Bound (The Spider's Mate, #3)

by Tiffany Roberts

“He’s talking about us, isn’t he?” Lacey asked, smirking. Lifting her spear, she braced her feet and took a fighting stance, jabbing the pointed end of the weapon in front of her. “He doesn’t trust our mad skills?” A large, dark figure stepped up behind Lacey, silhouetted by the morning light. Lacey started, but before she could turn, the figure had reached to either side of her, placing big hands over hers on the shaft of the spear. Telok leaned over Lacey, his face close to her ear, and placed his lower hands on her hips. Her breath hitched. He slid her leading hand away from the spearhead and turned her other hand slightly, correcting the angle of her arm. Then, with a foreleg, he pushed her feet farther apart to widen her stance. Lacey rolled her eyes. “Couldn’t just let me have my moment, could you?” “What did she say, Ketahn?” Telok asked. “She thanked you for the lesson,” Ketahn replied with a chitter. “That did not seem a grateful tone.” Telok turned his face toward Lacey but paused. His mandibles twitched. Hesitantly, he pressed his face into her hair and inhaled. A low trill sounded in his chest. Ivy’s eyebrows rose high. “Um… What’s he doing?” Lacey asked, standing very, very still. “He’s, uh, praising you.” Ivy covered her mouth to hide her grin. Rekosh chittered. “It seems the hunter has scented new prey.”