed, remaining outside until she returned from the office to pass out keys and give assignments. “We’ll meet there,” she pointed at a ramada by the guava orchard, “at suns’ rise for the daily worship.”
    The refugee with the data sharer slipped the device into her robes, took the key Lensi offered, and hurried away, the first to find a room. Razi noticed there were other non-Unangi people present, a few Kelafians even. The kindness of the church’s outreach was apparently expanding. “Lensi,” he interrupted her. “You mind if we turn in early tonight?”
    She winked. “Not at all. I’ll be in number three. In case you two get tired of each other and want to drop in for a visit, make sure to knock first. I’m not over the time zone change. Feels like morning to me.”
    Razi chuckled. “I plan to be up all night, too.”
    Sima slapped his arm playfully. He scooped her up and carried her away. Behind them, Lensi went on with her wards, droning out the same spiel of instructions, “Here’s your key, no talking to strangers, no going out without your veil…”
    Razi set Sima down outside their cottage, pulled the scarf from her face and kissed her hard. She gasped at first, sucked in a deep breath, and caught up to his passion. Their tongues met and swirled, tasting and exploring in a now familiar dance. He ran his hands along her hips, urging her backward against the wooden door.
    “Not…gonna…wait…’til we…get inside?”
    “Mmm.” He lifted her hips, pinning her body to the door with his grip. His hunger for her intensified as well as his need to hear her make that small moan in the back of her throat like she always did. “It’s a nice night. Dark enough that no one would notice us here.”
    “She closed her eyes and hugged his neck. “I think I’d rather be pressed against the wall in a more private area, if you don’t mind, husband.”
    He glanced to the right and noticed one of the refugees standing outside her cottage, her veil pulled down. Black