“No body,” he confirmed. “I have all in the clan being accounted for and the animals as well. And anything that has been slaughtered for kitchen use in the last two days. I’ve also sent some warriors to see that Cleric Norman made it safely to the abbey. Other than that there is not much to tell. It still remains a mystery.”

“And brings fears to the clan,” Snow said.

Tarass scooped her out of the chair to sit and place her in his lap. She curled to rest against him comfortably. He kept his one arm around her waist and draped the other over her backside, his hand giving her cheek a gentle squeeze.

Of course, it was enough to stir her passion, but she had questions for him first.

“A mystery that needs solving just like the mystery of what I overheard earlier. Why Fasta could satisfy you in ways I never could.”

“I don’t know, shall we find out,” he teased and nibbled at her ear.

Gooseflesh rushed over her. It always did when he teased her that way. But she would not be deterred. “So you admit you poked Fasta.”

“You know I didn’t,” he said and kissed her lips softly.

“How would I know that?” she asked, trying to ignore his kisses she enjoyed far too much.

“Because I wouldn’t be teasing you about it if I had. If guilty, I’d be lashing out at you, demanding to know why you would ask me such a thing.”

“You’re right,” Snow said with a smug smile. “You lashed out at me when I accused you of lying about Sorrell beating you at climbing that tree.” She tapped his chest. “This is a good thing to know about your husband.”

He kissed her again and she got lost in its lingering tenderness, then rested her head—content—on his shoulder after his lips left hers.

“I will see that Fasta is removed from the keep,” Tarass said.

“I appreciate that, but I am the lady of the keep and this is for me to handle.”

“Are you telling me you can fight your own battles?” he asked with a chuckle.

“And why wouldn’t I be able to fight my own battles?” she challenged with a smile. “I’ve battled you the mighty Lord of Fire and won.”

He laughed so hard, he shook both of them. “You believe you’ve won battles with me when I’ve had you removed from my presence, had you apologize when you felt you’d done nothing wrong, though you did, and had to rescue you numerous times?”

Snow kissed his cheek. “The only battle that counts is the one where I was victorious, and that was the battle for your heart.”