Chapter 42

'ALEK! ARE YOU OKAY?' LOUSHKA thought in concern, having felt him jump in the saddle. 'What happened?'

'She gave me a dead leg.' Alek, still laughing sent her the image.

'Didn't one of your cousins use to do that to you?' Loushka thought, bemused.

'Yes,' He gasped for breath after all that laughing.

KEEPING A WARY EYE ON Alek I clung to the pommel while he caught his breath. He leaned toward me, looking at me from under dark brows. 'Catherine,' he said teasingly. 'That wasn't a very nice thing to do.'

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. 'Well, I didn't insult your world.'

Alek reached out, his hand inching toward my foot while I struggled to tuck it further under me.

'It is a little bit funny though, don't you think?' His hand continued to creep closer.

I made a swat at it. 'Maybe.' Then swatted again when it crept closer still.

Alek paused then cocked his head to the side and tsked at me in a disapproving manner. 'Now I thought that Earth women were supposed