UNGLOVED

Chapter Six

She could see his point. Again, there was no hint of guilt or regret.

"Look, if I happened to have killed someone you cared about...it wasn't personal. We are at war, defending our land from invasion as best we can," he said.

"Do you like to fight and kill?" Liriel asked.

He laughed, but it was a hollow sound, not a happy one. He drew his hand through his hair.

"I don't think anyone likes it. At least, I hope not. If they do, they have lost something precious."

The fire crackled as the flames reached a knot of pine resin and burst out in a spray of sparks. One landed on Liriel's ragged dress. Lorenzo pounced on it with his bare hand and extinguished it. For a moment his face was close to hers. He looked into her eyes. A moment passed between them, but was lost to awkwardness again. Lorenzo sat back.

"Thank you. You're most chivalrous."

She took his hand to check for burns. For a moment she accidentally touched his palm with hers and an instant link was forged between their minds. As their eyes met, their minds also examined one another's. Liriel sensed his respect and interest and something more.

She broke the connection and looked away.

This isn't right...isn't natural, she thought, but she knew she didn't really agree. Those thought belonged to other people...people like her tiresomely proper sister, Selana. Liriel had always been an independent thinker, but how far was she willing to push her point of view?

Lorenzo looked puzzled.

"What just happened?" he asked, running his hand through his hair once more.

"Forgive me. I accidentally forged a mental link between us when I was checking your hand. It happens when I touch someone without wearing my gloves."

"So that's why your people always wear gloves! Are you saying that you can hear what goes on in my head?" He shifted his weight backward a little.

She couldn't blame him for finding it disturbing. It made most people uncomfortable; even the Hilliri. They all had this ability and found it disconcerting, usually choosing to wear gloves to insulate them from this very kind of contact, but it cost them something in connecting with eachother.

"You can hear what I think as well when this happens, unless I take special care to block it." She didn't ask him what he'd 'heard'. Sometimes it would be just feelings and impressions, other times there would be words, if the thoughts were well organized and clear.

Liriel felt a yawn possess her.

"Do you want to rest now? I can keep watch for a while."

Liriel hadn't thought about watches. It might not be so safe in this forest, boars or otherwise, and people were possibly a concern as well.

"Only if you wake me up to take a shift. You need to rest as well."

Lorenzo agreed, and Liriel stretched herself out beside the fire. She turned her back away from Lorenzo, who sat on the opposite side, but even without facing him she felt his eyes on her, and her mind wouldn't release her from the memory of his thoughts. Powerful emotions they were...very powerful, and they stirred Liriel.

"A man usually expects his thoughts to be his own."

Liriel turned to face him. "I am usually able to create a barrier. I'm afraid I wasn't paying enough attention. I hope you can forgive me."

Lorenzo softened. "Rest, please my Lady, I didn't mean to complain."

"Do you wish to take back your thoughts? I can disregard them if you prefer. After all, not everything a person thinks is of significance."

"No, I can't ask you to ignore what I meant to think... it's just that it's not a method I am used to using to communicate," he said. "There is a language between men and women that uses no real words and no thought reading either. Most of the women I know are pleased enough with my level of understanding."

Liriel raised an eyebrow at that, but decided it wasn't really a conceit. They had understood each other well enough. They had simply not been ready to deal with it.

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I hope you enjoyed this instalment of Ungloved. If you did, please consider voting so that it has a chance to receive some more attention by rising up the ranks in the (rather large) Fantasy category. I also enjoy comments, so please feel free to let me know what you thought.

Cheers!

Rebecca