The Enemy's Triumph
Date: 2020-06-16T18:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy
Description: Everyone is someone’s enemy. The Elvasi and the Andinna are enemies. Alchan and Shadra stand against each other as rulers of opposing forces. Two races, locked in a deadly battle for control, each trying to out maneuver the other with their best strategies, their best warriors, and the all power at their disposal. And Mave? Mave faces her old nemesis. Prince Lothen of the Elvasi Empire. His cruelty is renowned. The memories she has of him mark her skin in the form of permanent scars, forever telling the tale of her time in Elliar, like her tatua tell the tale of her freedom. Old rage bubbles a

The Enemy’s Triumph

Age of the Andinna Book five

Kristen Banet

Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Trevan

2. Mave

3. Rainev

4. Mave

5. Mave

6. Emerian

7. Mave

8. Alchan

9. Mave

10. Zayden

11. Mave

12. Mave

13. Luykas

14. Mave

15. Brynec

16. Mave

17. Matesh

18. Mave

19. Mave

20. Trevan

21. Brynec

22. Mave

23. Rainev

24. Mave

25. Emerian

26. Mave

27. Mave

28. Matesh

29. Mave

30. Trevan

31. Mave

32. Zayden

33. Mave

34. Luykas

35. Mave

36. Mave

37. Alchan

38. Mave

39. Mave

40. Brynec

41. Mave

42. Shadra

Dear Reader,

About the Author

Also by Kristen Banet

Also by K.N. Banet

Andena Glossary

Copyright © 2020 by Kristen Banet

All rights reserved.

Cover Illustration by Merilliza Chan

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Created with Vellum

Acknowledgments

Let’s get started with the obvious. My husband, who supports me through every book, even if he’s never read them. He believes in me and I love him for it.

To Andi, who jumped into my life when I needed her.

To my friends, who stand by me when things get tough.

And to my editors, both amazing. Then my beta readers, all fantastic. Without the team behind me, these wonderful people, I would never be able to bring these books to the world.

An last, but not least, you the reader. The reader who keeps coming back reading more and more. You join me my journeys through worlds unknown and stories of strong women and men fighting for what they believe in.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

1

Trevan

Trevan woke up to the distinct sound of wood breaking under pressure, and screams. Disoriented, he groped around in the dark, trying to find his bearings and understand what was happening. A tail hit him as Emerian must have been trying to stir, but the raucous noise made him unable to hear whatever his roommates were doing. He bumped into a smaller body as he nearly made it to his feet, then the boat rocked, sending him back to the floor. That had to be Dave.

“What’s happening?” he asked loudly, hoping either would hear him. Unintelligible noise was all that greeted him as something else crashed into the ship. Their door was flung open, and the warm light of a lantern flooded the room, chasing away the darkness. Trevan knew the sailor’s face but not his name.

“We’re under attack! We need all hands on deck!”

Trevan was the first to start moving for the door.

No. Not now. Not when we’re so close.

He’d been on the ship for weeks. He knew they were passing Ellantia, but the captains had already made sure their route gave them a wide berth around the Elvasi port city. Was it not enough?

“What do you need from us?” he asked, stumbling into the far wall of the cramped hall. The sailor had better sea legs, not getting tossed nearly as bad.

“We’re not taking on water yet, but another ship is,” the sailor yelled. “We’re trying to move fast and grab survivors out of the water.”

Survivors. Another ship wasn’t just taking on water. It was down and probably sinking fast, then.

Trevan nodded and went running for the stairs to get above deck. He didn’t know if Emerian and Dave were behind him, but it didn’t matter. He knew they would find their feet soon and follow. He would keep them close once they got above.

He was one of several trying to race above deck, all the others. They ignored him, something he was used to now. It was better than having their attention, certainly. They didn’t mind him as he jostled among them, trying to get through the door to see what was happening. He nearly fell to the deck once he was outside and still didn’t have a good view of what was happening, as Andinna wings spread and flapped around him.

“Who can fly?” someone roared over the noise. “Help pull others out of the water!”

Trevan watched as some of the healthier Andinna launched into the air. After weeks on the ship, some of the Andinna had been able to power themselves back to a healthy enough point to fly and get into the air. Sometimes, Trevan would watch them fly around the ship at night. Now, he watched them soar like eagles—more aptly, wyverns—diving to grab people from the sea. Trevan, in all his years in the Empire, had never really seen an Andinna fly. It was awe-inspiring.

The moment was lost to him only seconds later as something caused water to splash onto the deck.

“THEY’RE ON THE STARBOARD SIDE!” someone roared. “GET THE INJURED BELOW!”

Trevan ran to see who or what was attacking them. Even in the dark, there was no mistaking the flags of the Empire fleet. Another cannonball crashed into the water, spraying him with the salty seawater. Someone bumped into him, and he growled at whoever it was, only to see Dave staring in fear at the Empire ships.

“What can we do to help?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Trevan answered.

“I know what I can do,” Emerian said, before climbing onto the railing and launching himself into the air, joining the others trying to save those in the water. He’d been one of the few who could get into the air faster than the others, since he’d only gone without several months and not several centuries.

Trevan looked around, scanning the water. He saw the single sinking ship, nearly completely under. He watched as the Empire ships drew closer, and archers sent arrows into the air and struck two of the few Andinna who could fly.

“How do we help?” Dave asked again, his voice softer, almost too quiet to be heard.

“Let’s find the captain,” he said in response, grabbing the human and pulling him along. “We’re probably in the way as it is.” He ran over to the wheel, where the captain was given a wide berth by everyone on the upper deck. The captain nodded at him as he approached.

“Glad to see you two are still alive. We’ve been hit twice, but they’re above the waterline.”

“What can we do?”

“My off-duty sailors are already patching the holes—” Something crashed into the ship. “SHIT! Get down there and help them. That one seemed bad.”

Trevan didn’t waste another breath, running for the door to get below again. At this point, every Andinna on board was on the deck, crammed together, watching everything go wrong. Sailors were shouting in the halls down below, but the moment Trevan approached one of them, he was given a few planks and pointed in a direction. He didn’t argue, running below to see who needed them.

Sailors snatched the wood from his arms before he could get anywhere to help. Dave was next, holding more pieces, only to lose them.

“Do you think they’ll try to board?” the human asked.

“Let’s hope not. They’ll take us to kill if they can. We were hoping to avoid this.”

“HELP!” someone screamed.

Trevan started running around, heading back to the deck to find waterlogged Andinna fighting to breathe. Someone held the body of a female who wasn’t moving. Her face was turning a light blue underneath her black tatua.

“Let me!” he snapped. “I know how to help her.”

The male glared at him only for a moment before backing away. The male wasn’t a gladiator, which meant Trevan had just a little more leeway to help and interact with the imposing Andinna.

He crossed his hands over the female’s chest and started pushing, hoping to force water out of her lungs. He didn’t stop as Andinna roared, and others landed on the deck with survivors. The captain was screaming something behind him. The sailors were shouting. Dave was off helping someone else, and Trevan had no idea where Emerian was anymore.

He kept pushing down in a rhythm on the female’s chest until he got the response he wanted. She started to cough, water pouring out of her mouth, her lungs forcing everything to clear. She continued to cough as he helped her roll to her side to keep from inhaling the water she was trying to expel.

“You’ll be okay,” he said gently to her. “You’ll be okay. Do you have a husband or children I need to find?”

“A little boy,” she said with more coughing. “By the skies, my little boy!”

Trevan held her in place and looked up at the Andinna who had been holding her. The male hadn’t moved.

“Find her son. Now! Go!”

The male darted away, calling to Andinna in the air to look for any children.

Trevan had no idea how many children were part of their group. He had only seen a few here and there, most kept below deck in their rooms with their mothers. Trevan moved back from the female who was now struggling to get up, her eyes darting everywhere.

He didn’t have time to watch her, trusting the Andinna male to help check any young male to see if it was her son. As he found his feet, the ship took a sharp turn, a wave crashing over the side and sending everyone on the ship sliding to the other side, crushed under the force of the water. He slipped several times, trying to find his feet again. The water exploded again as another cannonball missed.

Shouts and screams tried to pull his attention everywhere, but one was closer than the others, or so it seemed. He went to the railing, seeing hands trying to hold on. Others had fallen off the ship and were quickly getting left behind as the ship continued to move, trying not to get hit again.

Trevan looked at an Andinna holding on to the rails and saw that he was holding onto someone else as well. This male had beaten him, but that wasn’t what Trevan settled on. He reached out and grabbed the male’s elbow, holding on to the one arm the Andinna had holding himself to the ship.

“Give me your other hand!” he roared over the crashing waves.

The second Andinna didn’t hesitate. His other arm came up, and Trevan grabbed it. He ineffectively tugged, realizing the Andinna was too heavy, and Trevan was too weak after weeks on the ship.

“Let me help!” Someone grabbed Trevan around the waist, and together, they pulled the Andinna over the side of the ship, and they all fell back onto the deck, panting. Trevan looked at the two Andinna touch foreheads, glad they were both okay. He didn’t know if they knew each other or if it was a bond he would never understand, not being one of them. The one that had fallen overboard looked at him after a moment and nodded.

“Thank you.”

Trevan had no words to answer back, only glad the gladiator didn’t take his chance to toss him overboard in the madness.

“Trevan!” someone called.

He looked up to find Emerian holding a young girl. Emerian put the girl next to him, pushing her into his arms when he didn’t immediately grab her.

“Protect her. I need to get her mother still.”

“Of course.” Trevan held the girl with one arm, trying to ignore the pain of small wings hitting him and a tail that was lashing around. “Shhh. He’s going to get your mother. Promise.”

“SHE’S GOING TO DROWN!” the girl screamed. Trevan wrapped his second arm around her, keeping her to his chest. The male who helped him with the gladiator was still watching.

He snapped his fingers in the young female’s face and began talking in Andena. The girl’s eyes went big, her mouth dropping open. When the male was done, he looked over her head at Trevan.

“She’ll behave for you and be strong for her mother. Females must be strong,” the Andinna promised. “Now, get her somewhere away from the rest of these males. Near the captain would be good.”

“Of course.” Trevan didn’t waste time pulling the girl off her feet. She had the shape of a ten-or-so-year old human, which could have put her age anywhere between thirty and fifty years old due to the way the Andinna and Elvasi aged.

“Are you a good guy?” she asked when he put her down. The captain paid them no mind.

“I think so,” he said, holding her close. His eyes were pulled away by a flash of red in the sky. Looking up, he found Emerian coming to land, his face pale.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “She…”

“My arra? Where’s my arra?”

“She…”

“You didn’t make it back in time?” Trevan asked softly. “Emerian…”

“I’m sorry.”

The girl broke out into tears. Trevan didn’t let her go, and when she tried to open her wings and take flight, he held on, keeping her feet on the deck. He didn’t know what to say to her. The idea of losing her mother so close to freedom was heartbreaking. This was the risk they all took for freedom, and now, this little child was going to be an orphan.

“Captain, what’s the plan?” he asked loudly, hoping they were getting away from this. Hoping they even could get away from it.

“We’re making ground,” the captain replied gruffly. “The Fleet isn’t giving chase.”

“Why do you think that is?” Emerian asked. As he spoke, Dave ran up the stairs to the captain’s deck and stopped beside him, looking at the little female in Trevan’s arms.

“I heard rumors from Lady Nyria. They say there’s a wyvern member of the Ivory Shadows. We’re headed for Kerit, hoping the rebellion has taken it. If they don’t follow us, that means anything north of Ellantia is no longer in the Empire’s control.”

“And they won’t test a wyvern burning their ships,” Trevan finished, nodding. He moved the little girl to Emerian. “Hold her.”

His mutt friend didn’t argue, grabbing her shoulders. Trevan took the chance to head to the back of the ship and leaned over the rail. Close to the horizon, the Empire fleet unmoving.

“Where are our other ships?” he asked.

“We got separated when the ambush started,” the captain answered loudly. “We’ll meet them in Kerit, or we won’t. At least two ships went down that I saw.”

Trevan’s stomach sank. Two out of five. Hundreds of Andinna could have drowned. He didn’t know how many were saved, only seeing the deck was packed, and he figured it was also crowded down below again.

“Is there any chance…that we’re the only ones?” Emerian asked, his body taut and shaking.

“Yes. Considering how dark it is, we won’t be able to see any friends until dawn. They might have pushed out further to sea to avoid trouble. We were in the lead, which helped us slip through. If they saw the two behind us go down, they probably rerouted.” The captain seemed strained. “Lady Nyria said there would be losses. She knew this would be the most troublesome part of our journey.” He turned and looked at them, frowning. “Are you sure her mother is gone?”

“I went back to where I picked her up, and her mother…wasn’t there anymore. Not on the piece of the ship she had been clinging to…” Emerian seemed to force those words out. The girl cried harder, nearly falling to her knees. Trevan helped Emerian hold her, knowing the little girl’s world had just fallen apart in the worst way.

“Take her below. Actually, try to round up any of the young without parents and keep them together. We’ve got a lot of warriors on this ship, and you three are the most unintimidating things on my ship.”

Trevan felt that insult in his gut, but the captain had a point.

He led the way for them to get to the main deck, asking any Andinna he could if there were any orphans or unattended young who could keep the girl company. Before they made it inside, they had one girl and three boys. Going below deck, Trevan’s suspicions were confirmed. It was packed with Andinna as well, many wet and shivering, covered in blankets to fight off the winter ocean chill.

“We are looking for any young who have no one,” he called out over their heads. “We have three already, and the captain would like them kept together!”

Andinna turned on him with distrustful stares until a female stood up, a young boy clinging to her. Trevan recognized her as the one he helped earlier.

“Let me help,” she said, giving the males a quelling stare. “These young need someone looking out for them who won’t terrify them. Is there a room I can take?”

“You can have ours,” Trevan said quickly. “Dave, lead her there. Emerian and I will round up any others and send them to you as well.” Leaning closer to her, he whispered. “Thank you. There’s some worry about…”

“I know,” she said softly back, their words covered up by the general noise of the ship and waves. “This will put the Andinna at ease, me looking out for them, and your group can help me keep them safe. The trip is almost over, is it not?”

“Kerit is close,” he promised.

She left with the children, Dave leading them. Emerian and Trevan searched the ship, finding two other orphans and talked to a couple other mothers about maybe joining the female, her son, and the orphans in their space. Both agreed, eyeing the masses of males around them before walking away as fast as they could.

By the time everything was over, Trevan was helping Emerian walk, both of them exhausted. The ship rocked, and they decided the hall was a good place to settle, right outside the door to what was once their room.

“This was bad,” Emerian whispered. “I can’t believe…” His breath hitched. “I lost her…”

“I know,” Trevan said softly. “I know.”

Just as the waves crashed against the ship, Trevan felt battered by the night.

At least they weren’t all sunk, but that didn’t ease the pain of knowing how many they probably lost.

They had been so close.

2

Mave

Mave was alone in the kitchen that morning, left by her males as they went to do whatever it was they needed to do that day. She went to a window and looked out onto the street.

She was still in Kerit, waiting for the freed Andinna from Elliar and Myrsten. From reports, the ships departed Myrsten nearly two months ago, which meant they could show up any day. The entire company and the force they had taken the city with were still there, waiting on the newcomers.

Mave spent the last nearly two weeks wandering the city. Alchan didn’t need her for anything official, which meant she was Champion in name only for the moment. Not that it was a bad thing. The battle for Kerit had been a good one, and with a new male in her mayara, she was glad to have the time off. She was glad to be off the road, even if staying in a house that wasn’t really hers got to her. The home in Kerit she had claimed would go to a family in need when the escapees from the Empire arrived, and she moved out.

“Morning, Mave,” Zayden said, walking slowly into the dining area. He was always moving slow, but from what the healers said and Matesh relayed to her, that was normal. He was still adjusting to his new sense of balance, and he wasn’t allowed to fly until he could comfortably walk again.

“Good morning,” she greeted, smiling over her mug. “Would you like some coffee?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer, putting her mug down and grabbing another from a cabinet. She was pouring as he sat down at her table. Grabbing her own drink as she walked, she sat across from him and slid his coffee to him.

“Well, yeah, sure, I’ll have some coffee,” he muttered, taking the mug with a frown. “You’re being awfully nice.”

“Am I supposed to be mean to you?” She didn’t understand why it was such a big deal for her to help him.

“I’m supposed to be helping out. I’m the one living with a family I shouldn’t,” he reminded her.

She sighed, deciding not to say anything. Sipping her coffee, she only stared at him, waiting for him to come to the realization she didn’t mind helping him out when she was the only one around. His face turned into a wonderful shade of pink as she stared.

“You know I’m right,” he said gruffly, looking away.

“I’m waiting for you to remember we’re friends, and I’m allowed to help a friend, regardless of the inane beliefs you hold about how proper males behave with females they aren’t fucking,” she retorted.

“You…” He growled low as he looked back at her, his eyes narrowing. “We’re friends, huh?”

“I really thought we were,” she said blandly. “You’ve been living with me for months, helping my family, and now you’re hurt. Zayden, I thought you were going to die, and I hated that. Not just for Rain or Mat, but for me. You’re an idiot, but a good idiot.”

What was an angry blush seemed to become a sheepish one as he spun his mug in his hands on the table.

“Fine. But they aren’t inane beliefs. That’s how our people have always done things.”

“Well, I’m going to do them a little different,” she said, putting the problem to rest. “Once you’re walking around like normal, you can get back to doing all the things you want, and I won’t complain or try to stop you.”

He only huffed in response. She knew she was being patronizing, but it was nearly two weeks of these conversations, watching him silently brood over how she and her males were helping him around the house. She enjoyed it, truth be told. She liked helping him after he helped her family so much and not just around the home. His advice and talking to her about the possibility of losing Bryn had been one thing only he could offer her, and she would never forget that.

So, he needs to get over himself and let me be helpful for once.

Mave finished her coffee, smiling to herself. She waited at the table until he was done with his own, snatching it away and taking it to a counter before he could try anything.

“You doing anything today? You can walk around Kerit with me,” she said, inviting him to get out of the house now that he was properly awake.

“We have a meeting before lunch, remember? The entire Company.”

“What?” She had totally forgotten about a meeting. Shrugging, she knew someone would have come to get her if she didn’t show up. For the first time in months, she felt relaxed and planned to enjoy it a bit longer. “Well, we can walk, then head to the meeting. Come on. Get up.”

“I never agreed to go walking,” he grumbled. “I was going to work on cleaning some laundry. Is there anything you want done?”

“Bryn normally does my laundry,” she said with a smile.

“Do you know who did it while he was gone?” Zayden stared at her with a blank face, and it was Mave’s turn to feel her face heat.

“Matesh never mentioned it. Neither did you. You didn’t have to…” She took a deep breath, then shook her head. “I figured Matesh was getting it done. I saw him putting it away a couple of times.”

“Yeah, but I’m better at managing a house and cleaning, so I just did it and left it where he could put it away without you noticing.” Zayden had the balls to chuckle at her. “It’ll get me moving around and lifting without needing to embarrass myself outside. You go for your walk, and I’ll see you at the meeting.”

She mumbled thanks and walked out of the building, leaving him to do whatever it was he wanted. If he wanted to act like a servant, she’d let him do that. As long as he was active, she couldn’t really force him to leave the house.

I can, but he wouldn’t like it, and I would be walking around with a grouchy Zayden. He’s already grumpy enough for everyone—no reason to make it worse.

Mave wrapped her arms around herself as she walked down the cobblestone streets of Kerit, loving how alive the city felt, even if there weren’t many Andinna there. Some were on rooftops, already rebuilding the landings for Andinna to enter their homes from above. Some were talking about herds and livestock, debating on the best way to take over the farms and homesteads left by the Elvasi. A lot of things still weren’t decided, but Mave was staying out of much of the efforts to reclaim the city for the Andinna to live there again permanently.

I miss home, too. This isn’t my city. I want my mountains back.

She closed her eyes for a moment, knowing the street was clear enough to get away with it. She envisioned the landing outside her door, then the entryway, running her hands over the raw stone that was her walls. She thought about her dining table and how comfortable it was to sit around it with friends and family while the fire was going in the main room.

“Mave?” someone said, curious. She recognized the voice and opened her eyes to smile at him. She wasn’t expecting all three of them, but Luykas was flanked by her other husbands, Matesh and Brynec. “Are you okay?”

“Thinking of home. I’m ready to get out of Kerit,” she admitted, watching them practically stalk to close the distance between them. Matesh got her first, wrapping an arm around her waist and giving Luykas a playful yet territorial growl before swooping down to kiss her.

“Possessive,” Luykas muttered, standing back.

“Ya get used to it.” Bryn chuckled. “He likes to go first, but he’ll give her up soon.”

“Mat,” she murmured against his lips. “There are others waiting.”

He groaned but pulled away. She laughed as she embraced Bryn and Luykas one at a time.

“What are you three up to?” she asked.

“What were you about to do?” Mat asked in return, wrapping his arm back around her waist. Luykas’ tail hooked with hers. She started walking, making them move with her.

“I was about to go for a walk, stretch my legs, and enjoy the weather. Are you going to join me? You’re only allowed to if you tell me what this lunch meeting is about. I forgot.”

“It’s nothing big,” Luykas answered, his tail pulling away, telling her it was anything but nothing. She raised an eyebrow, wondering if he knew he gave himself away. He only smiled, showing he knew, but he wasn’t going to tell her any more. Bryn and Mat didn’t offer anything, continuing their pace as if nothing was going on.

“Fine. You three can have your secrets, but you don’t get to bother me on my walk. Go keep Zayden company. He’s doing the laundry right now.”

“Good male,” Mat muttered. “Yeah, we’ll go help him. Have a nice walk.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head and peeled off, the others following him. She chuckled to herself at the small pack. They were nearly always together now unless Luykas was alone with Alchan for conversations none of them were privy to. There wasn’t any tension, proving to her once again, male Andinna knew the way of things. They just accepted they were a family, and they all belonged to her, something she appreciated. Male egos weren’t fun to deal with, and they spared her that.

Well, they spare posturing too much in front of me. I have no doubt they get into it when I’m not looking. A strong male, like Luykas or Matesh, being more possessive as well is bound to lead to some private conversations they probably don’t want me to hear.

Mave was still smiling as she made a lap around her neighborhood, waving as Andinna greeted her. It only reminded her of what she said to Shadra and the underlying message in her letter to the Empress. There were happy Andinna, and they loved her, believed in her, and she felt safe among them. Mave wouldn’t let the bitch take that away from her.

She didn’t know how long she was walking, her legs used to the activity. She never allowed herself to go soft, she couldn’t afford to. Even if she had a measly week or two to rest, she stayed active in some way, and taking Kerit didn’t change that.

I know something looms over the horizon. I just don’t know if it’s the Empire or the gladiators. Perhaps both.

Both were answers she could live with. Even at her safest and most peaceful, she knew there was something over her, keeping her moving. It seemed like a far-off dream, but she hoped one day her life wouldn’t amount to staying strong for the next fight.

The gladiators, she knew from experience, would bring fights.

The sun was high when she realized she had lost her sense of time as she walked around Kerit. She was close to the docks and took a moment to look over the bay and sea beyond it. If she never got onto another ship, she would be happy. She spent a thousand years wondering if her feet would ever touch Anden soil or breathe Anden air. She had no intention of leaving it.

The sense that the freed Andinna from Elliar were close pounded at her nerves.

They won’t be able to make me leave. I don’t care if they somehow turn the Company against me or try to chase me out. I’m finally home.

It took effort to relax her hands from the clenched fists she held. She turned her back to the water. She had a meeting to attend. Some Andinna were wandering around, moving barrels and boxes around the port. There was still a lot of work to be done, organizing the supplies left by the running Elvasi and deciding what would stay in the city and what could effectively be taken back to the village in the Dragon Spine as spoils.

She took off before any of the Andinna realized she was watching them, soaring over the building to the makeshift Company meeting grounds, a building with large windows overlooking a courtyard. It had to have been an official building at one point, but Mave, as she always did, could only guess and didn’t feel much for asking about things she didn’t really care about or had nothing to do with her.

She landed on the new rooftop platform and hopped off, heading toward the rooftop entrance, purely Andinna in nature. Nothing in Elliar had roof access the way the Andinna built. She didn’t even see anything like it in the now seemingly makeshift little village in Olost or the two ‘free’ cities she had seen.

Upon entering, she could smell food and felt a wave of relief. It was at least a lunch meeting. She followed the smell to the grand room they used for major planning and operations. She was there fairly often, most notably when she had sent the letter to Shadra.

When she walked in, Mave knew immediately something was different with this meeting.

It’s not a meeting. What’s going on here?

There was a large banquet set out with dishes she had never seen before. Fruits and vegetables were laid out in beautiful ways. At the head of the long table, Alchan stood patiently, staring at her. With Luykas on one side and her males on the other, Mave’s mind was beginning to process this had something to do with her. Matesh never took a spot right beside the king in any official capacity. Normally Nevyn stood there if she wasn’t available, but the rest of the Company, with Rainev beside Zayden, stretched down the sides of the table. Luykas and Alchan were wearing their official armor, and the Company wore their plain, well-maintained, black leather.

She approached slowly, putting a hand on the other end of the table.

“What is this?” she asked softly, looking around.

“An official gathering of my most trusted advisors to honor a member of the Company in a way only fitting her,” Alchan answered, his face the perfect vision of royal detachment. It didn’t stay that way for long. As they stared each other down, Mave saw his lips curling into a small smile. “We decided the Champion needed proper recognition, something we never gave her. One day you weren’t, the next day, you were. Certainly, no one would ever question your title, but we wanted to present you with something that would make it…more impressive. More personal.”

Mave’s heart began to race. This wasn’t how she planned her day to go.

“Why now?” She leaned over, putting both hands on the table. “Why…” She couldn’t find the right way to describe her feelings about this and ask a question at the same time anymore. “This doesn’t make any sense. There’s no need for…”

“A few females came to me right after we took Kerit. They said it was powerful to see the Company stand before the army, but you were the King’s Champion and had no different armor than anyone else. I knew they were right,” Alchan explained, the smile not leaving now. “You aren’t just another member of the Company. Luykas and I wear armor denoting our positions in the social hierarchy of our people. It’s time you did as well.”

“Alchan…” she said, trailing off. She looked at her husbands. “Did all of you know about this earlier?”

“We’ve known about it since two days after the battle ended,” Luykas answered, smiling deviously. “It hasn’t been easy to keep it from you.”

Mave took a deep breath and looked around the table, seeing faces that were such a positive force around her. Faces of those who brought her out of isolation and darkness. Faces of those who gave her family and friends.

Now, they wanted to honor her?

“This is too much,” she said without even seeing the actual gift. The food was too much. The very idea was too much.

“There’s no such thing as too much,” Alchan said kindly. Since their talk on the way to Kerit, she and Alchan solidly considered each other friends and more importantly, family. Her brother was relaxed and patient, and she knew he was waiting on her to realize there was no getting out of this, no going back. He thought she deserved it, and therefore, she would have it.

“Then let’s get through this so everyone can eat,” she declared, swallowing a lump of emotion before it leaked out in her words.

“Finally,” Kian mumbled. Everyone cast him a withering stare, but he was grinning and winked at her.

“Come here, Mave Lorren, King’s Champion,” Alchan ordered, stepping back from the table and gesturing for her to stand before him. She moved quickly, walking around the table and Company, passing Matesh and Brynec before she reached her brother by marriage.

Behind him, and carefully out of her sight when she walked in, was another small table with an extravagant trunk. He opened the trunk, and she took a sharp breath, seeing the beautiful thing inside.

“The armor was easy,” he said softly. “There are still amazing crafters among the Andinna, and many warriors know how to create beautiful armor. Together, they made this for you.” His explanation was full of respect and reverence. “But this…” He picked up the small silver piece, an intricate design of a pair of wings, a crown, and a sword. “My grandmother made this for me, and when I saw the armor, I knew it wasn’t enough. You’ll wear this over your armor as a sign you’re a chosen and loved member of the royal family and an emissary of my will.”

“Everyone in the family had one,” Luykas added, stepping up next to her. “We wore them on diplomatic missions in her name or to festivals she couldn’t attend. Anything, really, to show we were representing the throne. Alchan and I fell out of habit in the last thousand years because it was only he and I. Since there’s now you, I’ll begin wearing mine again.”

She turned to him, frowning. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his own, a direct copy of the one Alchan had laid on top of the armor in the trunk.

“The silver means you’re either not the direct heir, or you can’t sit on the throne for whatever reason. Pretty much everyone except the direct heir wears silver, to be perfectly clear,” he explained. “There was only one gold version, and it was always worn by the Queen’s direct heir, our aunt. Previously, it had been worn by our grandmother before she ascended to the throne.”

“What…” She tried to understand, watching him pin his emblem to his chest over his heart.

“I called you family,” Alchan reminded her. His hands weren’t shaking as he reached out to her, holding the pin, but she was, just a little. “And the females were very effective at making me feel as if I wasn’t giving you the respect your position was due. I realized I had never given you anything for what you’ve done and what you represent.” The pin was clasped, and he sighed as he stared at it, nodding slowly. “Yes, that feels right.” Before she could try to say any more, he reached into the trunk and pulled out the chest piece of her new armor.

A black dragon, the same design as the dragon on their armor, flew over a very dark brown. It could have been black on black, and she would have still seen the small details, the intricate way it was made. Her hands were shaking as she reached out for it, to touch the treated but supple leather, feeling the thick padding.

“This comes at a good time, as well,” Alchan continued, further pushing the armor into her hands, forcing her to hold it.

“What do you mean?”

“The gladiators could be here any day, and I want them to see you and what you’ve become.” His smile turned sharp and dangerous. “I don’t want them to think you aren’t an honored and respected member of my Company, the rebellion, or the Andinna as a whole. With this, you’ll be seen as passing on the King’s Justice and not just flexing your own considerable temper. I trust you’ll use that wisely, not only to defend others but yourself.”

“You’re giving me leave to kill someone if they attack me. They’ll know it at a glance.” She had to process that and only came to one point. “Alchan, if any of them try to hurt me when they arrive, I was already planning on treating them like I did during my days in the pit. Quickly and without mercy.”

“You think I don’t understand that?” he asked, giving her the most royal look she had ever seen on him as if she was foolish for not understanding the depth of his wisdom. She had a feeling it was just to make her seem ridiculous for even pointing it out. “Mave, my unwanted sister, I’m trying to keep them alive by telling them not to try to begin with.” He reached out and patted her shoulder. “I need them to die on the battlefield, not in camp.”

Everyone in the Company laughed except her and Alchan. It was a morbid gesture, but one she could appreciate.

“Thank you,” she said finally, looking around. Her males surrounded her back, all smiling. She saw Nevyn, Varon, and Kian grinning. Varon slapped Kian’s hand as he tried to swipe his finger through something for a taste. Rain and Zayden were together, looking like there had never been a problem between the father and son.

“Thank you,” Alchan replied. “Now, everyone eat. Mave, I want you to wear those around the city for a little while. There are three sets of the armor so you can change out.”

“Three?” Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

“Alchan and I have five sets of our armor apiece,” Luykas said in a mischievous whisper. “I talked him down from the entire royal treatment.”

Mave threw up her hands and began to laugh. Included, accepted, respected, and most importantly, loved—she was all of those things. She sat between Matesh and Brynec, letting her wings brush against theirs, and watched several of the males around her dive into the food.

This was a good day, and even with the arrival of the Andinna from Elliar and Myrsten looming over her head, she felt light. She also remembered the silver lining of the breakout down south and the imminent arrival of the freed slaves. Two of the most underrated and unremembered people in her life should be on those ships. She promised herself to throw them a feast just like this one. It was only fitting for the human and the Elvasi who risked their lives and everything they had built only to see her to freedom.

Satisfied with that idea, she allowed herself to relax and ate with the Company, smiling as they all started telling stories and joking around.

3

Rainev

“That was a really nice thing for you to do,” Rainev commented as he sorted through Alchan’s scrolls.

“It was needed,” the king replied gruffly. Rain knew when Alchan was all out of emotional energy to spare for the day. Understanding Alchan now better than he ever had before, he started recognizing the signs of the king and bedru who wanted to be alone because he was feeling guilty over something. Sometimes, it was just guilt over existing, and other times, it was guilt over what he had to ask of those around him. No matter the reasons, Rain taught himself how to recognize it.

“It was,” Rain agreed, deciding not to point out Alchan had done all the legwork on his own. He’d told the Company he was planning it, and Luykas helped a little more than everyone else, but none of them, including the king’s brother, had known about the royal insignia he wanted to give her. Rain had even asked Luykas if it had been part of the plan because he had rolled with it so well. Luykas had only shaken his head in response, eyeing his brother much the same way Rain was eyeing Alchan now.

Their king was changing, for better or for worse. He’d said it behind the waterfall, how he was growing close to everyone around him, caring more, involving himself. Rain had noticed, and now Luykas had noticed.

Because they were in their private quarters, Rain reached out and grabbed Alchan’s wrist. They had an entire building to themselves, and the upstairs held several rooms they claimed separately. Not that they slept separately. Rain found himself next to the big male every night because he wanted to be there.

And every night, I’ve slept like a fucking baby. Easy to do when someone is helping exhaust you.

It took a moment, but Alchan turned to look at him, then down at the hand Rain had on him.

“We’re not in my room,” he whispered. “Rain…”

“We’re not in your house,” Rain pointed out, stepping closer. “Plus, no one comes here. They meet us on the roof.”

Listen to me. I want you right here. It’ll ease you.

Alchan growled softly, leaning down. They stared at each other for only a second before Rain naturally dropped his eyes, submitting to the more dominant Andinna. A large hand found his hip and slowly moved around his side to his ass.

“Those rules are to keep you comfortable,” Alchan reminded him softly. “This is also my house, so they still apply.”

Rain noticed how Alchan was now holding him, their chests brushing together. They only got home moments before, and the first thing Alchan had done was strip out of the official armor and put on more supple, simple armor without a chest piece, matching more with what Rain and the other males wore.

“You seem tired,” Rain murmured. “I thought we could call it early tonight, and…”

“I want to go camping, and we can’t right now. Going to sleep early won’t help me,” Alchan said with a sigh, leaning down further until his forehead was resting on Rain’s shoulder. It seemed like an uncomfortable position, but Alchan made no outward sign he disliked it. “Why did the celebration have to last all day?”

“Because we had enough food to feed an army and a group of males willing to eat for the rest of the day.” It was just after sundown. Normally, he and Alchan would be up until the middle of the night working. In the last two weeks, they settled down to rest at the same time as well, even if they didn’t have sex every night. “You know, we technically share a sister now,” Rain smirked.

Alchan’s answering growl was impressive but tired.

“Let’s not talk about that,” he said, kissing Rain’s neck, his chest still rumbling. Rain moaned and let his head fall back.

“Why not? It’s funny.”

“It’s not funny that everyone in the Company has adopted you informally in some way or another,” Alchan retorted.

“Why?”

“Because it only makes me feel bad about this.” Alchan’s hand on his ass squeezed. He stepped into Rain, forcing the smaller male to step back, hitting the table, and sending papers everywhere.

“You shouldn’t feel bad about us,” Rain whispered as Alchan dragged his Andinna canines over a sensitive spot.

“Andinna culture says this is perfectly acceptable,” Alchan whispered, his hands exploring now. Rain’s focus began to narrow to just those two points on his body where Alchan’s body heat could be felt, skin on skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. “And it is. We’re not related. You claim Mave as a sister, and I do as well, but that speaks to relationships we hold privately with her. You claim my brother as your uncle, and he looks at you as a nephew, but that has nothing to do with me.”

“Then why are you bothered?”

“Because they’ll hate me for ruining you,” Alchan growled, one of his hands moving up to grab Rain’s hair. Rain hissed in both pain and pleasure at the grasp and greedily accepted the strong kiss Alchan gave him. He started undoing Alchan’s breeches, hoping for more. The king pulled back, however, leaving Rain bereft.

“And I like ruining you,” Alchan informed him huskily. “My room.”

Rain smiled.

* * *

Rain woke up, stretching out between a hard body and luscious black fur—wolf. Rain knew the pelt well since he was cozied up on it nearly every morning. Alchan was breathing slowly, unmoving. Rain took the chance to wiggle away and try to stand, only for the king to very quickly pull him back down and growl as their mouths clashed. Alchan rolled him to his back, and Rain submitted, not giving any fight. Before Rain knew better, Alchan was settled over him, the bedru’s wings blocking Rain’s view of the room.

“It’s too early for you to be up and trying to work.” Alchan kept his face close enough for their lips to brush as they spoke.

“I need to do my business and start breakfast, and today could be busy.” Rain really did have things he needed to get started for the day—not that it ever stopped Alchan from trying to convince him to stay in the soft fur just a little longer.

Alchan growled, but there was no heat in it. Rain knew the difference between an angry growl and a defeated one. This one, like it was nearly every morning, was defeated. Alchan had a variety of ways he expressed his emotions through the one sound. He growled at everything for a million reasons, most of them going unnoticed by everyone except Rain. It was masculine and stupid, and Rain thought it was sexy, but he never told anyone that last part.

“Please. I really do need to piss—”

Alchan kissed him once more, then rolled off him, moving further away. Rain’s face heated as he stood up and knew with no uncertainty, Alchan was watching his every move with undiluted sexual heat. He moved fast to pull his pants up before Alchan’s control broke, and he found himself on his back again. It had happened before and would happen again in the future, but this morning, Rain really needed to get moving.

He opened the door and checked the halls for any visitors wandering around. So far, no one had done it, but he couldn’t be too careful. Alchan was the same way. They didn’t want anyone to know about them, not yet. Maybe not ever since they didn’t really understand what was going on. Alchan once promised him the world, but Rain knew better. Alchan needed to find a female one day and have children. That made it complicated.

So, they kept the secret and enjoyed the moments they stole together, but that was all for now.

Rain closed Alchan into his room to get ready and went down the hall to the fancy bathing room the building had. While the Andinna didn’t normally put the fancy indoor plumbing in buildings, the Elvasi and humans did, which meant Kerit, a major trading city, had it. Rain loved it, enjoying not having to go out into the cold to do his business. He knew the logistical problems with installing it into their cliffside homes, but he always wondered why community buildings in normal villages never installed the interesting engineering feat. It was unfair to know it existed and not regularly be able to use it.

Maybe I’m just whining because I don’t tolerate the cold as well as most Andinna. It gets a whole lot colder in the Dragon Spine and in Anden than it ever did in Olost.

Which was impressive. He grew up thinking Olost winters were tolerable. Anden was bitterly cold in comparison.

Once he was done, he went to his quarters and found clean breeches for the day and headed out to get the early morning errands done. He went around the city and took requests and complaints from the other Andinna to pass along to Alchan since there was no mativa with them to do the job. They were all warriors, respecting Rain’s position as Alchan’s nemari enough to know he could help them if anything could be done at all.

“Rainev!” someone called out as he left out the front door. He turned to see a warrior walking fast down the cobblestone streets. Rain knew the male’s face. He was standing in as one of the butchers for their Kerit operation, helping to keep everyone stocked and fed for their stay.

“What’s wrong?” Rain asked, not bothering to start with a good morning or any other pleasantries.

“A wyvern came in with a brood and took out half of the herd last night,” the male explained, groaning. “We need to move them closer to the city.”

“A brood? How many young?” Rain frowned. If a wyvern had a brood big enough to fly and hunt, then the young were ready to leave the nest in the spring and summer.

“We lost twenty head. With how a young wyvern can eat, probably five or six.”

“Easy prey for a big family,” Rain said softly, nodding. “Let me report it now, so a plan can start being formed to push them to a wilder area.”

“Can’t you just fly out and…scare them a little?” The male shrugged.

Rain laughed. “I’ve never flown with a wild wyvern, and I definitely haven’t fought one. I don’t want to risk the latter and possibly injure a breeding female when their numbers are so low after Elvasi hunting. Bring the cattle in closer to the city and ask for some of the males who aren’t doing much to start a guard on the livestock. Have you talked to any of the other farms out there about this?”

“Not yet, but wild animals take some here and there all the time. Wolves and gryphons aren’t nearly so…destructive.”

“Of course they aren’t, but maybe all the livestock can be brought to fields closer to the city, just in case. We’re going to run out of food if we keep losing livestock, and it’s winter when hunting is scarce for everyone.”

“I’ll go out and ask around and see what we can do.”

“Thank you.”

The warrior nodded and jumped for the air. Rain sighed, turning back to go inside. He needed Alchan to know about this sooner rather than later. Rain found Alchan leaving his room, still tying off the laces of his breeches.

“We had a wyvern and her brood decide to cut a healthy herd in half last night,” Rain informed him without preamble.

“Cattle?” Alchan asked. When Rain nodded, the king cursed. Cattle were rarer than sheep and goats and much more expensive. “I’ll need to get Nevyn in on this. He knows the region better than I do.”

“Why?”

“Wyverns that live this close to the sea are a little different from ones that live in the mountains. They sometimes have seaside cliff homes that could be impossible to find without risking your life.” Alchan started walking down the stairs, forcing Rain to keep up with him. “Don’t think about going out there and trying to find it on your own. If it’s a female with a brood, she’ll either try to kill you or mate with you, and both of those possibilities disturb me.”

“Me too,” Rain agreed, not liking those ideas. “By my strongest estimates, she has five or six young adults about to fly out of the nest if they’re hunting with her now.”

“That’s a good and a bad thing. She’ll be more willing to give up her nest and settle somewhere else, but the young could help keep us out of the nest or help her eat us. Shit.”

“So, what do we do about it?” Rain frowned, unsure what Alchan meant by that.

“We send in a team. They find her nest, everything she’s collected to roost with her young. If the young are old enough to move on, we set the nest alight, and they give up on it quickly. It’s how wyverns chase each other out of territories to claim better space—a clear and easy message. Since her brood is probably ready to go it alone, she’ll find an easier place to live. If they couldn’t fly yet or survive on their own, those staying in Kerit would just have to wait her out and wait for them to be ready to move.” Alchan sighed as they walked into the kitchen. After a second, his eyes narrowed on the space. “You said you were going to make breakfast.”

“Well, I was going to do my rounds first. I wasn’t expecting you to be up when I walked up there.”

“I don’t sleep after you leave,” the king informed him blandly. “I wait for you to come back. I’ll make breakfast. I’m better at it, anyway. You get Nevyn and Varon and send them here for a meeting about this, then finish your rounds. Who knows what sort of trouble a wyvern might have caused others last night?”

“Yes, sir.” And like that, their relationship was in the background. He had duties, and his king had a problem that needed fixing.

Leaving Alchan once again, he went back outside and ran to Nevyn and Varon’s current home. He didn’t bother knocking since it was King’s business, and found them eating breakfast as well.

“Alchan needs you. Wyvern problem,” he said quickly.

“Ah. Coastal thing?” Nevyn groaned.

“Yeah. He has the details. I need to get to my rounds. You’ll find him in his residence.”

“We’ll get there as soon as possible,” Nevyn said, jumping up. Rain shook his head at the male’s nudity, then left. It was finally time for him to get to his damn rounds.

He dealt with those in the city first, finding different bands of warriors, male and female alike, as they went about their duties. Most were trying to make the city livable for Andinna again and secure for any who wanted to stay for the city’s defense. The one thing the rebellion couldn’t allow was Kerit being taken back by the Empire. Many just wanted to know if they were going to go back to the village. Some had made their decision and wanted to know if it would be honored.

Rain made a mental note of all of them and told them all the exact same thing. Come closer to riding out, there would be a time when each unit could report to the Andinna in charge of them with their requests. Decisions would be made quickly after that. Alchan would try to honor every request.

Once he was satisfied with those inside the city, he jumped into the air and flew out to the homesteads surrounding it. He went to the furthest first and knew by the scorch marks around the field that this was where the wyverns had decided to get an easy meal. He saw several Andinna talking, pointing at things as they spoke, and landed ten feet from them but didn’t announce himself. He waved when one of them saw him.

“Any word from His Majesty about the wyvern problem?” a female asked, snappy and upset.

“He’s going to talk to someone who grew up in the region to formulate a plan to burn the wyvern and her brood out of her nest. That will hopefully push her to a new region.” Rain didn’t go any closer. “Bring the herds in closer—”

“We’re trying to figure out how. Let us know when Alchan has the problem dealt with,” she growled.

This time, he growled back, and her eyes went wide. Several of the males stepped back from her, obviously getting out of her range. Every Andinna in Kerit was a warrior with the exception of a very small group of healers, and even they were good with a blade. That included the females, and generally, female Andinna warriors were dominant and needed another female to put them into their position and handle it. Rain wasn’t going to go running to Mave, though. He was growling at her disrespect for Alchan.

“You’ll call him by his title,” Rain warned softly. “Or you’ll answer to his guard.”

She jerked back, narrowing her eyes on him, studying him, and making her judgment about his character and his strength. Finally, she nodded. “Of course. Tell His Majesty I’m grateful he’s willing to address the problem as quickly as he can.”

“I’ll relay your message,” he promised. “Is there anything I can do to help? We have horses that might help drive them to safer pastures. I can ask more of the outfit to come and assist.”

“We could use another dozen heads to help push the herds closer,” she explained, her tone remaining respectful. “And I would like to keep them to help guard. We can’t take many hits to our cattle like last night.”

“Of course. If that’s all, I need to report.” When none of them said anything, he launched back into the air and headed back toward the city. He landed on the roof of the meeting building, knowing Alchan would be there now. His meeting with Nevyn would require the maps. He found them in the same room they had just thrown a party in the day before.

“The warriors handling the livestock would like a dozen heads to help move the herds and guard them in case there’s another wyvern hunt,” he announced. “Aside from that, it’s a lot of people still asking when they’ll learn if they’re staying or going.”

“Thank you. Varon, would you ask around and pick twelve males to help them?” Alchan looked up from the maps, staring at the mute to get an answer.

Varon nodded and started walking out. As he passed Rain, he touched Rain’s shoulder gently and squeezed just enough to notice. It was definitely a sign or signal of some sort.

“If that’s all, sir, I’m going to go visit my father,” Rain said loudly.

“Go ahead. Nevyn and I will be trying to figure this out for the rest of the day, it seems.”

Rain started to walk out, amazed by Alchan’s ability to remain focused. Rain knew his own mind tried to blank out sometimes when he was in the same room as the king, thinking about what they did when no one was watching.

He launched from the room, noting Varon was already long gone, and took a short flight to Mave’s home, landing on the roof there as well.

Going inside, the first thing he heard was yelling. With a sigh, he prepared himself for whatever dumb thing his father did to piss Mave off.

4

Mave

It should have been another normal day, but Mave realized it wouldn’t be when she caught Zayden on the rooftop about to take off.

“What are you doing?” she snapped, glaring at him as she stomped toward him. “The healers said no flying until you’re confident with your balance with your two feet on the ground.”

“I’m bored sitting around. I can get back in the air faster if I just practice in the air,” Zayden said, glaring back at her. “I have the right to make these decisions for myself. The healers can say whatever they want.”

“Zayden, it’s only been a couple of weeks,” she growled. “Are you crazy? You still bump into the fucking walls when you try to walk down the hall. Do you really think you can safely fly?”

“It’s already been fucking two weeks. If I don’t get back into the air, I’m going to lose my fucking mind,” he snarled back. “Why don’t you go back inside and bother your husbands?”

Something about that statement irked her. She wanted to reach out, grab one of his horns, and drag him inside.

“My husbands are working,” she informed him curtly. She took another step toward him, and he took a step away.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” he reminded her once again. “Now, if Alchan decided to show up here and order me to keep my feet on the ground, I’d listen. But not you.”

“Why not me?” she demanded, her anger growing hotter by the moment. Every word that came out of his mouth was digging him a deeper grave.

“Because, contrary to popular belief, I don’t answer to you. I answer to Alchan. Maybe Luykas. You aren’t in charge of the Company.”

Taking a deep breath, she willed her anger to recede or at least let her think clearly.

“Please, don’t get yourself hurt,” she said calmly, watching him.

“I just want to try,” he said, looking away. “This rooftop to the next. That’s all.”

“This is stupid. Please don’t be an idiot, Zayden.”

“I’m not going to fall down to the streets. I know how to fly.”

Before she could say any more, his wings opened, and he jumped into the air.

“ZAYDEN!” she screamed, pissed that he would openly defy her when they both knew she was right.

Flying was an intricate skill. An Andinna’s tail was important to maintaining balance in the air and helping control the direction of flight. Mave learned the hard way that some things came innately, but others needed to be practiced. When she was finally given leave to get into the air, she could hover, but it was clunky and hard for her to understand her own body and get turns down. She met more than a few trees, much to the delight of those helping her learn, one of whom was Zayden.

So, she watched him go into the air, confident but wary as well. When he dipped to make a small turn to the building next door, he veered, the remainder of his tail swinging out wildly to compensate, but it wasn’t enough. He dropped several feet.

“GET DOWN HERE!” she roared as she realized he wasn’t going to call it quits. Her heart jumped into her throat as he fought for control over his own body.

Then he fell, his wings losing the air.

Mave cursed in the most colorful way she knew how, feeling like one of the sailors of Sen’s crew. She ran to the edge of the roof and jumped, spreading her wings to catch enough air for the controlled fall. She landed next to him and cursed more as she realized he wasn’t moving.

“Zayden? Please don’t be dead. Fuck.”

Reaching out, she tried to touch his shoulder. He smacked her hand away, snarling.

“Should have been with the fucking Company,” he growled. “Don’t want your pity, Skies damn it. Get away from me.”

It was like being stabbed. She stepped back, letting him get himself off the pavement. Hurt and anger warred inside her. Once he was on his feet, she watched him try to walk. She could also see the bruising start on his entire left side and raw patches of skin where he hit the stones and must have slid. None of the males of the Company were wearing much for clothing these days. Everything Zayden had just done to himself was fully on display.

He started to fall, and she reached out again. This time, when he snarled, she put a hand over his mouth as she wrapped another arm around his waist.

“You’ll shut up, you fucking stupid pigeon,” she snarled in his ear. It wasn’t hard since he was leaning over in pain. He should have been able to stand taller than her, proud and unreachable like every other fucking Andinna male, but he’d done this to himself, and now she didn’t have to work to yell at him. “If you do everything I say for the rest of the day, I won’t leave to tell your son how fucking stupid you are…or Alchan, although he probably needs to know one of his warriors can’t even follow simple instructions.”

Without letting him argue and knowing he couldn’t really fight back, she hauled him to the ground level front door of her home and forced him back inside. She kept her grip strong as she dragged him to a couch and shoved him down on it.

“You’ll stay right fucking there until I get back with something to clean you off.”

“I can do it myself. It’s not the worst fall I’ve ever had,” he said, trying to push himself up.

“You’ll stay right fucking there,” she ordered, glaring down at him. “There was no reason for that.”

“I’m a healthy male in my prime. Fuck, I’m younger than one of your husbands. I have the right—”

“Don’t get fucking stubborn with me, Zayden!” she roared. Again, bringing up her husbands. Always with him. He always reminded her she had males, and that meant something. “Stay there!”

“You’re not my commanding officer or my healer!”

“Then I’ll go fucking get them!”

“You…you know what it’s like not to be able to fly. I can work through this on my own. I don’t need the babysitters. I’m tired of it. I’m a grown-ass male, and if I have to take some knocks to get back in the air, that’s what I’ll go.”

“Yeah, you’re a grown-ass male who can’t even remember that sometimes other people know better than you,” she snapped. He tried to stand, and she put a hand on his chest, pushing him back into the cushions of the couch. “You’re not going to move. Is that clear?”

“You don’t command me, Mave.” He literally snapped his teeth at her, the Andinna canines on full display. She never paid much mind to them on a normal day, but he was making his message very clear. If she wanted to keep him right there, she had to be willing to fight for it.

“What is going on?” someone asked to her right. She watched as Zayden’s face paled.

They turned at the same time to find Rainev staring at them with concern.

“I didn’t do this to him,” she said quickly, releasing him. “He decided to try to fly and went from the rooftop to the street.”

“My landing was a little rough—”

“That’s one way of putting it,” she muttered, cutting him off. “He fell.”

“I landed.”

“On your fucking face,” she growled, looking back down at him. He eventually dropped his eyes. Satisfied, she looked back at Rain, only to feel a stab of guilt.

Rain was still quiet, staring at them. He stepped closer, his eyes falling, probably to look at the damage his father did to himself. Mave’s guilt only grew as the emotion left Rain’s face.

“I’ll get his healer,” the young male declared before turning and walking out.

“Now look at what you’ve done,” she snapped, glaring at the male. “If you just—”

“Mave, if you don’t back off right now, I’m going to pick a fight I won’t win,” he growled back at her. She removed her hands from him, knowing tempers were too high to test that. He tried to stand again and groaned before collapsing back on the couch on his own.

“You stupid fucking male.” Shaking her head, she walked out of the room toward the kitchen. She stoked the small cooking fire and filled a pot with water, heating it over the fire. While that was going, she went upstairs to find any small rags to start cleaning him up. When the water was heated, and she had what she needed, she went back into the room to find him staring at the window.

“I’m not letting the healer help you speed this up,” she explained as she put the water down at his feet. “You fucking deserve this.”

“Fine.”

Since he wasn’t arguing with her anymore, she wet one of the cloths and started her work, gently rubbing out dirt and small stones from the open areas of his skin. She worked quickly, used to this sort of healing. This had been everything she had in the pits, and even then, she didn’t have hot water or the ability to get it.

His breathing was steady, a good, consistent rise and fall of his large chest. Mave could appreciate his good looks if it weren’t for his stupidity, and could almost see how a male like him got a wife and had a child if it weren’t for her anger with him at that moment.

Zayden, a good-looking idiot, out to make sure everyone meets an early grave just like him by practically falling off a building.

She wasn’t surprised by her own attraction. She was surrounded by attractive males, for good or ill, and sometimes, she privately enjoyed the view. Sexual attraction was easy for her to find even when she had been in the pits. It was something she could own, and no one could take away from her. It gave her one very small comfort, even if it normally backfired when acted on.

“You’re going to scar,” she whispered, looking over an abrasion on his left shoulder.

“Who cares? I don’t.”

Sighing, she kept working quickly, wanting to get out of his space and away from his strange negative energy. Something had him upset, and it felt like it wasn’t only his tail or not being able to fly. She either needed to leave or say something. Since she couldn’t leave yet, she decided to try to talk to him a little more.

“I care. Don’t be so daft; you think no one gives two shits about you, including me. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but I don’t like seeing you throw yourself off a building—”

“I would have been fine dragging myself to my healer,” he growled. “You didn’t need to do this.”

Mave heard the door open and close behind her but didn’t turn to greet Rain or the healer. She was grateful because her patience was running out.

“See?” Rain said softly. “Look at him. He needs someone to speed this up.”

“Son—”

“No, Father, I don’t want to hear it,” Rain snapped behind her. “I know for a fact that Mave would have told you not to do this several times before you tried. Unless you did it without telling anyone, in which case, you’re still an idiot.”

The healer approached, and Mave growled.

“He’s not getting any help. He can suffer,” she said softly.

“Are you…Rainev?” The healer looked at everyone’s favorite mutt for confirmation.

“If that’s what Mave wants,” Rain agreed. “You can look him over and make sure nothing is permanently damaged.”

“Of course.” The healer went to work. Mave finished what she was doing and moved away. Zayden’s face was red, anger and embarrassment warring on his face. Turning to his son, Mave sighed.

“Rain, let’s go to the kitchen while the healer works. Male, I’ll know if you do any healing for him. Don’t think about it.”

“Of course, Champion,” the healer said softly, purposefully not looking at her.

She didn’t need to grab Rain or haul him around the same way she had to with Zayden. He followed in silence.

“Do we tell Alchan?” Mave asked, wondering if that was her next step.

“I can, but he’s not going to give Zayden any more punishment than we’ve already dished out. He’ll call Zayden an idiot the next time he sees him and move on. He trusts everyone in the Company to know their own limits and plus…” Rain gestured at her. “He already has at least two people who are going to put my father in his place. You and Mat can more than handle him.”

“Apparently, you can too,” she pointed out, smirking.

“He’s my father. Sometimes, only I can guilt him the way he needs to be guilted. I’ll say, I wasn’t expecting to walk into this today. Can’t believe he’s being such a fucking idiot.” Rain sighed as he fell into a chair at her table. “So fucking stupid.”

“He’s always been stubborn,” Mave pointed out. “I couldn’t talk him down from trying.”

“I’m amazed you didn’t haul his ass inside, anyway,” Rain muttered, looking away. “Why didn’t you? You knew how it would end, especially in a city like this with so much stone and danger. The soft forest floor is better than this. He should have waited until we got out of Kerit, at least. I would prefer if he waits until we get back to the village.”

Mave thought about it. Something Zayden had said made her step back. She hadn’t liked it, but she had stopped trying to order him, stopped trying to control him. Realizing what that was, she sat down across from Rain and sighed as well.

“He’s not my male, Rain. I don’t get to control him the way I can with Mat, Bryn, or Luykas. Not that I want to control them, but…”

“I understand,” Rain whispered. “I know. This is a weird situation. I’m relying on you to help keep him healing and his feet on the ground when in the end, you have even less ability to do that than me.”

“I regret it,” she admitted. “When I saw him go down and knew he was going to hit the pavement, I nearly had a heart attack. When he didn’t move for a moment, I felt awful. But in the end, if he needs to learn his current limitations the hard way, he has the right to do that. Other than Alchan, there’s no one else, in his mind, who can tell him what to do or not do.”

“And he’s right,” Rain said, rubbing his face. “He reports to Alchan and Luykas, not any of us. Just like the entire Company. If Luykas had been here—”

“He would have considered Luykas was acting as my husband, most likely, but it might have worked,” Mave finished, stopping Rain from thinking Luykas could have definitely stopped it.

“I’m done,” the healer said loudly, walking in. “He’s grounded until those heal and even further. He gave himself some nasty bruising and might have pulled something in one of his wings—”

“Skies damn him,” Mave snapped. “How long?”

“I recommend another month, at least. Simple exercises. Still practicing his new life with his tail, of course.”

“We should be well on our way to the village by then,” Rain pointed out. “That nulls the two weeks he’s already done, too.”

“It is a couple of weeks longer than initially planned, but he went against my advice and injured himself. He needs to keep his feet on the ground a little longer. Try some sword practice with him. He might find gaining his balance back easier if he’s doing something he enjoys.”

“I’ll do it,” Mave offered quickly. Rain frowned at her, so she explained. “I don’t have much to do right now. I have all the free time to do some physical therapy for him.”

“Why wasn’t this something you recommended to begin with?” Rain finally asked, turning to the healer.

“We did. We told him that it would be faster to try keeping his feet on the ground and practicing with another warrior since it would teach him his new balance better. If he had done that, he would have been able to try flying two weeks from now and not a month from now, but it’s obvious to me, all he’s been doing is wandering around the house and feeling sorry for himself.”

“A healer’s honesty,” Rain muttered.

Mave had heard enough. She stood up without saying anything and started walking for the other room.

“Mave?”

“I’ve got him. You can escort the healer home. Come back and visit your father tomorrow—”

“No. Leave him for the rest of the day,” Rain said. She heard the chair screech across the floor, and the young male grabbed her. “Let him wallow and come to you or one of your males. If he doesn’t by dinner tomorrow, beat him into the ground and get him working. He just had a nasty spill.”

Mave sighed heavily, reining in her anger once again. “And what do you recommend I do until then?”

“I wanted to hang out with him for the day, but I was also hoping to talk to you,” he said, giving her a somewhat pissed off smile.

“About?”

“I was…I was just hoping we could talk about some things,” he said cryptically.

“Okay. We can go on my morning walk to clear my head. Would that work?” She was totally focused on him now. Rain wanted her time and attention, and he could have it.

“No. Somewhere more private,” he said softly.

“Okay.” She looked around him and saw the healer standing there awkwardly. “You’re dismissed. Travel safe. Thank you for coming here on such short notice.”

“My pleasure, Champion.” He walked out quickly, probably grateful to be freed from the turmoil of her household.

“My room?” she asked.

“Uh…” Rain shook his head a little. “I don’t want to be anywhere near your private room with them, sorry.”

She couldn’t blame him for that. It was a mess.

“I’m certain I’ve got a spare room in this monster building somewhere we can relax. Let’s go find it together.” She smiled and got a real one from him in return. Her building had four floors, and her room was on the third, picked out by her husbands. She knew the bottom floor well, but Zayden was currently taking up the best room, and she figured Rain didn’t want his father to hear this conversation.

On the second floor, they found an extra bathing room Mave had never seen before and a library full of Elvasi works. Mave looked at one title, rolled her eyes, then put it back. Whoever claimed this house after she was gone could figure out what to do with the leather-bound books.

“This works,” Rain said, nodding at the space. “Other than the bad tastes in reading, it’s comfortable.”

“It is,” she agreed. “Can you read Elvasi?”

“Nope.”

“Lucky you,” she said, touching the spines of more of the books. Luykas had made her push to read all three of the languages, and now she could passably well. Some bigger things she needed help with, and her vocabulary was building every time she opened a book, but she knew the characters of all three languages now.

“I can speak a little of it.”

“You can’t know the language of the gods until you can speak Elvasi with the same class and skill as the Empress herself,” Mave said softly in Elvasi.

“What?” Rain frowned, obviously not understanding what she had just said.

“Something I was told when I was little,” she explained, switching back to Andena. “What did you want to talk about?”

“The gladiators could show up any day now,” he reminded her.

“I know. I think about it every day,” she said, finding a seat, leaving the books on the shelves behind. Memories from another day, another time. “Are you worried?”

“Not yet,” he admitted. “But…I don’t know how I’ll be when they get here.”

“I’m…mostly certain that everyone who hurt you is dead,” she said, thinking back on it. She remembered from that day Rain’s joy at seeing her and Mat, the males around him, the bodies piling up, the guards coming in to break up the fight. Mostly, though, it was a flurry of steel and opened bodies, red walls and red vision. The entire day was covered in red.

Her memories kept rewinding to Rain’s face, though. She closed her eyes and tried to fight off the visceral anger and pain she felt—the heartbreak.

He’s right here. He’s safe. No one got to him, and he’s stronger than ever. It’s okay. They don’t ever get to do that to him again.

“Mave?”

“They won’t hurt you ever again. I’ll tell Alchan about them, and if they try, we’ll cut them all down—”

“Alchan already knows,” Rain said quickly. “I…I told him before Bryn came back from his mission with Seanev and Leria. He knows…what happened to me.”

“That was brave of you,” she said softly. “He couldn’t have been an easy person to tell.”

“He wasn’t, but he deserved to know. He’s a dominant male, and it would be too easy for him to accidentally…send me back there. He’s really careful about it, honestly. Too careful sometimes.”

“I’d rather him be too careful than not careful enough.” She saw no problem with that. It reminded her that she served an amazing king. Alchan was a good male, and she was constantly honored by his insistence at her inclusion into his family, the royal family, a signal he trusted and respected her. Now, she was learning how patient he was with Rainev when it probably went wildly against his nature.

He’s the best male I could have found to serve. Maybe I’m even a little glad he’s not female, not like Shadra or even Leria or Allaina.

“Yeah, well, it gets a little annoying,” Rain said, smirking. “I’m supposed to protect him, not the other way around.”

“Oh well,” she said, shrugging. “It’s better than having Zayden breathing down your neck, right?”

“Much. Baba is getting better, too. He’s been different in the last season than he was when we first escaped the Empire. I think he needed time, and we’re good. I wish he didn’t do stupid shit like this, but anyone in the Company is capable of this idiocy. I bet Mat would have done similar if he suddenly couldn’t fly.”

“He does seem like the type of male who needs more time to process and adjust,” she agreed. “And you didn’t behave like this when you were out of the sky.”

“I had Alchan breathing down my neck,” Rain reminded her. “A bit different.”

“Then Zayden can live with you and Alchan—”

“Absolutely not. No. That can’t happen.”

Mave started to laugh as Rain’s face went into some mix of incredulous and terror. She was able to bring it under control quickly, covering her face as she tried to smooth out her face. When she looked back at Rain, though, the laughter started up again.

“It’s not funny,” Rain mumbled. “I’m glad he and I don’t live together anymore. I feel more…adult? Mature?”

“I wish I could relate,” she said finally, taking a deep breath to hopefully stop laughing at Rain’s horror. “I never had much of a defined childhood.”

“You were the handmaiden for the Empress during your youth, weren’t you?”

“Yeah. Living in the palace. Dressed all proper and shit. I can only begin to imagine what my life would have been like if I hadn’t defended myself that night.”

“Safer?” Rain’s head tilted to the side in that curious young way.

“Not really,” she said, sighing as she continued to consider it. “I defended myself from rape and killed the Elvasi guard who tried. I would have been their toy, but without the power I was able to earn in the pits.”

“You talk so easily about it now. All of that. The pits, the palace, the Empress. How do you do it?” His voice went soft.

“I’m here, and they’re not,” she answered. “Though, that won’t be true forever, will it?”

“No.” Rain seemed worried for a moment. “Do you have any plans for today?”

“Like?” She raised an eyebrow, wondering if she was going to get to hang out with him for long. “Don’t you need to get back to Alchan soon? You’re glued to his hip.”

“He’s working on a problem with a wild wyvern, and I’ve done all I can. I’m pretty sure I can take the entire morning to myself, and he wouldn’t mind.”

“Um. We could go see what Mat, Bryn, and Luykas are up to?” She gave a half shrug.

Thinking about it, she let the invisible force of her blood bond force her to look inland, knowing Luykas was out there with her other males. Mat and Bryn worked with a different set of warriors every day, making sure everyone was keeping up with their training. Luykas had mentioned when they left, he wanted to join them as a surprise inspection from someone a bit more important. Mave figured he just wanted male time with anyone except his brother.

“You could also keep Zayden company with me. Or stay here as long as you like.” She didn’t mind him in her home at any time.

“I’ll come with you to visit the guys. He can stew alone on his bad decisions without me.”

They walked upstairs to the rooftop together, and Mave took the chance to look out on the horizon, able to see the bay from her rooftop.

“Rain.”

“Yeah?”

“They’re here.”

He spun to look in the same direction. Mave’s eyes were fixated on one thing.

Flags on the horizon.

5

Mave

The gladiators were here. They all said the freed Andinna would be there any day, and there they were. Mave felt frozen in place as she breathed slowly, knowing her past was about to catch up and come crashing into her new life.

“Get Alchan,” she ordered. “Tell him I’ll be waiting for them, and I want to head them off before he sees them.”

“After that?” he asked softly.

“I don’t want them to see you. Fly overhead in wyvern form after that.”

“Mave?”

“Do it.” She didn’t look at him, only knowing she was going to be the first thing those Andinna were going to deal with when they got off the ship. None of them got near any of the Company until she was certain they knew her place.

At least I wore the armor today as he asked.

She touched her chest, feeling the pin there—royalty, part of the most important family of the Andinna. Would it be enough?

“Should I run down and tell my father—”

“No,” she snapped. “Tell him, but he has to stay here. He’s vulnerable, and if a fight breaks out, I don’t want him there and being an easy target.”

Rain ran back inside. She was momentarily surprised that he chose to tell his father first, but if the ships were in sight, someone from the docks was probably already running to Alchan.

Mave jumped into the air and went straight for the docks, her hands restlessly looking for her swords at her waist. She wore them every day. Kerit wasn’t home and didn’t feel secure the way their home village did.

She landed on the docks to surprised faces, none of the Andinna there working. She watched the ships, unsure what to do. Like the Andinna around her, she was still somewhat in shock. She didn’t say anything, walking to the longest pier and looking off at the ships in the distance with some of the Andinna following her, giving her silent back up or maybe just taking her lead. Several moments later, Alchan was there with Nevyn.

“Attention on me!” Alchan roared, his hand touching her shoulder for a second, reassuring in its own way. Nevyn stepped up next to her. The warriors hanging around the docks turned toward their king. “I want a small group to direct the ships to the long pier. Tell them flying directly into the city is not allowed because I want a headcount, and we need to find them proper sleeping arrangements. The captains of the ships will come off first and talk to me for a moment, then the Andinna can come off. Is that clear?”

“Trevan and Dave,” Mave added quickly, looking at Alchan, who nodded in agreement. Turning back to the Andinna before her, she knew they needed more information than that. “A pure Elvasi with auburn hair and pale gold eyes and a pure human with brown hair and brown eyes—they need to come off those ships as quickly as we can get them. We need to secure them.” She hadn’t forgotten them, but with the crushing weight of the gladiators arriving, she didn’t have space in her head or in her heart to think about them.

“Yes sir!” they said in unison. Mave turned to see Rain panting, giving her a look of annoyance, probably because he’d flown hard to get to Alchan, only to find the king here already.

“Two Andinna per ship. Watch your backs. We don’t know if they are the right ships!”

Pairs jumped into the air, and Alchan grabbed her shoulder with a bit of firmness now.

“What?” she asked softly, looking at him, pushing down her feelings already. Cold. She had to remember how to be cold. Anything else with these Andinna could be a sign of weakness.

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

“I sent Rain to tell you, but you beat him here. I want to be the first person they see coming off those ships. I want those gladiators to have to look me in the eye before they set foot on Anden soil. I want to gauge them before they get anywhere near any of you. Rain, get in the air as I asked.” She had to look around Alchan for that last part. Alchan’s eyebrows went up.

“You don’t trust them.”

“Never,” she whispered. “If they react poorly to me, they don’t leave the pier alive unless you feel the need to step in.”

Alchan nodded once. “Rain, being a wyvern is quite the display of power. If they have any ideas of acting like fools and criminals while here in my land, they’ll have to answer to the might I command. Between you, Rain, and the Company, it’ll be a very strong display.”

“That’s what I’m hoping.” Mave took a deep breath. “I think you should wait on land. I’ll be further down the pier. Can they all dock here?”

“One ship on either side and one at the end on the top. That’s why the pier is shaped this way.” He gestured toward the end. Mave nodded. She knew it was in the Common language T shape, but she wanted to be certain. This got harder if they had to separate the ships to different areas. “I’ll be waiting, Champion. I’ll keep the Company with me. Nevyn?”

“Varon is on his way. He’ll pick up everyone else.”

Mave pushed her feelings through the blood bond, a clear message she wanted Luykas to show up. She received a flood of worry in response. Most of the time, she and Luykas couldn’t feel emotions unless they touched when the flow was uncontrolled. Now, they used it more freely, communicating feelings over the distances.

The ships were drawing closer but slowly. Everyone moved into position, and Mave found herself without back up from the Company, the lone high-ranking warrior on the pier. Other Andinna were in front of her, waiting to help the ships dock.

She looked over her shoulder to see Luykas standing beside Alchan, holding a pair of breeches and a set of boots, which must have been Rainev’s. Mat and Bryn were behind him. On Alchan’s right, Nevyn with Varon flanking, and Kian watching from behind them. Leshaun hadn’t come to Kerit, leaving the Company feeling incomplete to her, but the strongest were there.

Alchan was right. It was a strong display of power.

When the ships were close enough, the experienced Andinna jumped into the air and helped the clearly Elvasi and human sailors. Mave could see some Andinna on the ships lining up at the rails, all male. Females and children would be hidden below for the moment.

A pity. I would have loved to see a strong female or two come out of the Empire this time. At the same time, it’s a good sign to see the males willing to test the new surroundings before risking the few females left and any possible young.

Complicated. Mave knew the whole thing was complicated, and that would be the case for a very long time. Having been both a slave and a free Andinna, she could see the rot of the Empire and the survival concessions made by the Andinna. Former female slaves hid, unsure of their own power and children too precious to be risked. Both in Olost and in Leria’s community, the females were powerful, even if there was a difference between those groups. The startling contrast made Mave keenly aware she needed to put the males in their place and give the females back theirs.

Ramps were put down, but none of the Andinna moved. Off each of the three ships, which also stuck out to Mave because there were supposed to be five, came the captains, looking tired from such a long journey but like Sen, no worse for wear. They were used to the voyages. They eyed her and stopped before her when she didn’t move from the center of the pier. Behind one of the captains were two people, two very important people—Trevan and Dave. Her heart clenched painfully at the sight of them. Dave looked half-starved, his eyes wide as he took in Kerit and Anden beyond it. Even from the pier, anyone could see the land’s infamous mountains riding up in the distance. Trevan looked tired and wary.

When they were all before her, she knew she couldn’t dwell on Trevan and Dave. Things had to keep moving.

“Were any of the Andinna a problem?” she asked professionally.

“No, ma’am,” each answered after a beat of silence, in hurried ways, obviously intimidated. Trevan shook his head slowly. Dave didn’t answer, but she didn’t take that as a sign. He still seemed awestruck.

“Go on. King Alchan Andini is in the black armor with the white dragon. His brother, General Luykas Andini, is in the white armor with the black dragon.”

“Thank you,” one of them said in a hushed voice, and they walked around her, each giving her nods of deference. Trevan’s eyes lingered on her longer than she figured was needed, but she made no move to stop the stare. She was doing her best not to stare as it was, looking away before he did.

Mave never had to stand like this, flexing her position in such a way. Seeing the deference from the captains she had never met made her uncomfortable, but she knew it wouldn’t be the case with the Andinna.

With her own people, she knew where she stood, and she had to make sure they all knew as well. There would never be a day when she lowered her eyes to any of them.

And I’ll never feel guilty for that.

“Andinna,” she called. They all stared at her, wary yet hopeful of getting off the ships and making it to freedom. They were so close. She wanted to make sure the right people got there first. “Women and children will leave the ships first! They’ll go to the shore, and someone will help them find everything they need for the day and tonight until we can properly find them homes. After them, I want any male Andinna who didn’t serve as a gladiator at any point in their lives. Males, you’re going to stay away from the females, regardless of familial connections.”

There was grumbling. There had been some minor talks about this, and they were ones she had paid attention to. She included her own pieces, knowing the Andinna on the ships better than anyone behind her ever would.

“Who are you?” someone called.

“Mave Lorren, Champion of King Alchan Andini,” she answered, looking for the one who asked. She didn’t find him in the crowd, but by the pale faces, she knew her name was recognized. “I speak for the King, and if that’s a problem…stay on the ship and go back to the Empire.”

No one replied.

“Gladiators, current and former, you’ll leave the ships last.” She turned back to Alchan, who nodded once. It was time to start getting them off the ships. While she was telling the freed slaves what the due was, he was having the Company coordinate other Andinna into stations. Everyone was ready now. Turning back to the ships, she nodded to herself. This was it. She was about to let faces from her past into her new life, and there was no stopping it. Raising her chin, she yelled for the first phase to begin.

“Females and children may now disembark!”

It felt like an eternity, but females led the groups off the ships. The children ranged from very tiny babes, who were probably weak and tired, to young adults, not quite old enough to face real horrors. They had faces full of fear as they were confronted with so many adults around them, something she knew they probably didn’t have much experience with once they were taken away from their mothers. All the children were under a century. They wouldn’t know enough about their people to understand the power. They had time to learn. She wasn’t concerned about them.

As the first female drew closer, Mave stepped aside, her arms behind her back and her feet spread. She wanted to give them something, and respect was the best thing she had. Many of them met her eyes, then respectfully looked down as they passed. Children stared at her with wide, curious eyes. She smirked playfully at one of them, who giggled.

She glanced down the pier to see Alchan shaking the hand of every single adult female who passed him. Luykas patted shoulders of the young adults, giving each of them a moment to adjust to a less intimidating male than the king.

There was something joyous about it. Kian even picked up one of the children, laughing as she tried to grab his horns and climbed up higher. It was a good moment. This was why they were fighting this new rebellion. This was why they had to take Kerit. For moments like this one.

There was only disappointment.

There aren’t many females or children. There should be more.

Three ships instead of five. Mave knew tragedy had struck, or they were separated. She hoped they were just separated, but she didn’t have the chance to ask. Once all the females were off the pier, Alchan nodded at her once again.

Mave went back to the center of the pier and raised a hand to grab everyone’s attention.

“Males without gladiatorial experience!”

It confused some why that was a distinction, but not all of them. There were males now on the ships with dark, nearly enraged faces staring down at her. None of them moved as other males got off the ship. She knew they were her peers. The ones who kept her isolated for so long. The ones who tried to break her body and her spirit.

“You may pass,” she said to the first males who approached her. Mave didn’t move for the males, making them go around her. It was a power move. While she conceded the path for the females and children, she didn’t for males, and that made her status and the status of the other females very clear.

It felt like an eternity, knowing the hateful stares of the gladiators were all focused on her while the other, innocent males were allowed to leave and achieve the freedom everyone truly wanted.

“Champion, you may proceed,” Alchan called. His tone was patient.

“Gladiators, come meet your Champion!” she roared, old rage bubbling up.

They didn’t move very fast, many of them smartly wary. As they left the ships, they glared at her. Ten paces from her, the front line of them stopped, halting the entire procession.

“Gladiators,” she greeted, reining in the momentary rage. Mave schooled her face, calling on the centuries of cruelty to make it all disappear. It had always thrown them off balance to know she was so cool and above them. It was a sign she was willing to kill them without blinking an eye. While she had grown beyond it in recent years, it was still a part of her. She was still capable of it.

“I think it needs to be said now. I’m certain many of you knew me as Mave Lorren, Champion of the Colosseum. Some of you know the events leading up to my escape.” Behind her, something cast a large shadow on her, then there was a loud thud as Rain landed on the pier between her and Alchan. “This is Rainev. He’s a member of the Ivory Shadows as am I. He’s the mutt who befriended me in the pits and is King Alchan’s nemari.”

There were several gasps, eyes looking above her at the blue wyvern, whose head stretched out over her. She smiled a little as the weight lessened. Her family had her back. She hadn’t wanted Rain on the pier. Either he decided to do it, or one of the Company asked him to. Either way, it was a heart-warming gesture when all Mave wanted to feel was cold.

“Now, I am Mave Lorren, King’s Champion. There’s bad blood between us, but it’s important to say now, it ends on this pier, at least between you and me. Any attacks against me will be met with King’s Justice.” She looked over the crowd, catching some eyes. Many were naturally looking away.

In the crowd, she caught a glimpse of one plain face with dark skin like many humans and Elvasi were. His red wings and ruby eyes were a wonderful complement to it, and he was pretty. She couldn’t deny that. He also seemed like the most intimidated and confused of the group. That had to be the mutt Trevan and Dave were traveling with. She would make sure they were reunited later.

“Don’t think that all the crimes you’ve committed in the pits are forgiven, either. Before you make it to the king, you’ll get into a single file line. You’ll look me in the eyes before you make it there.” She glanced up and considered Rain and what happened to him. “If you’re one of the gladiators who attempted or succeeded to rape anyone I know, you’ll be executed on the spot. There is no mercy and no freedom for you here.”

There were several gasps.

“The king can pass that judgment if he wishes,” someone snarled. “None of us can trust you when it comes to that. You’ll claim your rivals did, even if we never attempted it.”

“You know, Seventy-Two, I was really hoping you were dead,” she said softly, finding his face in the crowd. He wasn’t in the front, which surprised her. He pushed forward when their eyes met.

“Yes, Champion, I bet you were,” he growled. “Does our king know what you did for centuries? How you slaughtered us? How you were given nice things because of what you did to your own people on the sands?”

“He does,” Mave answered, nodding slowly. Something felt off. Luykas sent her a warning through the blood bond that set her on edge. She opened her mouth to continue talking but didn’t get the chance.

“I also know what was done to her against her will, out of your sight.” Alchan’s voice was clear and strong. “I know the ‘retribution’ you and those like you would pass onto her after she was just brutalized by the Elvasi. These were things she never had to report to me. Rainev and Matesh reported to me when we were leaving the Empire with her. I expected better of you, Kenav.”

Seventy-Two went pale.

Kenav. Mave finally had a name to the face. It felt like a revelation, but she wasn’t sure what the revelation was supposed to be. She turned slowly to him, working hard to keep her face blank.

Alchan knew him once. That means enough.

“Alchan, you have no idea—” Kenav

“King Alchan,” he snarled. “And I have every idea. I’m not a fool. You’re lucky for only one reason.”

“I’ll take whatever luck you can give me, Your Majesty.” Kenav bowed his head low in submission.

“As I forgave Mave Lorren for her possible crimes in the name of survival and rage at all of you, I shall forgive you of crimes of passion and anger against her due to the stress of your type of imprisonment by the Empire. What Shadra did to all of you was brutal and torturous.” Alchan showed no vulnerability, no flicker of anything on his face.

“I have heard descriptions of the pits you were kept in. I have seen the damage done to many of the slaves that have left the Empire. I have seen the horror in my own warriors’ eyes as they relayed to me what all of you were forced to live with. So, I shall forgive. I shall forgive the fights. I shall forgive the perception of Mave’s position in the Empire. But hear this and hear it well. This is the only mercy you get. From here, I expect all of you and my Champion to work to the common goal we all share. Freeing the Andinna from the shadow of the Empire and reclaiming our home.” Alchan adjusted his leather chest piece. “And thorough investigations will begin into all of you who may be involved with the act of rape, which has always been and will always be punishable by death.”

Mave gritted her teeth a little. She had wanted to gut them, but she understood what Alchan was doing. He was trying to maintain order.

He turned and started walking away. Rain did as well, his big tail sliding over the wood. Mave waited a moment, staring down the gladiators before turning her back on them as well, following behind Alchan and Rain. She watched as Rain shifted back into his Andinna form and pulled his pants on, the view protected from others by Matesh and Bryn. Mave stopped at Matesh and wrapped her arm around his waist, a clear sign to the gladiators that saw them that she had picked the big male as her own. Bryn and Luykas flanked her and Matesh, creating the appearance of a unit. Nevyn, Varon, and Kian glared at the gladiators, but when Alchan ordered them to find homes for the entire lot of them, they fell into the work.

“Wait,” she called. “I want that one.” She pointed to the plain-faced mutt with even more prominently pointed ears than Luykas. His ruby eyes went wide as she stared at him. “You know Trevan and Dave?”

“Yeah, he’s the fucking traitor,” someone muttered.

“Watch your tongue, or I’ll take it,” Luykas snapped.

A head ducked down, but the mutt came toward her. She looked him up and down. He wasn’t as tall as Luykas, who had been lucky to take mostly after the Andinna side except for his coloring. This mutt was very Elvasi except for the most obvious Andinna features. The red of his coloring was all blood or ruby red, vibrant in the same way Rain’s blue and Luykas’ white were.

“Emerian, right?” When he nodded, she was glad to have read the reports and picked the right mutt. “We’ll get you to them,” she promised. “I figured there would be some hostility toward you for sticking close to an Elvasi.”

His mouth moved, but he didn’t say anything. She stared him in the eye and finally saw his eyes drop as instincts told him to look away.

“Learn to follow those instincts a little faster,” Luykas advised quietly. “Take it from another half-breed, life is easier once you accept the Andinna in you. She’s the most dominant female of our people, and she’s not going to let you forget to follow the rules for long.”

Emerian’s growl was soft, but nothing that anyone needed to call out. She filed the response away to think about another time. The day was stressful enough.

“I am going to leave Nevyn, Varon, and Kian with the gladiators for the rest of the day,” Alchan said, cutting into the situation without care. “Matesh and Bryn, help the other males. Mave, I’ve already gotten many of our female warriors to put a guard rotation on the freed females and children. I want you with Luykas and me to speak to the captains and…our other allies.”

“Be careful,” she said softly, looking at the backs of the gladiators. “They’re not going to like keeping Trevan, maybe Dave as well.”

“Do you want to keep them in Anden?” He frowned at her, confused. “I figured we would send them on the next ship to Olost to live out their lives.”

“Give them the choice,” Luykas said, splitting Mave and Alchan down the middle. “If they want to go to Olost, we let them. If they want to stay here and make themselves useful, we’ll make sure no one on our side attacks them.”

“That’s what I was going to offer,” Alchan grumbled. “This is too many people for me. Meeting building. Now.”

Alchan launched into the air, Rainev following him. Mave sighed, kissed Mat and Bryn on the cheeks, then launched into the air with Luykas to follow the king. She turned to see Emerian wasn’t following and rolled her eyes.

“Let’s go,” she ordered. “You’re with us if you can fly. If you can’t, someone will escort you to us.”

His wings looked a little unsure, but he followed as well.

She took one last look at the gladiators being talked to by Nevyn and Kian and letting the sinking sensation in her stomach settle.

Her past was now on their shores. She wished she could say she was okay with it. She had a small bone to pick with Alchan over his declaration on the pier.

6

Emerian

Emerian was practically shaking as he landed on the rooftop behind her—The Champion—Mave Lorren. Trevan’s…whatever she was to him. He kept his head down and eyes to the ground as he followed her into the building. She walked with a male with identical armor as her, but his main pieces were nearly ivory white leather. The cost of something so fine meant he had to be important. He didn’t really hear what she said down on the pier from his place on the ship. He was too busy trying not to flip out that he’d been separated from the only two men he was familiar with enough to feel safe around.

Safe. He’d thought becoming a gladiator, while dangerous, would one day make him safe. That had been proven wrong the longer his stay had been there. The Elvasi would never accept him, but…

The Andinna apparently accepted mutts without blinking. The white-winged male was half-Elvasi. The eyes gave it away, a pure Elvasi gold Trevan’s eyes tried to be. Not that Trevan’s eyes were bad. When the white-winged mutt turned his head for something, his hair revealed very small points to his ears, another indication of his heritage.

And they matched exactly with the Princess’. Perfectly.

“Because I have a brother like you.”

There’s no way he’s that brother, right?

He said nothing as he was led into a giant room with a table in the center, covered in maps and other items—quills and ink, blank scrolls and some with writing, and leather-bound books and pamphlets. This had to be the war room.

But what am I doing here? Is this where they brought Trevan and Dave? Are they safe? She didn’t make it seem like they were in any danger. She called them allies. They better be safe.

“Hey, Emerian,” she said, making his head come up and meet her eyes again.

This time he looked away quickly, feeling more comfortable with that than staring too long at her unusual eyes. Some would say they were blue, some would say they were grey, but he found them an odd mix of the two. He’d grown up in the northern reaches of the Empire. They reminded him of steel covered in ice and were just as cold, threatening to give him the same chills he’d gotten as a boy.

“Yes, Champion?” he replied, swallowing.

“Alchan just said Trevan and Dave are in the next room, back door on the left. You can go meet them. We’ll call you three out when we’re ready to figure out what to do with you.”

He nodded quickly and started to walk away. Before he made it out of the room, he caught something that made it feel as if he was being punched to the gut.

“You’re being very nice to him,” a male commented.

“Yeah…” She sounded thoughtful.

“Want to tell us why?”

“I know what it means to have a plain face,” she answered, sounding absentminded.

“Let’s get down to business. You told them we would investigate? How long is that going to take? Andinna could get hurt before we can kill off the ones who need to die.”

Emerian walked faster, not hearing a response to that. There was something terrifyingly bloodthirsty about the way she spoke in a cold, annoyed tone. He ducked into the door she pointed out and sighed as he closed the door behind him.

“Emerian!” Dave said, laughing. “We’re here! We made it!”

“Yeah…” He looked up and saw them sitting on a long, soft-looking couch with drinks and small food items on a low table in front of them, and the fire was going. “This is Kerit, huh? Anden.”

“Yeah,” Trevan said softly. “I’m glad someone grabbed you and brought you here. I was going to ask the moment I saw…them, but we were escorted here without being able to really talk to anyone, and we haven’t heard from them.”

“She figured out who I was,” Emerian explained quickly, moving to them. “She, uh, apparently doesn’t trust the gladiators with anything.”

“She wouldn’t,” Dave said darkly. “They did awful things to her for a long time. My entire time as her assigned handler was watching her protect herself from them. Everyone who had the job before me was the same way, constantly watching her fighting on the sands, in the pits, and at the…private parties she was required to attend.”

“And now, she’s the King’s Champion,” the Elvasi whispered. “It suits her. She’s always been so…”

“Above it all?” Dave asked, smirking. “Yeah. She has. She looked terrifying on that pier. And she finally has the…what are they called? Tatua?”

“Yeah,” Emerian confirmed softly. “She was…plain-faced like me until her escape?”

“She was the last time we saw her.” Trevan reached out and poured a steaming hot drink and held it out. “Coffee. It’s stronger than I’m used to, but maybe you have the stomach for it.”

“Because I’m half Andinna?”

“Yes…sorry.”

Emerian sighed and took the drink, sipping it slowly. It was delicious, deep in flavor, and strong. He wanted to hate that he liked it, but Andinna coffee was amazing, of course.

“Why didn’t they get me off the boat with you two?” he finally asked, frowning at the dark liquid.

“I never got a chance to ask, but my best guess would be favoritism. Not us over you, but you over the other Andinna.” Trevan turned his own drink in his hand. “Maybe also a little us over you, but…I’ve never had a real conversation with her. I don’t know her that well.”

“Yet you gave up your entire life for her,” he pointed out, always aware of the fact.

“And now I’m here and not a captive of my once loved Empire,” he retorted. “Are you scared?”

“Aren’t you?” he growled. “Look at them. She, the king, and that white-winged one—”

“Luykas Andini, the king’s half-brother. He’s a mutt like you,” Dave said with a smile. “You and him could get to know each other. He could have some advice—”

“I don’t need or want his advice,” Emerian snapped. He immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry. I’m hungry and tired and…I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“None of us do,” Trevan reminded him softly. “We were just told this was the path to freedom from the Empire. This is where everything is going to happen. And…I want to be here for it. I’ve wanted freedom for the Andinna for centuries. It always bothered me to see how they were treated, her especially. Why don’t you sit down? We’re going to take this one day at a time.”

Emerian had no fight in him, falling into a chair that was more comfortable than anything he had ever sat in. The cushioned chair was perfectly designed for an Andinna, so his tail could hang comfortably, and his wings weren’t crushed on something, supporting his upper back as well.

Of course, they would have furniture that makes sense for us. They just have everything for these damn wings and the stupid tail, don’t they?

He wasn’t sure why he was angry. He wasn’t sure why this bothered him. He didn’t understand why he disliked the fancy room he was in with so much food and hot coffee.

Why are they treating us like this? This isn’t barbarism. This is class in its own way. Sure, the building looks a little rough, but the stone is well put together.

It felt like an eternity, but the door opened, and there she was again, in all her terrifying glory. He wanted to sink at the sight of her. The intricate tatua over her face, the black armor with its dragon. The imposing nature of the way she carried herself.

She was dominant, and he could feel it. He’d never been confronted so strongly by the feeling of wanting to submit just to please someone and get into his place. He’d grown up thinking he was beyond the primal nature of the Andinna to play dominance games.

She made him want to kneel, and he wanted to hate her for that.

“You three feeling better?” she asked, looking over them, her face deceptively blank. “We’re ready for you.”

Dave got up first, walking fast to see her. Emerian could have sworn a smile was beginning to form on her lips as human and Andinna stared at each other.

“It’s good to see you,” she said softly.

“It’s good to see you, too,” Dave said, emotion obviously choking his words.

“For once, I get to say this. Follow me,” she said with a kind touch, the smile finally forming. She completely ignored Trevan, who was now standing awkwardly. Emerian got to his feet quietly, following the female out.

Back in the main room, Emerian continued to keep his eyes down. His mother had tried to teach him when he was young, the more dominant the Andinna, the more dangerous they generally were. They trained harder, killed more. They were the pinnacle of what the Andinna were.

He was standing in a room with the most dominant female around and the king.

I don’t think my mother ever thought I would be here.

He stood back from the table, letting Trevan and Dave draw closer.

“Welcome to Anden, Trevan, Dave, and Emerian,” the king greeted. Emerian wasn’t foolish enough to forget his voice any time soon. “You may look at me. I’m not going to cut you down for it.”

He didn’t want to look at the king, not now, not ever. Seeing him beside Mave with the blue wyvern over them had been an image he knew would be burned into his mind for the rest of his life,

Pictures of power. They should know he was scared shitless of them.

“Emerian. Look up,” someone ordered in a tone that meant he had to.

Slowly, he brought his head up, scared of what he would see. He was able to look between Dave and Trevan and see the white-winged Andinna, Luykas Andini, there.

“No one here is going to hurt you unless you betray the cause or commit some crime that requires severe punishment,” he said with a gentleness that should have been insulting.

It was a balm. Emerian felt his body relax without really understanding what was happening.

“You’ve never been exposed to dominant Andinna before. It takes some getting used to.” Luykas smirked. “Believe me.”

“Um…” No, not like this, he hadn’t.

“I lived in the Empire until I was around a hundred years old. I get it. I’m a bit more dominant than you, but finding out how to follow your instincts won’t take long, I promise.”

“Thank you,” Emerian whispered. That was interesting. He was the king’s brother, but he grew up with Elvasi. He knew both sides better than probably anyone at the table.

“We wanted to discuss what your futures would hold now that you are free of the Empire,” Alchan said sharply, stepping up next to his brother. “There are two choices for you. You can come with us to our base village while we fight the rebellion against the Empress, or you can board the next ship for Olost, which leaves in four days.”

“You’re giving us the choice?” Trevan asked softly. “I want to help more. I don’t know how I can, but…I didn’t do all of this just to hide in the free cities. If you’re going to fight for the Andinna, I want to be a part of it.”

“Then you’ll ride out with us in one week. We’re hoping to make it back to our village before winter is over. We’re cutting it close, but we should have time now that we’ve secured the path between Kerit and home.” Alchan nodded at him. “It’ll be an honor to have you help our cause. No one here would have blamed you for leaving. You’ve done enough for us as it is.”

“And you’ve suffered enough for it,” Luykas added.

Emerian looked down the table to see her. She was quiet now, her face blank. Whatever she was thinking about what Trevan said, there was no way of guessing.

“I want to stay. Let’s say that my time in the pits has only made me a better soldier, not a worse one.”

Alchan reached out, and Trevan shook the offered hand.

“Then, welcome to the rebellion. Truly. There’s only one thing to make sure is clear. You’ll be under the protection of the Ivory Shadows for your entire time with us, and the option to leave for Olost is always open to you.” Alchan pulled his hand back and looked at Dave with an odd expression. “You’re the human who helped, Dave. I’m going to make a wild assumption and say you want to stay as well.”

“I can manage Mave’s schedule,” Dave offered quickly. “I can run messages, though all of you can fly, so that might not be a good role for me, but I can be her…assistant.” He looked down the table, and Emerian caught his worried look on his profile. “If you’ll have me.”

“I’ll have you,” Mave whispered. “It’ll help me keep you alive.”

“Dave, you understand this war might last longer than you’ll…be alive, right?” Luykas asked carefully.

“I do.” Dave seemed uncomfortable for a minute. “Do you want the greatest secret about my position in the Empire? We were all pro-Andinna. From the very first human who worked as the servant for Mave’s schedule, escorting her around, we’ve all been…dedicated to her. In another couple of decades, I would have gone to the resistance and started searching for the best replacement, someone loyal. They would have been given a…history book, really, of everything that goes on for Mave. The numbers of the gladiators known to cause her the most problems, the names of Elvasi nobles who requested and paid for her the most. I knew Mave as the Champion of the Colosseum…better than my own family.”

Alchan and Luykas both had surprised expressions. They looked down at Mave. Emerian’s eyes followed theirs.

There was no denying the brokenhearted and pained expression on her face.

“I need some air,” she whispered. She started walking away before turning back. “Dave, you can stay and work for me. That’s fine. That’ll never change.”

Then she was gone, disappearing beyond the large doors that Emerian remembered coming into the room through.

“Luykas?” Alchan seemed concerned.

“I don’t know—”

“I do,” Dave said quickly. All of them looked back down at the human who apparently knew much more than anyone gave him credit for. His face was red now. “The first human they assigned her in the pits was her friend. They were close. He’s the one who started writing everything down, hoping someone would one day help her because he saw her go from a bright, but scared girl to…well, the beginning of the adult woman she is now. He wrote…he wrote in his last entry that she was given the ability to visit him. The next servant would get her there. She cried when he died. Or so the next journal says, written by his successor.”

“Ah,” Luykas said softly. “Alchan, if you don’t mind…”

“Stay one more moment, then you’ll have leave to do as you wish.” Alchan looked at him. Emerian felt pinned. Of course, this was going to come back around to him. “We’ve heard some troubling tales about you, but the offer stands for you just as it does them.”

“Troubling tales?” Emerian swallowed the lump of fear in his throat. He’d been a stupid fucking prick in the pits toward the other Andinna.

“About your mother and father. A situation like that can obviously leave a mark on someone. If living among so many Andinna is hard for you, you can go to Olost.”

“Or you can stay and try to find a place on this side of your heritage,” Luykas said softly.

Emerian had thought about this for weeks. Since he was put on that fucking boat and told he was coming here, he thought about it. He had hoped Dave and Trevan would go to Olost. Following them there would have been easy. He had no other friends. No connection to anyone, it seemed. He had a human who was obsessed with a female that scared him and an Elvasi who was obsessed with the same female. If he wanted to keep his only friends, however weak those connections were, he had to stay and fight in a war.

Or he could run to Olost alone, very alone. Maybe he would meet other mutts there, but he would never really have a place, either—not like the one he wanted with the Elvasi.

“I’ll stay,” he whispered. “I’ll stay here. I’m terrible with a sword, though…” He lifted his hands. “I don’t know what to do.”

“We’ll find you something,” Luykas promised. “Now I really must go. Alchan?”

“I’ll have Rain find them a home.”

Suddenly, the blue mutt appeared at the table, looking between them. Luykas walked away quickly.

“Is she happy?” Trevan asked suddenly. “The Champion?”

Alchan and Rain looked at each other before Rain turned back to the Elvasi. Emerian hoped it was an answer that would put Trevan at ease.

“She is. One of her husbands just left the room to check on her. She’s still Mave, the warrior capable of extreme violence and feats of war that make others wary to even talk to her, but she’s not the female she was in the pits. You saved her. You saved me too. And Matesh? He became her first husband, the first male to join her mayara. There’s three. You’ll meet Brynec soon…Shit.”

“Yeah, we’ll keep him away from Brynec for a little while,” Alchan said absentmindedly.

“That should worry me, shouldn’t it?” Trevan looked back at Emerian, confused, but Emerian had no answer for him, so he shrugged.

“Brynec despises Elvasi,” Rain explained. “Really hates all of you. He’s fine with mutts, as long as they’re more Andinna in nature than Elvasi, but he has really valid and concerning reasons to hate Elvasi. He’s also not someone you want hating you. Don’t worry. He’s a member of the Ivory Shadows, and he’ll follow orders, but don’t expect him to ever like you.”

“Thank you for the warning.”

“He’s always wearing a scarf. You can’t miss him. Now, why don’t you three follow me? There’s a house I think will be perfect for you all.” Rain’s smile was strangely innocent. Emerian didn’t really trust it, but he followed the mutt out, and they walked the streets of Kerit.

They made several turns he couldn’t keep up with until they started going down a somewhat quiet road. Rain found the house and opened the front door, waving them in.

“Hey, Mave! Do you mind if you have neighbors?”

Emerian’s blood ran cold as he looked in the direction of Rain’s gaze. Next door, Mave stood with Luykas, looking toward them. Her eyes were red and puffy.

“If Dave’s going to be my assistant, it’s for the best,” she answered. Then she disappeared inside with the white-winged mutt following her.

Emerian was going to live next door to her. After months of hearing about her, in every possible light, he was now going to live maybe thirty feet away from the female who made him want to drop to his knees and beg for mercy for crimes he wasn’t sure he committed.

First, the rebellion. Now, this.

7

Mave

Mave stood alone on the street, her ears ringing.

No. He didn’t. He died centuries ago. He…

She leaned over, covering her face.

He was my friend to the end, wasn’t he? And he gave me silent support for all those years.

Mave’s chest tightened as the tears flooded her eyes. There weren’t many things she cried about, but in her youth, still too young to really understand how terrible life could get, she’d cried for him.

Centuries later, she cried for him again.

His death had been something she held close for so long. So many humans took the role he had started, the servant who only came for her, only led her to and from her torture and the duties of her slavery. So many and she had never become friends with them after, so afraid of the pain of losing the next one. That was the thing about the short-lived races versus the long. In the time it took an Andinna or Elvasi to reach adulthood, a human lived an entire life.

She couldn’t stay on her feet, her knees slamming into stone as the overwhelming pain washed over her and sobs wracked her body. So many years ago. She had tried not to feel like this for so many years.

Hands touched hers, and a wave of love flowed through the blood bond.

“Mave, it’s okay,” Luykas murmured. “Why don’t you talk to me about it?”

“He was my only friend,” she was able to choke out. “My only one. And then he died, and I told myself no more friends, not humans. No humans. No Elvasi. No Andinna. He died, and he left me alone. And…”

“And he never left you alone like you thought he did,” Luykas finished for her. She closed her eyes again, leaning into him. “He never left you alone. He left others in his place.”

Whatever noise she made sent her back to her youth. Barely a hundred and twenty, still fresh in the hell that was the pits, and her human had just died. She was all alone with no idea he had set her up with companions for centuries to come—no idea at all.

The world would have been less lonely if she had known.

“Come on. We can go for a walk, and I can tell you what Dave told us after you left,” Luykas whispered, helping her to her feet. “Deep breath.”

She did as he asked, sucking air in, trying to control her emotions, which felt like trying to hold on during a storm at sea.

“What did he say?” She wanted to know. She needed to know.

“He, and I think a few others over the years, wrote journals about working around you, with you, for you. They made notes about who your enemies were in the pits and outside them. They watched you, hoping you would learn to rely on them. They wanted to do what was best for you, all these years. They chose their successors through the hidden pro-Andinna community Shadra could never crush. I wouldn’t doubt if the humans over the years were some of the first in the official cause.”

Mave looped her arm through Luykas’ and let him lead the walk.

“Keep going,” she whispered.

“That’s really all I know. I’m sorry.” Through the bond, she felt his need to help her, to offer her the peace of mind she needed so desperately.

“Why…How…” She tried to find a way to ask all the questions that were running through her mind. It felt impossible. “I wasn’t Dave’s friend. I was cold to him. I pushed him aside, and he…”

“He was living up to your first friend, I’m guessing.” Luykas sighed at the end. “And there’s nothing wrong with what they did. Would you have rather had humans as cruel as the Empress?”

“I just don’t understand why they did it. I guess I just always thought they considered us exactly what Shadra wanted them to see. Barbarians. Monsters. Uneducated brutes. Every human was scared of me, except Dave. I always thought he was just a fool. I thought everyone should be scared of me.”

“We don’t give humans and other short-lived races enough credit sometimes,” Luykas admitted. They weren’t walking very fast, and she didn’t know where they were going. The only thing she knew was moving was keeping the pain at bay for a moment. “You were just under a century when you were thrown into the pits, yeah?”

“Yes. He was assigned to me the first day, and he died…about twenty years later,” she explained, finishing that small piece of the timeline that was her life.

“His grandparents could have been alive to see free Andinna.”

That caught her off guard. She had never thought about it. Maybe because she never really remembered free Andinna. Taken as a very young child, she only had fragments and pieces of a single day of her life before Shadra and the Empire.

“Luykas, are you saying, he could have heard stories and…”

“The propaganda about Andinna started long before the War, but we were too stupid to see it. But humans and other races who lived along the Dragon Spine were less susceptible to it. We didn’t see it because those near us were still our friends, still our trading partners.” Luykas shrugged. “My best guess? He saw you. He saw an Andinna child thrown into hell and knew the injustice of it. He’d probably heard of free Andinna before meeting you and knew something was very wrong. You became friends with him. He knew he would leave you one day, and so he tried to sway those who came after him, and he succeeded. The great injustice done to you has now been corrected, with the help of his most recent successor.”

“Dave,” she whispered. “I wondered why he would give everything to help me the way he did.”

“He was inducted into what seems like an order of humans willing to give up everything to help you escape. We just never knew there were people looking out for you like that. Trevan became our contact in Elliar, not any of the humans, probably because of the life span issue.” Luykas did little circles with his thumb on her skin. “I wish we had found you sooner.”

“You found me at the right time,” she promised.

“A thousand years—”

“The fact you found me at all makes it the right time,” she whispered, stopping them. She turned to stand against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “I hate feeling that pain. Thank you for coming to me.”

He leaned down and captured her lips.

They stood alone on a cobblestone street, embracing. She felt like he was home, just as much as Bryn and Matesh, even though he was her newest husband. Officially, anyway. He had belonged to her longer than either of them had wanted to realize.

“Let’s go home. It’s been a really long day, and I’m still mad at Alchan,” she said, pulling away with a sigh. “I can’t believe he wouldn’t let me kill them on the pier.”

Luykas chuckled. “He was in a difficult position. He can’t just take your word for it and let you cut down potential rivals from the pits. The other gladiators would have seen it as you abusing the power you finally have. He was protecting you as much as he was protecting his own public perception. And the Company’s. He doesn’t want us seen as butchers who don’t understand the terrible things our people have gone through when we do understand. Between you and the other slaves we’ve seen escape, we understand quite well.”

“I know but—”

“We’re going to investigate, and we’re going to call aside the ones we know are trouble. They’ll be dealt with. Alchan made that very clear.”

“He did, I just wanted—”

“He already promised you the right to cut heads off,” Luykas huffed. “Mave, he’s the king, but he can’t pass judgment without appearing to be fair. If we started killing those gladiators on the pier, the entire lot of them would have turned against us, and even with them half-starved, a lot of Andinna could have died.”

“Would it have been different if he were female? A queen?”

“Yes. Then his judgment wouldn’t be contestable. People wouldn’t like it, but they wouldn’t have even considered challenging him. Alchan can be challenged, though. He’s a very dominant bedru, thanks to the royal bloodline, but he’s not undefeatable. I can dominate him on a good day.” His thumb was still doing those circle things, and she found them a little distracting. Using her free hand, she paused the thumb.

“Who is Kenav?” she asked softly, thinking of that gladiator. Seventy-Two—she finally had a name to the face.

“Who is he to you?”

“Answer me,” she ordered, looking up at his gold eyes.

“Alchan’s cousin through his mother’s side,” Luykas answered softly. “The son of a noble house, now probably the leader of said noble house. He was one of the four Andinna in charge of the western front of our forces during the War. Alchan and I grew up with him. Alchan, more so than me. Once I moved to Anden, they drifted apart. Kenav couldn’t keep up with two royal sons, one bedru, and one nearly there. Now, who is he to you?”

“Seventy-Two. He was a ringleader of the pits and active in my torment. He and I never fought. He wasn’t stupid enough to cross that line, but he orchestrated a beat down on Mat and Rain early on in their slavery. He worked with other gladiators to kill me that day, kill Mat, and…” She didn’t finish, realizing she didn’t have real proof about his involvement with Rain. “I don’t know how involved. He probably just wanted all three of us dead. He was never…that kind of monster. Not that I saw.” It was a bitter pill to swallow, admitting that to Luykas, but it didn’t change the picture of pure rage on her husband’s face. “Don’t. I’ll talk to Alchan about it another time. I never even knew his name, but Alchan did, so that made me curious.”

“I’ll keep this between us until you talk to Alchan.”

“Thank you. Maybe he and I can forge a new relationship of working together for the rebellion. That’s what Alchan hopes, and that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t run scared anymore, and what happened down there, at the end of the day, was Shadra’s fault.” She had to keep that belief close, remind herself of it at every opportunity.

If I forget who the real villain is, I’ll end up becoming the monster they always claimed I was. Alchan was right. I can’t just kill them because I heard things. The ones who tried to hurt Rain and I are dead. That’s the best I can do.

For now.

When they made it onto their street, Mave saw others entering from the far end of the small street. Raising an eyebrow, the gladiators forgotten, she watched as Rain led Dave, Trevan, and the pretty mutt to the home next door to her own. She stopped at her door, knowing Luykas was also watching. Rain glanced up and seemed happy to see her.

“Hey, Mave! Do you mind if you have neighbors?”

Through her bond with Luykas, there came a flash of humor and a touch of worry. He thought this was both funny and concerning, something she had to agree with.

“If Dave’s going to be my assistant, it’s for the best,” she answered, trying not to make it seem like a big deal. Then she walked in, letting Luykas follow her. He had to catch the door before she closed it on his face.

“Finally, someone is back!” Zayden growled, hobbling out of the kitchen. “I’ve been waiting here for hours, wondering if anyone was going to tell me what the fuck was going on.”

“Oh, Rain said something happened,” Luykas muttered. “Zayden, I need to ask a simple question.”

“Yes, I’m a fucking idiot. I’ve been told. Repeatedly. Now, someone—”

“They’re all here, for the most part. Two ships were lost at sea, one of them housing most of the females and young. Many of them were recovered from the sea by the other ships, but it seems there was an attack by the Elvasi as the Andinna tried to skirt around Ellantia,” Luykas explained fast. Mave had sat through all of that. There was so much that went right today, and so much that was continuing to go wrong like that attack. “Alchan and I are taking care of it. Nevyn, Varon, and Kian are handling the gladiators and putting them in homes away from everyone else for the night. Mat and Bryn are helping some other unit leaders with other males. The female warriors are helping the females and the children. Mave and I are off until tomorrow. Now, about you being a fucking idiot—”

“I made food. Come eat it,” Zayden said, cutting Luykas back off.

Mave shook her head when Luykas looked down at her, exasperated.

“Rain and I already gave him an earful. Whether you want to or not is your decision, but I’m not getting into it again,” she said in a final tone. “I’m going to eat this food he obviously made for us because he was bored and feeling guilty for injuring himself even further, then the freed Andinna got here.”

“And he’s stuck here and couldn’t help,” Luykas said, sighing.

“Exactly.”

“I heard that!” Zayden shouted from the kitchen.

“GOOD!” she roared back, growling as she stomped into the kitchen. A bowl was shoved at her, revealing Zayden had made a hearty stew. She didn’t realize she had been gone long enough for him to whip something like it up. Normally, a stew had to sit on the fire for half the day or more. “Have you been doing this since the moment Rain and I left?”

“Yes.” He looked up from the pot he was hovering over, glaring. He was feisty today, and Mave decided she’d had enough of bad attitudes.

She went to sit at her table, thinking that dealing with Zayden could be for later or tomorrow. Or her males could handle him.

The stew counts for something. It’s his idea of an apology. I think. Considering his general grumpy behavior and how much he cooks for my household, it makes a lot of sense if I look at it that way.

She started eating slowly, watching as Luykas glared back at Zayden but took his bowl of stew. They ate in silence until they heard the front door open. Mave looked up, her seat giving her a view of the hall from the front door. Mat and Bryn came into view, kicking off their boots and putting them to the side.

Seeing that, Mave finally kicked off her own boots and pushed them at Luykas, who smirked, his bad mood with Zayden gone. He reached down and picked up her boots and went to take his own off as well before Matesh got onto everyone.

Matesh watched with a smirk, but she saw the moment his eyes found Zayden in the kitchen.

“What the hell?”

Well, looks like Zayden is going to get it from everyone today.

“I know,” Zayden growled. “I’ve been chewed out by your female and my son already. Luykas tried to start, as well. I don’t need another reminder of my own stupidity.”

“Okay.” Mat raised his hands and shook his head in disappointment. “You have food? I’m starving.”

Zayden held out a bowl, then prepared another one for quiet Bryn. Both of her males sat down and started to eat, but Mave kept watching Zayden.

“Did you eat already?” she asked, curious. He could sit and eat with them, and he knew it. They had all made it clear. He normally did, but now, maybe due to the day everyone had, he wasn’t moving from his spot.

“I was wondering if Rain would come in. I heard him call for you,” Zayden said softly.

“He’s probably helping our new neighbors settle in. Mat, Bryn, ah, those three are moving in next door. Dave has offered to be my assistant and help me keep a work schedule and get to places on time.”

Mat chuckled. “Good. I’m glad he’s around again. Will that be okay with you?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell you more later.” In bed, with you and Bryn only focused on me.

She didn’t need to say that second half, both of them nodding, understanding she either didn’t want to say in front of Zayden or just wasn’t in the mood to rehash the day yet.

“Since it would be good exercise, you could go get him,” Luykas pointed out. “Or just check to see if he’s still over there. He might have run back to Alchan. It’s going to be a busy night for those two.”

“That’s right,” Zayden said with a sigh, making a bowl of stew for himself. “It will be, won’t it?” He found a seat and looked at everyone around the table. “I’m sorry for hurting myself. I was just…feeling winter fever this morning, and I don’t know what got into me.”

Mave was taken aback. Never before had Zayden turned on a dime so quickly.

“I know this means I could be staying with you longer, and I do want to get out of your space once I’m healed, especially since Bryn has been back for months and now Luykas, you live here—”

“You don’t have to leave,” she said, cutting him off before he decided to shove his tail further into his mouth. “Don’t…it’s not a problem.” She didn’t want him to leave.

“Yeah, who would cook the best meals any of us have had in months if not for you?” Mat teased, grinning. “You did something stupid. Honestly, I would have lost all sense of self-control a week ago. I had my wings bound when I was in the Empire, and it was torture. I hated every second of it. We understand. Maybe next time, don’t launch yourself off the roof.”

Zayden’s face turned red. He didn’t say anything, but that red face said a lot. There were a few reasons, but she was going to go with embarrassment. They all settled back into eating, dropping the entire discussion. He was done first, and put his bowl aside to be washed, then left the room, leaving Mave and her males looking at each other.

“How bad was it?” Mat asked softly.

“Zayden falling down from our roof? I thought he was dead,” she answered, sighing. “I found him up there and tried to convince him it wasn’t a good idea, but…”

“But male pride can be a strong motivating factor.” Luykas chuckled dryly. “He’ll be back in the air before we know it if he doesn’t keep doing stuff like that.”

“His healer recommended getting a sword back in his hand and working with him. I’m going to set aside my mornings to spar with him while you three get other work done.”

“Speaking of work, I think I’m going to head out once I’m done eating. Mat and Bryn are here, so I think I should get back and help Alchan and Rain with the new arrivals.”

She reached out and took his hand, pushing to him the gratitude she felt that he had been willing to drop everything to make sure she was okay. She was now, and she needed to catch Mat and Bryn up, anyway. Thinking of Bryn, she realized how quiet he was—unusually quiet.

“Bryn, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he answered, looking down at his bowl, focused on his food.

“Please don’t do that.”

There was a long silence at the table. She didn’t want to hear he was fine. He obviously wasn’t. So much had happened today, she was certain no one was truly fine.

“Why does the Elvasi have to live next door?” he finally asked, looking over at her with hurt and no small amount of anger in his eyes.

“Rain picked the house for them. Keeping those three together is the best idea, and if Dave is going to be working for me, then they have to be close. If they weren’t next door, they would be on this street.” She understood Rain’s reasoning behind the choice, which was why she didn’t argue with it.

And it lets me keep them safe. If someone attacks them, I can get there quickly.

“But he’s…” Bryn held his spoon with white knuckles.

“Elvasi. He’s also a guard from the pits. He’s also the person who showed Zayden how to find Matesh and Rainev, which meant he led Zayden to me. He led us to get out of the pits. He drugged the other guards. He stayed back to fight while we kept running. He’s not our enemy.”

I don’t really know what he is, but an enemy isn’t one of the options. Not now. Hopefully, not ever.

If there was one person in that group she was avoiding, it was Trevan, the Elvasi. She just didn’t know what to do with him. She had wanted him here, but now that he was right next door, she was a little stuck. She didn’t really understand what he wanted, either, which didn’t help her predicament.

“I know,” Bryn muttered. “I just don’t like it. He could come over here while we’re sleeping and—”

“If he’s able to sneak into this house and into our room, then actually hurt one of us before we can react, then he’s the best assassin in the world and wouldn’t have been a grunt guard in the pits,” Mat said, cutting off her rogue husband. “There’s nothing to worry about. He won’t get past us to Mave if push comes to shove.”

“And he’s friends with a very close ally in Dave,” Luykas pointed out. “I like the idea of keeping Emerian close. So far, we’re the only two mutts who are half-Elvasi, and in the current emotional climate, it’s a dangerous thing to be.”

“Where they won’t attack you, they will attack him,” Mave agreed. She kept her eyes on Bryn, staring at the worried summer-sky eyes. “It will be fine, Brynec. I’m more worried about the Andinna we’ve welcomed today than the Elvasi. Trevan never did anything to me. The only time I really remember him in the pits was the moment he let Rain and Mat pass through the gate to treat my injuries when I told him I didn’t want any visitors, which helped me in the end as he probably intended.”

“I just need some time to get used to it, then,” Bryn conceded, looking away. “I can’t be his friend. I don’t think I ever could be.”

“No one is asking you to do anything you don’t want to do,” she promised, her heart aching for him.

He finished his stew and kissed her head as he passed to put the bowl aside. When he left the room, he didn’t tell them where he was going, but Mave had a guess.

“Mat, you’ll help me with him?”

“Yeah. He needs some reassurance.”

Mave nodded slowly, staring at the entry to the dining room and kitchen where her male had just disappeared. Luykas kissed her before leaving as well, promising to be back before it was too late. It was already past dark, so she didn’t have much hope. Knowing Luykas and Alchan, they could easily be working close to dawn.

She waited on Mat, and once he was done eating, they went off to give their rogue the attention he sorely needed.

8

Alchan

“Let’s head home,” Alchan said, pushing away papers. “We can do this at my desk.”

He wasn’t truly tired, but he was tired of being in the large government building. Rain was sitting at the large table, his blue eyes reflecting light from the fire, making it impossible for Alchan to look away. He flipped through papers slowly before looking up, confused.

“We still have a lot to do,” Rain reminded him. “We need to find out if we have the resources to afford this many Andinna. We need to figure out the new rations, or we’ll run out of food before we make it back to our home village because I bet everyone who came off those ships is starving.”

“We can do it at home,” he repeated.

Rain shrugged and stood up, collecting the papers. Alchan realized he needed to help and began pulling everything into a pile for himself. It took time he didn’t want to waste to get out of the building with everything they needed, but he was getting his way, as he normally did.

He didn’t feel the least bit guilty, knowing once he had Rain at home, he could at least enjoy the work instead of feeling like he was going to rip his eyes out of his skull.

It was late, the sun already down when they walked through their front door. Alchan had a perverse enjoyment, thinking of the tall house in Kerit as theirs—his and Rain’s. He had never shared with anyone except family, and family wasn’t nearly as enjoyable. They deposited everything on the desk, and Alchan sat down behind it, watching as Rain left him there.

When Rain came back, he had a loaf of bread and a plate of fruit and cheese.

“We missed dinner,” Rain said softly, putting the food down on the corner of the desk. “Let me get us something to drink.”

Alchan knew he needed to start working while Rain was setting them up for a quieter evening, but he found himself staring at Rain’s ass as the male walked out, completely entranced. It didn’t take long for him to start thinking about what he wanted to do to it once Rain was out of sight. When Rain walked back in, Alchan was rock hard.

I’ve never been this easy to get a rise out of. I didn’t think sleeping with him was going to make this a problem.

He always wanted Rain. He wanted Rain no matter who was watching or who might show up. It took all his self-control to get Rain into his bedroom every night instead of taking the male where he stood.

He’d never had a problem with control before, not over sexual manners. He locked it all away for a long time, but Rain had broken the dam, and now they were both going to suffer the consequences, good and bad.

When Rain drew close to him with the drinks, Alchan watched with heavily lidded eyes, his mind still wandering as he considered how easy it would be to untie those breeches and bend the mutt over his desk.

“Alchan? Should we go to bed early?” Rain asked softly, leaning over him. One of Rain’s hands touched his chest and trailed down, feeling Alchan’s problem.

“No,” Alchan growled. “We need to get this done, as you said. I just wanted to do it here. That can wait.”

“Okay, but you know…” Rain smirked, and Alchan knew trouble when he saw it. Rain went to his knees next to him, not pulling his hand away.

“Rain,” he murmured, looking down now at the sapphire blue eyes. “We really do have work.”

“It would only take a minute.”

“Let’s finish one task, at least.” He was holding on to every shred of his self-control. One task was probably all he was going to be able to manage. “You keep surprising me.”

“Why’s that?” Rain’s fun smirk disappeared into a frown.

“I’d never thought you would be so…confident with your affections,” he managed to say. Rain’s blush made his balls ache.

“When I like someone, I like to be with him,” Rain explained. “I like to make someone feel like the center of my world. And sex is great. I’m really annoyed I let them…ruin it for me for so long.”

“I’m not someone you need to work so hard with,” Alchan said gently. Removing Rain’s hand from his crotch, he used it to pull Rain to his feet. “Rain, with you, I just want to be an Andinna. Not the center of anything.”

“I understand, but I can’t help what I like to do, Alchan. You know that better than anyone.”

“I do know better.” Releasing Rain, he reached out to grab whatever drink Rain poured for him and took a sip—simple water. Nothing good right before bed, then. “Let’s review the day. We’re not going to fix the rationing problem tonight, and I find myself too tired to deal with it.”

“The day started with the wyvern report, then you proceeded to have a meeting with Nevyn and Varon. Is there going to be a follow-up tomorrow?” Rain launched back into business without missing a beat, something Alchan respected. He sat down on the other side of the desk, leaving Alchan’s grasp, moving out of his reach. Alchan always noticed when Rain wasn’t within his arm span, able to be grabbed and held.

“Yes,” he answered, getting down to business. “Nevyn should be meeting with me again early tomorrow. He was supposed to work up a list of possible warriors we can trust with the assignment, but that was probably pushed back until tomorrow. Hopefully, by tomorrow evening, we’ll have our group to send out to the potential nesting spots to drive the wyvern to a better area.”

Rain was busy scratching everything down, dipping his quill in the ink repeatedly. Alchan watched as he wrote. When Rain looked up, it was a clear indication he was ready for more.

“I don’t want you doing your rounds tomorrow, not with the gladiators here now. You’ll be vulnerable—”

“I can turn into a wyvern,” Rain reminded him. “And they know it.”

“Everyone knows it, but we both know what angry males can do when they feel they have the chance. You’re not going.” He met the sapphire eyes he found himself dreaming about and held the stare.

“Alchan.” Rain dropped his eyes right after that, the natural need to submit taking over.

He didn’t much like the annoyed way Rain said his name. He liked it much better when there was an airy quality to it or it was being screamed, but that annoyed tone made him growl. He stood up and walked around the desk, sitting on it next to Rain’s work.

“Try that again,” he warned. “I know I had to give them mercy, but they hurt you, and I won’t tolerate that happening again. I’m removing the possibility from the situation until I know their mental states a little better. Don’t try to push this boundary.”

Rain nodded silently, keeping his eyes down. Alchan felt guilty for the hard way he laid down that law and grabbed his chair to sit next to Rain instead of on the other side of the desk.

“What’s next?” Rain asked softly when Alchan wrapped an arm around his waist and caught his tail to hold with his own.

“We lost two ships,” he whispered. “I’ve been trying not to think about it. Two ships. One full of adult and young adult males. The other was full of females and children. Rough estimates from the captains assumed they were able to rescue maybe half of the females and children, their priority, and nearly none of the males. There’s nothing I can do about it, no solution to bring those lost at sea back to life, but I want to have a moment in their honor. Do you think we can arrange that before we leave Kerit?”

“We can do that,” Rain agreed, turning to him. Their mouths were close. It took everything in Alchan not to lean just a little further over and kiss him. He wanted to, but he had rules, and he was desperately trying to follow them.

I know how to toss cold water on this, and Rain is going to hate me for it.

“How is your father?” he asked. Rain immediately made a face. “I heard something, but no one wanted to confirm it for me or tell me the details while we were waiting for the ships to dock.”

“He tried to fly today and met the stone street,” Rain snapped, his frustration with his father, and probably with Alchan for bringing him up, apparent. “Mave tried to stop him, but he took off from her rooftop and fell the entire way down when he lost control.”

“He’s a good warrior, but I never thought he was the brightest,” Alchan muttered, shaking his head with incredulity.

“That’s my father you’re talking about,” Rain warned. Alchan raised an eyebrow.

What’s that saying? Never force a lover to pick between you and family? Apparently, that’s true.

“My apologies. I’ve never experienced it, but I saw you quietly handle not being able to fly. I know it isn’t easy.”

“Exactly. I chewed him out for it and got the healer. Everything should be fine. Mave is going to keep an even closer eye on him than she already was. He’s not her male, but she’s willing, and I’m here and…”

“You can go back to help him,” Alchan reminded him. They’d had this talk already, once Zayden was up and moving, but Rain had said no.

“You know why I won’t do that,” Rain whispered.

Alchan sighed and leaned in, finally claiming the kiss he wanted. This was why. Rain had told him under no uncertain terms, he wanted to stay with Alchan, do his job, and explore whatever they had together. His father was an adult male with a circle of friends around him. They didn’t need to share their space all the time anymore, which was healthier for both of them.

Alchan realized his mistake quickly. The kiss didn’t stop fast enough, Rain practically crawling into his lap. He shifted the smaller male on his legs and crotch, positioning Rain to feel exactly what was waiting on them.

So much for using Zayden to throw cold water over us.

One of Rain’s arms snaked around his neck while the other slid down between them. Alchan hissed as Rain undid his breeches and grabbed hold of the erection plaguing him.

“Rain, we’re not in my room.”

“Then take us there,” Rain whispered on his lips.

“It’s hard when you’re holding my cock,” Alchan growled but kept it non-threatening. Rain, the brat, stroked it fast, sending Alchan’s mind to other places. He tried to cling to the rules, but he leaned back from the pleasure, absorbed in what Rain was doing to him.

“If there’s one thing you could break your rules for, what would it be?” Rain asked, hot and heady.

“I want to take you over my desk,” Alchan answered without thinking.

“Then do it.”

He’s fucking daring me to. Varon was right. Rain doesn’t joke around or hold back. He wants everything.

“Rain.”

“Alchan.”

He closed his eyes with a groan as Rain added more pressure.

He barely heard the door open and close. Alchan’s eyes flew open as Rain’s hand left him. He tried to shove his cock away and tie his breeches, but Rain was having a hard time untangling from him to get off his lap. Neither of them was very effective, tails wrapped up together, and Rain’s wings hitting the desk while Alchan was pinned in the chair. He knew he couldn’t jump up and knock his lover down, so he tried another tactic.

“Halt,” he ordered loudly to whoever was there. “I’m not suited for company.”

“What do you mean you aren’t suited for company?” Luykas replied, continuing his steady pace. “I’m your brother. You don’t get to tell me—”

“Luykas! Don’t come in here,” Rain said loudly. “Please.”

Alchan gave Rain a look. That wasn’t going to help. It stopped his brother, but only for a heartbeat.

“What the fuck is going—”

Alchan knew the moment his brother was behind him, able to see Rain trying to get up from his lap. There was no way to think of it as anything except what it was. There were no explanations Alchan could conjure to make it seem like this wasn’t happening.

“No,” Luykas gasped.

“Luykas—”

“You should leave, Rain.” Whatever Luykas was feeling was carefully covered by the tone of his voice.

Alchan snarled at that. No one told Rain what to do except him. Rain was his. His brother didn’t get to order his lover around.

“Rain, you can have a seat behind the desk,” Alchan ordered, overriding his brother. “Don’t go anywhere.”

I’m not sure my brother will let you come back if I let you leave.

Rain, shaking hard enough for Alchan to feel it, carefully extracted himself from their embrace and moved back. His breeches were undone as well, the top of his cock sticking out. Alchan couldn’t help but look. His lover’s face was red with embarrassment, but he made it to the other side of the desk, tying up his breeches as he went, and sat down in Alchan’s chair.

I need to apologize to him later. I can’t imagine a more embarrassing moment in my life, and my grandmother who was the Queen, and she thought every room belonged to her.

He felt like a boy again, not ready to face the music. Alchan took a deep breath, finished covering himself, and stood slowly, turning to see his brother, rage filling every line of his face.

“Before you say anything, Luykas, let me make some things very clear. I did not order Rain to do anything with me outside of his duties as my nemari. What you just walked in on is the personal business between two Andinna, outside of our roles and titles.” Alchan met the hard gold eyes of his enraged brother. “Did we consider this might look bad? Yes, but we decided those things didn’t matter to us in the end.”

“This isn’t okay, Alchan,” Luykas said, everything about him looking taut and held back. Alchan figured if his brother could get away with it, he would have been attacked the moment he got out of the chair. Or maybe even sooner when Rain was no longer at risk of being hurt. Luykas’ gaze flicked back at Rain, causing Alchan to snarl. “Fuck, you…”

“He’s mine,” Alchan explained as if that was an answer enough. For a dominant female, it would have been perfectly valid. As a bedru, it was in his nature, but nowhere near as socially acceptable.

“He can’t be yours,” Luykas snapped harshly. “His father is a member of the Company. He’s too young for you. He’s been through things that could make it really easy for you to hurt him. Have you fucking lost your mind, Alchan?”

“We had all of those discussions.”

“And you forced him to what? Jerk you off? Suck your cock? Let you fuck him? Even after you had those discussions?”

It was more vulgar than Luykas generally was. Alchan was a little surprised by the phrasing since his brother still held some very small holdovers from his Elvasi upbringing. He never spoke of sex with that sort of roughness.

He was clinging to that curiosity, that surprise, to cover a deep rage himself. His brother just accused him of taking someone by force by using his position to get Rain in his lap, and the longer Alchan thought about the words that just came out of Luykas’ mouth, the angrier he grew.

“Don’t you ever accuse me—”

“I came on to him,” Rain said from behind him. Alchan closed his eyes, half glad and half upset Rain had cut in like that. He’d been willing to take the blame, but Rain just took that opportunity from him. “When we went camping, I made the first move, and Alchan tried to tell me it was a bad idea, but right after Al Moro Nat, we talked more about it and decided to give it a chance. I started this. He didn’t order me to do anything. He didn’t force me to do anything. This is what I wanted.”

“Rain…” Luykas seemed shocked enough to deflate. “How far are we talking here? What have you two been doing?”

“That’s none of your business,” Rain said.

“Sadly, it is,” Alchan said softly. “You can go, and I can talk to him in private if you wish.”

“Why?” He heard Rain get up and saw the mutt come into his sight, stepping in front of him. “Why is it anyone’s business?”

“Because I’m the king,” Alchan reminded him. “Privacy in this matter isn’t my right. It’s something I have to steal for as long as I can.”

Rain reached up and touched his face. Luykas softly cursed behind him.

“How did this happen with none of us noticing?” he asked as Alchan leaned his face into Rain’s hand.

“Varon noticed,” he answered his brother. “Until right now, only he and Nevyn knew anything was going on or possibly going on. They’ve never asked us to confirm it.”

“What?” Luykas seemed disbelieving. “Varon and Nevyn…Obviously, a priest and his male lover are going to…”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Rain said, turning away from Alchan. Alchan felt the absence of Rain’s hand like he had an open wound.

“I should have known something was going on. Alchan’s mood has been better for weeks. How far…I hate asking this, but how far along is this? Are you two just fooling around or…”

“We have rules,” Alchan said with another sigh. “If Rain sleeps in my room, he consents to be with me that night. If he sleeps in his room, I’ll leave him be, taking it as a sign he needs some space from me and how I…you understand. We’re physical.” He would elaborate more if his brother needed it, but he hoped Luykas would be satisfied with that much.

“I do. So, I’m going to guess that I just walked in on an accident?”

“It was my fault,” Rain whispered, a youthful guilt in the words. “I don’t really care about the rules.”

“No…of course, you don’t,” Luykas muttered, stretching out the words sarcastically. “Mave…Zayden…” Luykas lifted his arms and dropped them. “You two are fucking.”

“Yes,” Rain said defiantly.

“Don’t act like it’s a good thing, Rain.” Luykas shook his head, rubbing his temples. “Alchan, if you weren’t the king, I’d drag you outside and gut you.”

“If I weren’t the king, this wouldn’t be a problem to anyone,” he retorted.

“Good point,” his brother conceded. He turned back to them, opening his eyes. “Tell me the truth. This is consensual and…”

“It is…” Alchan realized his brother needed to hear some things Alchan wasn’t ready to tell Rain. “Rain, can you head upstairs? I need to have a private conversation with my brother.”

Rain nodded, and as he left, his hand trailed over Alchan’s chest, beckoning him to follow once he was done talking. Alchan couldn’t help but watch Rain leave.

“You’re in deep,” Luykas said in a hushed voice. “Oh, Alchan…”

“He wanted me. I’ve never been…wanted like this before, and it was the end of me. I couldn’t tell him no, and I tried. I still can’t,” he explained to his brother. “He’s mine, and no one else can have him. You have to understand, Luykas. I never thought about this or wanted this, but he…he kissed me and I…I’m not used to these sorts of feelings.”

“I know.” Luykas reached out and thumped his shoulder. “And because of that and seeing you like this, I’ll keep this a secret. As long as Rain is also happy, I’m going to stay out of it. But if he wants to leave, I’m going to help him. Even though it would put us on opposite sides.”

“If Rain wanted to leave and needed to ask others for help to do that, fuck my title, just kill me. I don’t want to be him,” Alchan replied, swallowing. He hadn’t been vulnerable like this in centuries. When he was a young male who had friends, a young male that tried to fit in. Since the end of the War, he’d become hard, but Rain was opening him up more effectively than any sword could.

“You aren’t him,” Luykas snapped. “Even having rules and trying to have boundaries already makes you the better male by far. He was never so considerate. Ever.” Luykas grabbed both of his shoulders. “Do you love him?”

“I…” Alchan didn’t know if that was the exact word he wanted to use yet. “He’s mine, and he means something to me, but I’m not sure it’s there yet.”

“Yet,” Luykas snorted. “Now that I’m past the initial anger, I can see how this happened. Oh, I should have fucking thought about it when we discussed him being your nemari. I should have had some inkling this could happen. He’s exactly the type of Andinna you like, isn’t he?”

“He is,” Alchan confirmed. “He’s submissive but not a total pushover. He can bend, but he knows I like a little fire. He talks back. He pushes the boundaries and tries to break the rules and…”

“Ah. Yeah, I don’t need any details, brother.” Luykas chuckled humorlessly. “He’s Rain, and I always heard rumors about his sex life, but I don’t need to hear details from you.”

Alchan growled with a satisfied smile, his mind still considering all the ways Rain made him happy, both in and out of bed.

“Please don’t ever do that near me ever again,” Luykas said, laughing. He sobered up quickly and sighed. “Well, as long as it’s consensual and you’re both happy, I’ll keep this secret. I’m going home now.”

“Why did you even come by?” Alchan asked before his brother could escape.

“I wanted to help with everything. I thought you two would be up late, and once Mat and Bryn were home, I could trust them to look after Mave. I’m still your best advisor and general. I have split loyalties I’m trying to focus on.”

“Ah. Thank you for the offer. Tomorrow, Rain and I will need your help with everything.” Alchan reached out and thumped his brother on the shoulder. “I’m going to bed.”

“And I’m leaving right now.” Luykas half ran out of his house. Alchan couldn’t blame him for it. To him, Rain was an adult male who suited all of his needs. To Luykas, he was probably still somewhat the boy the Company had helped raise. If Alchan had been involved with that, he probably wouldn’t have fallen for Rain’s charm, but he’d done this to himself. He’d never spent time with the younger male until he was an adult, making his perception of Rain different.

He made his way up to his room and saw Rain already laying out on his black wolf pelt, ready to get some sleep.

Alchan slowly stripped, eyeing the male who opened one worried eye.

“Is everything going to be okay?” he asked softly.

“He understands. He’s going to keep it to himself.” Alchan swallowed. Now that his brother knew, as well as Varon and Nevyn, he finally considered the idea of telling everyone. The ability to pull Rain in for a kiss with everyone watching, no one able to tell him he couldn’t shower someone he wanted in affection, someone who wanted to be with him in the public eye, was a far-off dream he didn’t want to put on Rain…not yet.

“Is that all?”

“What do you want me to say? He wanted to kill me when he caught us there. He took a chance to listen to us, and he’s okay with it.” Alchan frowned at the blue-eyed mutt. They were bright, even in the dark.

“I just…”

“I’ll say one thing, only one. The rules must be followed. Who knows what could happen next time someone walks in on us, Rain. It could be Mave. She has as little respect for my door as Luykas. She might not give me or you the chance to explain. I don’t want a sword through my back while my cock is out and I’m distracted trying to put it away.”

“Luykas had to know details because you need a female, right?”

Alchan jerked back, unsure where that idea came from.

“No. He had to know because it changes our entire protection plan for you and me. Rain, you might be my nemari, but as my lover, you can’t take those risks for me. I would go mad on the battlefield if you die. I would take everyone down with me. He needed to know just how attached I am to you to properly plan for the inevitable.” Something Alchan should have already talked to Nevyn and Varon about since they knew of the relationship. They would have secretly covered both the protection issue and the relationship. Alchan, so distracted by the idea of having Rain, had been neglecting some needed security adjustments.

“Can he fix the security without everyone finding out?”

“He’s smart. He’ll be able to do it,” Alchan promised, kicking off his breeches finally. He went to his knees at Rain’s feet then stretched himself out over his new cherished lover.

“Are you ready and willing now?” Rain asked, moaning as Alchan kissed his body.

Alchan could only smile to himself as he sent Rain to the Skies and back.

9

Mave

Mave woke up to an empty bedroom and sighed.

They must have wanted to get an early start.

It wasn’t the first time one or all of her males got up without waking her. Sometimes, she was up before them. It was so rare for all of them to get up at once unless they were on the road, something Mave knew was for logistical reasons.

She rose slowly, stretching as she did, a yawn making her realize she didn’t get as much sleep as she thought she did. She pulled on pants and a wrap for her chest, then walked out, checking the dark hall for any of her males. None were there, so she ducked back into her room and went into the attached bathing room.

Cleaning up fast, Mave hoped there was something for breakfast downstairs. She tried her best not to think of the day before as she entered the dining area and kitchen, seeing none of them, not even Zayden, though there was a chance he wasn’t up yet because it was early. The sun wasn’t even up.

She started looking through the icebox and found enough to start a quick breakfast for herself that involved no cooking. She had no idea how to cook, hadn’t yet bothered to learn, and probably never would. Keeping cooking fires hot enough, knowing when something was done, how to season—she was bad at all of it.

She heard footsteps behind her and a small growl.

“What are you doing?” Zayden asked, gruff and tired.

“Making myself some breakfast. Do we have that oat stuff?”

“No. I took it off the shopping list after talking to Mat and Bryn about it. None of us ate it, and we were beginning to hoard it when others could have used it.”

“Ah.” She closed the icebox and turned to him. “I was thinking of trying it this morning since all my males are gone, and there’s no food prepared.”

“Sit down,” he mumbled. “I can whip something up for both of us.”

“Why are you even awake?”

“I have the room right above this, and the floors are thin. I could hear you rummaging around,” he explained, yawning as he walked closer. He stopped near the icebox and waited on her to get out of his way.

Mave didn’t move, a little annoyed. He was just going to walk into her kitchen and declare he could do it for her? As he constantly reminded her, he wasn’t one of her males. He didn’t have to cook for her. He didn’t have to do anything except handle himself and be a guest in her house.

“Why do you do this?” she asked, realizing she needed an explanation. “I understood it while you were helping us when Bryn was gone, but I just don’t understand why you keep doing it. You don’t have to wait on any of us. If I can’t scrounge my own breakfast together, I’ll find something later, then give my males an earful because they shouldn’t be relying on you to cover for them.”

He narrowed his eyes. It probably wasn’t the best way to start the morning, calling him out for behaving as if he was one of her males, then he would then argue that he wasn’t. The mixed signals were pissing her off, though, and this morning seemed as good a morning as any to ask about it.

“I like it,” he said with a growl. “I like taking care of a household. I liked helping with Matesh until he was an adult. I loved having a family to dote on. Living with you has given me back something I lost over two centuries ago. Now, move, so I can make breakfast.”

Raising an eyebrow, she stepped to the side.

“Then why don’t you find a new female to settle down with? I’m certain most females would fall over themselves for a male who loves the household duties of the mayara the way you do.”

“That’s my business, not yours.” He didn’t look at her as he opened the icebox. She knew he was purposefully ignoring her as he pulled out eggs and bacon and had to walk around her to put them on the counter.

“Fine.” She crossed her arms and leaned on the counter, taking it as a chance to see how he was moving today. His bruises were a little ugly, but rapid Andinna healing meant they wouldn’t be there another night. The abrasions from his landing would take a couple more days, and some might scar, adding to others he had from his life.

“Do you think you could just appreciate it?” he asked, motioning to the food he was setting out. “Or is this a case of a male never winning?”

“I do appreciate it, but you’re the one who acts like a male in my household, then disregards me because you aren’t,” she snapped. “If you had listened yesterday, you wouldn’t look like this.” With one hand, she gestured at the sorry state of his body, cuts and bruises marking an entire side of him. “But no, you’re not my male. Can’t listen to anything I say.” Rolling her eyes, she finally gave him the space he needed to work. “After breakfast, we’re sparring. Healer’s orders. If you try to argue, I’ll just take it to Alchan and have him lay it down as the law.”

“So, now you’re talking as a commanding officer?” He snorted, shaking his head as he cracked eggs into a bowl.

“If I have to.”

The sun was starting to come up by the time Zayden was done preparing breakfast. Mave looked down at the plate he made up for her, frowning, still annoyed by the situation. She wanted to ignore it out of principle. He sat on the other side of the table, pushing his eggs around with a fork but not eating. She knew he was waiting on her as he seemed to do whenever he got the chance.

“Please eat,” he asked softly. “I’m just trying to…”

“Zayden, you need to…” She stabbed her eggs with her fork. “I don’t know what you need to do.” She was going to talk to Matesh about it later. This weird situation had to stop.

We told him he could stay last night, but maybe that isn’t for the best.

She started eating as someone knocked on the front door. Groaning, she got up to answer it, finding Dave on the other side, smiling brightly.

“Good morning…Champion,” he greeted. She looked over the clothing he was wearing, none of it properly fit him, but it was his style of clothing. Had he washed last night? Anything that had just gone on the voyage he had to take should have been dirty and covered in sea salt.

“Just call me Mave,” she told him with a smile. “You only got here yesterday. Why are you here?”

“I’m here to start working,” he explained. He lifted a book. “And I need to give this to someone. It’s…it’s the Elliar spy book, I think.”

Mave slowly took it from him, frowning. “Why do you have it?”

“After the breakout, I think…she, the Elvasi noblewoman who orchestrated it, thought it was too dangerous to keep,” Dave said, sighing. “And I completely forgot about it yesterday—”

“I’ll take care of it,” she promised. “Come in. You can tell me over breakfast how you want to do this. I’ve never had a real assistant, as you probably know.”

“No one took the job once you were free?”

“I haven’t been in an official title very long, and I have males and friends who help me.” She waved him inside and closed the door behind them. Leading him to the kitchen, she watched Zayden make a wide-eyed stare. She dropped the book on the table as the Andinna and human both looked like they had seen old friends or ghosts. She couldn’t tell the difference anymore. Most of her ‘old friends’ were ghosts, as she had learned on Al Moro Nat.

“You!” he said loudly. “I was told you made it, but I never thought I’d see you again!”

“Are you one of Mave’s…males now?” Dave asked. Mave could hear how uncomfortable he was, out of place in the world around him now. Dave was once the epitome of human in Elliar—in a good-paying position, well-dressed, could rub elbows with Elvasi, not that he was thrown into Andinna culture and probably didn’t know exactly how to act at all times.

“No,” Zayden said, stretching it out. “I was injured in the battle for Kerit, and they’ve been kind enough to allow me to stay here.”

“He’s been living with us since last fall,” Mave added. “Living arrangements needed to change, and he was going to be the only member of the Company required to live by himself or in the communal barracks. We weren’t okay with it, so he moved into a spare bedroom.” She still wasn’t. She would force him to live alone in his own house before she let him go live in barracks with males she didn’t know or trust. That need to protect was only more vicious today than it had been months ago, thanks to the arrival of the gladiators.

Dave just watched her as he took a seat at the table, his face hovering somewhere between awed and confused.

“What?” she said, confused by the expression.

“You’re so different,” he said softly. “Mave, I worked around you for ten years, and I never…heard you talk this much in a month, much less over breakfast.”

Her face turned warm. “A lot has changed since you helped me escape. I’m not the female you knew. I’m not the gladiator or the slave anymore.”

“It’s…it’s good,” he said, a smile forming.

“So, how do you want to do this assistant thing?” she asked, wanting to change the subject. “Obviously, we still might need to get you an Andinna helper for message running, but normally, I can just point to someone, and they’ll send any messages I need sent around. Comes from my rank, I guess.”

“Then we can keep doing that. It should be passed along. I'm going to be helping manage your schedule and keeping you clear for any personal time you might need, and I can probably handle official correspondence for you as well.”

“I’m not all that busy,” Mave pointed out. “Most days, I’m left to my own devices.”

“But the rebellion is only going to get bigger,” Dave pointed out. “And…you need someone who is going to try to stop others from pulling you into situations you don’t need to be in.”

“He’s here less than a day, and he’s telling you how to live your life. Growl at him,” Zayden said, pointing at the human. Dave’s face turned red. Zayden chuckled. “He’s right, though. This is only going to get bigger and more time-consuming. As there gets to be too many Andinna for Alchan to personally deal with, he’s going to rely on you and Luykas to field things. And someone needs to hold the line to make sure things aren’t brought to you that don’t need to be. Things you’re above.”

“And suddenly, I remember why we keep you.” She threw Zayden a taunting smile. “You do have something between your ears.”

“Ha. Funny. Finish your breakfast. I’ll wait in the courtyard between the houses.” He got up and took his plate away. Mave watched him leave, then turned back to Dave.

“Why don’t you just follow me for a few days? You can get an eye on what I do, what people expect from me. There’s a problem with me being able to fly, and you can’t, but we’ll figure something out. Even if it’s…” She waved a hand around. “I don’t know yet. Let me finish breakfast, then I have to deal with Zayden.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“You haven’t noticed? He lost about a third of his tail. For an Andinna, if it’s not fatal, it can be debilitating. So, he and I will be sparring every morning to work on his balance. Put that on my schedule. Breakfast, then sparring. Every day. He’s not allowed to get out of it, and I don’t plan on missing it.”

Dave nodded quickly. “Of course!”

Not long after, she led Dave out to the courtyard. If Zayden had fallen toward the back of her building, he could have maybe hit some bushes or landed in the small pond, but he didn’t. He hit the streets. The courtyard was pretty, and someone was still maintaining it in their free time, though Mave didn’t know who. It laid between two rows of buildings, and every building had a backdoor to reach it, with no dividers. This was a place for everyone in the community to share. Mave didn’t spend much time in it.

Zayden was ready to go by the time she approached. She only brought out one of her blades, planning on taking this easy. Zayden readied in front of her, lifting his sword and shifting his feet. So far, all of his movements seemed clean, unhampered by his lack of balance, but she knew that wouldn’t last.

“Do you want to stretch?” he asked.

“Nope.” She casually swung her sword in her hand and launched her attack. Steel clashed as she pressed his defenses, trying to get his feet moving and force him to adjust.

It took him three steps to under compensate, and his tail failed to give the natural balancing it normally did. He stumbled over his own feet while Mave jumped back.

“Shit,” he snarled, looking at the ground. “This is what I didn’t want.”

“You’ll get there, but it’s time we stop avoiding it and letting you do it the slow way. You want to fly, then you’re going to do this with me every day,” she said, waiting for him to stand tall and regain his composure.

“Yeah,” he grunted, standing up straight again. “Let me try the offensive this time.”

“We’ll switch back and forth. I thought we would focus on your defenses so you could defend yourself if it’s needed.”

“Paranoid,” he muttered. Then he came forward, and the sparring began again. They switched between offensive and defensive roles every time he stumbled and lost his balance, which was often. She began to notice where he was having the most problems. If he needed to pivot, his tail would try to swing naturally to compensate and balance, but it wasn’t enough. It was just about relearning himself, and she knew only time and practice would get him there.

“What’s going on out here?” someone asked loudly.

Both of them stopped, shocked by the newcomer they hadn’t noticed. Zayden was in an awkward position, and her foot was between his feet. Somewhere in his fall, she got taken down as well, falling with him, both of them landing on their sides, staring at each other.

Mave winced in pain as she tried to push up. Zayden didn’t move at all, staring at her with a whole lot more guilt than she liked. In the process of getting up, she was over him, able to look down on him on his side, and felt her heart rate pick up as she realized the compromised position they were in.

“Well,” she said blandly, trying to ignore the attraction. He wasn’t looking at her directly, staring at the stone in annoyance and guilt. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “You need to get up so I can.”

“Yeah.” She pushed up and brushed her hands off, then reached down to help him. Once he was on his feet, she brushed the new dirt from his shoulders and side, trying to keep the abrasions from the day before clean. By the time she was done, he was breathing hard.

“I’m going in,” he said quickly. “I’ll wash up and make sure nothing gets infected. Thank you.”

He walked away before she could stop him, not that she wanted to. She knew an embarrassed male when she saw one, and since this wasn’t his fault, she wasn’t going to push him into any more for the day. If he needed to lick his wounds, he could do that.

Turning, she tried to find who had spoken. Dave was standing by the newcomer. Newcomers, actually. Mave didn’t have any reaction to seeing Trevan and Emerian next to the human.

“Good morning,” she called.

“Good morning,” Trevan said loud enough for her to hear. “We, uh, heard the swords from inside and got worried there might have been fighting. We didn’t mean to spook you. Dave explained what’s going on.”

He had a smooth voice, even when he was nervous. Mave eyed the Elvasi, still unsure of what she was going to do with him.

“It’s fine,” she said, walking closer, brushing more dirt from herself, discovering a place where something she landed on had cut her shoulder, but the bleeding was so slow, it didn’t bother her. “I should have worn my armor and remembered I had new neighbors who might get curious.” She looked between the three of them, noticing how Dave, the short-lived human, seemed the most comfortable. Trevan was nervous, but not scared. He was probably unsure, just like her. Emerian was the same anxious, submissive mess he was the day before, unable to pull his eyes off the ground.

“I’m not that dominant,” she said evenly, stepping in front of him. “And you are allowed to look at other Andinna. Just don’t challenge them with too much eye contact.”

His head came up slowly, and he nodded once their eyes met. There was a long silence as they all stood there. Mave wasn’t sure what to talk about or with who. She had questions for Trevan, but she wasn’t ready to ask them. She didn’t want to know the answers yet. One day, she would, but not yet.

“What’s next for your day?” Dave asked, stepping closer to her and cutting the tension in the group.

“I generally take a walk around the city, then…” She lifted her hands. “We can head over to the war hall, though. Most of the Company is probably over there, and I should try to be helpful.”

“Fine plan. Should I wait for you at the front door?”

“Yeah…” Mave already knew this was strange. Dave was acting like her servant now. That was something she was either going to need to get used to or fix. Never before had he asked her what she wanted. Normally, he brought orders and sympathy. This was different. “Let me get my armor on.”

She walked back inside, hissing as she pulled a small rock out of the cut. She flicked it aside, sighing. Once she was in her bathing room, she quickly washed off the cut, then pulled a clean set of her armor on.

Dave was waiting for her at the front door as promised, and they walked through Kerit together. It felt natural, walking with Dave through a city, people getting out of the way for them. The only thing they were missing was an Elvasi guard.

Should have asked Trevan to escort us. I could have recreated my entire life in Elliar for a morning.

She caught a glimpse of several gladiators wandering the streets. Some gave her hard, distrustful looks while others avoided her gaze.

When she reached the meeting building, she caught sight of Seventy-Two—Kenav—walking toward the building as well. Ducking in before he arrived, she decided it was best if she got to Alchan first. That way, if there was an altercation, she would either have back up or evidence the other gladiator couldn’t be trusted.

He’s Alchan’s cousin. Alchan didn’t seem really happy to see him on the pier, but maybe that was because of the history of the gladiators, not because they didn’t like each other before the War.

Mave went to the war room and found everyone.

“At least there’s no surprise party this time,” she said, walking up to the table. Mat immediately came to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Is something wrong?”

“I woke up alone. Zayden and I sparred a bit. Rain, can you go check on him? He’s…not in a good place, I think. It wasn’t the best sparring session.” She hated admitting that because she knew Zayden would want to kill her for saying anything, but there were only two people she thought could help Zayden get over his morning embarrassment, Rain or Matesh, and she wanted to keep Matesh with her. “And Seventy-Two is on his way, I think, so I would like it if you just disappeared, anyway.”

Rain stepped around Alchan, looking at the king for confirmation. Alchan looked at her before nodding to Rain, who took his chance to leave out a side door. Only a second later, her nemesis walked in. Mat’s hands on her tightened, Bryn slid to her side, and Luykas straightened up, looking just as regal as his brother. Alchan, Nevyn, Varon, and Kian all seemed as relaxed as they had when she walked in.

“Cousin,” Kenav greeted, bowing only a small amount.

“Fix that,” Luykas ordered. Kenav froze before he was done with the bow, and Mave watched his face go hard, but the bow deepened.

“Your Majesty.”

“What do you need, Kenav?” Alchan asked, ignoring the moment completely. “We’re working on the rationing right now, so if it’s about the amount of food given to the gladiators, we’re already working on it.”

“I only wanted to ask what your plans were for the future. I understand this is a rebellion, and you lead it, but I want to be prepared for any movement, or if I need to put the warriors back on their training regimen. Many of them are soft from the trip, and if you wish to use them in combat, they need time to build their strength again.”

“They didn’t practice on the ships?” Mave asked, then silently kicked herself for opening her mouth when Alchan’s eyes fell on her. They both knew she had asked to piss the male off and make him look bad. She wanted them all to look bad because to her, they were.

Warriors. Not a single one of them is a warrior. They’re bullies who got off on the bloodsport they hated me for dominating.

“I’ll have more information for you tonight,” Alchan said to his cousin. “We can’t move until we figure out the rationing situation.”

“You’re going to feed the warriors enough to build their bodies back up, right?” Kenav’s entire attitude was disrespectful, and she couldn’t help but wonder the reason. There were several possibilities, either about her, about Seventy-Two himself, or even Alchan. Whatever the reason, he was addressing Alchan with the same lackadaisical attitude the Company did. It was a familiarity she didn’t think he deserved for some reason.

“We’re going to feed them what we can afford right now. Kerit had a lot of bounty, but I’ve been feeding a force for two weeks now, and we need to leave some for those who are going to defend the city.” Alchan remained calm. “Don’t worry. No one is going to starve or be severely weakened, but I can’t make promises they’ll be eating to bulk up either.”

“We’ve been living off scraps for centuries—”

“I know,” Alchan growled. “You’ve been heard, and you got my answer. You can go, cousin.”

Kenav looked struck, dismissed like that. His eyes flicked to Mave, who lifted her chin for the staredown. He obviously thought she had something to do with this by the look on his face and the rage in his eyes.

Sucks, doesn’t it? To find me standing here, yet find yourself locked on the outside of what is probably the most powerful group of Andinna in the world. I stand by the king, and you find yourself dismissed.

For the first time, Mave understood the pleasure of being included and seeing someone she hated excluded. She also understood how easy it would be to become just like him, excluding those she didn’t like because she could, not based on their own merits. She made a promise to herself in that moment of time, staring the male down.

I won’t be like you. Prove yourself worthy, Kenav, and I’ll be the first person who welcomes you into our group.

“Go, Kenav,” Alchan ordered again, this time leaving no other option for the male. Kenav walked out quickly, and Mave snarled at the door after it closed.

“I hate him,” she snapped. “Why are we putting up with him?”

“Besides the fact he’s my cousin? He obviously has some sway over the gladiators, and he’s used to leadership,” Alchan answered, sighing. “I was close to him when I was very young before my bedru tendencies became more apparent. Once Luykas moved to Anden, he and I were barely on speaking terms. It deteriorated fast after that, and eventually, we found ourselves rivals.”

“He always lost,” Luykas said with a dry chuckle. “Alchan and I beat him at everything. He’s not bad, though. He was just overshadowed by us, like a lot of other politically aspiring males around our age. It breeds a certain resentment from some.” He stepped closer to her, offering a hand. “Since you’ve arrived, you can help us with deciding their training regimen. If Kenav is stupid enough to think we’re leaving it up to him, he’s well and truly lost his mind.”

Mave laughed and took the hand.

“Don’t let them get onto you about food,” she said immediately, walking closer to Alchan. “We lived off something I called slop yet kept our muscle definition and fought well. We weren’t allowed to starve ourselves because we were expensive property. If they tell you otherwise, they’re lying.”

“Good to know,” he smirked. “My cousin is an asshole, but thank you for not picking a fight with him the moment he walked in.”

“He deserves a chance,” she said, shrugging. She only half-believed the words she was saying, but since she didn’t want to be like Seventy-Two, she would live by them. “I got one.”

10

Zayden

Zayden fought to get up the stairs, sore and disappointed in himself. He hated it. He hated not being good at the one thing he thought he would never lose. Being a warrior was part of his identity, and he’d stumbled like a child who had never held a sword before. It was embarrassing in front of Mave and had become unbearable when he’d taken her down with him when the two fucking new charges of the Company had interrupted.

I’m a failure. I couldn’t protect Alchan, I got my own tail cut off, and now I’m a worthless warrior. All I have is…

I have nothing. Rain is living away from me. Mave doesn’t need me here. Her males are all together. What am I even doing anymore?

He felt old. Earlier in the winter, he’d felt hopeful for some fucking reason. He’d felt like he could claim a future again, move on and build something new in the wake of his son growing up. He was even moving on from Summer. He would always love his first wife, but he missed being part of an Andinna family. It was one of the reasons he had enjoyed living with Mat and Mave and the rest of them. He could remember everything he’d loved about life a long time ago.

No female is going to want a cripple who can’t do the one thing he’s supposed to be skilled at. And Skies know I don’t have a winning personality. Never have.

He stumbled into his room and fell onto his furs, groaning as he remembered that many of them, he’d hunted and retrieved ages ago for him and Summer. Something about that pissed him off, so he got back up and took those out, leaving him with only a third of his furs, and even some of those were so old, they had to be replaced soon. There was a lot of treatments Andinna used to keep furs healthy and clean for so long, but those eventually failed, especially when the furs were constantly moved around and exposed to the elements as his had been.

It felt like his life was falling apart. Everything he had taken comfort in for centuries was failing him. Even his bed brought no comfort, and he knew he wouldn’t find any way to sleep and heal while he was in it.

Deciding on a different course of action, he went into the bathing room across the hall from his room and began to prepare a hot bath. He hated it too. He liked bathing in hot springs or even cold mountain streams. This was all too much for him, but it was convenient, and leaving the city to clean himself was impossible for him now. Once the bath was full enough, he sank in, pulling his wings close and looking down.

How the hell is that still there?

He was still hard. He had been the moment Mave rose above him outside, giving him the view of a lifetime, her body stretched over him while he laid bare-chested at her mercy. His cock had risen to attention, and he was glad no one had been cruel enough to point it out. He didn’t even know if she had noticed it.

The attraction he had toward her had begun building during their trip to Ellantia. It was getting worse. The close quarters with her were slowly driving him mad. She was the reason Summer was becoming a distant memory of fondness and not the aching hole he’d had for so long. And her relationship with Rainev didn’t hamper his attraction. No, he loved that she was close to his son. Very few females could claim that since Rain naturally avoided the dominant females Zayden would have had any interest in. If Rainev liked her, that was just another positive—in an extensive and thorough list of positives.

He grabbed the base of his shaft, groaning. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want the same female as his oldest friend. He didn’t want Mave. He couldn’t. She’d made it clear that any attraction he could have for her was unwanted and distasteful, but that didn’t stop his cock from jumping to attention the moment he found himself in a compromised position with her.

He finished quickly, trying not to think about how he could hear her at nights with the rest of them. Sadly, it was the very thing he could imagine every time he tried to close his eyes. They were having typical Andinna sex, something Zayden had actually never been a part of. He’d never had a chance to engage in that worshiping group sex of a large Andinna family.

He’d loved Summer, but he’d fallen for her in spite of himself. He’d always wanted to be a part of a large family—a couple of kids running around, other males to enjoy a familial bond and friendship, and a female they all revolved around. He’d wanted it for most of his life.

Now, he lived on the outside of one, able to pretend a little, with a female he was attracted to. He’d known shortly after Al Moro Nat, he needed to move out quickly. With Bryn back and Luykas joining her family, it was only becoming more tempting to approach her again. He couldn’t, not unless he wanted to be crushed by her rejection for a second time.

He finished and hated himself, glad he was in the water and didn’t have to do the shameful act of cleaning up after that.

Something is very wrong with me.

He cleaned off his newest injuries, accidental cuts from Mave and a fresh bit of open skin from the last fall, then jumped out of the tub, angry with himself. He leaned on the counter in the bathing room and turned on the fancy plumbing to start the water, then threw cold water over his face. When he looked up, he froze in shock.

Is that…me?

He reached out and touched the mirror. They weren’t common in Anden, and the Andinna didn’t make it a point to put them in their homes. It was a vain Elvasi addition to the house. He wasn’t shocked by the mirror, though. He was shocked by what he saw in it.

Youth—he saw the face of a man who was thousands of years younger than how he felt. Zayden knew he wasn’t old. He wasn’t even middle-aged. But most days? He felt older than Leshaun, who was well past his prime.

Zayden had no wrinkles, no telltale marks of time, no blemishes on his skin. His sapphire eyes were like pristine jewels, and he suddenly realized what everyone said when they claimed Rain had gotten his eyes. They weren’t lying. He’d always thought they were flattering him because his son came out looking like he was meant for amazing things.

Zayden had never considered they were being honest.

His body was broad and well-muscled. His tatua was appealing in shape around his eyes and curled around his cheekbones.

He didn’t know the male staring back at him in the mirror. He didn’t understand the youthful, attractive Andinna everyone apparently saw.

He heard stomping on the stairs, shaking him out of his confusion for a moment.

“Baba? Where are you?” his son called.

“In here,” Zayden called back.

The footsteps drew closer, but Zayden didn’t move. He didn’t know what, but something kept him planted there, staring at his reflection.

The face in the mirror wasn’t the face of a male anyone would call baba, father, daddy—none of those fit the male looking back at him.

The door opened, and Zayden felt as if his gut was punched as Rain entered the mirror, frowning.

“Mave said you had a bad morning,” his son said softly, leaning on the wall behind him, the door swinging shut on its own. “Ha, we could be brothers. Wow. I mean, it makes sense, but wow. I didn’t realize how blue I really was. I think you only have me in size and color now, baba.”

Zayden was still trying to reconcile the moment. His son beside him, looking like someone who should have been his younger brother, not his son.

This isn’t real. This can’t be real.

“Is that…really what I look like?” he asked his boy, confused and unsure of himself.

“Mom always said you were a wonderful thing to look at. Are you really all that surprised? What did you think you looked like?” Rain seemed confused, not at their reflections, but at him. He had confused his son.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I’ve been on this earth for sixteen hundred years. Sometimes, I feel the weight of those years. I guess I thought I should look older, but…”

“You know you’re still pretty young, baba. Does it bother you? Seeing yourself like this?”

“I don’t know,” he whispered. “I normally only catch a glimpse of myself on water, and that’s never…this clear.”

“What’s bothering you?” Rain’s voice turned gentle and soft. He left the wall and stepped up to the counter. Closer, Zayden saw even more of the similarities. Rain was definitely his son. He had a lot of Summer in him, but he was, without a doubt, Zayden’s son.

“I’m so…” Zayden hated to seem vain, but he could only find one word. “Pretty.”

“I wouldn’t go that far or use that word,” Rain said, coughing over a laugh. “But I can see why you think so. You’re attractive, baba. Deal with it. And I want you to memorize that face the next time you get cranky like an old male.”

“Fuck,” Zayden mumbled.

“Baba?”

Zayden was overcome for a moment with emotion. How many times had he been told he was too young to behave the way he did? How many times had he tried to convince himself of it?

But I feel so old. I feel like the world has gone on too long. Why do I feel like that?

He couldn’t find anything to say to his son, closing his eyes as he bowed his head. He couldn’t keep looking at him.

I feel old. I’m crippled.

And I have thousands of years ahead of me.

How did my life turn out like this? Wanting a female I can’t have. Having a son who looks more like my brother than anything else. Losing the one thing I was supposed to be until the day I died. I was a fucking warrior, and now I’m staring at a face that’s thousands of years too young for my soul.

How did this happen?

Anger curled in his belly—anger at himself.

“Baba?” Rain whispered again. Zayden felt hands on his back. “I don’t understand what’s happening, and I need you to tell me.”

“I shouldn’t look like that,” he said in a choked, angry voice, unable to open his eyes and stare at his own reflection. “I should…look like Leshaun. And everything…Rain, you’re the best thing I’ve ever done or will ever do. How am I supposed to live for another three thousand years and more knowing that? Knowing I’ll never do something as good as you? And now, I can’t even fucking spar. I can’t fly. I…I don’t know if I can find my new balance. I have never felt so off-balance in my entire life, and a lot of that has nothing to do with my tail.”

His son seemed surprised, leaning back from him.

“Do you really feel that way? Baba, you…you have so much life to live. I…” Rain opened the door behind him and walked out, pulling Zayden with him. The door slammed shut this time. “No more of that. I know I’ve been busy, and I haven’t been around probably as much as you’d like, but you can’t wallow, Baba. You can’t do this to yourself. You can work really fucking hard to find your new balance. Not just physically but with life. You have to.”

“Do I have to?” He eyed his son. “Who’s going to care if I don’t?”

Rain shoved him hard enough to send him into a wall and snarled.

“Fine. Hate yourself,” his son snapped. “I can’t fucking believe you sometimes.” Rain started to walk away, and Zayden sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

“Stop. I’m sorry.” He closed his eyes as the footsteps stopped, then drew closer again. “I’m just lost right now. I thought I was going to do things better this year. I was ready to. I’m finally letting go of Summer, and I’m so proud of you. I just don’t know where that leaves me. I don’t know where I belong anymore. I shouldn’t take that out on you.”

“Apology accepted,” Rain said carefully. “You always have a place with the Company.”

“Yeah…” He knew Rain meant that honestly, but Zayden knew if he was crippled for life and couldn’t fly anymore, he would never fight beside the Company ever again.

“Give yourself more time. It’s only been a couple of weeks since you were injured. Others have come back from worse, but they’ve given themselves time. You’ve been beating yourself up and avoiding the reality you need to relearn everything. I know you have. I know change is hard for you, and you’re going through a lot of it right now.”

“When did you grow up?” Zayden asked, opening one eye to look down on his son.

“Like two hundred and fifty years ago,” Rain answered sarcastically. Both of them laughed. “Really? I don’t think I considered myself an adult either until the pits, maybe even just after that. Alchan has helped me realize exactly who I am and who I could be. And I know you, Baba. I think only Matesh knows you better than I do.”

“Probably.” Zayden ran a hand over his face. “Don’t tell him about this.”

“I would never.”

“Or Mave.”

Rain cursed, so Zayden reached out, grabbed his son into a headlock, and ruffled his hair while his son laughed, trying to pull away. They were both laughing as Zayden lost his balance and tipped into the wall, forced to release his son.

“I’ll figure it out,” Zayden promised as they both caught their breaths. Rain was on the far wall, red in the face and grinning. “I promise to figure this out.”

“Don’t promise me. Promise you. You’re the one with a whole lot of life to live,” Rain whispered, his smile turning sad. “More than me, in the end.”

Zayden felt his heart drop. “That’s not fair.”

“It’s the truth. I’m going to haunt you every Al Moro Nat if you waste your life like this. You deserve to have what every other Andinna male wants. You don’t need to feel old.”

“I’ve raised a child,” Zayden reminded him. “I’m staring at him.”

“You raised Mat, too, then became best friends with him, like every other Andinna lives their life. I think that’s your problem. You keep thinking about Mother and me. Baba, she lived her life. I’m going to live mine, for however long it is. You don’t need to live on our schedules. You don’t need to feel like your life is going to end when mine does, or hers did.”

“I had the right to grieve her,” Zayden muttered.

“You did, and I think you’ve finally stopped. Don’t use me as your excuse to keep grieving and acting like this. I’ve got a couple more thousand years. There’s no reason to yet.” Rain smiled. “Do you want to play cards?”

“Shouldn’t you be with Alchan?”

“Mave told me you had a bad morning. Alchan will understand me staying here for a little while. The rest of the Company is with him.”

“I wish I could be there,” he mumbled.

“No one is stopping you. You’re the one who decided to hide in this house once you were well enough to start walking around. You don’t need to fly everywhere. You have two feet, and you need the practice.” Rain snorted.

“I really have been an idiot.”

“Yes. Let’s try to stop that.”

“I’ll do my best,” he promised.

They went into his bedroom together. Zayden needed a pair of pants before he did anything else. He would only stand around naked for so long. Rain didn’t comment on the state of his room, but when they left, he sighed.

“That cave bear would have been great to split between us. Maybe we can find another one this year.”

“Are we doing The Hunt this year?” Zayden didn’t think the event would be a good idea. Not if they were constantly under the threat of the Empire.

“I haven’t asked Alchan yet, but I don’t think he would skip an important holiday for our people, especially since we’re fighting for freedom. We should behave free, right?” Rain shrugged. “We’ll find out soon, I bet…You know, fuck playing cards. Let’s get back to the war room and get into it with him today.”

Zayden chuckled. “Fine. It would be good seeing all of them.” It might break him out of his haze, and the walking was healthy.

11

Mave

Mave found herself sitting at the far end of the table from Alchan as they talked about the life of the gladiators.

“That’s a brutal training schedule,” Nevyn commented, shaking his head. “On minimal meals? I’m amazed so many survived it.”

“What’s the official count?” Mave asked, looking between them, knowing she was going to take them off-topic. “Were my estimates right?” She’d thrown out educated estimates based on her own life in Elliar and what she had seen and heard. She was hoping their preparations based on her intel were sound.

“They were, in a sense,” Alchan confirmed. “By the official report from the captains, they initially had six hundred and thirty-two gladiators survive to get aboard their ships, just over a thousand male slaves, and five hundred and four women and children. Many were killed in the initial escape, and more were killed in Myrsten when the Elvasi in the city found out what was happening. They killed as many as they could before the uprising reached them. If that hadn’t happened, we could have been looking at nearly a thousand gladiators, and more Andinna than Leria has in her entire community.”

Mave had been right once they accounted for casualties.

“Packed onto ships like sardines,” Mat mumbled, shaking his head.

“Yes. Just over twenty-one hundred Andinna on five ships. There were just over four hundred on each ship, packed into any space they could find. Many slept in hammocks or on top of supplies. They ran out of food four days ago because the three remaining ships had to take on those they could save. From the ships that sank, we lost two hundred and fifty-one of the women and children, one hundred and five gladiators, and four hundred and eighteen males of all ages. From reports yesterday, some of the males, still healthy enough to fly, were shot out of the air by the Elvasi fleet as they tried to rescue others.”

Mave’s stomach sank further. So many. They had been so close to arriving home, back to their own lands, then were killed at sea, just like that, where no one could save them.

“That leaves us with fourteen hundred Andinna who need rations. Fourteen hundred Andinna who need homes and clothing,” Alchan concluded. He must have seen something on her face because he gave her a sad look. “It could have been worse.”

“It could have been a lot worse,” Nevyn muttered. “Doesn’t make it good.”

“It’s fourteen hundred Andinna who are free and over five hundred gladiators who can quickly be reshaped into strong warriors since they were never completely out of practice,” Luykas countered. “Yes, we lost some, but at least many made it here to freedom, to help their people and reap the benefits of the cause we’re fighting for.”

“Luykas,” Mave whispered, leaning over to look at him. “Finding a bright side is a little hard when…”

“We have to keep looking to the bright side, or we’re doomed to wallow in this and get nowhere,” her husband countered. “We have more than enough food prepared and waiting. We need to begin packing the horses. The taking of Kerit has quadrupled our number of horses. We also now have over a dozen carts and carriages. Children and supplies can ride in those. Their mothers may have to walk, or they can drive and take turns. We can work it out. The gladiators can become an extension of our current force, their own unit—”

“Separate them,” Mave said, cutting him off. “We have to separate them. The longer you let those gladiators hold themselves apart, the more they can talk among themselves and make their own decisions.”

“You think they would begin to disobey my orders?”

“I think they might be easy to anger,” she answered honestly. “I don’t know how well you were watching your cousin, but Seventy-Two hasn’t been told no by an Andinna in nine hundred years. He’s used to getting his way, and the rest of them fell in line. He controlled the largest of the groups and therefore, had the power in the pits.”

“Kenav. His name is Kenav,” Alchan whispered. “Use it.”

“Why?”

“Because you aren’t in the pits anymore,” he snapped. “I won’t have people being addressed by a slave identification. No one. That is not why I offered mercy and second chances.”

She leaned back, feeling the weight of his momentary anger. He was right. She was only saying Seventy-Two to remind herself he was the slave in the pits who orchestrated a lot of her problems. But neither of them was a slave anymore and reinforcing what Shadra had turned them into helped no one.

“My apologies,” she conceded, lowering her head. She didn’t think Alchan was taking his side. He was just trying to make them all do better. Being around the other gladiators brought out something nasty in her, though, something mean—something very cold.

“So, we separate the gladiators between the different units. We can do that easily,” Kian cut in, his tone too jovial and carefree, trying his best to break the tension. “We keep the freed women and children with our female warriors. I think Mave needs to spend more time with them. They look up to her as their voice with Alchan. Everyone has been fucking around for two weeks, but on the road back home, we have to get serious again.”

“I can do that,” she agreed, shrugging. She kept watching her king. He nodded silently, finally breaking eye contact with her in that way where neither of them really knew who won or lost.

“The other males need to be divided as well,” Bryn pointed out. “I’ve seen a couple that would make good scouts. Younger, leaner. Maybe not suited for a soldier’s work. I can approach them and begin testing the waters.”

“You can start tomorrow,” Alchan agreed. “Anyone else?”

“We need to quickly question what they did in the Empire,” Mat said, sighing. “It’ll take time, but I think many of them were free before the War, which means they would have already had crafts or skills that could prove useful.”

“Where are they going to live when we get to the village?” Mave asked, frowning. “Aren’t we already facing a space problem?”

“That is when we would open a second village,” Alchan explained. “I left Allaina and Senri to consider a location, probably in the next valley over from ours. There are a lot of old villages ready to be built up, and a couple of those are within a day’s flight. I’m setting her up to become my regional mativa, so that village would also be under her control.”

“That should help her stand equally with Leria,” Luykas commented, tapping his fingers on the table. “Which isn’t a bad thing. We need more mativas, but first, we need more Andinna.”

“I have ideas about what our spring and summer goals will be, but I would like us to get on the road first,” Alchan said, rubbing his face. “So many small steps and things must be managed at all times. I wouldn’t doubt if Shadra is already moving a force toward the Dragon Spine to stop us from breaking into the Empire to free our people. With the attack on the ships, her answer is clear. She’s opting for war.”

Everyone was quiet. Mave stood and looked around at the Company, at the ones in charge of the rebellion. She was technically one of them, but she preferred being only a sword.

“I’m going to check in on the females,” she declared, deciding if she was going to sit at this table, she may as well do something other than look good. “The gladiators will be fine with the same rations you give any of the other warriors. You saw them. Other than being a couple months out of practice, they’re not starving.”

“Of course. You’re dismissed. Have a good day.”

“Dave, report to me around dinner time with anything that’s decided.” He’d been so silent for the entire meeting, but after she spoke, a soft scratching on paper stopped. She turned to see him sitting at a small side table with a blank bound book in front of him. Well, half blank. He’d been taking notes already.

“Of course, Champion.”

“Just call me Mave,” she said, reaching the door. As she walked out, Mat got up and followed her, passing Zayden and Rain walking in.

“Good to see you walking around,” Mat commented, pushing his best friend at his shoulder. Zayden rocked, and Rain caught him. Mave thought the male would blow, but Zayden only grinned sheepishly.

“Rain came and knocked some sense into me,” Zayden said, a red blush taking over. “Don’t fuck with me. I’m here to catch up and find some shit to do.”

“Ask Alchan or Luykas about finding any crafters or other non-combatants among the new males from Elliar. That would be great for you while you’re off fighting duty.” Mat grinned back. “We’re going to check on the females and children. Mave is going to start spending more time with them again.”

“Ah, joy,” Rain said, laughing as he pulled his father around them. “You both have fun. I’m going to give this old man some busy work.”

Zayden’s face screamed for help. Mave left the building, chuckling to herself.

“Do you know where they decided to house the females?” she asked Mat as they walked down the street.

“I believe our female unit decided to take them to their area and tucked them into houses, pretty far away from the others. Bryn and I took the males who weren’t gladiators to the other side of the city, and I know Nevyn, Varon, and Kian decided to keep the gladiators near the docks, just in case. It’s an easy area for females to avoid if needed.”

“Just in case,” she mumbled to herself. “They were cautious because of us, weren’t they?”

“Because of our stories, yes. Speaking of being cautious, are we sure it’s okay to have our new neighbors where they are?”

“I said it last night at dinner. If somehow any of them break into our home, get into our bedroom, and kill one of us, I think we deserve it.” She snorted. “Emerian is terrified of us, me particularly. He can barely lift his head, and I’m not sure if he’s that naturally submissive, or if he’s that scared of being around Andinna. You remember the intel on him, right?”

“He’s the one who worries me,” Mat admitted. “Dave, I can trust. He’s a wily human with intelligence and resources and obviously came here with a purpose and respect for the Andinna. He’s been a part of this movement long before Alchan decided it finally had to be one. Trevan? I don’t feel the need to worry about him because of how he helped us once. Could he be a problem now? Sure, but I don’t see it.”

“But we don’t know Emerian, the mutt who lost his family to the Andinna, not the Elvasi.” They had learned a lot about the male before he even arrived from the intel provided by their Elvasi ally in Elliar.

Did I forget something?

“Exactly. He could blame our people as a whole. He could try to strike out.”

“He’s too scared for that right now. Maybe when he gets his feet under him, but not yet.” Mave was feeling confident in her judgment of the male. She’d met males like him before—the scared ones who couldn’t look at her or anyone else. They normally died quickly on the sands or in a fight in the pits, too weak to defend themselves.

Intel. Emerian. The fucking book.

“Shit,” she mumbled.

“What’s wrong?”

“Dave gave me a spy book. The Elvasi noblewoman in Elliar? She had given it to him during the escape. I left it on our table, and I was planning on taking it to Alchan or Luykas.”

“I’ll run and do that for you, and you can go check on the females,” he said, leaning down to kiss her. She smiled and went up on her toes to help him out.

“That sounds good,” she agreed, pushing him away gently, a teasing push she knew would fire him up for later. Mat didn’t like when she forced him out of her space. By the fire that lit up his emerald green eyes, it worked.

“I see,” he purred. “Later, then.”

“Later,” she promised. “I’ll see you at dinner, probably.”

“If you miss dinner, at least there’s dessert,” he smirked. With a wink, he turned away and launched into the air.

Mave didn’t follow him into the air, although it would have been faster to her destination. She wanted to walk. Flying around Kerit wasn’t as pleasing as flying around her mountains.

She found the neighborhood the females had claimed and the clear indication they were in attendance by a few of the warriors posted as guard at the end of the two streets they had claimed.

“Champion. It’s a pleasure to see you this afternoon,” one of the warriors greeted.

“You as well. I was hoping to take a walk through and meet the new females and children. With the absence of Allaina and Senri, I want them to know they’re protected, and there is someone they can go to if anything is needed. I’m assuming Yenni jumped in and took charge yesterday. If you can point me to her, I’ll touch base with her first.” Mave knew the captain of the females well enough to know she should know Mave was coming first. Mave confidently knew she was the most dominant female in Anden, but Yenni could have a mouth, and she was one of Leria’s females, only on loan for the mission to Kerit. Whether any of Leria’s females would stay with the main rebellion would be decided once they returned to the mountains.

“You’ll find her in the third house on the right,” the guard said, pointing down the street.

Mave started walking but stopped next to the guards, deciding to start questioning now.

“Have you seen or heard any trouble with the new males? Anyone trying to come in here and give the females a hard time?”

“Not yet, Champion, but that’s why Yenni started the guard duty. We’ll make sure it doesn’t happen.”

“Good.” She continued on her way, counting the houses as she walked and stopped at the third. She didn’t knock, walking straight into the house. One female near the door nearly dropped a pitcher she was carrying, her head ducking down, and another scurried out of the entry hall.

Mave ignored it for now. There was only one person she was required to knock for, and even then, if there was an emergency, she wouldn’t give even Alchan that privilege.

“Yenni? I was told you were home!” Mave called out.

“Ah, the Champion decides to come visit!” Yenni stuck her head out of a door. Flour covered the hand she used to wave Mave in. “Come. I’m baking bread.”

Mave raised an eyebrow at that. She walked into the kitchen, somewhat puzzled by the scene.

Yenni was a massive female, her height lining up more with a male’s than a female’s. She was also wide, muscled, and bulky. Intimidating was a good word to describe Yenni. She was the most dominant female, aside from Mave, who came on the mission. While none of the warrior females were simpering fools, Yenni dominated them all, which made it somewhat odd to see the female baking bread.

“So, what does the Champion need today?” Yenni asked, her back turned to Mave. “It’s been busy since the newcomers arrived. Are your cocks busy too, or are they lazy as most are?”

Mave sighed. This was why she didn’t visit Yenni very often. Mave could be vulgar, but Yenni took it to the next level.

I have a feeling I know where this conversation is going.

“Do you mean my males or their actual cocks?” Mave asked, taking a seat at the small table. A smaller female walked over and put down a drink in front of her. Mave sniffed it, finding it to be ale and took a sip. It was damn good ale.

“Both.” Yenni turned to eye her.

“Yes, they’re busy,” Mave answered, going back to the initial question.

Yenni was still for a moment, then a smile formed, a wide, teeth-baring thing. She was laughing as she turned back to kneading the dough she had on the counter.

“Good, good. Glad to see cocks doing their damn job. Don’t hurt me for it, but I keep hoping they’ll fail you one day, and you’ll remember you are part of the better sex and come visit me. I would be your mayara and the only one you need in it.” Yenni dropped the dough in a bowl and covered it with a rag. She was grinning as she brought it over to the table and put it to the side. A second drink was brought over as the giant female sat down across from Mave. “Are we there yet? Have they annoyed you enough to come to me?”

“No,” Mave answered, trying not to smile. The moment they got onto the road, Yenni had started hitting on her. It was both flattering and uncomfortable.

“Have you ever been with someone of the better sex?”

She’s going to make it impossible to have a normal conversation.

“I have,” Mave answered. Yenni’s smile turned devious, but Mave intended to ruin it. “I was whored out to some Elvasi noblewomen. I was taught my way around down there. It wasn’t my thing.”

Face paling, Yenni leaned back, eyeing her.

“You know how to kill a good mood, Champion.”

“I know, but I can’t imagine Leria would be okay with you hooking up with me while you’re away from her,” Mave pointed out, sipping on the ale. She had a feeling, and since Yenni started it, she decided to strike back a little this time.

“Leria,” Yenni sighed. “We haven’t fucked since she blood bonded your brother. I told her I didn’t care that she finally got the male she wanted. I would have joined the family, been part of the mayara, and never touched him, but it never worked for her. She was over me once she got the cock of her dreams at your expense. Before we left, she gave me a formal request to leave her community and join Allaina’s…or yours.”

“I’m not a mativa,” Mave reminded her. “But I’m sure Allaina will be glad to have you.”

“I hope so. I have no intention to ask Leria to take me back after the news spread of what she did to Seanev and you in the end.”

“Don’t judge her for that,” Mave whispered. “I’m not here to talk about any of this. I wanted to meet the new females, get an eye on the children, and make sure everyone is properly accommodated and eating.”

“Judge her? I protected her for years, pined over getting her back, hoping she remembered we had loved each other for a long time. Then I learned that and…” Yenni studied Mave, who didn’t react. “And decided she wasn’t the type of female I wanted to serve. If she hadn’t formally requested me to leave, I was going to ask to leave.”

“I take it the only reason she never did earlier was you had nowhere to go?” Mave asked.

“Probably. Also, I am beginning to think she ended things with me because she never wanted me to learn what she did to keep Seanev safe, and I eventually would have if I had been in her mayara. I would have left her because of it, so she cut me loose.” Yenni shrugged. “I have my eyes on other prizes now.” Yenni, in her overexaggerated way, dragged her eyes over Mave, dipping down to Mave’s ample chest. Mave grew out of the insecurities of her chest size until that moment.

“Yenni…” Mave shook her head, a smile finally forming. “It’s flattering, but I’m not interested. I’m not going to replace Leria to you. Find another target.”

“I like females more dominant than me.”

“That gives you very slim pickings, then,” Mave said, trying not to get roped in further but finding it hard. “Okay, let’s get to business.”

“You know I mean no harm. It’s good seeing you up close, a little mortal like the rest of us. It’s why I’ve grown to like teasing you.”

She’s avoiding what I’m here for. She doesn’t want me to see the new females or the children. Why?

“Wonderful, but really business.” Mave had no problem with the teasing. She could easily avoid it if it was too much of a problem.

“You don’t visit enough—”

“Yenni.” The bigger female stopped at Mave’s tone. “I would visit more if you were more serious. I’m here to check on the new females and their children.”

“Are you sure—”

“What are you hiding?” Mave asked finally.

12

Mave

Yenni’s face turned serious, the overdone laughter and smile disappearing. Normally, Mave could get her on topic after one or two cute jabs, but this had gone on long enough.

“They’re scared of you,” Yenni explained, sighing. “Last night, a female woke up, screaming she didn’t want the Champion to kill her in a fight or something. They all knew you in the Empire, and that reputation is now catching up with you, Mave Lorren. I was hoping you wouldn’t come by at all since you seem very hands-off when it comes to leading anyone.”

“I don’t lead anyone. I know I have a role to fill, but it’s not that one,” Mave reminded her. “I would rather be a good role model for the females of our war group than their commander.”

“And now you slide over what I just told you,” Yenni pointed out.

“I heard it. I’m not…surprised by it,” Mave admitted. Why was I stupid enough to think any Andinna from the southern half of the Empire would want to see me?

“I didn’t think you would be, but you can understand why I would rather keep you here. Everyone working in this house are my warriors.”

“Yet they still drop their heads and run,” Mave muttered, glancing around to see if any were around.

“You’re intimidating. You know that. Imagine how terrifying it will be for the newcomers to see the monster that killed in the Colosseum.”

Mave considered that. She didn’t disagree with Yenni, but she had left Elliar nearly two years ago. So much had changed, Mave being the main thing. She wasn’t the female in the pits anymore. She wasn’t out to get her own people. She trusted, and she wanted to be trusted.

I’m not a leader, but I can be a role model. I can help. I want to do that.

“I need to see them,” Mave said evenly. “If I’m to start changing that reputation, I need to interact with them. They can’t hide from me. I’m the King’s Champion now and the most dominant female Andinna. They have to learn I’m not out to get them, and I think I can do that or try.”

“I don’t like it.”

“That’s too bad. Are there any braver than the others?”

“Yes, but they’ll be surrounded by the scared ones,” Yenni answered. Mave stood up and waited for the warrior to follow suit. Yenni sighed heavily and stood. “This is a bad idea.”

“It wasn’t just my idea. Another member of the Ivory Shadows mentioned it, and Alchan agreed. If that means I have to smooth out some bumps, I will.”

“This isn’t some bumps, Champion. This is deep-seated trauma.”

“I know. The Empire has a way of doing that to Andinna.”

She started to walk away, leaving Yenni where she was, probably thinking about Mave’s last words. The warrior caught up at the door and put her hand on it.

“We’ve put them in batches in the houses that share the courtyard with us. It gives us easy access to see them out back and common ground where they don’t feel cornered. They can just go back inside or knock on our back doors if they need help with anything.”

Yenni led Mave the opposite way and stopped at the backdoor.

“Are you ready for this? There shouldn’t be any children out right now. Not if their mothers want them to stay clean for dinner.”

“Children would be easier,” Mave pointed out. “They don’t have centuries of fear.”

“But their mothers would hide them from you, anyway. Skies, this morning, they tried to hide the children from me.”

Mave winced. That was bad. If they were going to rebuild Anden and Andinna culture, children needed to be socialized and brought into the fold to keep from being like Mave.

“I’ll talk to some friends when we get back to the village,” Mave promised. “They might be able to help the children adjust and get out from the protection of their mothers a little.”

“Good. Andinna children need to learn independence. If they’re smothered, they don’t reach as far as they are meant to and can’t learn important social skills.”

“I know,” Mave agreed. “I was raised away from any Andinna. I know exactly how crippling it can be.”

“Ah. That’s right…” Yenni trailed off. They stood there for a moment longer before Mave steeled herself and opened the back door, stepping back out into the afternoon sun. It was winter and cold, but it at least it wasn’t storming. Their first week in Kerit had been a week of storms battering the coastline and the city, frustrating everyone.

Mave took a quick look around and saw females she didn’t recognize working on laundry and other household chores. Whether they did it because it was needed or it was a habit, she didn’t know. Andinna females in the Empire were used for that sort of work, normally. The males were put to harder tasks.

Mave remembered the old female who used to dress her, always waiting in the palace to give her the new outfit Shadra, or whoever else, demanded she wear.

Yenni led Mave to a small circular table with four chairs around it. She took one seat and gestured for Mave to sit down. Mave had no complaints, planting her ass in a chair, so she didn’t have to stand around uncomfortably.

A gasp came from behind her, but Mave didn’t turn to see who did it. She knew why. It was her presence. A female she could see looked up from what she was doing and blanched, throwing wet clothing into a basket and ran inside while Mave watched.

“I told you,” Yenni whispered.

Mave nodded slowly, watching others realize she was there and duck inside, abandoning what they were doing. She had to think fast, or they would never come back.

Her hand drifted to her pocket, a side pouch that was built into the belt for her armor. It had enough space to carry snacks for missions. It was incredibly practical, but Mave hadn’t loaded it up with things that were practical. She still carried the flute with her everywhere, and now, she thought about it.

Ignoring Yenni’s annoyance with her, she pulled it out and blew gently on it, making sure no dust or dirt was on it. Without saying a word, she began to play, closing her eyes as the light music washed over the courtyard.

“Keli, can you bring our drinks out here?” Yenni asked, sounding confused now. “Apparently, the Champion wants to enjoy a spot of music.”

Mave stopped to growl, opening one eye to glare at the other female.

“I never took you to be a flute female,” Yenni commented, seeing Mave’s gaze on her.

“A dear friend taught me last year, so I could perform in my first spring festival. These females have probably been without or never heard the music of the Andinna. I can share it with them.”

“The drums are a better choice. They represent us better and have more uses than a couple of festivals a year.” Yenni leaned back, acting like she knew everything.

“You’re right,” Mave agreed. “The drums are probably the better choice for females like you, but not for ones like me.”

“There are no females like you,” Yenni countered. “If there are, please introduce me to them.”

“You’ve already met them,” Mave whispered before going back to playing.

She had picked the flute because it was pretty, useless, and there was no violence in it. Over the year since she had started using it, she had picked up a few simple tunes, mostly songs played while working around a village by those who enjoyed it as well.

It was beautiful and elicited nothing but images of rolling hills and the freshness of spring—dancing, laughter, fun.

Females like me will like the flute. Females who lived so long without any of those things.

She didn’t stop between songs as her drink was put down next to her. She went straight into a third song, ignoring a door opening up and closing again. Someone giggled, obviously a child, and was shushed by its mother.

When Mave was finished with the third song, she opened her eyes again and lowered the flute.

“Ah, I haven’t heard those songs in so long,” someone said, sounding both elated and tired. “And to hear you play them is something I never thought would come to pass.”

Mave turned slowly and found herself looking at the old female from the palace, leaning on a cane. Grey hair and with a tired, wrinkled face, she was older than Leshaun.

“You made it out,” Mave gasped.

“Obviously,” the old female said with a wry tone, walking slowly to the table. She looked at Yenni and bowed her head in respect, then looked back to Mave. “I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”

“You two know each other?” Yenni frowned, looking between them before settling on the old female. “You never mentioned Mave being in your community.”

“I wasn’t.” Mave narrowed her eyes on the familiar face. “Are you a mativa?”

“I was before the war, long before the war,” she answered. “As a slave? No. I was a simple household servant who had the displeasure of making sure you were clean and presentable.”

Mave’s face heated as she turned to Yenni to explain that. “She worked in the palace. We barely spoke, and it was never personal. When I was summoned, she would be waiting with whatever outfit I was required to wear and make sure I was bathed for whatever performance I was required to perform. She was the only female Andinna I really ever saw.”

“Oh.” Yenni leaned back.

“King’s Champion now, is it?” the old female asked. “No longer claiming the Colosseum?”

“I never wanted the Colosseum.”

“Then why did you work so hard for it?”

“It kept me alive,” Mave answered with total honesty. “If I was the strongest, they would fear me, and I was less likely to be raped or beaten by those in the pits with me, the other gladiators.”

“Ah. I figured as much but could never bring myself to ask.”

“Please sit down,” Mave said, gesturing to an empty chair. “I’m here to see what I can do to help everyone from Elliar and Myrsten. Maybe you can help me.”

“If it’s not too much to ask…” The old female waved around, and Mave followed the gesture, seeing females and children now standing around, staring at her with wide eyes. Mave had been right. Music, soft and innocent, something from centuries past, would bring her together with these new faces. “A bit more music would be nice.”

“I can do that,” Mave agreed, bringing the flute up again. She decided to play a fun little shepherd’s tune and smiled as the children giggled at the lighthearted melody.

She had failed with the newly freed slaves in the summer and fall, failed to understand them well enough, and failed to relate to them. She had been hard on them when some of them had needed softness. She wouldn’t fail with these. A different approach because this time she admitted she had more in common with these scared women and acted accordingly. She didn’t want them to be scared of her. She wanted them to know she understood their pain, had lived through it as well and knew what their souls craved.

Elliar was a cold city, colorless in its own way, and the people who resided in it were cruel and distant.

Mave had picked the flute because it was pretty and useless, but its light sound brought such joy, and now, she had a place to share it.

When Mave lowered the flute again, smiling as she realized she had finally done the right thing, the old female clapped.

“Will you come back and play for us again?” she asked, reaching out and touching Mave’s hand gently.

“I will,” she promised.

“It’s good to see you like this, Mave Lorren.” The old female reached up and patted her cheek. “If you, who suffered great cruelties and abuses in Elliar, could come this far, you give me hope I can see the rest of our people do it.”

“I don’t know your name,” Mave said softly as the old female stood up again.

With a sigh, her smile turned sad.

“My name is Rhinia. Now, this cold is a bit too much for my old bones. I’m going to head inside.” She patted Mave’s hand with the same sad smile. “Thank you for this. It really is good to see you here.”

Mave watched the old female get up and slowly make her way inside, her heart aching for reasons beyond her.

“Are you going to be okay?” Yenni asked. “Should I send for anyone?”

“I’ll be okay,” Mave answered, staring at the door. “There’s still stuff I want to do here.”

“Okay.”

Mave took a deep breath and looked around at everyone.

“Does anyone have any questions for me?” she said loud enough for the crowd to hear.

“Do you know any games?” someone asked in a tiny voice. Mave looked around at the adults, then one pointed at a small boy. He had wide pale green eyes, and he seemed to have more courage than the rest of them.

“I don’t,” she admitted. “But I know who I can ask for some fun games.”

Zayden knows children. Maybe he’ll be willing to help with them. Or Kian. He would love playing with them in his free time.

“Thank you!” The child’s smile was bright as if all his worries and fears disappeared.

“When are we leaving Kerit? Are we leaving Kerit?” an adult female asked.

“We are. All of you will be coming with our war group to our central village in the Dragon Spine. It’s more secure than Kerit. We took this city, and we’re leaving some to defend it, but the likelihood it can be attacked again is high. We’re not leaving any potential and avoidable casualties.”

She nodded, backing off again. Mave looked at Yenni and made a decision.

“You’ll receive basic training with the morok if you don’t have it yet. If you remember the skills, you’ll be required to brush up on them. Many days, the female warriors here with you will lead the training. Some days, I’ll visit. There are many like you at our home village who will be more than willing to help you catch up. You aren’t required to fight, though. This is so you can defend yourselves if the need arises.”

“And if we’re not warriors? What if learning the ways of combat don’t appeal to us?” someone asked.

“There’s a secondary community. The mativa there will still require you to learn basic defense, but she’ll also help you find your place as crafters or community workers if that pleases you. I know this is hard. It’s hard to come to freedom and hear you must pick up a sword. Violence has marked all of us in different ways. Elliar is renowned for treating the Andinna crueler than any other city. Myrsten holds a very close second. One of my husbands was once a slave there.”

“You have husbands?” someone asked with surprise.

“I do.” Mave grinned. “I have three, and I hope one day all of you find the families you want. For now, we’re maintaining distance between you and the males for security purposes, but once we’re in the village, you’ll be allowed to mingle as you wish once your training times are done.”

“Are they strong?” someone whispered.

They want to know me.

“My husbands? Yes, they are and all members of the Royal Guard, the Ivory Shadows. One is a warrior named Matesh. He and I met in the pits under the Colosseum and escaped together with our king’s nemari, Rainev. My second is a male named Brynec. He’s the leader of our scouts. My third is Luykas Andini, our king’s half-brother, and one of the generals of our rebellion.” There was murmuring. Mave caught none of it, but a female she didn’t recognize stepped forward.

“We hope you come back tomorrow and tell us more,” she declared, other females around her nodding. “Last night, we spoke about you on the pier, the…fear you elicited in us. We didn’t know who you have become since you escaped Elliar, but I think we would all like to meet you, Mave Lorren, King’s Champion.”

Mave lowered her head in respect for this obvious leader. Straightening, she caught a glimpse of a window to the home in front of her and saw Rhinia standing there.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” Mave promised. “In the meantime, Yenni is in charge, and she only wants what’s best for all of you. She’ll have news this evening about rations and travel plans in the coming days. Have a nice day.”

She turned and walked out of the courtyard, her heart racing. Yenni followed behind her, grabbing her before she could make it out the front door to leave.

“How did you know the flute would bring them out?”

“Because we’re the same,” Mave answered, looking down at the unwanted hand on her.

“The same, how?” Yenni seemed incredulous. “Look at where you are. Look at the stories told about you. These females didn’t get to sit back like you. They had to survive by shutting their mouths and spreading their legs—”

“So did I,” Mave cut in, meeting the other female’s eyes. “It wasn’t all blood and glory for me, Yenni. The Andinna were slaves like me, and their lives were worthless like mine, and I could fight them. But what did you think I had to do when an Elvasi wanted my time, wanted to be in my space and in my body? I shut my mouth, I spread my legs, and I took the beating. I know them.” Mave yanked her hand away and touched her chest. “Right here, I know them.”

Yenni stepped back, looking away.

“Forgive me,” she said softly, presenting a submissive gesture.

“Forgiven. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Mave walked out and took to the sky once she was clear to do so.

If she could help others leave behind the troubled memories she knew haunted them all, she would. Anything to wash away the rot Elliar had given them.

13

Luykas

Luykas was flipping through the current reports of food stores when Matesh walked back into the silent war room. Everyone was quietly making their plans to make sure they were all on the same page. Luykas had only looked up because he hadn’t seen anyone leave the table, and they weren’t expecting anyone. Seeing Matesh walk back in surprised him.

“I thought you were going to accompany Mave to visit the females,” he said softly as Matesh came to sit beside him. He liked the other male, and falling into a routine with Mave’s two other husbands had proved easier than he could have ever dreamed. They asked him sometimes about his mother, but if he wasn’t in the mood to speak about her, they didn’t pry.

They’re just trying to understand me. I was their commander for a long time, and now I’m their equal in her bedroom. It only makes sense.

“She realized she forgot something at home you and Alchan need,” he whispered, revealing a small leather-bound book in his left hand. Luykas narrowed his eyes on it, then looked up at Mat, wondering what this meant. “Our Elvasi noblewoman gave this to Dave before sending him to Myrsten. He gave it to Mave, and she forgot to bring it here. So, I ran home to get it. I think she wanted to see the females alone, anyway. It’s probably better this way.”

“Thank you.” Luykas slowly took it, nodding. “I’ll begin reviewing it immediately. She might have left a few more hints.”

“Why would she give it up?”

“My best guess? She became worried she would get caught and didn’t want to risk failing to destroy it all. Sending it away with Dave must have seemed the safest option.” Luykas turned the book over in his hands. “I’ve been curious about this spy of Leshaun’s since I heard about her. He wouldn’t tell me her name, saying he feared for her safety in case we had spies among us. It was too risky. I can’t say I blame him, even though it’s hard to admit a newly freed slave would spy for the Elvasi.”

“Yeah, that’s hard,” Mat agreed. “I’ll let you get to it, then. I’ll see if Kian or someone needs me for anything. Don’t work too late tonight.”

Luykas snorted. He’d lived with them since they started their journey to Kerit, and he was often the last of the family to the bedroom. He didn’t want to admit he was beginning to grow tired of sharing his space in such an intimate setting. He didn’t want to admit it to Matesh and Bryn. He would tell Mave on the journey home he intended to spend some time in his own home once they returned. He didn’t think his new brothers would be alarmed, but he felt guilty. He needed a break after only a month and a half of living with them.

Mat wandered off. Luykas watched as he checked in with Bryn then moved on to Kian, Nevyn, and Varon. Nevyn launched into something, and Luykas chuckled to himself. If there was one person who was drowning himself in work while in Kerit, it was Nevyn. It was his childhood home, and every male in the Company knew he wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

Luykas continued his own work, talking down the table to his brother. They were trying to divide the rations up evenly, but it was tricky since they had to leave people behind who could also support themselves.

“We’ve agreed to supply runs from Leria’s community, right?” he asked, eyeing his brother’s profile.

“Yes. They should have already sent the first run this direction, but it won’t arrive until after we leave.” Alchan sighed. “I think I have it. Check my work?” Alchan slid over a long sheet of parchment.

Luykas looked over it, humming as he checked Alchan’s calculations and his own. They had been passing the parchment back and forth for half the day, and it showed with several areas scratched out completely. In the end, Luykas liked the final divide of resources.

“It’s the best we can do,” he said, sliding it back to his brother.

“Rain. Have copies made of this and pass it around to the leaders of each group. Except Kenav. I’ll send Nevyn or Kian to him.”

Luykas tried not to smirk as Rain raised an eyebrow, his back turned to the rest of the Company. Luykas was only just at the right angle to see it. It was asking if Alchan really wanted to disrespect the young mutt like that.

“Yes, sir,” Rain finally agreed, probably realizing Alchan wasn’t going to budge on the matter.

“Nevyn, Kian. Which one of you is free?”

“I am,” Kian called back down the table.

“Get with Rain, and he’ll give you a missive to send to the gladiators about the rationing for our trip back to the village. Don’t let them give you any shit. Now, I’m done for the day unless any of you need anything.”

“I do,” Luykas said quickly, grabbing his brother before he could stand. He reached back down the table and grabbed the book. “I want to use the blood writing in this to discover who our spy was. I would feel more comfortable knowing.”

“Really? You can just ask Dave.” Alchan gestured to the side of the room, and Luykas turned, realizing the human was still there. He’d been so quiet, taking notes for Mave, Luykas had completely forgotten about him. “I would assume he’s met her.”

“Good…point,” Luykas said slowly, wondering how the quiet human had disappeared without going anywhere. It took him a moment to remember his life in the Empire. Every servant was taught to stand quietly to the side, so still and so silent, the nobles and merchants would forget they even existed. Luykas was guilty of it on more than one occasion. Dave was just doing what he had been trained to do. “Dave. Come here for me,” he called out.

The human jumped, cracking a knee against the small table, and barely catching an ink bottle before it spilled all over the floor. His face went red as everyone turned to him.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Luykas said kindly. “I didn’t mean to spook you. I was hoping to ask you about this.” He lifted the book so the human could see it. Dave quickly corrected his stuff, then walked over, sighing.

“What would you like to know about it?”

“Who it belonged to,” he explained, putting it back down.

Dave swallowed, and Luykas watched as he internally debated whether to give that answer. His brown eyes flicked around at the different males in the room.

“I’ve always been loyal to Mave,” he whispered.

“We know,” Alchan said with a sternness that reminded Luykas of their grandmother.

“Okay.” Dave stepped back again. “The leader of our efforts in Elliar and the owner of the spy book was Crowned Princess Nyria of the Elvasi Empire.”

Luykas’ world tilted in a very strange way. He was still on his feet, but something moved, shifting on him in a way he didn’t appreciate.

“No,” he said for the second time in as many days. Last night it had been to tell Alchan and Rainev they couldn’t possibly be doing what he thought he saw. Now, he was questioning his reality. Had he been drugged? Had Dave been fooled?

“Repeat that,” Alchan ordered beside him now.

“I worked directly for Crowned Princess Nyria of the Elvasi Empire. My job and role has been around longer than she’s been alive, but she came in and began helping with the protection and potential escape of the Andinna…” Dave seemed to count on his fingers. “About four hundred years ago.”

Luykas stepped back. A large hand touched his back.

“She would have been barely an adult,” his brother said softly.

Luykas spun out of Alchan’s touch, grabbing the book. Moving several steps away, he opened it and ran his fingers over the dark writing. He probed it with both sorcery and blood magic, calling on both thanks to his dual heritage. He felt it—a steady thrum of power in the blood as it responded to his silent questions.

Like calling to like.

My half-sister wrote these words in her own blood.

“What’s the problem? This is actually a good thing. We might be able to play this in our favor,” Nevyn said loudly. “Alchan, what the fuck is your brother’s problem? He looks like he’s seen a ghost.”

“Luykas, it’s time,” Alchan said quietly, stepping into his space again. “They need an explanation.”

He looked up from the text, his fingers slowly gliding over it still, feeling the power his sister claimed. She was a well-versed sorcerer. He could tell by her blood, the power she channeled staying in her blood long after she spilled it.

“Why would she do this?” he asked his brother. “There’s no way she knows…”

“She might,” Alchan countered. “And right now, we need to explain to the Company why this has you worked up.”

Luykas turned to Nevyn, Varon, and Kian. Mat and Bryn already knew. Rain already knew. Zayden didn’t, seeming just as confused as their older generation of warriors.

“Crowned Princess Nyria is my half-sister. My mother is Shadra before her rise to power in the Empire,” he explained in an emotionless tone, hoping it went over them like it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Nevyn stumbled back and sank into his chair. Kian paled. Zayden cursed, stumbling as he tried to stand up and pace. Rain caught him, rubbing his back. Mat and Bryn gave no reaction, clearly showing they knew already, but it was Varon who surprised Luykas.

Varon wasn’t surprised at all.

Meeting Varon’s gaze, Luykas saw the mute’s hands begin to move and looked down to focus on them.

“You always seemed noble and angry, carrying too much on your shoulders in silence when it wasn’t you who carried the burden of the crown and throne. The secrecy around who your birth mother was gave it away in the end. I figured this would always be your answer, but you have never once made me question your loyalty to mention it or dig deeper. I see your bond to the Andinna and your brother is deeper than your bond to the Elvasi and your mother.”

“Sometimes, I think you see too much,” Luykas said softly, looking back up at Varon’s face. The mute shrugged, a small smile forming. Enigmatic, Luykas wondered if the priest was communing with the gods, and he just didn’t realize it.

“Does Mave know?” Kian asked. “If we’re learning this, and she doesn’t know yet, I’m telling her right fucking now. She’s your female and if you’ve kept this from her—”

“She knows,” Mat growled. “She knew before Bryn and me, and she accepted it. She helped us accept it. Don’t ever threaten to get involved in our relationships again, Kian. I respect you, but none of us threaten to go to Senri when you’re an asshole. She’s not your daughter yet, so don’t start playing overprotective father when it’s not your place.”

Kian’s answering snarl was impressive. Luykas knew Senri intended to adopt Mave, and it seemed Kian was trying his hardest to jump into the role of being her father before it even became official. Yeah, that was what the Company needed—more overprotective and outraged fathers.

Between Kian and Zayden, the rest of us are going to need to watch out. I don’t have time to deal with him, so thank the Skies for Mat.

How could it be her? Why is it her?

“She knew before all of you,” Alchan said evenly, nodding to Matesh. Luykas’ heart swelled as he saw those who knew immediately come to his defense.

“I couldn’t be with her if she didn’t,” Luykas added. “So, she learned on Al Moro Nat. When we called her inside.”

“Then she proceeded to have what seemed like a mental break,” Nevyn muttered. “It all makes fucking sense now. Her brother, Shadra, you. No wonder she lost it that night.”

“This secret stays in the Company for now,” Alchan ordered, looking back at Dave, who nodded. “And now…” Alchan turned back to him. “She’s as much your sister as you are my brother. What would you like to do?”

“I don’t know her.” But I have a lot of fucking questions for her. I need answers.

“Do you want to honor her in some way? Have a ceremony for her work in Elliar?” Alchan crossed his arms.

“Oh, no, Leshaun was right. Her identity can’t get out. If it makes it back down to Shadra, Nyria is going to be a head on a spike, or she’ll be tortured until she breaks. We can’t tell anyone.” Luykas sighed. “Well, none of this was what I was expecting. I’m going to go for a walk, fly, or something. I can’t stay…inside.” He needed air. He didn’t wait for his brother to give him leave. All he could think about was a sister he didn’t know and tried to wrap his mind around what he knew about her.

Crowned Princess Nyria was how he always heard her referenced. She was the daughter of Shadra and an unnamed lover, but Luykas had a feeling her father was a high bred and wealthy noble. Shadra would have needed a second child to appease worries about the state of the Empire and her succession. She would pick someone others pointed to as a good choice. She had Lothen only for the claim he was the Emperor’s son, and she deserved to rule until her son was ready. Shadra was nothing if not cunning when it came to politics.

Luykas jumped into the air once he made it outside and flew hard and fast down the coast, leaving Kerit behind. He found a good spot to stop as a storm blew in from the ocean, landing just as the cold winter rain began to fall. Thunder cracked over his head, telling him he’d landed just in time to keep from getting struck by lightning. He stood on the cliff, considering his problem, ignoring the danger.

Is it a problem or only a surprise I wasn’t ready for?

He wasn’t sure which was the right answer.

Can we really trust her, or is she just like our mother?

Does she know about me?

Should she know about me?

He needed answers. Thunder cracked overhead.

He’d never met either of his Elvasi siblings, never felt any connection to them, thinking they were monsters Shadra had molded. From stories he’d had from Mave, Lothen was exactly that. A twisted combination of spoiled, royal brat and devious man. From Luykas’ intel until he met Mave, he had known Lothen was trained by the very best of the Elvasi military to one day rule with an iron fist and claim his own glories, the one they saw finally taking the Empire over the seas.

Nyria was an unknown, though. From every rumor he had heard, she was quiet, and if she ever inherited the throne, she would be a good puppet to any husband who could claim her. At just over five hundred, she was surprisingly not talked about. She had always come off to him as a nonissue, and that’s how he looked at that half of his family. Were they going to be an issue or not?

He stood on the cliff for a long time, letting the separation from the other Andinna settle him for a moment. He had needed nature, a reminder of the wild country that called to him more than the white walls of Elliar when he had been given the choice between the two.

“I bet I can do it,” he whispered to himself, considering a plan forming. “Actually, I know I can.”

He stayed out in the storm until he knew the sun was gone, and the red moon hung high overhead.

He took off, heading back for Kerit. He didn’t go home, nor did he go back to the war room. He went to Alchan’s home and let himself in. He didn’t want to do this where Mave could find him or any of the family, but if Alchan found him, that would be better. Alchan would know not to disturb him.

Luykas cut his palm and wiped some of his blood on the door, stealing the power from it to make it black. The sign of a Blackblood at work. Alchan would respect his privacy. He locked the door just in case, knowing Rain might get curious, or Skies forbid, Mave came looking for him. He didn’t want her tied up in his magics.

He didn’t need anything, not pushing his magic to heal the wound on his hand. He began drawing in his own blood, something sorcery generally considered a bad idea. Not even Andinna magic considered it safe, not the way he was doing, blending the two magics. Sorcery channeled power from other places, and power was decided by one’s ability to channel and not overwork one’s self. Being burned by magic was a very real thing. A flux of too much power left some fools dead in the mind, their brains turned to dust. Blood magic was calling power from one’s own life force. Two very different origins and normally used for two very different things.

He was becoming a master at blending them together, and he needed all of his expertise in both to make this work.

Normally, this circle would be drawn in chalk or ash, but his blood would grant it and him much more power to channel through his body even as he pulled power from himself as well. Shadra wasn’t powerful enough to overcome the blood-soaked earth of Anden, but he was powerful enough to reach a similar distance without being blocked. Sorcery didn’t have an equivalent to blood magic’s effects on the earth itself. Sorcery killed while blood magic helped things thrive.

He reached deep, finding the power of the earth itself, the blood of thousands of Andinna throughout history spilling their own lives into the soil. This was what made Anden home and what made it hostile to those who didn’t belong. The earth knew the Elvasi had been invaders and had treated them accordingly. It repelled Shadra’s power from astral projecting to him on his side of the mountains, but it would send his soul flying to its destination.

He opened the book, licked his finger, and touched a bloodletter written in his sister’s hand, and focused on it. Closing his eyes, he only thought of his goal, and when he opened his eyes again, he was somewhere else.

He looked down and saw his astral form. He’d gotten it right. When he looked up, he saw the back of her head as she sat in front of a mirror, brushing through her golden hair, exactly like their mother’s. Her eyes were closed as she hummed something, a song Luykas thought he knew from when he was a child.

Her hand stopped first. Her eyes opened as she put the brush down slowly, standing. He was amazed at how small she was compared to him. Dainty and tiny, she was probably barely taller than their mother.

“You must be…” She breathed out, her hand shaking as she lifted it. He didn’t move, knowing she wouldn’t be able to touch him. “How…Why?” she demanded, her tone going hard as the initial shock wore off. Luykas raised his eyebrows, surprised by the sudden change.

“What do you mean?” he asked softly. “What do you mean by why? Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that, little sister?” he growled at the end, trying to keep his volume down. By the look of it, they were in a palace bedroom and based on what she had been doing, her personal quarters.

She stepped back again, her hand dropping.

“So, they made it to you, and you got the spy book,” she whispered. “I never thought you would ever know or even care.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Send the book with the human, Elvasi, and mutt, or help free all of them?”

“Both,” he answered sharply, then changed his mind. “Why did you help free them? I can guess the answer to the other. You’re in the palace, and it could implicate you if anyone had found it.”

“You have the right of it. I moved out of the palace once I was an adult. To seem like a victim, I burned my own house down. She made me move back here.”

“Smart,” he complimented. “But that doesn’t explain why the Crowned Princess of the Elvasi Empire would be an active spy for the Andinna.”

“It’s a long story,” she said, looking away. She played with something on her dresser in front of the mirror. She wore a nightgown and robe, obviously getting ready for bed.

“I have time,” he growled.

“I found out about you first,” she answered softly. “And my young mind couldn’t understand why my mother would enslave the people my brother belonged to. Why didn’t I know this brother? My other brother was terrible and mean to me. Maybe this other one would be nice. I somehow knew never to mention this other brother and kept my knowledge of him a secret.”

Luykas felt as if he was staring at a little girl for a moment, and Nyria looked as if she saw another time. She was five hundred, more than an adult, and by her story, he was already beginning to see how long her deception had lasted—nearly all of those five hundred years.

“Knowing about me doesn’t explain burning Elliar,” he said softly.

“No, but as I said, it’s a long story. When I was a young adult, just after my seventy-fifth birthday, a man came into my room and tried to rape me.” Nyria smiled bitterly. “The man was my father, and he was drunk and pissed off about something. That fact didn’t stop me from screaming. He hit me when I didn’t submit, but the guards were coming, and so was she. She walked in, and with a flick of her wrist, he was sent across the room.” Luykas watched her hands and saw magic crackle on them. Yes, she definitely had power or rather, the ability to control vast amounts of it. He wondered if she was more powerful than their mother. Sorcery required practice, building up how much magic could be tolerated when channeling it through the body.

“Mother wouldn’t have tolerated her virginal daughter being broken,” Luykas murmured, going back to the conversation, setting aside his thoughts on her magical skill. “Makes sense. She fired a maid for almost sleeping with me around that age.”

“Yes, well, after he was pulled away from me, I was escorted out of the room. I heard what she said next. ‘I gave you Mave for your own enjoyment. I fucked you myself. You’ve had two of the most wanted women in the Empire, yet you tried to take my daughter. Your wealth will only get you so much.’”

“What’s your father’s name?” he asked.

“Lord Fenoth,” Nyria answered, still bitter, still angry. Luykas couldn’t stop a wince as he recognized the name. He was one of the richest and most powerful nobles in the Empire. He was also one of Mave’s cruelest torturers. “She gave him free access to Mave whenever he wanted it, to do to her what he was going to do to me. Another woman of the same race…as my brother,” she finished. “After that, I saw every injustice, every perversion of our laws, all of it. By the time I was an adult, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted my mother’s power, the magic she had done, so I trained myself. I was educated and knew what my mother expected of me. So, I continued to play the act of the scared girl from that night—”

“And secretly amassed power on your own among those who were against slavery in the Empire,” he finished this time for her, understanding better now.

“Yes. Because one day, when I was very young, I discovered I had a brother,” she whispered. “Does that answer suffice?”

She had seen the injustice because she knew about me.

“For now,” he said softly. He almost called himself back to his body but stopped, staring at gold eyes just like his. There was only one difference. Hers were set in white while his were set in black. “Can I come back?”

“Why would you want to?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. “You don’t know me. I don’t know you. Knowing about you changed my life, but I have no foolish presumptions about our relationship. You belong to him, and I’m not going to assume I can ever match that.”

“Because by the time this is over, you might be the Empress, and it would be nice to consider you my sister,” he admitted.

She leaned back again, her chin going up and her eyes going wide.

“You sued for peace,” she reminded him.

“Does she plan on letting us have it?”

“No. Lothen is already moving north with his most trusted ten thousand men. He’ll be on the south side of the Dragon Spine by mid-Spring,” she answered. She glanced at her door, frowning. “You need to go. Someone just triggered my alert barrier.”

“Thank you for the intel,” he said quickly. “Can I come back?”

“After dark, very late,” she answered in a hushed voice, almost too quiet for him to hear. “The moment you attach me to astral project, I’ll wake up. I have no lovers and have no intention of taking any, so it should be safe, but I make no promises. Just remember, you can get me killed.”

“Thank you.”

She nodded once and turned to the door. He heard the creak of the latch and pulled himself back to his body, closing his eyes as it felt like he was ripped from her room.

He opened his eyes in his stolen magic room to see his brother standing over him.

“I have a mercenary company full of fools,” he said blandly down to Luykas’ prone position. Luykas smiled.

“I did it. I know…she’s on our side…” His energy was fading fast.

“Yes, I figured that’s what you were doing. Mave, thank you for coming by and letting me know something was wrong. Help me get him to a bed. You can borrow a room from me for the rest of the night.” There was a moment of silence. “Put the fucking swords away. They’re not needed.”

Luykas groaned at the name of his wife then felt a sharp jab to the ribs.

“You’re lucky I love you,” she said, her anger clear.

He closed his eyes and passed out, not really caring how mad they were.

14

Mave

Mave woke up that day, feeling around. She found two bodies, one on either side of her, and knew them to be Brynec and Matesh. Without bothering to find the third body, she got up and started walking to the bathing room, only to growl as that last husband tried to get up and come with her. He stopped moving, and she listened as he laid back down.

Once she was done in the bathing room and finished dressing for the day, she marched out of the room, ignoring all of them, even though they had all begun to stir.

Once she was in the kitchen, she fell into a seat at the table and growled as Zayden sat across from her. He showed her a plate of food and slid it in front of her, then placed a glass next to it.

“Are you still mad at everyone?” he asked casually.

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?” she snapped.

“You’ve been outvoted by the Company. Only you and Alchan are mad at him. The rest of us understand.”

“Alchan and I are the ones who matter,” she growled.

“Sure.” He shrugged and left her at the table with the coffee and food. She started in on both of them as he came back with plates for her husbands, then sat down with a fourth for himself. “We’re not sparring today.”

“Obviously. We’re riding out at dawn. Have you finished packing?” She pushed her eggs around, thinking about the three weeks they were about to be on the road again.

“I have. Already taken it out to the cart we’ve been given for our things. The two horses are having their breakfast as well.” Zayden took bites of his breakfast between sentences. She didn’t say any more. Her males had packed nearly all of their things the day before, leaving out what they would wear today. Only two empty chests were left for their bedding.

As she considered it, she heard thumping and turned to see Bryn and Luykas carrying out one of the chests. Matesh carried another on his own soon after them. A few moments later, they came into the kitchen together and took their seats.

“Everything is ready to go,” Bryn said to her softly.

“Thank you,” she replied, smiling at him. She was less mad at him than the others. He’d been angry at Luykas for not telling anyone he was going to risk visiting an Elvasi and chastised him while everyone else had been completely okay with Luykas’ decision.

She finished her breakfast and waited for them. It was early, too early. They were leaving the city to the some two hundred warriors who would be helping rebuild and protect the city. More were coming with Leria’s supply run who would stay, including a younger mativa she had been training, ready to take lead somewhere.

Mave knew it was time to go, everyone knew it, but the thought of three more weeks on the road with males she was angry with wasn’t appealing.

Once they were done, Zayden cleaned up one last time. She waited on him as well, used to it since she normally did for their morning sparring. By the time they were outside, Mave had the sneaking suspicion they were running late but didn’t much care. She rode at the front of the cart with Bryn while Mat and Luykas piled on top of things in the back. Zayden was in the back as well, but Mave knew he wasn’t going to stick around for the entire trip. He would ride with Rain once they arrived at the caravan.

This would be their lives since only Alchan was going to get his own horse thanks to their necessary travel arrangements. Too many needed to be hauled, unable to walk the distance. Too much needed to be carried to be loaded on a few pack horses.

Mave relaxed as Bryn got them moving, and they headed out of the city to the large caravan mostly formed. He pulled ahead of many of them, and Mave kept track of each group as she saw it.

The gladiators were now dispersed with the other warriors, and so were many of the other new males. As they drew closer to the front, she saw the female warriors intermingling with a few of the new females. Right behind the Company were the females with children and any elderly who needed to be watched. Not many elderly had made it out of Elliar and Myrsten, and even more were lost when the two ships were attacked passing by Ellantia.

Brynec leaned over and kissed her cheek. When he pulled away, he seemed to have a guilty expression. Since he hadn’t done anything, Mave had a feeling he was about to.

“Have you considered the intel Luykas brought to us after…his excursion?”

Mave snarled and stood up, glaring down at him for a moment before jumping off the cart. Sounds of protest could be heard from all three of her males as she stomped quickly away from them, heading further to the front where she saw Alchan on his horse.

He looked down at her as she came up beside him and sighed, swinging off his horse.

“Is there anything I can do for you, sister?”

“Kill your brother,” she snapped. “Actually, no. Kill all of my husbands for me, so I can blame you once I regret it happening.”

“I’m not going to do that, but I’m sure we can round up one spare horse for you to ride next to me,” he said, thumping her on the back. “Rain! See if we can spare a horse anywhere.”

“Yes, sir!” Rain called out behind them.

Mave groaned. “You didn’t need to do that. I just wanted to come vent.”

“You need a horse,” Alchan said sharply. “Rank, position, and sex, you need a horse. I wonder which one of my idiots forgot to set one aside for you.”

“Me,” she muttered. “I told them not to worry about it.”

He growled at her, but Mave didn’t blink. She had been hoping it would never get brought up. It felt like too much.

Rain came back with a horse, panting as he handed her the reins.

“Some minor readjusting, but this is the mare you rode to Kerit.”

“Thank you.” She quickly mounted and waited as Alchan mounted his stallion. Turning, they looked back at the caravan, the sky beginning to glow.

“Nevyn! Have all units reported in?”

“Yes, sir!” Nevyn called back. “Everyone is accounted for. I can safely say we’re ready to move out.”

Alchan nodded once and turned his back on the caravan. Mave followed suit, and shouts began as they started moving, growing more distant with each person as the word was spread to begin moving.

Mave felt uncomfortable back on a horse and privately whined as she considered another three weeks on it. They started at a slow and steady pace, Mave knowing it would take the day to find the right speed for the caravan and what it could handle. She didn’t know the roads they intended to take, but Alchan and Luykas had assured her there would be no mountains this time, making the journey much smoother.

“Why did you ask me to kill them?” he finally asked, half the day later.

“Bryn wanted to talk about Luykas’ intel,” she admitted. “And I’m not keen on talking about it.”

“You’ll have to, eventually.”

“I would rather just get back to the village and begin preparing. I want to be in every mission, Alchan. I want to hit him hard.” Mave’s hands tightened on the reins, thinking of their coming battles. Shadra wasn’t just sending ten thousand men to the Dragon Spine. She was sending Lothen. Mave wanted his blood so bad, she could taste it. Between the gladiators, the other freed slaves, and that news, she had a feeling it was going to be a long summer—a long, tiring summer.

“I can’t send you on every mission. You would never come back long enough to recover, but I promise to send you on all missions that are direct hits on him,” Alchan informed her, not looking at her. “You should talk to Luykas.”

“I don’t want to yet.”

“Then you’re going to talk to me.”

“I thought you were on my side, brother,” she growled.

“I am, but I think I’m thinking about this more rationally. You have personal experience with the Elvasi royal family, and that makes you biased. I have very little, which makes me consider them from a different perspective. On top of that, it’s been just shy of a week since we received the new intel on Lothen’s movements, and I have yet to hear from one of my best sources on him. You,” he growled, and it was strong enough, Mave stiffened somewhat. It felt more powerful than anything he had ever done at her. Whether it was his mood or hers, something felt different. He pulled his horse away from her for a moment, and she glanced to see him breathing steadily, his eyes closed as if he was trying to control himself.

“He’s a spoiled brat,” she said softly. His eyes opened and met hers. “He’s whiny and needy. He demands, and everyone does as he asks. He likes to find faults in others, even when there is nothing apparently wrong. If he tells you to stand still, but you don’t move to get him a drink when he sits down, he’ll have you beaten. If he tells you to remain silent, he’ll find your lack of response to a question an insult. He’s been groomed to be that way. He knows he has power.”

“Do you know anything about his skills with commanding an army?”

“No,” Mave admitted. “I remember bits and pieces about him going through training. Some celebrations? Other than that, nothing he did ever seemed to even hold a candle to what Shadra’s actual generals talked about or even stories of the War. If I had to put money between you and Luykas versus him, I would pick you and Luykas.”

“Your confidence is appreciated. So, you knew the spoiled child of a prince. The one who took what he wanted, when he wanted it, and crushed the spirits of those around him. Would you like to know the Lothen I’ve heard of?”

“Sure.” No, not really, Alchan, but I don’t think you’re going to let me get out of this conversation.

“He’s an Elvasi noble of the greatest house. On his father’s side, he stands the most recent member of a long line of conquerors, kings, and emperors. Those who stayed in power the longest? They were great military leaders. Those who weren’t in power long? They were considered weak and oftentimes displaced for more promising siblings who showed the ruthlessness to crush enemies. Every aggression he showed was him honing his image. He wants to be seen as one of the strongest of his family. He wants to rise up and become greater than all the others. Sure, in private, he might have some petty and childish tendencies, but take it from my experience, every royal does. We’re mortal and flawed.”

She snorted. “Get to the point,” she said with a huff.

“He’s been trained by her generals, her admirals. He’s probably sat in on meetings with her advisors, just watching and waiting for his time. He’s probably prepared his entire life for something like this. Don’t underestimate him because you’ve seen his petty side. He’s out to achieve the greatness of his predecessors, and he’ll do anything to further his ambitions.”

“He’s not that smart.” Mave refused to believe Lothen was anything more than a high-strung boy. “I’ve never even seen him wield a sword.”

“Why would you? Not to sound crass or disrespectful, my sister, but when would he ever show off those skills to you?” Alchan gave her a sad look, and she knew he had tried to put it in the nicest way he could, but the meaning was clear.

He only saw me when he wanted to…

Mave closed her eyes and felt a hand wrap over hers on the reins. Her right wing brushed against Alchan’s, a reminder that he was her friend, and he had meant no offense. He hadn’t wanted to trudge up the past, hadn’t wanted to hurt her.

“I’m fine,” she said finally. “You’re right. There’s no reason he would have ever exposed his strengths to me or put himself or me in the position to see what he was like outside his bedroom or hanging out with his mother during their entertainment.”

“I’m sorry. I hadn’t meant to—”

“I know.” She turned her hand to squeeze his. “You don’t intentionally hurt people like that. He does. He’ll aim for the most vulnerable part of you, Alchan.”

“Of course, he will. He’s his mother’s son, after all. I just don’t want you underestimating him.”

“And I think you might be overestimating him.”

“I hope you’re right,” he whispered. They rode in silence for a time until Mave sighed heavily.

“And Nyria? What do you think of her?”

“She’s her mother’s daughter,” he answered. “And apparently, better at the game than anyone gives her credit for. Did you ever know anything about her? Have run-ins with her?”

“No, not really. No one ever really spoke about her. I would see her at some functions, but never the parties people liked to buy my attendance for. When it was a formal affair for Shadra, she would be there, but she never made a splash that I noticed. I think I remember her only for how…disregarded she was. No one cared about her.”

“Apparently, it was a carefully constructed image.”

“Do you believe that?” Mave asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Honestly? I think I do. This last winter has reminded me to expect the unexpected. It’s as if we’ve started something, Mave. Everyone who has silently lived under the tyranny of the Empire, direct or indirect victims of Shadra’s ruthlessness, are banding together, making their plays. When we get back to the village, look for new faces. You’ll see them. Remember in late summer? We hit those farms near the Dragon Spine?”

“How could I forget?”

“Leshaun sent me a message a few days ago. I’ve been keeping it quiet, but another four hundred Andinna have escaped on their own and made it into the Dragon Spine, where Senri’s guard patrols found them and brought them to the village. He’s hoping we set up another village and quickly. He thinks come spring, we will see a rush of Andinna finding a way out and getting north to us.”

“Oh…” Mave wasn’t sure how to feel about that—elated or stressed. There were even more Andinna waiting on them, even more to come. “This is what we wanted.”

“This is exactly what we wanted. And if we have someone like Nyria helping our efforts and keeping people connected, we can continue to grow until we have reasonable numbers to take Shadra in a fight.”

“But if Lothen is bringing up to ten thousand men…Alchan, I’m not one for the numbers, but I’m pretty sure we don’t have the numbers for that, and if we did, we can’t feed them all.”

“You’re right, but we’ve been good about keeping our location secret, and we can always fall back beyond the Dragon Spine into one of the numerous abandoned villages. I’m already handling the food situation. It’s one of Sen’s immediate goals with his trips to and from Olost. The three captains who made it to Kerit? They’re joining in. They’re going to slowly empty my accounts in the Free Cities of Olost to buy food and goods to help us re-establish ourselves. Leria is handling trade routes between the three main areas of the rebellion—her territory, Kerit, and our village. If she can get trade through those three running smoothly, we have a chance to address problems before they become pressing.”

“My head is starting to hurt,” Mave mumbled, rubbing her temples.

Alchan chuckled. “Welcome to my life, sister.”

She laughed in return, almost pitifully. She wasn’t cut out for the management side of his duties. She didn’t know how he did it without threatening to kill anyone, which made her think about another thing she had noticed over the last few weeks.

“You’ve been in a good mood,” she pointed out.

“I am. Hopeful for the future,” he answered, not seeming surprised by her comment.

“That’s good.” Mave realized quickly he probably wouldn’t elaborate further and went back to focusing on the road. After only a few moments, he sighed.

“Forgive my brother.”

“Why?”

“Because he loves you,” Alchan said softly. “He loves you and is more committed to you than I’ve ever seen him with anyone.”

“I know he does,” she whispered. “But the idea of him…doing that scared me, and I didn’t like it. And I really didn’t like that he didn’t tell me he wanted to try.”

Alchan looked over his shoulder. Mave’s gaze followed, wondering what he was looking at. Rain and Zayden were right behind them, followed by the rest of the Company.

“What?” Mave didn’t understand what they were looking for.

“I was making sure no outsiders were around,” he explained. “She’s his sister. I know that side of his family is dangerous at best, but she is still his sister, and she’s been helping our cause, not her mother’s. That must have been a shock for him, and I know he would have felt the urge to confront her.”

“I should have approached him about it when I felt him leave Kerit, but everything I got from the bond told me he wanted to be alone, and I wasn’t there when all of you learned who our spy was.” She shook her head, disappointed in herself. “I should have stayed. I could have visited the females the next morning.”

“No. You were doing what you needed to do. He’s the one who went off the beaten path, and if not for you worrying about how the bond felt strange while he was astral projecting, we would have never known what he was doing.”

Mave remembered that moment when he must have done the spell, a sudden distance that made no sense since she could tell where his body was. It had been close by, but he hadn’t felt close. It was as if the bond was fading and had freaked her out enough to barge into Alchan’s home, demanding to know where her husband was. Alchan had gone to the room with the black blood smeared on the door and swung it open when she wouldn’t quit bothering him. It hadn’t been easy convincing him to open the fucking door.

“You should have interrupted him sooner,” she muttered.

“It wouldn’t have changed anything. There’s no telling what would have happened if we moved his body while he was doing that magic. It was safer to let it happen for a moment.”

“I know,” she growled. “But…”

“You were worried, and so was I, but I’ve known Luykas longer. If he thought Nyria was a danger to him or any of us, he wouldn’t have done it. He was reaching out to a sister he never knew he had, and I think we both need to accept he’s allowed to do that.”

“Why?” She snorted.

“Because I want him to do it again,” Alchan said, an order in his voice. The king was talking now, not the brother. “It’s an amazing source of intel if they can coordinate times when they can visit each other, preferably him visiting her, so she doesn’t see anything. Just in case.”

“Alchan…”

“I’ll let you talk to him and decide whether you feel comfortable with it, but he wants to, Mave. It’s one way we can use his Elvasi bloodline to our advantage.”

Mave’s stomach sank.

“I’ll talk to him,” she promised. “Once we’re home.”

“Fuck,” he cursed softly. “I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to go this entire trip with you mad at him.”

“I’ll go to him right now and end the silence, but I don’t want to discuss more until we’re secure in our village. That’s the line I’m drawing, Alchan. If you respect my relationship with your brother, don’t try to cross it.” She pulled the reins of her mare, letting him get ahead of her. He looked over his shoulder at her and nodded once before tapping his heels into the horse and driving to move a little faster.

She moved to the side and let the slow caravan pass her until her males were there and moved beside them.

“Nice. Rain found ya a horse,” Bryn pointed out, grinning. “That’s good. Ya will be able to check on different areas of the caravan for Alchan.”

“He didn’t want to walk beside me,” she corrected. “Checking on the caravan is a good idea, though.” She looked at her two males in the back of the cart and sighed. “I understand why you did it, Luykas, but next time, you need to talk to me.”

“I knew you would let personal feelings get involved—”

“And you’re saying yours weren’t?” she snapped before Luykas could finish. “Alchan and I just talked. When we get back to the village, we’ll discuss whether you should do it again—”

“Now, wait a minute. You don’t get to make those decisions—” He sat up, glaring.

“I do unless you want to be the first male to leave my mayara,” she snarled. “Practically, yes, it’s useful, but it puts you and her at risk. If you don’t do anything until we can at least talk about it at home, I’ll probably tell you okay.”

“I don’t understand—”

“I thought I’d lost you,” she snapped, pulling closer to the cart to get in his face. “Do you understand me? The bond faded, and I was terrified. I barged into your brother’s home, ready to do battle.”

He jerked back, obviously not expecting that, then his eyes dropped, and his posture sagged.

“I’m sorry, love,” he said pitifully.

“So, when we’re home.”

“Actually…” He sighed. “I was thinking of staying at my residence for a couple of weeks once we get back to the village. It’s been different living with this sort of family unit and—”

“That’s okay.” In an instant, Mave settled, realizing one of her males had a problem, and he needed her approval. This she could handle without anger or feeling insulted. Luykas wasn’t Matesh or Brynec. He needed moments where he was in control. “You can do that. We’ve talked about this already, and the decision we made about letting you go and have your own space stands. Nothing is going to change that.”

He smiled, and she knew they would be okay, realizing if he was feeling the need to get away from the family since it was new and foreign, that might have had something to do with why he’d done that level of magic without telling any of them. He needed some independence. She just wanted him to tell her before he acted.

“Are you going to ride with us?” Mat asked softly.

“I am,” she promised. “And we’ll set up Luykas in his own tent for the trip again. Does that sound okay?”

“Wonderful,” Luykas agreed. “Don’t expect me to stay in it every night.”

“I don’t.” She grinned wickedly.

15

Brynec

The weeks flew by for Brynec. Before he knew it, they were entering the valley of their village, and everyone was scrambling to get home. Andinna were coming out of their homes, running to help, celebrate, and reunite with loved ones.

“Finally,” Luykas sighed. Bryn chuckled as Luykas dumped the reins in his hands. “You drive,” he ordered, yawning. “Been on this fucking cart for too long.”

“Fine, but yer helping us unload before takin’ whatever ya want to yer home.” Bryn elbowed the bigger male. He had needed some time to adjust to Luykas, but once they had settled, able to relax in Kerit for a little while, working and living together, he felt better. It had been a little hard getting over Luykas’ secret heritage. He never told Mave, but even that became a background thought. Luykas was Andinna, and that’s what Bryn knew was important.

“I’m going to leave a majority of my stuff at our home,” Luykas explained. “Just going to take a few changes of clothes and my armor to my residence. I’m not planning on staying there very long.”

“Just need a break, eh?”

“I need to feel in charge sometimes,” Luykas corrected softly. “It’s why Alchan and I stopped living together. After so many years, it grows tiring to be ordered around all the time. From what I saw in Kerit, she’s really lax. It’s easier, but I still need my own space.”

Bryn didn’t understand it personally, but he could hear the yearning in Luykas’ voice, ready to get home and out from under someone else’s thumb. He understood the difference Luykas pointed out, though. Mave and Alchan were both dominant but in different ways.

“Aye, she is,” he agreed. “She lets whoever is around her just do whatever they need to. She’ll put her foot down on things that are important to her but the little stuff? She lets us do what we want as long as it doesn’t impact her life in a bad way.”

“It’s refreshing. I’m used to brute-force leadership. Everything needs to be exact, and if it’s not, be ready to argue about it. Alchan is a great king, but in the privacy of his own home, he was really particular. It’s in his nature. I’m glad she’s not like that.”

Bryn nodded silently, trying to focus on the crowds. Mat wasn’t on the cart, off helping someone with another one. Mave was on her horse ahead of them, also fighting with the crowd as her mare grew anxious. Alchan was next to her, his stallion huffing hard as people came too close.

“Let us through!” Alchan roared, obviously annoyed the caravan was slowed down to the point where the horses were barely able to move.

Bryn watched as people finally started to back away. It was chaos, but the caravan could move a little better when they started trying to open a path for them.

“Bryn!” Mave called, looking back. “Let’s get home!”

“Already on it!” he yelled back, trying to direct the cart out of the caravan line toward their own home.

It felt like he wasn’t going to get home for another hundred years if this kept up. He struggled to keep the horses on track and got out of the caravan and onto a small dirt road that led to the cliffside where their home was located. The valley wasn’t small, with at least five cliffsides used for housing. When they had left for Kerit, about half were in use. He had a feeling that wouldn’t be the case for long unless Alchan quickly got the other communities up and running over the summer. Not like the king had never done it before. From Bryn’s knowledge, when the Andinna had run to Olost, Alchan was instrumental in finding locations and helping build new homes. This was different. Olost was safer than the Dragon Spine, safer than Anden. The Empire wasn’t breathing down their necks, and there wasn’t an active rebellion going on.

“Have ya talked to Alchan about the new communities he wants to start?” Bryn asked, trying to find something to talk about once they pulled away from the crowd and were able to have a bit of quiet.

“Yeah. It’s going to be his focus for the next few weeks, letting Nevyn and me handle military decisions. Lothen is still a couple weeks from the Dragon Spine, and you already know we’re going to up our scouting presence on the southern edge of the Spine. We need to find out where he’s going to put his forces.”

“Aye. I’ve been workin’ on some hopefuls,” Bryn said, nodding. “Another couple weeks and they’ll be ready.”

“I figured,” Luykas said with a sigh. “This is big. Alchan and I were always close to General Lorren, and that’s not just in a personal sense. He taught us everything—how to see the bigger picture, how to move troops—but this rebellion feels bigger than the War, and it’s barely started.”

“Uh…maybe it’s ‘cause we’re buildin’ from the ground up?” Bryn frowned. “Formin’ new communities, findin’ warriors, managin’ supply chains.”

“Yeah, I already know that’s the problem. General Lorren had the groundwork laid, things we took for granted—knowing the villages would send supply tithes, and our grandmother was funding more supply purchases. We had thousands of experienced warriors. We don’t have any of that anymore.”

They finished the ride home in silence, and Bryn parked the cart at the bottom of their stairs. He felt bad for everyone who had to fly their luggage inside. The stairs were looking really good to him.

Mave showed up after Bryn and Luykas started unloading and took the first load inside.

“Sorry! Senri cornered me and took my horse,” she explained as she landed. Bryn watched her grab a rucksack and throw it over her shoulder. “Do we know where Matesh is? Or Zayden?”

“Nah. We can handle it without ‘em, though.” Bryn shrugged. “They’re probably caught up in the crowds. I thought Luykas and I would never get out.”

“Yeah, it’s nearly a riot. It’s always going to be like this when a war group comes home, isn’t it?”

“A war group with the King and Champion in it, yes,” Luykas chuckled as he spoke. “Smaller groups, maybe not. Not this extreme, anyway.”

Mave’s sigh was nearly comical as she started up the stairs with the rucksack. Bryn smiled to himself as he grabbed another trunk and hauled it up behind her. They were nearly halfway done when Matesh and Zayden walked up, getting to work fast.

“Sorry, love. I wanted to see Leshaun,” Matesh murmured, kissing her as they passed one another.

“It’s fine. How is he? We should have him over for dinner now that we’re back.”

“He’s been good. The children love him, and there are a few hopeful Blackbloods among them for him to begin training. There are also a few young adults who have never been able to use their innate abilities for it, so he’s going into overdrive. He’s hoping to find an expert in Leria’s community who can come down.”

Bryn walked forward and helped Zayden with a trunk as he listened to Mat and Mave talk about the family uncle. Leshaun was hands-off, but Bryn knew if any of Mave’s family needed an older male’s opinion, he wouldn’t turn them away, even if they weren’t Matesh. It was good to hear Leshaun was doing well in their absence and finding work to keep himself busy, even in his ‘retirement.’ Bryn snorted.

That male is never goin’ to retire. I think he’s worked every day of his life.

The cart was slowly unloaded, and finally, there was only one trunk left.

“Luykas? Ya takin this one home with ya?” he asked loudly.

“Yeah! Leave it in there, and I’ll take the cart with me and turn it into the stables once everything settles down.”

“Make sure ya give the horses a little water.” Bryn started climbing the stairs up to the door for the last time when he frowned at the sudden appearance of another cart. Varon led it, pointed down the cliff at their direct neighbor. Bryn knew nearly the entire Company lived on this cliffside, but none of them were right next to Mave’s home. No one from outside the Company dared to try to claim the empty homes once the Company picked theirs. Maybe it was time for them to have new neighbors. He was going to have to adjust to losing the privacy of the empty area of the valley, but maybe it was for the best.

“Oh, they’re finally here.” Mave walked out, smiling. “Good.” Before Bryn had the chance to ask who, she continued. “Luykas! Are you heading out?”

“Yeah. Can you make me a promise?”

“Sure.” She sounded indulgent, and Bryn shivered. There was something incredibly sexual about the word when it really inferred nothing.

“If you come over, wear all of your jewelry,” Luykas ordered with a wicked grin, then pressed the horses to get moving again.

“Who is here?” Bryn asked, his face heated and cock hard from their exchange. He tried to focus on the new neighbors. She already knew, which meant it was probably going to be fine.

“Dave, Trevan, and Emerian are going to claim the home next to us. They need the stairs—”

“Excuse me?” he asked softly, that new information sinking in. “Yer goin to let an Elvasi live next door to us here?”

“We can protect him.” She shrugged. “We’ve had this discussion already. The reasons are the same as they were in Kerit. Dave is already proving helpful to me. I can have him shadow meetings when I want to get other things done. He’s eager. Emerian and Trevan are his friends, and he should get to live with them. Luykas doesn’t want Emerian running around on his own, anyway. If we throw those two into barracks, they’re going to get killed, understandably and regretfully. We can easily avoid it, so we’re going to.”

“I just thought…”

Bryn had hoped the Elvasi would decide to get on a ship for Olost and still hoped the Elvasi would change his mind and leave, realizing he didn’t belong here. He had hoped, at some point, he would get some space from the purebred, pointed-ear bastard. Bryn didn’t trust him, didn’t want him around, didn’t care about his safety.

“How is he goin’ to help the rebellion?” Bryn asked, crossing his arms. Sure enough, he saw the Elvasi come out of the cart’s covered back, carrying a rucksack. “He can’t fly, can’t fight with us.”

“I thought he would be a good source of information on the Elvasi, and he’s probably going to be Dave’s guard. Emerian is going to get training by Luykas, I think. He’ll stick close to the Company to keep him safe. He looks too Elvasi.”

“Yer saying we’re goin’ to let the Elvasi go into the same meetins’ as Dave? That would make him privy to information—”

“I trust him,” she snapped. He knew he was going to annoy her eventually, but he couldn’t resist the urge to tell her how he felt about this.

“Ya haven’t spoken ten words to him,” Bryn growled, pissed off by her declaration of trust for their enemy. She leaned back from him, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t say I’m wrong. Ya know I’m not. The entire trip here, ya talked to Dave. In Kerit, ya talked to Dave. Ya exchanged pleasantries with Emerian. Ya haven’t spoken a single word to that Elvasi, so ya don’t tell me if ya trust him or not.”

“Go inside,” she ordered softly. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“There’s nothin’ to talk about. He’s here, and I’m goin’ to have to get over it.” When she didn’t respond, he growled softly. “Aye?”

She turned, so her body was parallel to his, her chin going up and their eyes meeting. She was angry with him now.

“You don’t have to ‘get over’ anything, but I don’t see why I’m being treated like I’ve somehow betrayed our people by helping him—”

“He’s Elvasi—”

“He saved my life,” she snarled, and Bryn couldn’t stop the instinctive need to step back to the cliffside to put space between them. “He put his life on the line. He gave himself over to death for my escape. For Matesh and Rain. He did that.” She poked his chest, growling, stepping into the space he had tried to create. Even though she was a female, Mave knew how to take up space and be imposing. Bryn silently prayed he hadn’t pissed her off enough to draw a sword. “She didn’t kill him, though. She put him in my place—alone with Andinna, who were fine throwing aside generations of culture and sanity to ease their own souls by taking out their anger on everyone around them, including me, especially me, the Andinna he helped free.”

“I know,” he said softly, looking down, breaking eye contact before he accidentally challenged her. Not that it was hard to do. Looking down was natural when a female reminded her male who was in charge. He liked that she was in charge, that she was standing her ground with his bad mood without getting violent. It was one of the many reasons he thought she was perfect. “I didn’t mean to get agitated with ya. He makes me uncomfortable.”

A hand caressed his cheek.

“I will never let him or anyone else hurt you again,” she whispered. He felt lips brush against his cheek. They eased him just a little, both her kiss and her words, calming him for now. They didn’t make him less paranoid as his eyes flicked over and saw the little, strange group unload their cart. He would keep watching them. He didn’t know another way of living—watch, wait, be ready to strike in the darkness when he had the advantage.

“Bryn, go inside,” she ordered again, this time, less angry. “I’m going to go talk to them.”

“I was thinkin’ I would find my scouts and get started on more trainin’.” He looked up again, checking the sky. They had come in at midday, and it was already dimming, the sunset lighting their world in an array of reds, oranges, and pinks. “Night trainin’ for the scouts is better, and I want to see if the ones I started before Kerit have been honin’ their skills for my return.”

“Are you sure you don’t want a night off?” she asked, frowning. “We just got home…” Her hand dropped from his cheek and went to his chest and began to trail down. He gave a pained and satisfied growl as her fingers hooked into the top of his breeches.

Can’t ever tell mah female no, can I?

“I’ll take one night off,” he promised. “But I think we all need a long dip in our hot spring after the trip.”

“Agreed.” She released him and patted his chest. “Go inside and help them unpack. I’m going to talk to Dave about our new schedule since we’re back in the village.”

“Aye.” He ducked through their front door before any more could be said. As he walked inside, he kicked a trunk and groaned, wondering who decided to leave one there. Zayden came around the corner and sighed.

“Sorry,” the male mumbled, reaching down to pick it up.

“It’s okay,” Bryn said with a shrug. “It happens.” Bryn nearly reached out to help the grouchy male but thought better of it, watching him carefully as he carried it down the entryway and through the main room. Bryn noticed something with a pleasant surprise. “Yer walkin’ better. Seems like yer balance is comin’ back to ya.”

“Thanks,” Zayden grunted before disappearing into his side of their house.

“He does, doesn’t he?” Mat said, walking up beside him. “Mave trains with him every morning, but he won’t talk to me about it.”

“Really?” Bryn frowned. “He’s yer oldest friend.”

“Yeah, but I know he’s had some embarrassing spills while training with her. She doesn’t go easy on people. She pushes training to the limits, and I don’t think she’s slowing down for him.”

“Well, it’s helpin’ him, so…” Bryn shrugged again. “When do we think he’ll be able to fly again? I know it’s killing him.”

“Again, he won’t talk to me. I know this hit him hard, but he’s been silent with me since it happened. I can tell something is bugging him, but who knows what. He’ll open up eventually, but it’s generally better to let him ride these moods out.”

Bryn chuckled, nodding. He’d known Zayden long enough to know that. He would either get over what was bothering him or do something stupid enough to warrant a whack from someone. It was typical behavior at this point.

He went into the kitchen and started prepping a quick dinner for the family, including their live-in grouch. Zayden did most of the cooking now while Bryn helped, but Bryn tried to take the chances he could give their guest a night off. He was appreciative that Zayden stepped up, and the only way Bryn knew how to show it was by giving him a night off from cooking, even though he was the best at it.

He’s become part of our life. If he moves out, I’m goin to have cook every night again with Mat and Luykas, and neither of ‘em is any good at it. Not lookin’ forward to that day. Maybe I should start takin’ over more. It’s not fair to him to do everything for us when we’re not his family. Not in that sense, anyway.

Bryn rubbed down a hunk of meat someone had placed fresh in their pantry. He didn’t let it bother him that someone had been coming in and restocking food while they were away. They probably started when they got word the war group was close and wanted to make sure everything was ready for the returning warriors. He appreciated it, trusting the Andinna of their rebellion not to steal anything or break anything.

“What are you doing?” Zayden asked him.

“Preppin’ dinner to cook while we’re at the hot spring.”

“Oh. Do you need a hand?”

“Nah. Why don’t you go ahead and start walkin’ up and get cleaned off?” Bryn smiled over his shoulder, hoping Zayden took him up on the offer. Zayden’s face turned red, but the male nodded, walking out. Bryn didn’t think about what he had done until he had the roast in a pot over the cooking fire.

He’d invited Zayden to bathe with the family.

Ah. Mave probably won’t mind. I hope. She won’t let Mat and I play, though. Fuck.

Mave never came in, so Bryn wondered if she had already headed up for the hot spring. He grabbed Mat out of their bedroom and pulled him outside. Together, they flew the short distance to the hot spring to find Mave already there.

“Zayden hasn’t made it yet?” Bryn asked as he landed.

“He has, but he doesn’t feel comfortable being naked and alone with me,” she answered, rolling her eyes. “Zayden, they’re here. You can get in now.”

“I tried telling you it wasn’t that,” Zayden grumbled. “But if I slipped and hit my fucking head, Mat can carry me, you can’t.”

“Bullshit, but okay.” She gave Bryn and Mat a look, making them laugh. Bryn loved it, the weird relationship between Zayden and Mave, the strangely antagonistic relationship between them fascinating and funny. He knew Mat was the same way, ducking his head to hide a grin as he got into the hot spring once they were naked. Bryn got in last and moved to sit next to Mave and Mat as Mat moved her onto his lap.

“This is heaven,” Mat growled. “I’ve missed our hot spring.”

“Me too,” Mave agreed, leaning back on him. “Zayden? Glad to be home?”

Bryn looked over at the grouch again and wondered if the red face was from the hot water or the accidental show Mave was putting on, leaning back on Matesh the way she was. Her entire chest was on display, just above the water. Mat must have noticed because he moved a little and lowered her, helping get them back out of sight.

“Yeah. Glad to be home,” Zayden mumbled, looking away. Bryn realized then exactly why Zayden’s face was red.

When did you start getting hard for our wife? And why haven’t you told any of us?

He looked at Mave, who seemed totally oblivious.

Maybe that’s for the best.

Bryn decided to stop thinking about it for the evening. He was definitely going to tell Luykas and Matesh, though, the moment Zayden wasn’t within earshot. Maybe they could figure out the situation together. It changed things if their house guest was checking out their wife.

Tomorrow, he knew they were all going to have to get back to the rebellion. Tonight, he just wanted to enjoy home as his perfect wife asked him to.

16

Mave

Mave was the first out of the house the next morning. She was feeling good, feeling ready for the next step of the rebellion now that Kerit was secure, and she was back in the mountains. Lothen was coming, and he was coming fast by their reports, which meant soon, she would be able to meet him on the battlefield.

She was ready.

But first, Zayden needs to get his ass down here for his morning training.

She stretched and checked her blades, making sure they were clean and unchipped. Traveling made blade care and other small things more precarious. It was easy to fall behind. She was grateful for her males, who would pick up a duty if she found she didn’t have time for it.

Mat and Bryn left as she did that, taking off from the front porch. As she waited on Zayden, Dave wandered out of his new home, and she chuckled as he nearly walked off the platform outside his front door.

“Use the stairs!” she called out, pointing at them. Dave’s face flushed, but he looked at the stairs and nodded, walking down them slowly. He’d been the same way going up, and she knew he was wondering if they would hold. They were built by Andinna, for Andinna, so she knew they would, but it was comical to see a human trying to traverse a world not built for him.

He walked over, carrying a small book and a bag over his shoulder. She knew he had several jars of ink and even more quills inside, ready to take notes at any point for her to reference later. He was committed, and she was endlessly glad to have him back in her life.

“How was your first night in a cliffside home?” she asked, smiling.

“Um. Rough. There’re no beds. I didn’t know what to do. There were beds in Kerit.”

“You can talk to Allaina about it when you meet her. I’m sure she’ll work something out for you.” Mave patted his shoulder, his face turning an even brighter shade of red. “Where are the other two?”

“Eating breakfast, but I figured I could get out here and watch your training with Zayden and talk to you about—”

“Go back inside. I’ll come get you when I plan to attend any meetings. Zayden doesn’t like being watched while he trains right now, and I’m not going to intrude on that.”

“Of course. Well, see you later, then,” Dave said with a wobbly smile.

“Are you okay?” she asked, frowning at his strange demeanor.

“It’s good to see you like this, giving orders and taking care of people. It’s good. I like it.”

Her face heated as he turned away and went back to his shared home with Emerian and Trevan. She was changed from their long years in the pits. She was changed from the Andinna his distant predecessor had known. And for some reason, his acknowledgment of it felt like a compliment.

Shortly after he disappeared, Zayden came out, trotting down the stairs with more ease than Dave. He walked into the field without any sign something had ever been wrong, which was exactly what everyone was hoping for.

“Two more weeks and the healers are going to let you fly,” she said brightly, smiling at him. He smiled back, and she felt her pulse jump. Zayden smiling was rare and wonderful, capturing the youth everyone seemed to forget he had.

“Two more weeks,” he repeated, the smile not fading. She knew he was excited about getting into the air again. It wasn’t just that, though. Something else was different about him when he trained with her, something more relaxed than his usual demeanor. “It feels good. Thank you for pressuring me to train, and thank you for not putting me in the position to embarrass myself again. That’s helped.”

“I’m glad. Did you stretch?”

When he confirmed he had, she drew out a circle in the mud of their tiny clearing by the cliff. The snow was melting, and spring was nearly on them. The festival and the Hunt were only a week away. She knew the celebrations would happen, but she didn’t think she was going to perform this year, not after all the traveling she had done.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask but haven’t found a good time, but…” Zayden swung his morok in his hand, a good way to relax and ready the wrist. “How is being with Luykas? You know the Company…we all know about his mother now.”

“You’ve probably been wanting to ask that for weeks, haven’t you?” Mave chuckled. “He’s not hers. He’s Alchan’s. He’s mine. That’s really all that matters.”

And he wants me to go visit him dressed in jewelry. Only Luykas could ever think of that request.

Zayden shrugged. “All right then.”

She wondered what he was really curious about but didn’t press. The Company received the news, and no one spoke to her about it. It was like a passing moment, and everyone went back to their business.

They started sparring without counting down, used to the routine. She watched his feet and his tail more than his sword, knowing they were the trouble. He was good with the morok, as good as Matesh and Brynec. He was better than Rain in some ways, not others. Mave felt her arm shake, and her elbow nearly gave as she blocked one of his harder hits. He wasn’t deceptively strong. He was a massively broad male, and that strength came through in every movement.

He was even again, and that pleased her. She had no idea if the training would actually translate to flying, but she hoped it would ease the way for him.

“So, what do you have planned for today?” he asked after a long time, wiping down his face with a spare cloth. He tossed her one as well, and she threw it around the back of her neck to soak sweat.

“Senri wants to see me today,” she answered, sighing. “I know what it’s about.”

“She’s going to make a formal bid to adopt you. The entire Company knows.” He gave her a somewhat sheepish smile. “You looking forward to it?”

Mave wondered if she had really considered it. It had been brought up weeks before, just before they left for Kerit, and she hadn’t put much thought into it while she had been wrapped up in so many other problems.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I love Senri. She’s my closest friend, and she really is the closest woman I’ve had to a mother other than…Shadra.” Mave hated how that felt, confronting that small truth. Shadra had essentially raised her. There was no denying that. “I have a very small number of memories of my birth mother. You know, the great Kelsiana Lorren. I hear a lot of stories about her, but I never knew her.”

“Senri loves you. So does Kian,” Zayden said, sitting down on a new log in the clearing. Allaina must have had someone place it there.

“Kian is a good friend—”

“He threatened to out Luykas to you about his mother if he hadn’t already told you. He was willing to kill over it. He wasn’t mad about her being his mother. He was mad Luykas might have betrayed you and kept that secret. Male Andinna don’t do that for their friends because getting involved in another’s marriage isn’t our place. They do that for their children.”

“He did that?” She tried not to smile as she used the cloth to dab her face and chest. “You know, when Luykas upset me, Kian tried to go kill him.”

Zayden made some mixed sound between a cough and a laugh. “Yeah, that’s a father for you. They all give me shit, but they forget if they had a child, they would be the same way. It’s normal for us to be insanely overprotective. Males, that is. Females are more easygoing with their children.”

“Senri made him, Willem, and Gentrin stop,” she finished the story softly. “Does that mean they consider me their family?”

“Mave, if you haven’t picked up on that yet, I don’t know how to explain it to you,” Zayden said, his smile turning lopsided, not a smirk, but goofy. Watching him, she realized he often gave her advice about Andinna, from her fertile cycle and how to talk to her husbands to this. He seemed to know more than her other males. He had more experience in life than the rest of them. It was something she had relied on without realizing it, but now she saw it.

“Did you think of Matesh as your child when you were…” She did the mental math. “Two hundred?”

“No, more of a little brother. I couldn’t wait for him to reach adulthood to fulfill his potential and be more of a friend than a chore.” Zayden chuckled softly. “I wasn’t old enough to consider fatherhood. Most Andinna don’t have their first child until around a thousand years old, and sometimes, that’s considered a young parent, depending on the maturity of the Andinna. It was a long way off for me to even consider the idea of a son or daughter.”

“You have an amazing one,” she pointed out. He’d done really well with Rain, even though he was overprotective and somewhat overbearing.

“I do,” he agreed. “And I’m sure if you agree to Senri’s adoption, she’ll feel she has an amazing daughter. I’d have to agree with her on that.” He got off the log and began to head back to the house. “Would you like anything particular for lunch?”

“Something with substance. Road food is pitiful. Oh! But I might not be back for lunch,” she answered, smiling at him as he walked away, his bare back, all muscle and his wings a sight. His breeches were riding a little low, and she felt the need to turn away. She was checking him out.

“That’s fine,” he called back. “You can have leftovers later.”

She watched those broad shoulders and firm ass walk all the way back to her home and stared as the door closed on him. Letting out a slow breath, she accepted the attraction was becoming unavoidable. She could live with it and ignore it well enough, but he was getting under her skin. She recognized the feeling for what it was and was almost resigned.

I should tell Mat. Maybe he would have something to say about it because Zayden is his oldest friend. Would Zayden want to join the mayara? Or maybe this is just a physical thing. Maybe I just want to fuck him because I like his muscles, and he has a nice smile when he finally does smile.

I’m allowed to do that, right?

Mave thought she remembered hearing that somewhere. It was strange Zayden was the focus of the thoughts, but he was a strange male. He had two sides to him—a good friend with wonderful advice who loved to help and a grouch who didn’t know how to handle his emotions. She saw both of those sides on a regular basis, and the divide was only becoming more apparent to her as she lived and spent so much time with him.

She wondered if maybe she should ask another female about it before asking her males.

Knowing Mat, he’ll just drag Zayden into our bed, but I’m not sure that’s what I want.

She pondered it further as she walked inside and found a change of clothes. She wore a set of her official garments the day before while riding in the village, but she wanted something more comfortable for her time with Senri.

It was a short trip, and the door opened the moment her feet touched Senri’s landing.

“Mave!” Willem greeted, smiling. “How are you? Come in.”

She smiled in return, a little shocked by the quiet male’s greeting. He practically ushered her to the main room and onto a cushion.

“Mave is here!” he called out. Quieter, he continued. “Let me get you some tea, and you can fill in some of the gaps Kian hasn’t told us yet.”

“Where are they?” Mave asked, looking around.

“Right here,” Senri said, still working on putting on a wrap for her chest. “We’ve been enjoying a late morning. I didn’t think you would get here so early.”

“I had nowhere else to be,” Mave said, swallowing as Kian and Gentrin came out tying on breeches. “I can go. Come back later—”

“Stay,” Senri ordered. “We need to talk, and we didn’t have a chance before you left.”

“About the…” Mave wasn’t sure where to even begin.

“It was supposed to be easier than this, but Nevyn ratted me out,” Senri said with a sigh. “We were already getting up, just moving slow. You didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Sure.” Mave looked between Senri and her males, not believing that at all. Senri sat down across from her, a cautious look on her face that made Mave realize she wasn’t the only one out of her depth here. “You want to adopt me, but I don’t know what that means. And I’ve done a very good job not thinking about it since I found out.”

“Nevyn wasn’t supposed to say anything. Kian was supposed to approach you while you were in Kerit with him and have a long talk. But after everything…Seanev and Leria.” Senri sighed again. “I told him to hold off. I didn’t want to add more to your plate.”

“Senri, I just don’t understand.” Mave searched her memory for everything Nevyn and Kian had said on Al Moro Nat. Her mind had been on other things that day. “This has something to do with you about to try to get pregnant again, right?”

“Okay. Maybe we should pretend like Nevyn didn’t tell you anything,” Senri said with a chuckle. “Mave, I want to adopt you as my formally recognized daughter. I want to do this because I see you and I love you as if you’re mine. I know we’re amazing friends, but there’s something…I want to teach you everything your mother should have taught you.”

“You already have been,” Mave reminded her.

“I know, and I love it.” Senri’s smile was emotional, and her eyes were watering. “And you teach me things about having an adult daughter who has gone through so much, and all I can do is support you and help guide you. I also trust you. So, let me explain what being formally adopted means.” Senri stopped, looking up to accept a cup from Willem. Kian finally settled beside her, and Gentrin took the opposite side. Willem gave Mave a cup, then walked back out. Mave sipped the drink, wondering if he was coming back, eyeing the way to Senri’s kitchen.

“Mave, you in there?” Kian asked, humor in his words.

“Yeah. Please, explain.” She swallowed something uncomfortable, but it wasn’t the tea. The tea was delicious. She didn’t like not knowing, and here she was, about to learn yet another new facet of Andinna life.

“You know about informal adoption. It’s generally unrecognized. You loosely consider someone a brother or an aunt or uncle, but there’s nothing legal, no word from the leader of the community about it. It can be ended as easily as it’s started and has room to change. It denotes more feeling than it does a responsibility,” Senri said, turning her cup around in her hands. “You consider Rain a younger brother.”

“Less now than when we met,” Mave admitted. “He’s done needing me. He’s gone and set off doing work for Alchan. I keep an eye on him, but I don’t think he needs it.” She was proud of him, but she wasn’t Zayden. She wasn’t going to hover.

“Exactly. A formal adoption is different. This is about to be morbid but just bear with me. If you and all of your males died tomorrow, Rain has no legal power to do anything with your belongings or bodies. Your belongings would probably go to Seanev unless Alchan stepped in. If you had no living relatives, the mativa of the community would find something to do with everything. Now, if you and Rain formalized your relationship, that changes. He would have that power. And that’s what I want to give to you.” Senri sipped her drink, then licked her lips.

“We’re about to try for a child. With rebellion and more war looming, I know it’s going to be harder this time. I might not get another chance. And I want to know there’s a wonderful big sister to protect any child in case their parents don’t survive the war. And…” Senri’s eyes closed. She patted Kian’s leg.

“We love you,” he finished for Senri. “Mave, we’ve watched you go from stumbling, scared, and tougher than a wyvern to someone we respect and love. We’re honored we played even a small role. Senri tells me all the time how happy she is Alchan and Luykas got you out of the Empire. You fill a special place for her. And for me too.”

“We know you don’t really see all of us as close to you as you are with Senri, but a female sets the pace of the family. If you accept, you don’t just gain Senri, you gain us too,” Willem said, walking back in and sitting next to her. Mave looked over his face, searching for something, but she wasn’t sure what. She knew Willem and Gentrin, but he was right, she wasn’t close to them. She felt like a child for a moment, wondering what the adults were trying to tell her. “We would become your legal fathers. And males Senri might find after this will consider you a daughter of the family and treat you accordingly.”

“Oh.” That hit her in the chest. “I would get an entire family…”

Why does that feel terrifying and exhilarating at the same time?

“Yes. And we would treat you no differently,” Gentrin promised. “If someone hurts you, we will kill them. If you want us to stay out of your space, we will. If you only want to talk to Senri and Kian about everything, you can do that. But this isn’t just about using you to protect any future sibling you might have. Senri wants you in this family because it’s you. We want you in this family because you’re you.”

“Seanev’s return made us realize you never really had a family,” Kian whispered, his eyes surprisingly filled with emotion. “So, when Senri mentioned adopting you, we were all on board. Then Luykas hurt you…” Kian sighed. “Say yes. Please. We would love to be the parents you’ve never had the chance to have. We would love to consider you a daughter of this household.”

“Senri?” Mave’s voice sounded small.

“You’re allowed to say no,” Senri said, smiling even when her eyes were tear bright. “But I love you, and I want you to have someone who can be the mother you never had. I want to be that person, formally, for the entire world to know. I want everyone to look at you and stop seeing an orphan. I love you, and you deserve a mother. You deserve fathers and siblings.” Senri wiped her eyes. “There’s no reason for you to be alone. I know you have males, but that’s different.”

“It is.” Having her males was different from having the very idea of parents and siblings—different types of family, who filled different roles. In her home, she was in charge, but when she was bruised and hurting, she didn’t run to her males. She had run here to Senri to take care of her, to let her feel the hurt and understand it. Senri let Mave be vulnerable and made her feel a different type of cherished.

And Mave wanted more of it. She wanted this. Her parents were dead. Her brother was more of a stranger than any of the males sitting in the room.

“What do we do?” Mave asked, making her decision. She leaned over and grabbed Kian’s tail tip and gave it a tug. She knew he would be the worst of them. “And before we go further, Zayden took it upon himself this morning to warn me that fathers are often overprotective and overbearing. Don’t go overboard.”

Kian laughed suddenly, yanking his tail out of her hand. “Yeah, we all give him shit, but it’s mostly ignorance. We know where he’s coming from. Still fun to give him shit because he’s a bit worse than most, but he doesn’t have a female tempering him. Senri can snap us out of it, but no one does that for him. Well, we all try, but we’re not female, and we’re not Rain’s mother. That’s an important distinction.”

“You don’t need to worry about these three. You saw how effectively I handled them when it came to you and Luykas,” Senri said, her smile turning into a grin. Her eyes were still tear bright, but when she stood, she wasn’t shaky. She held out both her hands for Mave.

Mave took them and met Senri face-to-face on her feet. Before she could say anything, Senri threw her arms around her.

“Thank you for joining my family,” Senri whispered in her ear. She pulled back, a tear falling. Willem jumped up and wiped it away with a thumb, and Senri never let go of her. “We have to take this to Allaina, as the mativa of the community. We could also bypass her and go to Alchan due to your position. Or both. Allaina might feel comfortable getting Alchan involved just because of the tangled mess our positions create.”

“When…Are we doing this right now?” Mave’s heart began to race.

“If you want. I would love it. There’s nothing special. Nothing you need to wear or do. You just need to come with me.” Senri bit her lip. Mave had never seen Senri truly nervous before, but she saw it now. Senri was probably anxious to get it done, so Mave couldn’t change her mind.

I would never. Not about this.

“I would be honored,” Mave told her honestly, swallowing. She wanted to be bold. She wanted to do this right now, too. “Let’s go find Allaina and Alchan.”

Senri’s hug was bone-crushing.

17

Matesh

Matesh was in the village war room with most of the Company for much of the morning. They had a lot of coordinating to do about training, hunting, and guard schedules.

“Where is Senri? The guard schedules can only be done with her,” Nevyn said impatiently.

“She’s with Mave this morning, and we’ll see both of them this afternoon for the rest of the day. I figured we could work the rest out and see if she needed any changes later,” Alchan answered, sounding almost bored.

“Are they talking about…” Mat let that trail off. For weeks, he’d been forced to keep quiet, knowing Mave was purposefully avoiding it. She had so much on her plate; if Kian wasn’t going to say anything, no one was going to say anything.

“From what I know,” Alchan answered, looking up from the map in front of him. “How do you feel about it?”

“It’s not about me. I don’t have a say or feelings one way or another,” Mat replied half-truthfully.

Luykas snorted, and Bryn elbowed him. None of them had really sat down and talked about it, but from the looks on his family’s faces, he knew they probably felt the same way he did.

This is a gift Mave deserves. Everyone in the Company knows it. She’s been alone for so long, and it’s time for those missing pieces to be filled.

“She better say yes,” Nevyn mumbled. “Spare us the Kian problem.”

“He’s turning into Zayden,” Alchan agreed, still not really paying much attention to any of them. Or maybe he was getting better at being involved without being over-involved.

“I’m really happy for them. I think she’ll say yes.” Rain was less absentminded than Alchan, grinning from his seat.

Mat smirked. He thought so, too, and if she didn’t, he would finally open his mouth and give her the opinion he knew she didn’t want. It would get him in a lot of trouble, but he wanted her to know the love of parents and understand that part of family. He wanted her to have all the things she’d missed, thanks to Shadra.

“Let’s get back to work—” Alchan didn’t get the chance to finish as the door swung open.

“She said, yes!” Allaina screamed. She was grinning wildly at all of them. “Alchan, you’ll be doing the honors.”

He sighed, looking up from what he was doing. Mat could have sworn there was a smile forming, but it was too faint to make an educated assumption.

“I wonder if she’ll change her last name,” he said thoughtfully.

“They’ve already decided against it,” Allaina answered, the smile not fading. “For her own reasons, Mave is going to remain in the historical Lorren household, while being the daughter of Senri Amori. Senri seemed to have no problem with it.”

Alchan’s frown was pronounced.

“I would have loved that name change,” Bryn mumbled, chuckling. “Brynec Amori. Has a nice ring to it. Maybe we can convince her—”

“She’s the last real Lorren,” Luykas pointed out. “Seanev left the household with his marriage to Leria. I think that played a part in it.”

“You can ask her. Come on, all of you. This doesn’t take very long, but I need Alchan, and I know the rest of you are going to want to witness it.”

Mat knew when Allaina was starting to get annoyed, and this was definitely one of those moments. She was a typical Andinna female, with no time for male idleness and gossip. The cocks needed to get moving because the females needed them.

He started walking first, chuckling to himself as he passed her and got the typical Allaina glare. There was a lot of male laughter as the rest of the Company followed.

“Someone get Zayden!” Bryn called out. “If he misses this, he’ll kill someone!”

“I got him!” Rain called back.

They walked into the woods together to one of the small clearings in the valley. Mave was sitting on a log with Senri, and Kian stood proudly behind them, flanked by Willem and Gentrin. Three proud fathers already.

Mat smiled to Kian, who beamed in return. Anyone who knew Kian or anyone from Senri’s family knew how important this was to them. They tried to have children every time her fertile cycle happened. They’d had one and lost him in the War. And with more war looming, Mat knew their reasons for going to Mave.

They wrapped it up neatly in the idea Mave would become the guardian of their future children if they had any. She would be in charge of everything they owed if they were lost. They would be able to help Mave if one of her males were lost. Mat didn’t like the idea of thinking about his own death, but knowing Mave would have them officially if he died or Luykas or Bryn…That brought him comfort.

They waited in silence for Zayden and Rain to run into the clearing. Zayden pushed his way to Mat’s side, grinning.

“Good for her,” his old friend said brightly.

“Yeah,” Mat agreed softly as Alchan and Allaina walked in front of the family.

“You have an announcement to make to the leader of your community. It shall be heard now,” Alchan said formally.

Senri stood up, holding Mave’s hand.

“I would like to declare Mave Lorren as my daughter under the eyes of my rulers and our gods.” Senri’s words were bold. There was no asking. Mat smirked again, crossing his arms. Generally, it was asked for the relationship to be recognized. Senri was leaving Alchan and Allaina no option but to agree or find a reason to say no that no one would believe.

Not that either of them is going to say no.

“Your declaration is heard,” Alchan said softly. The long pause after that made Mat worried. Everyone waited, and Mat was certain no one was breathing. He looked down at Mave, who was still seated.

“I want this,” Mave whispered. “I want this, brother.”

“Why won’t you change your name?” the king asked his Champion.

“Because there’s a legacy I need to correct,” she answered. “On Al Moro Nat, I saw my late family and realized I carry their burden. I carry their failures. If that’s all I have from them, then so be it. I’ll carry it.”

“You don’t have to, though.” Alchan sighed. “Mave, change your name. Change it, and no one will ever hold Javon and Kelsiana against you again.”

“I can’t,” she said, smiling. “I can’t run from that, and I’m not going to try. The Lorren name stays.”

“Sister,” he said, sounding almost pained. “They aren’t your burdens to carry.”

Mat felt proud, but he wasn’t sure why. He understood Alchan’s point of view and respected the king for saying what he was certain half or more of the Company believed but didn’t voice. On top of that, Mat saw the vast changes between Mave and Alchan over the last year. They genuinely cared for and respected one another. Mat realized he was wrong.

This wasn’t a king asking something of his champion.

This was a brother asking his sister to move past something that haunted her because he cared about her.

“That’s not your decision, brother,” she said, standing up and stepping forward. “I declare Senri Amori to be my mother in the eyes of my ruler and our gods.”

Everyone seemed a little shocked. Ruler—she bowed to no one except the king. Mat didn’t think she would be bold enough to say it during a ritual, though.

“Alchan,” Luykas said loudly. “Her mind is made.”

“It is,” Alchan agreed, sighing. “Fine. Senri Amori, your adoption of Mave Lorren is hereby recognized. Leshaun, come forward. Varon, you as well. I’m sure you both know what this entails.”

Varon was smiling as he came forward with Leshaun beside him. Mat had never seen this particular ritual done. He wondered if Mave knew it was coming.

Varon lifted their hands, where Senri still clung to Mave and vice versa and pulled them apart, an indulgent smile on his face. Leshaun pulled a small dagger out of a hip sheath and cut each of their palms.

“Today, we bind you,” Leshaun said softly. “Forever as one family of one blood.”

“Is this like a blood bond?” Mave asked, her eyes darting around.

“In its own way,” Leshaun answered. “You shall see.”

Mave nodded bravely.

Varon had them reclasp their hands, their blood meeting. Everyone could see how the blood mingled and turned black but left no mark.

Formal adoptions were rare in Andinna culture. While it wasn’t a real blood bond as Luykas and Mave shared, or Nevyn and Varon, it was permanent. From here until the end of their days, any trained Blackblood would be able to see they decided to be family, mother and daughter as if Mave were born from Senri’s womb. It didn’t erase Mave’s trueborn family, but it wasn’t deniable either.

“Mave, would you like to connect yourself with one of your fathers as well?” Leshaun asked impartially. No one would have blamed Mave for saying no. There was a reason this was part of the entire affair. A female was in charge of her household, and none of Senri’s males could have denied her the right to adopt Mave, but there was also no forcing an adopted child and new fathers together. Senri had to respect that, and therefore, Mave and the males behind her had a choice.

“Yes.”

“Is there one who will step forward?” Leshaun continued. No one was surprised by Kian stepping up and extending his hand. Varon grabbed Mave’s free hand and let Leshaun slice it open as well. Mat held back a growl as she winced this time. He knew they were shallow things and would heal fast, but seeing her even flinch a little made him a little upset.

Kian and Mave grabbed hands, and the blood began to turn black.

“And it is complete,” Leshaun declared. “Now, I shall translate for Varon for the witnesses.”

Varon’s hands began to move, but Mat wasn’t looking at them. He was staring at his wife, holding hands between two people who wanted her to be their daughter, and now, she was.

“On this day, we see the joining of families and more importantly, the joining of hearts. From this day forward, the world shall know, Mave Lorren is the daughter of Senri Amori, and the gods see it blessed.” Varon reached out and touched both sets of hands and mouthed something. Leshaun filled in the crowd. “You may now let go and heal the wounds, knowing that from this day forward, there will be no denying the bond you have. It shall run through your blood, and not even the gods will deny your connection.”

Mat turned away and rubbed his eyes. Bryn elbowed him, making him chuckle. Luykas threw an arm over the rogue’s shoulders, and Mat took his chance to thump Bryn’s stomach in return.

“Behave, you three,” Mave said, laughing. He turned just in time to see her come up and wrap her arms around his waist. “I’m going to spend the evening with them. Are you okay with that?”

She was asking all of them, Mat knew, but her steel-blue eyes were focused on him. He was exceedingly proud of being her first husband today, to be the one she went to for this question.

“We’ll be fine,” he promised, leaning down to kiss her. She made a little pleased noise he loved but didn’t let him deepen the kiss.

“Luykas, I’ll visit you tomorrow night.”

Mat wanted to groan as that meant he was going to go two nights without her, but he could suffer through it. He smartly kept himself from voicing any displeasure as she gazed at him.

“I’m happy for you,” he finally said.

“Thank you.” She kissed him one more time, then went to Bryn and Luykas, smiling as each tried to keep her longer.

“Everyone, take the afternoon off, and we’ll come back after midday meal!” Alchan yelled over the conversations around the clearing. “Here’s to the Amori family and their new daughter, Mave Lorren!”

“Hear, hear!” everyone roared back.

Senri grabbed Mave away, both laughing as they embraced once more. Without any further goodbyes, they both took to the sky and flew off, probably to talk more about their new arrangement. Mat chuckled as Kian, Willem, and Gentrin walked up to them. Fathers to husbands, there were going to be words.

“We might have come second, but don’t think that means we’ll let you three do as you please,” Kian warned, a smile forming. It would have made others think the threat was halfhearted, but those others would not have been Andinna. Every Andinna knew a male would kill for his children as there were never many of them, never enough of them. “You’ll continue to treat her right, or she can come to our household, where you will be denied entry until everything is sorted. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Kian,” Luykas said, smirking. “It’s clear. Go coddle your daughter. She doesn’t need you to threaten us. She keeps us well in hand.”

Kian’s biting smile turned into a beaming grin. “I know, but I couldn’t resist. Zayden understands.”

At the mention of his name, Zayden turned from a conversation he was having with Rain and grinned.

“Now, I won’t be the only asshole father in the Company.”

Mat shoved him and got a growl in return. After more laughter, the new fathers left to find their wife and daughter.

“Lunch is already made at home,” Zayden said. “You three can dive in while I walk back.”

“Thanks.” Mat thumped his shoulder and took off, knowing Bryn and Luykas were right behind him. They landed together outside their home and raced to get inside first, wondering what Zayden made for lunch.

“Oh, he made deer leg!” Bryn exclaimed. “Perfect. I was hopin’ for somethin’ good today.”

“Same,” Luykas agreed. “How long do you think it’ll take him to get back?”

“We’re not going to eat all of it and leave him with nothing,” Mat snapped, giving Luykas a look. The mutt grinned and shrugged.

“Fine.”

“Speakin’ of Zayden…” Bryn started cutting into the leg, frowning. “Have y’all noticed that he is goin’ a bit…uncomfortable with Mave?”

“Uncomfortable or something else?” Mat asked, eyeing the rogue. “What have you seen that we haven’t?”

“I think he’s attracted to her,” Bryn explained. “You’re the one who helped cover her tits in the hot spring. I thought you noticed.”

“What do you mean? When I lowered her into the water more? I did that so her chest didn’t get cold.”

“Ah…” Bryn grabbed a plate from a stack Zayden must have left out for everyone. “He was checkin’ her out. He was red-faced. I think he’s into her.”

“Really?” Luykas’ interest sharpened. Mat looked over at the mutt, who seemed almost worried. “That makes things…more complicated.” That second part was mumbled, and Mat realized Luykas didn’t see him watching.

“It makes what more complicated? Our living situation? I don’t think so.” Mat shrugged. “If he’s attracted to her, then he’s attracted to her. A lot of the males in the war group are but are too intimidated to say anything, which only proves they’re not the right males for her. I like Zayden, and I would love to see him in the same family as me, but I don’t know if Mave and he think of each other like that.”

“No…” Luykas stepped back, sighing. “Forget I said anything. Sorry.”

Mat narrowed his eyes on the mutt. Luykas was one of Mave’s husbands, and he respected that. He knew Luykas would keep secrets, things he knew that none of them could. Mat knew he didn’t like it, but he would live with it.

“Does it hurt Mave?” Mat asked softly. “Whatever you’re keeping to yourself?”

“No,” Luykas answered, shaking his head. “It doesn’t. It’s just complicated. It will be complicated for everyone once it comes out, but it’s not life-threatening. Just a secret.”

“So, we just wait and see?”

“You’ll know what I’m talking about when it happens,” Luykas promised, looking annoyed. “It’s…” He gave an exasperated sigh. “But on the topic of Zayden and Mave, have either of you considered they actually spend a lot of time together when we’re not around? Mave sticks closer to home than us, and Zayden is a homebody and currently grounded. They also train every morning in private. If something is brewing there, I say we let it. They’ll figure it out, or they won’t.”

“I like that idea,” Mat agreed, but not really believing his own words.

If Zayden liked my wife, he would tell me, right? We’ve been friends for a long time. Certainly, he would have said something.

Something about it bugged Matesh, but when Zayden walked in later and eyed the piece of leg left for him, Mat decided to keep his mouth shut. Bryn eyed him, then gave a pointed look to the distracted Zayden.

Mat still said nothing, shaking his head a little.

Not yet. There was enough going on, and maybe Luykas was right. Maybe they needed to stay out of the way this time.

18

Mave

Mave somehow made it through the afternoon of meetings and found herself back at Senri’s home, curled up on a cushion in the main room.

“So, we haven’t mentioned it yet, but while you and Kian were gone, we set up one of our spare rooms here to be yours,” Senri explained, sitting across from her. “There are no furs in it, but we were able to make a proper bed in there for you. You can thank Gentrin and Willem for that.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Mave said, smiling as Willem gave her a tea. “I’m just glad that you’re really my…my mother now.” It felt so right. Senri had taught her so many things about how to be a female Andinna and how to live in a community. However, it was still hard for Mave to say. There was a newness to it that made it feel awkward on her tongue. She wasn’t used to people wanting her like this and acknowledging it. Brothers and lovers were one thing.

They had wanted to be her parents.

Mave didn’t know how to be someone’s child.

“If you argue with your males or just need a night away from them, you can come here. If you go into your fertile cycle, we can hide you here until we can take you out of the village into a better hiding place. Kian, Willem, and Gentrin are safe. I want this to feel like a safe harbor, a home where no one can touch you,” Senri continued to explain, pulling Willem down to sit next to her. He sighed heavily as he relaxed, something Mave never saw whenever she was in Senri’s home. He was always on his feet, taking care of the house and keeping everyone else comfortable. “So, as all children should, you have a room in our house. It’s yours, no matter what you think. We’re also going to begin denying entry to your males on principle. If they want to see you, they can see you in your household, where I know you’ll be in charge. Here, I am in charge, and my goal is to make this a place where you can be someone different from the female they need. You can be vulnerable. You can cry. You can just relax and let someone else dote on you without other expectations.”

“Which I had already started doing,” Mave said, half to herself. Senri wasn’t giving her anything new. She had run to Senri when her heart was bruised. She knew she would comfort her, make arrangements, and help Mave with anything that was too much for her.

“Yes,” Senri agreed wisely, smiling over her cup with a twinkle in her eye. “Mave, we probably didn’t need the ritual today. I’ve considered you my daughter for most of our friendship, maybe since the moment I met you. I’m always honored when you come to me for things a daughter would go to her mother for.”

“I know,” Mave whispered, swallowing the lump of emotion in her throat again. “What else is there? We’ve done it, and now what? Do we have dinner? Celebrate? I don’t know…”

“Well, we’ve prepared gifts,” Willem said, looking around. “Kian and Gentrin should be back by now…”

“Gifts?” Mave practically squeaked.

“We’ve missed a lot of important moments in your life,” he said, a small smile forming. “We want to catch up. Turning one hundred and entering adulthood is a big moment in an Andinna’s life. So is settling with your first husband and starting your own household. We want to do some of that for you.” Somewhere a door opened and closed, and heavy footsteps drew closer.

“None of my males have…mentioned any of that.”

“Ah, this is something males trying to get their cocks wet wouldn’t think about!” Gentrin said loudly as he entered the room, several wooden boxes piled on his arms. “You have good husbands, and we like them, but they don’t look at the world the way a father does, they don’t see you like that. They don’t consider the small things you’ve missed, not having parents. There’s nothing wrong with them missing it because it’s not their place to fix those things.”

“They probably don’t see anything wrong,” Senri said, smiling as well. “But we’ve been parents, and we wanted to be yours, so we’re going to fix some things.”

“Oh…” Mave had spent most of the day feeling overwhelmed, and it just wasn’t ending. Every time any of them opened their mouths, it was more and more. “Fix things like what?”

“First, more clothing,” Senri said plainly. “Gentrin?”

“I have the other things,” he said, shuffling to the side. He dared to wink at her. “Been wanting to treat a daughter for a long time, so when Senri asked if we were comfortable with her adopting you, we dove right in.”

“I have the rest,” Kian called out, stumbling in with boxes as well. “Senri, love, I know we wanted to do this right, but I think you three went overboard while I was away.”

“If we had done even one fewer box, you would have thought we didn’t do enough,” Senri answered with an indulgent smile. When she looked at Mave, she laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s really not so much.”

“It looks like a lot,” Mave mumbled, eyeing the boxes Kian placed in the middle of the room.

“It’s not a lot. It’s not a thousand years’ worth of gifts you should have gotten, but it’s what we can do considering the circumstances,” he said, grunting as he picked one back up and fell on to a cushion next to her. He held it out, giving her a look that made her realize he wanted her to take it now. She slowly grabbed it and pulled it into her lap. “Open it.”

Taking a deep breath, she opened it. It wasn’t all that big, so she knew it couldn’t be anything huge or cumbersome.

It was a new flute. Mave swallowed and looked up.

“The one I gave you is old and would need replacing soon,” Senri explained.

“And I heard tales from the females about how you played music for them in Kerit and sent word ahead,” Kian finished, leaning to her shoulder. “We thought a new one, for special occasions, might be something you like.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, picking it up. Delicately carved out of a light wood, it had little designs in it and was treated in a dark stain.

“There’s also a drum set here for you to learn on,” Senri continued. “One of these boxes has the sticks you’ll need to play, or you can learn with your hands.”

Mave nodded, gently putting the flute back in the box so it didn’t get broken.

The next several boxes were wraps and breeches. Somehow, they had figured out her size and had several things done for her. Her wardrobe would no longer be in dark browns and blacks. She had a color for every season, and her face turned red as she stumbled on an Andinna dress.

“I’m not s+upposed to wear this outside, am I?” she asked, pulling it up.

“Yes, you are, but I think if you wore it at home, your husbands would be much more appreciative.” Senri’s grin was wicked.

“This isn’t something a mother gets her daughter,” Mave accused.

“Yes, it is, but you grew up in Elliar with prudes who did everything behind closed doors. I’ll forgive you the assumption. I won’t ask you to try it on right now, but if there’s anything formal with nobility, that’s the type of dress you would wear.”

Mave sputtered and folded the dress back up and closed the box. “Thank you. I’ll consider it. I have armor.”

“Yeah, Alchan beat us on the gift giving and got Mave her own set of armor. Three sets, actually. For the King’s Champion. Black dragon on black.” Kian sounded annoyed, but when she looked at him, he smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair.

“I saw,” Senri said, sighing. “What else? Gentrin, I know you did some things…”

“Damn right,” the blacksmith said with a grin. He picked up a long, wrapped bundle. “Weapons. A new morok and two new daggers. Because we’re warriors in this household.”

“Except Willem,” Kian teased.

“I have gifts for her, too,” the other male growled. “Get done with yours.”

Mave took the bundle and opened it, gasping at the new, shining steel. The hilts were well-crafted black leather, and in the pommels of all three, a detailed design of a dragon with black onyx eyes.

“We’ll find someone who can send most of this to your home,” Gentrin promised, lifting the weapons away. “There you go, Willem. Your turn.”

“You already have a household, so I made you things you can say came from home,” he said softly, lifting one of the last boxes. “It’s customary when a female moves out of her mother’s residence, her fathers give her everything she needs to begin her own household. Back in Olost, it was a community effort to make sure you had everything you needed, but I always thought that seemed so impersonal. You had no idea where anything came from. So, this is from your fathers to help you with your household and give your husbands something to work with.”

She opened to find a carving knife set—knives for breads, knives for meat, knives for butter, knives for the table.

“I made those too. A blade is a blade, no matter its purpose.” Gentrin sounded so immensely proud of himself.

Mave smiled brightly as Kian’s arm wound around her shoulders, and their wings bumped.

“We’ve been waiting a long time to do this for someone,” he whispered, picking up one of the knives. “And we couldn’t think of a better person to do this for.”

“I’ve never…” Mave couldn’t find the right words. “This is too much. I didn’t need all of this.”

Kian grabbed her horn and yanked it playfully.

“Get over it,” he said, before releasing it. Senri laughed from her spot, covering her mouth as she continued to giggle when Mave looked in her direction. Gentrin finally sat down on Mave’s other side.

“Do you like it?” he asked, seeming more nervous than he had a moment ago.

“I love it, but it’s just a lot. I’m still not used to…” She waved her hands around at everything. “I’m very overwhelmed.”

“It’s not about the gifts. Those are more for us,” Senri admitted. “I just wanted you to understand we’re here for you. We can help you with things. We want to. I selfishly want to be someone you rely on.”

“I already do,” Mave promised. “I rely on you for a lot.”

“I know,” Senri whispered, her eyes going tear bright again. “And I’m so—”

There was a loud knocking at the door. Mave tried to stand, but Kian held her down as Willem jumped up and ran to the door.

“We asked for the evening off,” Willem growled in a more ferocious way than Mave had ever heard from him before.

There was a quiet but insistent person outside, and Mave couldn’t make out what was being said. Willem walked back into the main room, looking worried and disappointed.

“The watch group you stationed south of us have a report,” he said quietly to Senri. He glanced Mave’s way as well before looking back at his wife. “It’s not good news.”

“Looks like we are working tonight,” Senri said, sighing. “Mave, I really wanted to spend one night just here with you, but…”

Mave didn’t say anything, standing up without waiting to hear more.

“It’s fine,” she said, shrugging. “We’re at war.” And I need a break.

“Here,” Gentrin said, reaching around through the boxes of things around them. He pulled out Mave’s new sword belt and held it out. She slid it on and noticed the two slots for the daggers as well. He held out each weapon next, but she didn’t grab them in time. Kian took them and put them away for her, nodding at the good work.

“Please stop,” she whispered. “I can get myself ready.”

Senri laughed as she walked out, her belt and sword ready to go. Mave eyed Kian for a moment.

“Too much?” he asked softly.

“Yes.”

“We’ll tone it down,” he promised. “We’re excited.”

“I can tell, but I don’t have my own males dress me every day. I certainly don’t need you three,” she said, smiling with no small amount of annoyance. Kian started to chuckle.

“Let me get my belt, and I’ll follow you both out. Gentrin?”

“I’m going to stay. Tomorrow a bunch of new orders will come in, and I’m not going to stress myself about it tonight. Go find out what the bad news is.”

Mave walked out, following Senri to her landing, and jumped off behind her, hearing Kian follow behind as well. Together, they landed at the war room, and Mave saw her males, relieved.

She grabbed Mat and pulled him to her side, sighing. “Save me,” she muttered.

“I could have warned you that this would be more than you expected, but it’s fun to see you like this right now,” he whispered with a smirk. “How are they?”

“Showering me in gifts,” she growled softly. “Will it always be like this?”

“No, they’ll slow down. You’ll settle into a new normal with them.”

“Willem and Gentrin surprised me the most. I don’t talk to them like I talk to Senri or Kian.”

“You’re Senri’s daughter. Therefore, you’re their daughter. Welcome to Andinna families, Mave.” He chuckled before sobering. “Bryn is out with scouts for training, but I’m positive he’s on his way. Zayden decided to stay in and get relayed the information. I told Dave to stay home as well.”

“Luykas?”

“He’s probably already here,” Mat reminded her.

“Thank you.” She knew he had been reporting to her about those she cared about. It was habit at this point for a male of hers to tell her where her other ones may be if they knew. Dave and Zayden thrown in didn’t shock her either. As long as they were accounted for, she wasn’t concerned.

They walked inside together and stopped at Mave’s favorite place, a wall away from the table. Mat stood closer to the action, but she had no use for the maps. She just waited to be told where she needed to go to kill someone.

Luykas walked in with Alchan, already talking in hushed voices. He looked up and smiled at Mave, but it didn’t reach his eyes. She could feel his physical anxiety through the bond.

It’s not good news. He probably already knows.

“Thank you all for getting here so quickly,” Alchan said, moving to his place at the head of the table. “Before we left for Kerit, Senri worked with Seanev and Leria to establish guard points along the Dragon Spine. One of them reported tonight, off their schedule.”

Mave looked around the room and caught sight of her brother, standing across from her, hidden behind some of the unit captains. Why he didn’t step forward, she didn’t know, but he stayed in the shadows.

“What was the word?” Senri asked.

“They found the staging grounds for Lothen’s army,” Alchan said without any inflection. “It’s practically directly south of us. A week’s flight for us. With ten thousand men, it would take him three weeks to get to us.”

Mave moved off the wall slowly.

“How?” she asked softly, as others started talking loudly. “How?” she demanded with more of a snarl. Luykas was the one who looked at her, his eyes shadowed in the dim firelight.

“We think he was able to triangulate roughly where our position is based on the attacks we’ve already made, specifically last summer. Between freeing the slaves and rescuing Sen, he knew a good region between those points to look for us. It’s a guess, but it’s the best I can think of. After that, he had to guess.”

“He got lucky,” Alchan growled. “It happens. The position he picked is a good place for an army his size, though there are several other locations he could have chosen. It means we need to accelerate. As of this moment, the spring festival is canceled for those living in the Dragon Spine. For males who want to go on a Hunt, there will be rules and a schedule put in place. No single males will be allowed the privilege because we can’t spare the men and leave ourselves defenseless.”

Many of those Mave knew from Olost nodded. Seanev stepped forward now, confusion on his face.

“And those north of the Spine?”

“You can do as you please,” Alchan answered. “Tell Leria she’s to go on as if nothing is happening and continue the trade routes and supply lines. Are you still intending on taking several of our more untrained men for better training up north?”

“If you’ll allow it. I think it’s a better allocation of resources,” Seanev replied. Mave had known Leria wouldn’t be in the valley when they returned from Kerit, but she hadn’t known Seanev planned to leave. “How many will I be taking?”

“I’m considering four hundred need extensive training from the basics work, all under one thousand and born in the Empire. The others just need time to brush up their skills, and that can be done here with other warriors.”

“Of course. I can take them off your hands. The earliest I might be able to send any back won’t be until autumn. Remember, Leria is also sending out Andinna as we speak. Crafters and the like to help establish the second village.”

“That’s fine. We can make do with what we have here, and we’re grateful for more Andinna. I’ll have a list for you tomorrow, and I want you to head out in a week. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.” Seanev turned on his heel and walked out, never passing a glance Mave’s way. She was unexpectedly hurt, but after their last discussion, she didn’t feel the need to go after him. She had made her opinion clear, and they all had to live with it.

“Captains, come tomorrow morning, I want everyone on two a day training regimens—”

“Some are going to cry about it,” one of them said, growling. “Not that I disagree with you, Your Majesty, but some…”

“Who?” Mave asked. “I’ll sort them out.”

“No one you need to worry about, Champion. Males.”

“I’ll handle them,” Luykas said, sighing. “Since you don’t want a female to beat on them.”

“Thank you, sir.” The captain stepped back. Mave snorted, looking at her husband, who shrugged.

“I can handle it,” he promised. He turned away again, his fingers drumming the table.

“Matesh, I want you working with Nevyn and Varon on training our more specialized units. We’re hoping to have some top squads ready for trickier missions by the end of summer.”

“What if Lothen moves on us before then?” Nevyn asked. “Alchan, we’re not ready for a ten-thousand-man army. We don’t have nearly enough numbers to drive him back from that location.”

“We make do. We stop him from locating the valley. We kill his scouts. We track his movements. This might be a preliminary stop.”

“Or it could be his base of operations,” Nevyn fired back.

Mave looked at the markers placed on the map. The village was on the northern edge of the Dragon Spine, in a valley large enough to house as many Andinna as they could. Its southern edge was well guarded by sheer cliffs, the very ones the Company lived on. Further south, there was a half valley, a small inlet where the mountains jutted out of the southern edge, and Lothen had picked that as his base. Drawn on the map were paths and small roads the guards had reported over the last several months recon.

“He’s going to use these, won’t he?” she pointed to them.

“Yes. We’re going to focus our efforts on blocking his ways into the mountains from his current location. I’m hopeful we can ruin his location, even if we can’t do damage to his numbers.” Alchan put down more markers over the path. “We station more Andinna down here to hit his scouts in ambushes. We’re fortunate the mountains are where we are meant to be.”

“What do we know about his army?”

“Nothing, yet,” Luykas answered. “Would know more, but…”

Mave heard the accusation and turned slowly on her husband, snarling.

“Try that again,” she ordered.

“If I could have used my resource while we were on our way back, we might have had the chance to send people there and ruin the viability of the location he chose. Now, we’re too late,” he snapped, suddenly unleashing an annoyance she should have seen coming.

“One day. You couldn’t give me one day before finding a way to make this my fault,” she growled. “And I’ll remind you that you have this source without clearing it with fucking anyone. You put yourself in fucking danger without telling your wife or your brother or any one of the males you share a home with.”

“I made a call.”

“A selfish one,” she fired back.

“Take it outside,” Alchan snarled at both of them.

Mave stormed out, knowing Luykas was hot on her heels.

“I can’t fucking believe you!” she growled, turning on him the moment the door closed them out of the building. “In front of the entire Company?”

“I didn’t phrase it right, and I’m—” He lifted his hands, obviously trying to sue for peace right at the beginning of this argument, and she promptly shoved them aside.

“Let me phrase something for you so that it sticks,” she snapped. “I am pissed because you went behind my back. I’m pissed because you think you know everything and the chance of you being caught or seen could have—”

“There’s nothing they could have done to me—”

“So, you were fine with getting her killed!” Mave roared. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is you didn’t communicate with me at all. You just decided.” Mave let out an angry breath, turning away from him again.

“I’m used to deciding,” he said softly. “For most of my life, I’ve only had to answer to Alchan—”

“But not your entire life,” she reminded him. “You used to answer to my father. You used to answer to the rest of your family. I’m not asking you to answer to me. I’m not trying to control your life, Luykas. You just…you took a risk without even telling me you were taking it, and I got scared.”

Luykas stepped back, sighing.

“I’m sorry.”

She reached out and touched both sides of his face—and knew the truth.

“No, you’re not,” she whispered. “You would do it again. I’m amazed you haven’t yet.”

His gold eyes were unrepentant.

“You think our lack of information is my fault,” she continued as his hands grabbed her wrists. “You still love me, but you’re angry with me now.” She let him go and let him pull her hands away slowly. There was no force in it, but there was a message. He didn’t appreciate what she had just done, but he didn’t break the contact either. Their emotions were still warring between them.

“Let’s not lie to each other. I asked you for the trip home. You think I shouldn’t have. You think I should have just gotten over it for the better of the rebellion. And I was so close. Tomorrow, you could have asked me if you could go see her again, and I would have said yes, but that I wanted to be in the room. So I could see you. So I could help you when you came back.” She nodded a few times to herself, looking over his face as she yanked her wrists out of his hands. “Apparently, even that was too much to ask of you. You can stay at your home and do whatever fucking magic you want.”

His gold eyes went wide.

“Mave—”

She walked back in and slammed the door on him. She met Alchan’s eyes.

“You’ll have your spy,” she snapped, then turned and went toward another exit as Luykas came inside.

“Mave!” he yelled across the room. She was out the door before anyone thought to stop her and took off. She considered going to Senri’s home and hiding there long enough to push down her anger and hurt but decided against it. Mave’s home was the center of her domain, and she felt like she needed to be there. It was the one place where she knew Luykas wouldn’t try her. It was the place where Matesh and Bryn would step out of her way and let her be angry. It wasn't a sanctuary like Senri offered.

So, she went home. She ignored Zayden as she came in, slamming doors and stomping around as she kicked off her boots and put her things away. He stepped out of her way but waited to the side if she needed anything.

“Ask Mat,” she said to him before shutting herself in her room. She stood there for a moment before picking up a random object, throwing it as she screamed at the walls. When her initial anger was expelled, she fell into her furs and curled up, trying to ignore the slicing pain of Luykas’ attitude and closed her eyes.

That night, Mave dreamed of that blasted wingless Andinna. She tried to take out her anger on her dreamscape opponent and failed. Lying in the clearing, with a sword raised over her, the wingless Andinna spoke for the first time.

“The heart is still too weak,” she said before driving her morok downward.

19

Mave

Mave trained hard. Up before dawn, she stormed out of the house every day for a week and found herself in front of Nevyn, hoping to work the edge off.

Today was no different. Nevyn was panting as he held up a hand for a break. Mave’s chest rose and fell from exertion, but she wanted to keep going. She knew not to force it, though.

“Mave, you’re going to kill me,” he said, sighing. “Love, can you—”

A cloth was thrown from the side, and Nevyn barely caught it before it smacked him in the face. Kian chuckled, and Mave turned to him, eyeing him until he stopped.

“Do you want to spar?” she asked, hoping he would say yes. He hadn’t been a spectator for the first few days, but once he started showing, Mave took advantage of his presence.

“Not today. I have training duty,” he answered.

Nevyn walked away from her and sat between his friend and his lover, panting hard and groaning as he stretched out his legs.

“Maybe I should get Alchan to train with you now,” Nevyn commented, rubbing his thighs. “The last two weeks have been brutal on me. I’m not as young as I used to be.”

Varon very clearly rolled his eyes.

“You are young enough to still be in your prime. You’re just finding you aren’t the best anymore. Don’t whine.”

Kian started to laugh at Varon’s comment. Mave looked down at her sword and bounced on the balls of her feet.

“I’m not done,” she said, not sure what to do now. “I need more.”

“Going to have to find it somewhere else,” Nevyn said, shrugging. “Sorry but—”

Varon stood up and grabbed his sword from where he had left it propped up on a log.

“Varon, you can’t beat her!” Kian called, throwing up his hands as Varon ignored him and stepped in front of her.

“Are you sure?” she asked, frowning. She had sparred against Varon once or twice and had seen him fighting on numerous occasions, but Nevyn was better, and she was beating him consistently now.

Varon nodded.

Mave launched into an attack. Varon was fast and agile, his body moving like a blade of grass in the wind. He didn’t have the hard movements and rough attacks and blocks of many other warriors. He was smooth, flowing between attacking, parrying, and blocking, making it seem like a dance. He made no attempt to end the fight quickly, though she knew it was what he preferred. He just made her work, stretching out her muscles, wearing her down.

Mave knew the tactic and had employed it herself many times. Her own temper made her stupid enough to fall for it now.

She stumbled, her legs growing tired after several rounds with Nevyn and pushing herself too hard. Varon took advantage and sliced open her thigh, which was enough to send her into the dirt.

“Shit,” Kian gasped.

“Well. I should have figured that would happen,” Nevyn mumbled, his steps drawing closer. “You okay down there?”

“Yeah,” she groaned. “Varon is better than we give him credit for.”

“No, he isn’t. You were fighting stupid,” Nevyn retorted.

Mave groaned and rolled over, looking down at her thigh. The breeches would need to be sewn up, but the cut was clean.

“I have some water to wipe it off, and we can throw a quick bandage on it,” Kian said, also coming closer. He smiled sadly down at her as he tipped the waterskin. It stung, but she didn’t react, sitting up slowly. “You want me to talk to him? You can’t do this to yourself every day.”

“No. He’ll come to me, or he won’t,” she growled. “I went to him last time, ready to forgive him. This time he can come to me.”

“I understand why you’re angry, but Lothen is going to be at his camp any day. Training is fine, but this isn’t training. Bryn leaves tomorrow with his scouting group to set up a stronger watch. Have you even spoken to those two about this? Mat and Bryn?”

“Why should I?” she snapped. “They agree with him.” She pushed the waterskin away and got up. “They think I overreacted when it came to him astral projecting to fucking Elliar to meet a woman he’s never spoken two words to. I get she’s his sister, but I think I have the right to be pissed that one of my males decided to risk himself without telling anyone in the family. Then I’m the villain for not letting him do it again while we were on the road with a war group armed to the teeth with Andinna I don’t trust.” She snorted. “No. I’m not fucking talking to any of them about this.”

“Don’t hurt me, but it was your request that led us to possibly missing important intel,” Nevyn said gently. “Mave—”

“I know!” she roared, throwing her sword to the ground. “I know, Skies damn it!”

Varon stepped in front of her, holding up his hands. She paused for him, but he only reached out and touched her cheeks for a moment, frowning at her. Whatever his thoughts were, she didn’t know. Varon could act funny sometimes, and since he was a mute, it was easy for him to keep his own secrets.

When he pulled his hands away, he began signing.

“I agree with you.”

“Varon—” Nevyn seemed insulted.

Varon snapped his fingers in his husband’s face to silence him.

“Luykas has a strong case for doing what he wants to do, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it, but he needs to recognize he’s your male now. He has to recognize he did you wrong by jeopardizing himself.”

“What has he been saying?” she asked, crossing her arms. She didn’t see him at meetings because Alchan and the rest of the Company were careful to make sure they didn’t run into each other. It wasn’t hard. With the blood bond, Mave and Luykas knew where they were in regard to each other, and they didn’t want to see each other.

“Nothing. But there’s a lot that can be said without a single word. He’s been talking to her, that much is certain, gathering more intel. Such as the location south of us is one of two locations Lothen is deciding to split his ten thousand men between. When asked about you, he growls and walks away.”

“I know.” She felt it. One night a few days ago, he had faded from her, and it took everything in her not to go look for him.

“Mave,” Nevyn tried to cut in, but she held up a hand.

“I don’t…” She reached down and picked up her sword, wincing at the flash of pain in her leg. Looking at it, she saw blood and water running from the wound and soaking her pants. “I need to get this treated. Thanks for the sparring.”

“Don’t move,” someone snapped from the side of their little clearing. Mave turned to see Senri and sighed as she stormed over. “Kian has been disappearing the last few mornings, and I was wondering what he was up to. Are you three trying to convince her to forgive that idiotic husband of hers?”

“I was,” Nevyn admitted. “Senri—”

“No. He hid from the mayara, he did something dangerous, and he’s expecting his wife to live and let live. He’ll take the punishment she gives him, and he’ll take it with pleasure if he knows what’s fucking good for him,” she growled. “Males. Kian, I expected better of you. You’re her father now.”

“I have said nothing except ask her if she’s spoken to Bryn or Matesh about this,” he said softly, looking down at his feet.

“Why don’t you speak to Bryn and Matesh about this?” Senri snarled at her husband. “Varon, you—”

“He agrees with me,” Mave said quickly. “Senri, I’ve just been sparring out here to ease my temper.”

“Don’t take your temper out on them, take it out on the idiot who decided to embarrass you in front of the entire leadership of the rebellion.” Senri huffed. “Now, you’re coming with me to look at that. You three.” She pointed a finger between the males around her and Mave. “You’ll think about this for a long time. You understand, rebellion or no, Luykas’ actions were intolerable. One of you will relay, if he wants his wife back from me, he’ll need to be ready to grovel. I have known all of you for over three thousand years. You know I’m not kidding when it comes to disrespectful males.”

All three of them jumped into the sky, leaving Senri glaring at the sky.

“Idiots,” she growled. Then she turned on Mave. “Why didn’t you tell me anything was wrong when you got back?”

“Because I didn’t think anything was wrong. We were planning on talking about it. All I had asked of him was not to do it or press the issue while we were on the road. I was upset he’d gone behind my back, but I never denied the usefulness.”

Senri sighed, and it seemed like the anger deflated.

“Are you sure about him?” her adopted mother asked softly.

“Yes. I knew he would be challenging, and he is,” Mave said, looking away. “I didn’t think he would do that, though.”

“He probably wasn’t thinking,” Senri conceded. “Every Andinna knows sometimes, things said in the heat of the moment can cause damage. Other than beating on those three, what have you been doing?”

“Training with Zayden, who is the only male in my house who isn’t trying to get me to forgive Luykas. Actually, I need to get to him now.”

“I’ll come with you,” Senri said, smiling. “We’ll bandage that up and make sure you’re good to keep training today. How do you think he’s doing on the flying front?”

“One more week until he’s allowed to try, but he’s taking it well enough. Keeping our training private has removed a lot of embarrassment from the problem. It’s helped settle his mood.”

“Someone finally figured him out. That’s good.” Senri chuckled.

It was a short flight to Mave’s home, and she was glad to see Zayden was already waiting outside. She wasn’t glad to see her husbands. Mat and Bryn were talking quietly on the porch, their legs hanging off like a couple of gossiping pigeons.

“That looks bad,” Zayden said mildly, looking down at her thigh.

“Varon got a good hit. Let us get it bandaged up, and I’ll be out here to train.”

He nodded his head, then looked up at her males. Mave stared at them as well as their heads came up, and they tried to smile.

“Ah. The husbands who don’t know what’s good for them,” Senri said with vicious happiness.

“Senri—” Mave tried to stop it. She was already tired of the situation.

“Kian will be coming to talk to you. Be ready for it.”

Mat and Bryn jumped down together, landing in front of Mave.

“We think you might want to go see Luykas—” Bryn started.

“He’ll come to me,” she snapped, “or he’ll wallow. Those are his choices.”

I am not being unreasonable.

“Okay. Are you going to spend some time with us today before Bryn leaves?” Mat seemed a little annoyed.

“Yes, of course. We’ll have the afternoon together.” She was hurt they considered she wouldn’t. “I just don’t want everyone telling me how to fix this with Luykas. He was an ass to me in front of…” Everyone—everyone who mattered.

Mat nodded slowly. “We’ll handle our morning duties then meet you for lunch?”

“Lunch is good,” she agreed, sighing as they walked away. Once they were out of sight, Senri ran inside and brought out bandages.

“It happens. Not every family works all the time,” she said kindly, washing off the cut again. The bleeding had already begun to slow and clot. Mave watched as Senri wrapped the bandage over her breeches. “That should hold.”

“Luykas probably knows exactly what he did and is regretting it,” Zayden said carefully from the side. “But that doesn’t mean it’s your job to find and confront him. I know everyone wants this settled fast since we don’t like it when anyone is fighting, especially not you and Luykas, but…”

“You’re a good male,” Senri told him, smiling. “Which is why you had such a strong marriage with Summer.” Senri, still smiling, turned back to Mave. “Terrible father sometimes, but a great husband most of the time. Every female in the village knew it.”

Mave raised an eyebrow, looking at her friend standing in their clearing. His face turned a funny shade of red, and Mave chuckled.

“Thank you for being on my side.”

“None of them know what it’s like. I haven’t tried talking to Mat, Brynec, and Luykas because it’s not my place. They’re your husbands, and Kian is your father. It’s better if he steps in as Senri has.”

Mave didn’t like the sound of that. She hated every time he said it wasn’t his place, or this wasn’t his family, and it refused to abate. She wanted to strangle him. He was part of this family, even if it wasn’t conventional.

Senri must have noticed something was off because she squeezed Mave’s injury slightly, enough to get Mave’s attention.

“Growling,” Senri whispered, and Mave was thankful Zayden was just out of earshot. “I could feel it.” Then she raised her voice. “Okay, I’m heading out because I’m preparing for…” Mave raised an eyebrow. Senri was about to quicken her fertile cycle and try to get pregnant. Mave hadn’t realized that was still the plan, but she wasn’t going to tell Senri not to either. “You two have fun training.”

Then she was gone, leaving Mave with an attractive male with a chip on his shoulder…or something. She wasn’t really sure what she thought of Zayden anymore. He was an enigma.

They didn’t talk anymore, launching into training. Mave took it slower this morning, knowing she was already burned out, but Zayden needed to maintain his form.

Once they were done, Mave sighed.

“Is this fixable?” she asked him. “Me and Luykas?”

“If he’s willing to do what he has to, yes. Everyone shoves their tail in their mouth at some point or another.”

“I don’t want to go to him. I went to him last time. This time, I want him to come to me.”

“Then you’ll have to wait it out and hope he comes to his senses. If he’s as smart as we all give him credit for, he will.” Zayden snorted. “Only a fool would leave a female like you.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, her heart squeezing at the compliment.

She reached out and squeezed his hand, then left him for a dip in the hot spring. She had left him looking surprised, but that was good. She liked throwing this happier Zayden off balance.

She wasn’t alone when she reached the hot spring. Mat and Bryn were obviously just getting there as well.

“Already need a bath?” she asked, dropping her chest piece onto a rock.

“It’s nearly lunch, and I have prep for the rest of the day, so I can’t be gross, handling the supplies,” Bryn answered. “How was training?”

“Good. It was good. Look. I’m sorry this is something going on between Luykas and me. I know you think I should be less hard on him—”

“We never said that,” Mat growled. “We know you think we believe that, but we’ve never said it. Yes, you got really angry about him doing it back in Kerit. We thought it might have been a bit too much, but what he did last week was out of line. We’re just tired of the fighting, Mave. When it was just us, we never had fights. You and Luykas are like oil and water.”

She let that sink in as she sank into the water.

“I know,” she admitted. “He’s not the easiest male to live with.”

“And we’re not easy for him to live with. We know that. He’s stubborn. You’re stubborn. Everyone in the fucking village knows that. We just want this resolved because it’s not easy on us, either.”

She sighed and knew what she was about to say would sound childish.

“He hurt my feelings,” she mumbled, using a finger to cause ripples in the water.

“He’s a fucking prick, but don’t punish us for that, please,” Mat begged, sitting next to her. “You love him, and this is going to work out because he loves you, too. Don’t punish Brynec and me for his mistakes, though. Contrary to popular belief, we’ve already spoken to him.”

“What did he say?” It was the second time in the day she asked that.

“That he knows he’s an idiot but doesn’t know how to fix it. He knew he was an idiot the moment he opened his mouth in the war room,” Mat murmured, running a finger over her shoulder. “He’s trying to get some space to allow his more dominant nature some freedom, which is why he hasn’t come home. He doesn’t think he’s in his right mind to live under our roof right now, and you’re upset with him, so he’s just hiding. He’s hiding, Mave, because he’s stuck.”

The idea of Luykas hiding from her hurt. She hadn’t meant for it to go like that. She had been so angry, so pissed off by what he’d said, even though he tried to take it back.

“He was having a hard time toward the end of our stay in Kerit,” Mave remembered, sighing. “I’ll handle it tomorrow night,” she promised.

“Ya don’t have to handle anythin’. Just give him some space. He’s still reelin’ from learnin’ about his sister. He’s scared about the rebellion, and he handles more of the management than ya. He’s supposed to be on top of stuff for Alchan, and Lothen’s positionin’ caught him off guard.”

“So, you think I should just give him time to clear his head?” she asked softly.

“And give yerself some time,” Bryn said, moving to her opposite side. “Yeah, he fucked up and said something really fuckin’ stupid. If he came to ya right after that, ya know ya wouldn’t have been in a good place to deal with him. Ya and him have explosive arguments.”

“We do,” she agreed, groaning. “I’m terrible at this.” Frustration wasn’t an emotion Mave particularly enjoyed. “I’m just not good at it. I’m finally becoming friends with Zayden, and I’m fighting with Luykas again.”

“How’s he been with you? He’s really grouchy with us,” Mat said, stretching out. She watched as his chest and abs looked delicious as his arms went over his head.

“He’s really good with me. He smiles. It’s something else,” she smirked, thinking about it. “He’s on my side.”

“Of course, he is,” Mat mumbled, shaking his head. “Mave, everyone is on your side.”

“Nevyn isn’t,” she pointed out. Mat only rolled his eyes, so she splashed water at him. He growled playfully and pushed her legs open under the water.

“I love you,” he murmured, positioning himself between them. That was obviously the end of the conversation in his mind.

“Bryn leaves tomorrow, yet, you’re the one between my legs,” she teased. He chuckled and pulled away. “Really?” She was amazed he showed such restraint. Normally, being in the hot spring with these two was guaranteed to end in sex.

“You need all your energy for tonight because we need to make sure Bryn remembers he has to come home again,” Mat reminded her. “So we don’t have any repeats of last time.”

“I’m not goin’ alone. Nevyn and Varon are comin’ too.”

“Really? They didn’t mention that this morning.” She had heard nothing about that.

“Aye. Nevyn wants to get his own eyes on the situation. Yer still goin’ to have company, though. Ya got yer human, new parents to bother ya, and us. Kian found us and gave us a talkin’ to. Senri put the fear of the gods in him.” Bryn chuckled at the end of that. “Yer goin’ to need to find new sparring partners, though.”

“I can bother Alchan,” she said, sighing. “I can’t believe those two didn’t tell me they were going, too.”

“They probably didn’t want to worry you about it because you have enough on your plate. You would have heard tonight at the last meeting for the mission,” Mat pointed out. “How’s training the females?”

Mave shrugged. She didn’t give them much thought when she wasn’t in the clearing, working with them. “Better than it was before Kerit. Senri got a lot of them up to speed on self-defense, and Leria took the troublemakers and those who are better suited for other things. It feels easier now. Those we have are more focused.”

“Seanev leaves tomorrow. You goin’ to talk to him?”

“Nope.” She didn’t really care either way.

“And the gladiators haven’t given ya any trouble?” Bryn leaned closer in, and she knew he was making sure everything was right in their world before he left again.

“They don’t look at me. They don’t talk to me. There have been no incidents in the last week dealing with them, so everything is looking good so far,” she informed him. It was almost surprising, and she had a feeling it wouldn’t last. She hadn’t had a run-in with Kenav in weeks, but she was certain that was because she made it a point to never go near the gladiators. She knew where they were, knew who they were training with, and when Kenav walked into a meeting, she walked out without looking at him.

“Okay. Well, I’m wrinkling. Let’s clean up and get to the afternoon meetings, then enjoy a night together before we lose Bryn.” Mat stood up and began rubbing off dirt.

She felt a sudden wave of foreboding but pushed it aside. Bryn wasn’t going on this mission alone, and it wasn’t supposed to take long. Only three to four weeks. She wasn’t stupid enough to ask what could possibly go wrong. She knew well everything that could happen.

“Bryn,” she whispered as he stood up as well to scrub off.

“Aye, love?”

“Be safe,” she ordered.

“For you? Always.”

20

Trevan

Trevan woke up knowing what he faced.

Another day of nothing.

Another day of feeling like he wasn’t where he was meant to be.

Another day of loneliness.

Every day that passed in Anden, the more useless he felt.

He didn’t want to get out of the makeshift bed.

Emerian groaned across the room, rolling over roughly, his tail flicking around. Trevan pulled his leg out of the way before the tail flopped back to the floor. He was used to dodging it.

Knowing lying in bed was almost more dangerous than getting out of it, he rose, sighing as he pulled on breeches and a soft shirt. The clothing had been made for him, but by who, he didn’t know. Trevan didn’t know anyone. Day after day, he followed Dave around as he took quiet notes of everything, but no one spoke to him.

He stumbled out of the room and went into the kitchen. He wasn’t used to the building. He had been in the mountain village for two-and-a-half weeks now and still wasn’t used to the rough stone and dirt walls, smoothed to seem like they were built and not dug out. Some rooms had stones placed in patterns to block the dirt and give the space a more professional and crafted look, but most were raw. There were nooks dug into the sides for items to sit, not wooden shelves or bookcases like he was used to. Instead of the cold bed in Kerit, the home had a large room deep in the mountain that stayed cool, thanks to the earth.

Dave wasn’t awake yet, so Trevan made himself a small breakfast, then headed outside to eat, wanting fresh air instead of the rough walls this morning.

He stumbled onto the porch and breathed a sigh of relief it wasn’t blistering cold this morning. He wasn’t sure how the Andinna did it. They were always half undressed, never wore much for sleeves unless their armor had it, and didn’t use cloaks. He was freezing most days, even though it was early spring.

And he was alone, which only made everything feel much colder.

He walked down the steps to one of the now several seating logs placed around the clearing shared with the home next door—her home. He saw her all the time but never had the courage to say anything. He wasn’t sure what to say. She never spoke to him, either. They would look at each other, then move on. One of her males, the smallest, tended to growl at him whenever he was around, but it was never threatening. More of a quiet warning that Trevan was being watched all the time.

What am I doing here?

He should have gone to Olost. He was Dave’s guard, but he had a feeling that was only to keep him occupied. No one knew why he was there or what he was supposed to be doing.

Trevan slowly ate the simple breakfast of bread and cheese, looking up from his food when he heard a door open and close to his right. Turning, he saw Mave walk out of her home, stretching.

Should I say anything?

She didn’t notice him, but he noticed her, had noticed her the moment he walked off the ship. She seemed healthier, happier. Even when she was stern, even when she was angry, there was a softness in her face that hadn’t been there the centuries he had watched her in the pits. Her body, still hard, was less stiff. She moved with more grace now, more at ease in her own skin. He wondered if anyone else noticed the changes since she had gotten to freedom or if it was only him, having watched her for centuries.

I feel like a stalker. Always watching and never talking to her. What is wrong with me?

“Good morning,” he finally called out, not sure where the courage had come from. He’d wanted to ask her what the music was and if she was the one who played it. When she turned and saw him, he swallowed. Her eyes went wide as she took him in, and he fretted at what she was seeing in him.

“Good morning,” she said carefully. “What are you doing?”

“Eating breakfast,” he answered, lifting the plate of meager offerings for her to see. “Would you…”

“I already ate,” she said quickly, dropping the arm she had been stretching over her head. “We’re early risers.”

He didn’t know who ‘we’ were, the Andinna she lived with or the Andinna in general. He also didn’t know what else to talk about.

“How are you?” he finally asked.

“I’m good.” She was half dismissive of him, looking away and around the clearing as if she hoped someone else would come to give her something important to discuss or run off and do. He knew avoidance tactics. He’d employed them himself in life and had them employed against him. Oftentimes, when he had to question an Andinna in the pits, they would try similar avoidance tactics.

He felt guilty, thinking about the pits when he was now standing among free Andinna, something he had helped work for.

“I heard you got into an argument with…one of your husbands,” he said, then bit his own tongue, cursing softly as he kicked himself. That wasn’t his place to bring up.

“It happens. He needs some time away from me, and I’m going to let him have it. He’ll come back.” She seemed certain of that, confident and secure in her belief. She eyed him now. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” he answered, swallowing.

What am I doing? I don’t know her. What did I think this was going to be like, arriving here and being near her again? I probably remind her of everything terrible she had gone through.

“I’m going to head in and let you train. You’re out here with Zayden every morning still, right?” He was glad he could remember the male’s name, the one he had witnessed fall back in Kerit. He’d caught glimpses of her training with him over the weeks and could see the improvement, but he never interrupted them again. He didn’t belong anywhere near the powerful Andinna with their wickedly curved blades.

“I am. We’re practicing his hovering right now.”

Trevan nodded and started walking away, holding his plate stiffly.

“Have a good morning,” he said roughly, then ran up the stairs and made it back inside. His heart was pounding uncomfortably as if he had just run across Elliar. Actually, the escape from the pits hadn’t gotten him nearly so worked up.

Trevan ate the rest of his food sitting at the unstained dining table, able to feel the rough wood, barely sanded down, on his elbows. Dave wandered in later, yawning.

“I was told last night that I have nowhere to be,” he said with a sigh. “What about you?”

“I go where you go,” Trevan reminded him with a shrug. “So, I guess I have nowhere to be either.”

“Ah.”

Emerian came in as Dave cooked eggs. The human seemed most adept at the Andinna living they were trying to grow accustomed to. Emerian seemed as if he fit there, but he often seemed uncomfortable, too.

“What are you doing today?” Trevan asked the mutt as he sat down.

“Practicing. Like I do every day,” he mumbled. “They haven’t put me with a team or anything. That massive one next door, you know the tall purebred one—”

“Matesh,” Trevan said for him.

“Yeah. He just tells me to train every day in my own time. Said someone is going to come help me soon, but things have been really busy. I wish I could follow you two around. It feels like I’ve been cooped up here for too long.”

“It’s not that fun. Dave does all the important work, and I get glared at. He’s accepted, I’m not. I don’t think they have any idea what to do with us.”

“I want to join a team,” Emerian said, groaning. “If I’m going to be here in this fucking rebellion, I at least want to do something. Right now, it feels like they’re hiding me.”

“They are,” Dave said blandly. “Luykas gets enough dirty looks for being a half-breed, and he’s the king’s brother and Mave’s husband. He has rank and dominance that you don’t, but people have a hard time trusting him, so he steers clear of the lower ranking Andinna. He didn’t even piss any of them off in the pits as you did. So yeah, they’re hiding you. We’ve only been here a couple of weeks. Give it some time. We just entered spring, and we’re in this for the long haul.”

“Give it some time, says the short-lived one,” Emerian muttered. Dave dropped a pot on the table in front of him, making the mutt jump.

“Mash those potatoes,” Dave snapped. “You two are the worst, moping around all the time like your lives are ruined.”

“We’re not moping,” Trevan said quietly.

“Yes, you are,” Dave fired back. “Wasn’t there anything you wanted to do once you got here? Anything at all?”

I thought there was, but now, it just seems like I had no idea what I was thinking.

Trevan looked away, keeping his thoughts to himself.

“I thought I would go to Olost, but both of you decided to sign up for this rebellion and…” Emerian trailed off and got to mashing the potatoes, also deciding not to voice his thoughts.

Trevan didn’t eat any of the breakfast Dave made, deciding the bread and cheese he had picked out for himself was enough.

“Want to spar with me today?” Emerian asked, his face looking youthful as if he were afraid of rejection.

“Sure,” Trevan said. “Dave, are you okay with the dishes?”

“Yeah,” the human called out from the kitchen.

Trevan followed Emerian down and eyed the mutt jealously after he skipped the stairs and left Trevan to walk down on his own.

“Where can we spar?” Trevan asked. “I don’t want to right here.” He eyed the door nearby. His run-in with her in the morning seemed even more awkward and pathetic in hindsight.

“Um…I know a clearing nearby we can try?” Emerian shrugged. “I never go too far because I don’t know anyone, and I don’t think it’s safe. I hate that I’m being hidden, but you know, I get it.”

“Of course.”

They started walking, finding a small trail to go down. Trevan was grateful Emerian was walking with him since the Andinna mutt could have just as easily flown. They entered a small clearing with a shack built at the eastern edge, opposite of where Trevan and Emerian entered.

“This works,” Trevan said, nodding toward the shack. “Maybe that has some training weapons.”

“Let’s hope. I know we both have steel, but I’m not looking to get cut up. On my second day here, Matesh taught me some patterns, and I’ve been doing them every day, but I haven’t sparred with steel…ever.”

“I know,” Trevan said softly. He wished he had gotten more sparring time in recently. “Maybe we can make this part of our day. Me and you. We’re used to sparring together.”

“I kind of want to learn more Andinna ways of fighting,” Emerian said softly. “If I’m going to fight with them, maybe it’ll help me fit in.”

“Then you can practice them against an Elvasi style,” Trevan suggested as they arrived at the shack. He found what he was looking for inside, two simple wooden swords. One was curved like the blade all Andinna kept at their hips, the other was simpler, more of a longsword. He saw them around, but not frequently. From what he had seen, some Andinna preferred different styles of weapons, but they all knew and carried a curved sword as if it was another of their limbs.

“Yeah, that would be good,” Emerian agreed and stepped back once Trevan gave him the curved sword. Watching the mutt, Trevan saw the forms and patterns he must have been taught. They were roughly done, but they were interesting. Emerian lacked grace, and there were probably some errors, but Trevan saw the effect the forms were going for.

“They’re blocks and strikes,” he said as Emerian continued. “It’s a pattern of blocks and strikes to familiarize you with the muscle movements. That’s good. We never had time in the pits for that kind of training.”

“Yeah,” the mutt said absentmindedly. “Let’s get to sparring and see if I can use them.”

Trevan launched an assault, and Emerian staggered around, trying to block but never got an attack in.

“It’s okay, we’ll keep going,” Trevan said when he whacked the mutt in the ribs. “It takes time—”

“Look at the trash out here!” someone called in Common. Laughter followed. Trevan turned and lowered the wooden sword, so he didn’t seem like a threat. Several Andinna were landing in the field, probably close to a dozen. Trevan recognized a few of the faces as gladiators.

Fuck. This was not how the day was supposed to go.

“What are you two doing? This is training equipment for warriors,” one said, looking at the wooden practice swords in their hands. “Should take you to the king and get one of those hands cut off. You know, the standard punishment for thieves.”

“We’re not taking them anywhere. Just sparring for a bit,” Trevan said calmly back in Common. At least they weren’t using Andena. He didn’t know the language, although he was slowly picking it up. “We’ll put them back and go now if you would like.” He lifted it, holding it with his fingertips, so it didn’t seem like he was going to try to attack them. He eyed the group, noticing they all had steel at their hips, the long, curved swords.

“You don’t get a say here, Elvasi scum. And what are you doing, mutt? The morok is for warriors,” one snapped.

“Everyone carries one,” Emerian said, obviously not prepared for a fight. Trevan didn’t blame him. They would lose this one if they couldn’t stop it from happening. “I’m just doing what I was told. Practicing.”

“He’s wearing one,” someone whispered. “Who gave him that, or did he steal it? Don’t we have a weapon shortage?”

“We do. Hand that over, so a real Andinna can use it.”

“It was given to me,” Emerian said, stepping back. Trevan moved with him, keeping them side by side to stay protected.

“Take it from him. I know a warrior who’s been forced to use a pillaged sword from the Elvasi, and this trash has a morok. What a fucking joke.”

Three of the Andinna stepped forward.

“Don’t do this,” Trevan said softly. “We’ll go. Please.”

“Yeah, beg. Like you probably made our kind beg for centuries. I bet if we gutted you and tossed you out of the valley, no one would even notice.”

“That’s not quite true,” a female said softly. The Andinna turned, and Trevan saw Mave standing on the other side of them. “Leave them be,” she ordered.

“Champion,” one of them said warily. “You would stop us all by yourself?”

“She doesn’t have to,” Luykas called down, landing beside her. “You’ll move along. Now, or you’ll answer to us.”

“Why does he get a blade when—”

“Because of moments like this,” Luykas snarled. “Move along. They are members of the rebellion and serve under King Alchan Andini. Attacks against them are attacks against your own.”

The Andinna began to disperse, grumbling and pissed off. Some cast glares at Mave and complained about how the Company was always watching them like the little blue one. Trevan knew from sitting in meetings with Dave as his guard that the blue mutt, Rainev, was investigating the gladiators to make sure none of them had committed crimes that warranted punishments.

Mave stomped toward them, growling as she drew close. Trevan resisted the urge to step back from her as she crowded into his space.

“Are you both all right?” she asked, grabbing each of them and looking over them.

“There was never a fight,” Trevan said, unsure what she was doing. He felt manhandled, which made him uncomfortable.

She stepped back once she must have satisfied herself with their state of being, then turned on Luykas.

“You’ll train with them to keep others from trying this stunt again,” she ordered. “I know things have been busy, but we weren’t supposed to leave them in harm’s way.”

“I was going to start eventually,” he said, sighing. “Forgive me. I’ll start with them today. I had wanted to keep Emerian close, but…”

“I know. Thank you for coming.” She launched into the air, leaving Trevan and Emerian with the white-winged mutt.

I feel bad for calling him a mutt. He’s the king’s brother. Prince? I don’t know, but I’ll try that.

“Prince Luykas—”

“General,” Luykas corrected quickly. “Technically, I am a prince, but I’ll never sit on a throne, so I prefer not to use the title. Right now, I’m just General.”

“General Luykas,” Trevan repeated, nodding. Then he remembered what he was going to say. “What just happened? I understand the Andinna might not feel comfortable with our presence, but how did you and Mave know to get here?”

“She heard the group as she was walking into the village. She and I are blood bonded, so it’s not hard to call for each other in case one of us needs back up,” Luykas explained. “It happens. You two tried to stay close to home, so I don’t think you’re at fault. Now, if you had gone to the larger training grounds, I would have needed to talk to you both. As much as we want it to be, this valley isn’t safe for either of you.”

“It’s safe for you,” Emerian pointed out. “They walked away—”

“I’m the brother of the king and a husband of the Champion. Anyone who tries me will die. Not might die, will.” Luykas gave a wry smile. “Once upon a time, people feared me because I am very good with a sword, and I knew some magic. Now, they leave me alone because I’m connected to more powerful people. Such is life.” He seemed almost annoyed by it.

“Are we ever going to fit in?” Emerian asked, sounding desperate. “I’m here, practicing the stuff I was told to practice.” He huffed. “I don’t know why I thought it would be any better here. It wasn’t better in Elliar when I hoped they would see me as half-Elvasi. Why would the Andinna want—”

“You know the wrong Andinna,” Luykas cut in. “Those of us at the top? We don’t care if someone is a mutt. Maybe that’s because of me, but the king’s nemari, his most trusted aide, is also a mutt and the son of another member of the Ivory Shadows. Everyone brings what they have to the table. Right now, there’s a lot of high emotion, a lot of stuff we as a people need to get through. I strongly believe if we regain our freedom, the idea of being a mutt, with no matter what other race, will no longer be a marker of a social outcast. It wasn’t before the War.”

Emerian frowned. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen hundred,” Luykas answered, smiling a little. “I was around for a good chunk of time before the War. Emerian, I know what happened to you. I know what was done. All I can offer is my condolences. When I was young, my Elvasi mother hid me. She couldn’t formally acknowledge me. Being a half-breed south of these mountains has never been as accepted as it was in Anden with the Andinna. I hope you give us a chance.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Emerian mumbled, looking away. “How did you know?”

“Our spies did a lot of research into you once they found you hanging around Trevan, whose freedom was a priority. Though, they didn’t tell us about Trevan until their plans were nearly ready to free everyone.” He sighed and looked at Trevan. “Sorry about that.”

Trevan shrugged. He didn’t know if he had the right to judge. They had all made their choices that night. Trevan’s choice had been to fight and die, so the others could escape. He didn’t die, but that was no one’s fault except Shadra’s, who wanted to put him through hell.

“Well, let’s get to training since we’re all here, and I’m…” Luykas looked off into the sky, almost looking for someone, maybe Mave. Trevan knew Luykas was one of her husbands, and something had happened between them. Luykas didn’t finish what he was saying, looking back down at the wooden practice swords they were holding, frowning when he looked at Trevan again.

What did I do wrong?

“Why are you using that?” He nodded at the long sword, the frown growing deeper.

“I was trained with the longsword,” Trevan answered. “I know the longsword, spear, and bow.”

“Well, it’s time for a change,” Luykas said, walking through them to the shack with the wooden practice tools, grabbing the long sword from Trevan as he went. “I’m sure you’re proficient in those items, and you can practice them on your own time, but we use the morok.”

“That’s the curved sword, isn’t it? I thought that was the traditional Andinna weapon. Why would I—”

“You sacrificed your life in the Empire for the Andinna,” Luykas said, annoyed as he threw a curved wooden blade at Trevan. “Therefore, you get the morok.”

Catching it, Trevan twisted his wrist and made a few slashes through the air, testing the weight of it. It wasn’t like the longsword or anything he had ever used.

“I’ll have a steel one made for you. Consider it a gift. You’re one of us now in every way but blood. At least to me. You helped free my future wife from slavery, and I can never thank you enough for that.” Luykas gave him a funny look but said nothing else as he walked into the field. “Follow me. You two are in for a long afternoon. Maybe Alchan will be okay with you joining the Company training time…”

Trevan followed as requested, giving Emerian a confused look and receiving one in return. They had no idea what they were in for now, but Luykas seemed like a good male and a capable warrior.

Trevan looked down at the morok in his hand.

He hoped it was a sign things were about to start looking up for him. All he had was hope, but he wasn’t really sure and feeling so out of place, he was certain it was going to take more than a sword to stop him from slipping further into his despair.

21

Brynec

Brynec walked through the underbrush, the world lit by the glow of the dying sun. The early spring cold didn’t bother him, but the light rain did.

“How much further?” someone asked.

Another Andinna growled softly in return. The goal was to be silent and get as close to their objective as possible. With ten Andinna, that wasn’t easy. Two he could rely on were Varon and Nevyn, but the others were still in training. He had to sharpen their skills, though, so he’d asked Alchan to allow him to bring them.

He broke through the underbrush, going down to his belly at the same time. Crawling forward, he reached the edge of the cliff and angled his wings, so no one below would see them.

“Get low,” Nevyn whispered, coming up beside Bryn and looking down at the same place. “Fuck.”

Bryn was thinking the same thing. Below them in the valley were hundreds of tents and horses. Elvasi and humans walked between them. In the two-and-a-half weeks since they received word this was going to be one of the Elvasi positions, half the damn army had moved in. Toward the south end of the camp, dozens of gryphons fought against their leads, trying to pull from their posts, obviously agitated about something.

“This ain’t good,” he mumbled. “How is Lothen moving them so quickly?”

“I don’t know.” Nevyn sighed. “Luykas said he was sent out when Shadra heard about Kerit. So, that’s seven days he didn’t have to get moving, yet he’s already here.”

Bryn did the math. He liked numbers. Since Kerit, it had been nearly nine weeks. The Prince would have lost one of those weeks. That left nearly eight weeks to make it to the Dragon Spine and set up camp.

“He sent people ahead,” Bryn whispered. “He had to. Even if he rode hard and had replacement horses, he would have needed every single day to get here from Elliar. What do we know about troop positions in the Empire?”

“Shadra had already moved most of the north to train and be ready…” Nevyn cursed again. “Meaning moving them just a little further up north without Lothen and letting him catch up would be faster than making them wait on him. They wanted to get here, so Lothen could make use of the good seasons. They would have arranged it.”

“Yeah…” Bryn growled softly and began trying to get a count, but it was useless. There were so many of them. All he could do was point out places of interest. Some tents seemed much bigger than others, and he knew those would be supplies or priority targets. “He’s down there somewhere right now, I bet.”

“Likely. The Empire has powerful sorcerers. They might have made portals for him to come up faster. If several sorcerers work together, they can cover some distance. They can’t move an army, but they can move a prince and his entourage.” Nevyn began moving back. “Let’s find a place to make camp so we can keep an eye on them. We need to find good ambush locations while we’re down here.”

“Aye.” Bryn moved back with him, signaling the rest of the Andinna needed to retreat from the cliffside and get into the woods again. Once he was in the bushes, he stood up and ducked into the darkness, knowing the trees and undergrowth were too thick for others to see them unless they were close.

“Did you see those gryphons?” a female scout whispered. She was one of two females who really wanted the job and argued like hell to be transferred to him. It wasn’t him who needed convincing, though. They had to convince Alchan, and getting him to relent hadn’t been easy. Others had chimed in and agreed with her.

Bryn didn’t want to consider how many gryphons there had been, but he looked at Nevyn, knowing his own fear was written on his face.

“Two hundred,” Nevyn said softly. “Maybe more. Hard to get a count right now.”

“I’ll come back later and try to get something more official,” Bryn promised, walking deeper into the trees. “Let’s find a place to lie low. He’s probably already sent scouts to figure out the terrain. We need to stay on our guard.”

Nevyn nodded, then reached out to grab Varon’s hand. They moved further away from the army and climbed a cliff to reach a cave. Bryn checked for signs of wildlife, glad there were no signs of wild bears, gryphons, or wyverns. An angry beast would give away their position if they had to waste valuable time and resources driving it off.

“Keep fires toward the back,” he ordered. “We’re going to be here for a week. We need to figure out how and where he’s sending people out. Are they going out with the gryphons or are they foot soldiers and scouts? Is he going to patrol the mountains? We need to know it all. Now, we need to stay off the trails but find good perches for watches. Tomorrow, we’ll spread out around their little valley and keep an eye on them. Get some sleep tonight. We’ll do two-man watch rotations, which will let us all get the rest we need.” They had been on the trails since they left and walked the last two days of it. Bryn knew everyone needed to give their legs a break before the sun came back up.

Small fires were lit far back in the cave, and from the entrance, Bryn couldn’t see or smell them, which was what he was hoping for. Nevyn was unrolling his and Varon’s bedrolls, then grabbed Bryn’s pack from him to do his.

“You get to rest, too,” Nevyn reminded him. Bryn chuckled softly and went deeper into the cave.

As they all ate the jerky they packed, the watch rotation was set up. Bryn felt a little bad, but he put the females on the potentially safest time to be on watch, closer to dawn. He put Nevyn and Varon during the middle of the night because he knew they had the experience to handle anything that might happen under a dark night. There would be very little of the red moon helping visibility.

“Get some sleep,” Nevyn ordered him.

Bryn reached out with his tail and grabbed Varon’s, needing the physical contact as he laid down. Varon’s body shook with a silent chuckle. Bryn was already missing his wife and family. He could lean on his oldest friends for a few days and knew no one would mind, not even his possessive wife.

I hope she works things out with Luykas while I’m gone. I just want her to be happy, and she’s not happy when she’s mad at him. He’s not happy either.

Yawning, he closed his eyes.

I want my family to be a happy one.

* * *

An ear-splitting screech woke him up. A scream made him scramble to his feet and reach for his sword. The sound of steel clashing had him running to the mouth of the cave.

“Everyone up!” he roared, seeing the blood on the stone first as he ran to the mouth of the cave. It was so dark, but the blood stood out, catching the minimal light from the red moon.

One night and it had already gone wrong. How did this happen?

He found out as his eyes went up, and he saw a gryphon, an Elvasi rider on its back, holding onto a dead Andinna with its talons, then dropping the body down the cliff. Shell shocked, he ground to a halt and took in the rest of the scene. There were more. There were nearly a dozen of the riders, all hovering by the cliff.

How? How did they know?

He turned his sword in his hand and moved into a defensive posture, raising it. The Elvasi had spears in their hands and swords at their waists. He was certain they had daggers on them as well. They were there to kill Andinna, and they had already killed the two on guard, probably catching them unaware.

Footsteps behind him told him that the rest of the unit was coming. Nevyn stopped beside him, snarling. Varon came up next, flanking Bryn protectively, as was his nature. Varon had his bow drawn, ready to fire.

“Surrender your arms and come peacefully or die like those two,” the center Elvasi said loudly. “Painfully.”

Bryn took a deep breath and sighed, looking at Nevyn.

Nevyn nodded. An Elvasi chuckled.

Turning back to the Elvasi, Bryn raised his chin boldly, trying to mimic the power of his wife, channel it through himself and impress it on the Elvasi in front of him.

“No,” he growled.

Varon fired and knocked the Elvasi clean off the gryphon, that screeched as the Elvasi’s boot got caught in the stirrup and hung down, dragging the gryphon awkwardly off the side and down.

“Stay with me!” Nevyn roared, running forward. Bryn followed, knowing the maneuver his friend was probably about to try. Instead of launching into the air at the edge of the cliff, Nevyn dropped down, getting below the gryphons and their riders, who had positioned themselves to catch Andinna trying to fly upward and away.

As they dropped, Bryn spread his wings and caught the air, hoping the others knew to do that as well. He skimmed treetops as he flapped his wings hard to keep up his speed. Nevyn was just ahead of him. Bryn looked down his body to see behind him and saw Varon along with four of their Andinna. Another scream, clearly Andinna in nature, echoed through the night.

Bryn spun, gliding on his back to get a better view. He’d come with ten Andinna, himself included. He, Nevyn, and Varon made three. Two on watch were killed, and he could only see four others. Seven accounted for. They had definitely lost one more.

He turned around and flapped his wings hard, gaining more altitude. Nevyn and Varon stayed low, and half of the remaining trainees did as well. Two followed up with him. He wanted to be less of a target, and if they split up the Elvasi, they might have a chance to defeat the riders before more from the valley decided to join the fight.

Five of the Elvasi riders and their gryphons veered upward to follow him. He turned back to the night sky and kept climbing into the air, hoping he could take them up into the cold, then dip under them again. He needed to stop being the chased one, and that meant getting more distance to maneuver.

“Turn!” he roared to the two with him. “Down!” They spun in the air with him, and he dipped down as the gryphons drew closer. One of his men dropped with him. The other didn’t go fast enough, hesitating. A gryphon slammed into him, and a spear went through him.

Bryn knew a lost cause. He had hoped to fight, but as the Elvasi realized they were above their quarry, the five riders turned and descended.

“Get into the trees,” he ordered, then went for a dive. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the last male with him beside him. A spear flew between them, and Bryn growled as a second cut one of his wings, making his coordinated dive wobble. When he opened his wings, one didn’t catch the air right, and he couldn’t slow down as much as he needed to.

He hit the trees too hard and collided with several branches before hitting the forest floor. Groaning, he tried to push himself up, wondering what was broken. Something had to be broken. Pain in his side nearly took him back to the earth.

Ribs. My ribs are broken. I can work with that.

“Sir!” someone called out. Bryn heard someone scrambling through the underbrush and saw Cydrev, last Andinna with him.

Brought ten. Four stayed low and hopefully found cover. I just got one more killed.

The deaths would haunt him. He was going to think about the astounding failure of this mission for the rest of his life…if he survived it.

Bryn accepted the help to get on his feet.

“We need to move,” he growled, pushing the other Andinna to start walking. “We have to keep movin’. If we stop now, we’re dead.”

“Yes, sir.”

Together, they jogged down a game trail, Bryn silently praying they were going north. At least if they were going north, they could possibly find the others again.

Shouldn’t have split up. Shouldn’t have done it. I thought we could fight, but…

The riders were better than the ones in Ellantia. Maybe it was because they had finally met Andinna in battle and were better prepared. Maybe it was the surprise of their assault. Bryn knew there were a number of things that could have played into the mission’s failure, the Elvasi success at killing them off one by one.

“Let’s find them, boy,” someone said distantly in the trees. “You can get them.”

Bryn felt a cold shiver go down his spine. He pushed harder on the back of the other Andinna.

“Faster,” he ordered. “We need to move faster.”

They broke out into a sprint. Bryn heard a shrill call, and a handful more followed it. A horn blew.

A hunting horn.

Bryn looked around, wondering if there was anywhere they could go to ground, but he had a suspicion it wouldn’t work. A gryphon was gaining on them, so Bryn grabbed Cydrev and pushed him to the side, turning on the beast following them. He growled as the Elvasi grinned, charging forward. Bryn readied his sword and jumped to the side as the Elvasi passed, trying to stab down with his spear. Bryn was able to get a thin cut to the gryphon’s wing, causing it to shriek. Before he could plan his next move, Cydrev jumped out and tackled the Elvasi from the side, knocking the Elvasi off his mount. Bryn threw his sword and hit the gryphon in the chest, listening to the keening noise it made as it fell and died. Cydrev was stabbing the Elvasi furiously. Bryn, knowing they couldn’t waste time, grabbed his sword and yanked Cydrev off the dead body.

“We can’t stop—”

A few screeches drowned out what he was thinking.

“Hide,” he snapped. He ducked behind a tree.

“Find them, girl! Sniff those barbarians out!” an Elvasi pressed. “Fuck. They got Captain. Let’s go check it out.”

Bryn heard the walking beast but didn’t dare look. He heard the huffing and sniffing of the beast. This was confirming his dark fear, but he couldn’t do anything about it, not yet.

“Where are they?” the Elvasi asked softly.

Bryn headed a couple more steps, drawing closer to him.

He ducked as a bird-like foot flew to his side of the tree and sank deep into the wood. Bits of bark flew everywhere as the gryphon made an obnoxious angry noise. He lifted and brought down his sword before the gryphon could pull back the vulnerable leg. His morok went through flesh and bone without effort, and the gryphon’s pain screech was enough to know he had done it. Blood sprayed everywhere. He followed the injured beast and stabbed out again, hitting it in the eye. A roar grabbed his attention for only a moment, and he saw Cydrev jumping up and killing the Elvasi on top. It was a good move for the young, inexperienced scout. He had no experience with the gryphons as Bryn did.

“Good job,” Bryn commended. “Now we have to move. They’ll notice their men dyin’ and join up together, instead of riskin’ more fatalities.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bryn started running, glad Cydrev was with him and focused, instead of losing himself in rage again. They ran deeper into the woods, and Bryn found a stream, testing its depth before deciding they could walk in it.

“This will help lose our scents,” he explained to the young Andinna. “Have ya ever hunted?”

“Not yet, sir. I’ve spent all of my freedom with the rebellion, training with you.”

“We’ll have to take you huntin’ then. It has good techniques for ya to use,” Bryn said, feeling the ache of loss. He should have taken all of them hunting more than once before trying this mission, but Kerit had kept him busy, and hunting was generally prohibited in the winter.

There wasn’t enough time, and there was no one to blame. I should have come on this mission alone and risked none of them.

“Bryn!” someone called out. He turned to see Nevyn, Varon, and one of the females standing further downstream. They were washing blood off their armor, looking beaten up, but nothing seemed devastating or fatal from Bryn’s view.

His heart didn’t stop pounding, though, as he voiced his suspicions.

“We can’t stop moving,” he said, trudging further down the stream and getting out beside them. “I think they’ve trained the gryphons to track our scents like huntin’ hounds.”

The female paled. Nevyn only cursed, but Varon looked into the distance, frowning.

“Are you sure?” Nevyn asked softly as they started moving together.

Bryn didn’t look at him, watching Varon. Varon could say thousands of things with a look. He could tell the world how he felt with his body language. One just had to know the mute well enough to pick up on the signs. Bryn didn’t like what he saw.

“Varon?” Bryn gestured to the mute’s left arm, hanging limp and covered in blood. “Ya were hit.”

Varon nodded and with one hand, made the symbol for spear.

“It sliced open the back,” Nevyn said softly, “as we decided to try to dive for the trees.”

“I thought splittin’ up for a moment would give us better odds, but…” Bryn growled softly. He’d made a mistake, and he knew it.

“It wasn’t the wrong idea. We killed three Elvasi soldiers and two of those gryphons,” the female said gently.

Bryn looked back at her, annoyed she was trying to say he had been right in his course of action. Tyvria had no experience, no real-life training. Losing one for three wasn’t bad for their side, but they had already been down in numbers, and now, only five of them were walking through the forest instead of ten. He looked at the other Andinna, the male with him. Cydrev was the same, a strong warrior, lean enough to move fast as a scout, but he had no real experience.

“Bryn, she’s right,” Nevyn snapped. Bryn forced himself to stop growling. “It was a good move and could have worked well. If we had tried to handle the entire group, maneuvering would have been difficult, and we could have been overrun. How did you fare?”

“We lost Justys,” Cydrev said softly. “And killed two of them before meeting up with you.”

Bryn’s mind was working the math again as they walked through the forest. He felt safer with everyone together again, hoping they had been able to outrun the Elvasi further back.

“They arrived with a twelve-man unit. We killed one leavin’ the cave. Thank ya, Varon. Yer group killed three. We killed two. That leaves six. We have five. Can we manage that?”

“Maybe,” Nevyn said, frowning. “Just maybe, but I think we’re better off just retreating back home.”

“If they can track us, we need to get into the air,” Bryn pointed out. “We can’t be leaving trails.”

“I know. Can we all fly?” Nevyn turned and walked backward as he talked.

Everyone nodded. Bryn took a deep breath.

Another hunting horn blew in the distance. They were making ground, but that horn worried him. A couple of screeches could be heard.

“Do you think…” Tyvria spoke in a hushed, scared voice.

“They must have gotten stopped at the stream and picked up our trail again,” Bryn growled. “Let’s move.” He started running. He knew how to lose trackers. It was one of his best skills, honed over centuries of doing the sneaky, risky work for the Company. Everyone followed him.

“We’re not going to outrun those gryphons,” Nevyn said from the back. “Not on the ground.”

“Do you want to risk the air now or later?” Bryn asked, growling back at him.

“Now,” Nevyn said, jumping up.

Bryn followed, and soon, they were all above the trees again. Bryn caught sight of a cliffside they could use.

“There! It might be a good place to—”

The hunting horn sounded again. Bryn turned to see that three of the riders were in the distance behind them, hovering over the trees.

“MOVE!” Nevyn roared.

Everyone made for the trees except Bryn, who continued to watch as the Elvasi rose out of the forest on their mounts. He counted quickly, hoping his estimate from earlier was correct.

“BRYN!” someone screamed. The voice didn’t truly register. He knew what it wanted from him, so he turned and began to fly, picking up to his top speed quickly. The only Andinna in their group who had been faster than him had been the two females. Now only Tyvria was faster, which he was grateful for. He didn’t want to lose both of the females they had brought on the mission.

They entered the trees but didn’t land. They flew haphazardly through the treetops, dodging branches by spinning and bringing their wings in. It wasn’t as fast, but it was cover. They couldn’t stop now. They couldn’t let the gryphons catch up. They could easily be picked off.

Bryn went up to check their pursuers after what felt like an eternity.

“They’re gone,” he called loudly. He didn’t see them and hoped they had decided to try the ground, thinking the Andinna had landed.

“Keep flying until dawn,” Nevyn ordered. “Rise out of the trees.”

The rest of the Andinna came over the tops of the trees, but they didn’t slow down. Bryn actually sped up, taking the lead with Tyvria. Looking back, he saw Nevyn and Varon retreat to the back of their formation, which left Cydrev in the middle.

Dawn rose over them, and Bryn cursed as Tyvria faltered shortly after.

“We need to land,” he called back.

“Make it to that cliffside!” Nevyn called, pushing up through the formation next to him. “We’ll treat injuries and find some forage to ease our stomachs. We have a long trip home and no supplies.”

“Of course,” he muttered. The cliffside wasn’t far, and they landed as a unit. Bryn looked to the south, watching the horizon carefully but saw no one.

“Why do you think they stopped pursuing?” Cydrev asked softly, looking in the same direction.

“They didn’t,” Bryn answered softly. “They probably didn’t realize we were flyin’ in the treetops and landed to catch our trails again, thinking we would walk to help the injured.” At that, Bryn turned to Nevyn and Varon. “How’s the arm?”

“It will heal,” Nevyn said darkly. “But…I think they sliced tendons. Those are trickier to correct than muscle.”

Bryn cursed. If the tendons didn’t heal correctly, it would put Varon’s arm out of commission for months, not just a couple of weeks. Healers would need time to recut the injury and rehabilitate the limb. It would also leave Varon with only half the ability to communicate.

“Let me see if I can help,” Bryn said gently, walking to them. Varon turned, so the injury was in the sunlight. Nevyn had fingers on it, growling.

“We need a healer,” the warrior snarled.

“We couldn’t risk bringin’ one,” Bryn reminded him gently. “I’m sorry. This was my fault.”

“No. I agreed you couldn’t come on this alone, and you know Mave would never have allowed it. We lost some, and Varon is in for a hell of a summer because I can’t fix this, but we’re making it out, and we gained information.”

“We failed,” Bryn snapped.

“No. We know their gryphons can track our scents. How else would they have found our cliffside? Everyone here is trained to minimize their tracks. We should have left nothing for the Elvasi to find. Those gryphons were used to track us as we ran. That’s really fucking important to know, and if the Elvasi gryphon units flood these mountains, it won’t be safe for any Andinna. That’s important. We suffered casualties, Bryn. That’s something we have to live with. This is a war. Sometimes, our best plans go wrong. We make do with what we have.”

It almost sounded cold, but Bryn knew Nevyn was right. He was used to solo missions where everything relied on his ability. This was a new experience. This wasn’t a small unit doing daring missions doomed to fail. This was a war against those whose only goal was the death and defeat of the Andinna.

It was different.

This was why Nevyn was considered a general, and Bryn was only in charge of training potential scouts.

“Okay,” Bryn mumbled. “Well, we need to find a place to rest, but we don’t have long. I wouldn’t travel during the day.”

“Agreed,” Nevyn said, his eyes only for his husband. “We’re going to fix this when we get home, love.”

Varon only smiled and nodded, seemingly not worried. Varon was a master at being calm, but Bryn knew he was probably furious signing his unique language would be harder.

Together, the rag-tag group walked off the cliffside and into another of the Dragon Spine’s thick forests. They were in for a long trip home.

And this is only goin’ to be the beginnin’.

22

Mave

Mave clashed with Zayden, laughing as he blocked her vicious, full power swing with ease.

“Good job!” she said, jumping back as he shoved to keep her off balance. He was smiling, pride shining in his eyes. She tried not to feel foolish as something fluttered uncomfortably in her stomach. She was spending so much time with him, and those smiles were becoming more common. They made him seem so much younger like he wasn’t being crushed by the weight and responsibility she had seen on him for most of their friendship. He seemed the age he was supposed to be, his sapphire eyes bright with happiness.

“Yeah, I think I’m getting a lot better,” he said, chuckling. He swung the morok in his sword hand before angling it to check the edge. “Going to need to sharpen this later. All of this training has beaten it up.”

“Not a bad idea,” she agreed. “Are you ready for hovering?”

“Definitely.” His smile turned into a goofy grin.

I know why Summer fell for him. When he loosens up, it’s a beautiful thing. He can be fun and exciting. He’s also nice to look at.

She took his sword from him and put them both off to the side. The healer was adamant that he could only hover for the first few weeks. Since she had dedicated herself to the task of seeing him get stronger and back in the air, she held the line, and he never fought her.

She went behind him and looked over his wings. They hadn’t lost much muscle mass while he’d been grounded, but then, weakness wasn’t why he couldn’t fly. Before he could say anything, she used to her tail to grab his and held it so she could look over the stump.

“How does it feel?” she asked, seeing the nasty scar where the Blackblood healers had closed the tail off to keep Zayden from bleeding out. Normally, she didn’t ask, but this morning, he seemed to be in the perfect mood for her to be a little nosy.

“Sometimes, it hurts like the moment I lost it,” he answered, sighing and trying to turn to see her. His sapphire eyes had lost some of their light, and her heart ached at the sadness in them. “It makes me feel like a cripple, but then I remember I can fight just as well, if not better than I could before, thanks to you. And I’ll fly again. One day, I’ll look down at it and think, ‘I lost it fighting for the rebellion that saved our people,’ and maybe I’ll be proud of it.”

“What are you planning for after the rebellion?” Since he had brought up the future, she decided to broach the topic as well. Her attraction to him made her curious about what he wanted in the years to come. “Remain in the Ivory Shadows and continue being a member of the royal guard? Try for an official military position?”

“Retire,” he said, chuckling. “Young for it, I know, but like most of the Company, this isn’t our first war but our second. I know if we win this, Alchan will pay pensions to all of us, and he’ll never ask us to fight again. He’s a good king and commander.”

“He is,” Mave agreed softly. “No trade, though? You’ll just put the sword down and go live…somewhere?”

Zayden chuckled. “What does it matter to you? You’re with Matesh, and I’ll visit. Rain’s going to be a new noble and…” He eyed her, and she was curious about whatever was going through his mind. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll meet someone and settle down. That would be nice.”

“Really?” she asked quietly, letting go of his tail. She moved up beside him, keeping her eyes away from him, purposefully not looking in his direction because she didn’t know what her expression was. Him saying that had made her heart jump uncomfortably, and she recognized all the signs. After three males, she knew what she was like when she felt like someone belonged to her. It felt like this happy version of Zayden belonged to her because she was the one who brought him out again. The idea of him being with another female…

“Yeah…” He sighed. “Rain and I talked about it during Al Moro Nat. Well, not the definite possibility, but Summer died a long time ago, and it’s time for me to…let her go the way she always wanted me to. Up until my fucking tail got cut off, I was feeling a lot better about my future, then…”

“Your tail got cut off,” she said, nodding. “Which rattled your self-confidence and made you upset, but Rain and I got you out of it. Your hard work got you out of it. Now let’s get into the air.” She jumped up, beating her wings a handful of times to get well above, then hovered, slowly working her wings to stay in the air.

He shook his head, the smile coming back. She watched with pride as he rose up beside her. Looking around, she felt the need to cause trouble. She wanted to keep him smiling and knew exactly how to make that happen, but it was totally against the rules of his healing.

She spun and whacked him with her tail and laughed as he grunted.

“What was that for?” he asked, clumsily trying to move out of her range again.

“Tag. You’re it,” she taunted, spreading her arms in a dare.

He laughed as she dropped and flew under him to get away, not moving very fast or taking him high enough for a bad crash. She dodged him around the clearing in front of her home, making him work. It wasn’t so much it would strain him. A crash would be devastating, but it was more fun than only hovering.

“Get back here, you pigeon,” he said loudly. She laughed as he bounced harmlessly into a tree. He flew slow and safe like a young child learning their wings.

“That’s going to bruise!” she called back at him, laughing as he tried to come after her.

“I have to be careful,” he reminded, groaning. “Mave!”

She turned back on him, grinning, but he was moving faster than she anticipated. Laughing, she couldn’t move in time to stop him from hitting her. She screeched as they dropped the ten feet between their positions and the ground.

She was on top of him and still laughing as she tried to get up, but their wings and limbs were tangled. He was laughing underneath her, one of his arms wrapped around her waist.

“Oh, that was fun!” she exclaimed. “Let me help you up.” She looked down at the glittering sapphire eyes, her laughter fading as she drank them in. His laughter faded next, and he flushed in the typical Zayden way. He could never hide his emotions, that much she knew well. He was embarrassed, but it wasn’t just that. There was something else in his eyes, something she could relate to.

Zayden? Do you…

She didn’t ask, just looking down at him.

The arm disappeared. She took her chance to get off him before the situation grew any more uncomfortable. She offered a hand, and he thankfully took it, letting her help him to his feet.

“Maybe that’s enough for flying today,” she said softly. “You did good. I bet we could convince your healers to let you start flying short distances around the valley as long as you stay low so possible crashes won’t be bad.”

“Yeah, I think so,” he agreed, looking away from her.

“Zayden…” She didn’t know what to say. She felt like she couldn’t say anything, but she wanted to. She tried to step around to see his face, wanting to address what just happened. Mave wasn’t the female she had been two years before when Mat had met her, and she could understand what she was feeling. She knew what this was, and she wanted him to know. She wanted to start the conversation at the very least.

“It’s fine. The crash didn’t hurt. I’ll have a couple of bruises,” he said quickly. “See you at lunch. I’m going to bathe.”

“Zayden—”

“Have a nice morning,” he said, walking away.

She stood in the clearing and watched him disappear. A little stung, she walked back to her home and went to the porch at the front door and stared at the clearing.

The sting didn’t hurt like Luykas’ refusal of her had. It was just a little thing like being stabbed with a small needle. Her heart didn’t tighten, and her eyes weren’t burning with the need to cry, but something stung.

The morning had been going so well. I shouldn’t have…what was I even doing? It wasn’t safe for him. It proved he could do more, but it wasn’t smart.

She rubbed her hands together, annoyed. She needed to go to training with the females soon, but she didn’t move, her eyes still on her clearing. She heard a door and looked for the source, seeing Trevan and Emerian leaving their home. Both were smiling, laughing at something one of them or Dave had said. Luykas landed in the clearing in front of their house and turned to her, frowning.

She shrugged. They still weren’t really good, she and her third husband, the male she knew of at all times, thanks to the blood bond. The love was there, no doubt, but he hadn’t yet come home. He was taking a lot of time for himself. His absence and Zayden’s behavior compounded, multiplied by Bryn’s absence and Mat’s busy schedule. Feeling too much for a moment, she pushed those feelings through the bond to him. His eyes went wide, and he walked over, leaving the two confused younger males standing where they were.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, the concern in his voice very real. He stopped below her feet, looking up, his gold eyes radiating the same concern that was in his voice and blood.

“Just feeling a bit stung.” She looked at his face, sighing. She couldn’t figure out what just happened with Zayden, but she could fix this right now. That could ease some of the sting. “When are you coming home?”

“Do you want me to?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” she said softly. “As long as you understand…”

“I know exactly what I did, and I’m a fucking prick. Can we talk about it after training?”

“Yeah.” Nodding quickly, she tried for a smile. “This morning was going well, then suddenly it wasn’t.”

“We all have those mornings,” he whispered. “If you’ll have me, I’ll come home. I didn’t want to end my self-imposed exile until I knew you would have me.”

“Bryn’s gone, and you’re never home, and Mat’s busy, and I’m busy…”

“But those have been going on for two weeks,” he said so quietly, she almost didn’t hear him. His eyes became curious and not in a good way. She knew a male who thought his female had been unduly hurt. He would kill someone for her if she wanted him to. Whoever made her sad, even if it was her own males. “What happened? Where’s Zayden? You two are normally still training at this time.”

“I’ll explain later,” she promised. “So, you’ll come home when you’re done with them?” She nodded to Trevan and Emerian, who were both watching and quickly looked away, trying to seem as if they hadn’t been curious. They were funny. It was obvious they were the closest of friends, but she didn’t know what to do with them, and her natural inclination was to avoid them because of that, especially Trevan. If it had just been Emerian, she knew what she would do.

He’s pretty, him and his damned plain face. Someone needs to fix that. It’s starting to annoy me. His blood-red wings, horns, and tail need that final piece. Why had no one offered it to him yet?

She wondered if the mutt was avoiding it.

“Mave?” Luykas said softly. “I think you’re scaring them.”

“I want to ask you about them when you come home,” she said finally, looking back down at him. “I think I’m going to take the day.”

He lowered his head respectfully, then walked away, gesturing for his two students to follow him. Mave went inside once they were out of sight. She busied herself with her home, something she rarely did. Going into her bedroom, she looked through all of her things, organizing them in new ways and putting Bryn’s chest next to hers, missing him.

Why do we keep sending him on these damn missions? At least Nevyn and Varon are with him, and he has a unit this time around.

It was the only reason Mave agreed to the entire ordeal.

She didn’t know how long she’d fiddled with her room when Luykas walked in, smelling of sweat and dirt. Maybe to other races, that smell would be unattractive, but she didn’t have to turn around and see him to get excited and nervous about his presence. Just that smell, one of a male who knew how to work hard, prepared her, like sparking kindling.

“What are you doing?” he asked, unsure.

“Missing Bryn. Missing you. The bed has been empty with just Mat and me,” she answered. “Then there’s Zayden…”

“What happened?” he growled softly.

She turned to stare at him, soaking in the planes of his tan face, accentuated by the bright ivory white tatua, just as vibrant as fresh snow on a bright afternoon. His gold eyes were hard, strong, and impenetrable.

“I think I flirted with him, and it upset him,” she answered, sitting down on a chest at the side of the room. “He has a wonderful smile, you know.”

Something softened in her prodigal husband immediately. He visibly relaxed, and his lips toyed with a smile.

“Does he?” Luykas asked gently, moving to sit beside her. She reached out and took his hand.

“But we’ll talk about that after something else.”

“Ah…” he sighed and left the chest. In one smooth movement, he went to his knees before her and lowered his head onto her knees. She felt like she was on a throne for a moment. It was uncomfortable, holding such a position of power over him. It didn’t suit her, and she hoped it never did. There was dominance, and there was submission, but this felt more like the life she had led in Elliar and not like her life with her own kind. Without thinking, she moved her legs and forced him to look up at her.

“Don’t lower your head like that, please. We just need to talk.”

“I shoved my tail into my mouth, and I knew it the moment I said it. Did I think I was right? Yes. I have been using my connection to Nyria to gain information since, but Alchan has been with me, along with Rain, so I can do it safely. But believing I was right doesn’t excuse how I treated you in that meeting. I was stupid and not thinking, frustrated with everything. Then I wasn’t sure if you would want me to come back. No female deserves to be treated like that because her male is frustrated with the rules she put down. I don’t belong in your mayara if I’m going to do that to you.”

“You’ll always belong,” she promised softly. “But next time, come home and grovel faster.”

“I will,” he whispered, leaning back down. “I’ve missed you, but…”

“We need to get better at this,” she said, nearly chuckling. “I love you. Come home. If you do it again, you can have one week to put your head back together and let me get over the anger, but you’ll come home. Is that clear? There’s too much going on for me to be without you for so long.”

“Of course, love.” He kissed her thigh. Mave bit her lip to keep from making any noise as he continued to leave a trail of kisses up her leg to her lower abdomen, sinking his face against her stomach. Even with clothing on, they could both feel the hum of base sexual attraction and their own bruised hearts—bruised by him and by their own natures.

We’ll always be a challenge, but that’s why I love him.

He looked up, and she saw the love in his eyes. They weren’t perfect pieces of a whole, but they were two pieces who wanted to be together in spite of it.

“Now, about Zayden,” he said, moving to sit beside her again.

“Zayden,” she said like a dropped stone in water. Plunk. Zayden.

“Nice smile?” he pressed. She could hear the raised eyebrows in his voice, able to envision the look without turning to see his face.

“Wonderful smile,” she whispered, looking down at her hands. “Today, I flirted with him. He’s so…wonderful with me during training. Once I took it out of the public and made sure we could work together in private, he’s come alive. He’s a different male. I really…I really like the male he is with me. He laughs and smiles, and he’s confident. It’s like he’s five hundred years younger and boyish. I…” She took a deep breath. “I’m really attracted to it. And that’s not all of it.” She waved her hand toward the door of her room. “He takes care of our home. He’s helpful and kind, but also funny and grouchy with you males, and it’s so fun to watch.”

“You know what to do if you want him in the mayara, love,” Luykas reminded her. “We think he likes you. Mat would know more, but Zayden has always been really good at these things. When he was with Summer and Rain was young, he was a male the Company was proud to call one of our own. He was a little more like Kian, but without the permanent goofy behavior. Relaxed. He smiled more often.” Luykas sighed. “Then Summer passed away.”

“I don’t know if I want to invite him yet,” she said evenly. “But I wanted to talk to him, and today, we flirted, and we had a small crash…and I think he’s attracted to me, too, but he walked away, not letting me talk to him about it. It stung a little, then I got thinking about you when I saw you, then I got thinking about everything else. It’s been a little lonely, Luykas.”

“I’m home. I promise,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss her cheek slowly. It was a sensual thing, a promise of more if she wanted it to be. “You can always keep feeling out things with Zayden without me, Mat, or anyone else getting involved if that’s what you want.”

“Yeah, that’s what I want.” That seemed like a good thing to do because he was different from her other males. Mat had come easily, natural. Bryn came next, in the same way. Luykas was a challenge, but there had been secrets between them and dark ones at that. Neither of them had been ready, but she had been glad to be blood bonded with him.

Zayden wasn’t them. He was a male who had already grieved the loss of a wife, and she instinctively knew to be careful of that, just as she would want someone to be careful with her if she had lost one of her husbands. It was the only explanation she could come up with for her hesitancy.

“Okay,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her softly. Their mouths met like ice and fire, an explosion of different sensations as they kissed. Feeling poured between them, but one stood out—it was like coming home.

“I needed that,” he said once they separated. “Think I can convince you to stay in bed with me all day if we’re going to take the afternoon off?”

“You can convince me,” she agreed, running a hand up his thigh to feel him pressing against his breeches, hoping to break free. There was so much more for them to talk about, but she wanted him home, and he’d obviously punished himself enough by staying away for so long, inadvertently punishing her as well. Now, it was time to bring him home and remind him why he belonged to her.

She undid the laces of his breeches and heard the aching groan, felt it against her lips. Before she could do more, he pulled her hand away and started unwrapping her top. It fell away first.

“Let me show you how much I missed you,” he murmured against her collarbone as he kissed her newly exposed flesh. “Let me show you how sorry I am for being—”

“Luykas…”

He captured her lips, and she fell into the kiss, letting him worship her with his mouth and hands. He lifted her from the chest and laid her gently in the middle of their bed, the array of pillows and skins that took over the floor of the entire room. There was so much space, but the look in his eyes made her feel like she was the only important thing in it. She had a feeling she could stand in a crowd, and he would make her feel that way.

He kissed down her body and pulled down her breeches, his mouth claiming her core, his tongue entering her. She gasped and ran her hands through his hair before grabbing tightly to keep him there. He growled between her legs, but it wasn’t aggressive. It was the purely male sound of being satisfied. She threw a leg over one of his shoulders, and he buried himself further, lifting her ass to angle her better with his hands.

Mave threw her head back, her world all about what her challenging, dominant husband was doing between her legs. Mat enjoyed this too, and she always welcomed the act, always pleased when they were willing to go to their proverbial knees just to please her.

A finger slid in, and she moaned, closing her eyes to let the physical wash over her. Through the bond, she felt his worship, his apology, his love, and his pure pleasure at serving her like this. He loved her reactions and her pleasure.

He brought her to climax faster than anyone else could, thanks to their bond. Their knowledge of each other’s bodies couldn’t be matched. He didn’t need to ask or experiment. At the moment, she knew what he wanted, and he knew what she wanted.

As her climax ended, he kissed up her belly and chest. She kissed him, not paying attention to the taste. It was him, and he was back in her bed after their long absence from each other. He pushed his cock into her slowly and thrust with a steady, slow pace, trying to bring her back to the peak.

“Luykas,” she moaned and dragged her nails over his biceps.

“I love you,” he murmured.

She felt all of it. He loved her for accepting what he was, for tolerating his mistakes, for accepting him back when he felt confident enough to apologize to her in person. He loved that she didn’t make him feel ashamed for needing the space.

He just loved her.

She loved him just as much for just being him.

It was leisurely, being with each other again. She rolled him on his back and rode him, staking her claim and reminding him where he belonged. He touched her body as if it was a precious work of art, admiring her every curve and line. He sat up and traced his tongue over her scars and tatua.

When she climaxed the second time, he went with her, their chorus like music to her. They fell into the bedding again, smiling at each other. He had tears in his eyes, though.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was so worried you wouldn’t want me back,” he said, swallowing. “So fucking scared if I came to you, you would turn me away.”

“If you had come too early, I might have yelled at you, but I would never send you away,” she pledged. “You are who you are, not like other males. I see it every day in everything you do. You are a contradiction, Luykas Andini, but you are mine. You’ll always be mine.”

He pulled her close, and she held him, knowing her job as the leader of the family was to comfort the males when they needed to feel vulnerable. Andinna were required to be strong outside the doors of their home. They were warriors, and they battled fiercely against each other and the enemy. But in their home, females found sanctuary surrounded by males who would do anything for them. Males found a place to relax, secure in their place in a female’s life. Home was never a battlefield. It couldn’t be.

Luykas didn’t cry, but he held her with a tightness that worried her. He’d been truly shaken and had said nothing about it, told no one, not Mat or even Bryn before their rogue left.

“Luykas?”

“When you stormed off that night, I was certain you were going to send Mat or Bryn to tell me to never come home,” he whispered. “I don’t like what I am when it makes it hard for me to be here with you or do what I am supposed to.”

“I would never send someone to tell you that. And now you’re home. Let’s find something to eat and get back to normal. How does that sound?” As much as lying in bed all day and night appealed to her, food was a necessity.

He pulled away first and picked out new, clean clothing for her, laying a bundle beside her for when she wanted to get up. Then he dressed, kissed her, and left the room.

Right after he was gone, Mat walked in with an eyebrow up.

“Is he okay?” her first husband asked. “Are you?”

“We will be,” she promised, smiling. “He’s home, so that’s good.” She extended a hand, a silent plea for his help getting to her feet.

Mat smiled in return and helped her to her feet. They shared a soft kiss, and he helped her dress.

“What are you doing home?”

“Late lunch,” he answered. “Also heard Luykas had come this way. I’ve been out there for…well, I think most of the bedroom activities. I didn’t want to interrupt. He needed the alone time with you. I have a feeling he needs it more than Bryn and I do. That might be something we need to work on.”

“Agreed.” She hadn’t yet considered that, but maybe it would help them achieve balance in her strange family.

She sat down at the table and watched as Mat went into the kitchen to help Luykas cook something. As they were finishing, Zayden walked in, and she felt her cheeks heat at the sight of him. He didn’t seem perturbed by her but went into the kitchen and grumbled at her husbands about making something ‘mediocre’ for their female.

Aside from Bryn’s absence, it felt like home.

23

Rainev

Rain looked over the notes he had made over the last several weeks. There were hundreds. Today marked the end of the biggest project he had ever taken on. Alchan had fought against it, but Rain had wanted it. He hadn’t wanted it to fall into Mave’s or Luykas’ hands or anyone else’s.

“It’s finally done,” he said out loud with a sigh. He didn’t spend nearly any time in his own room unless he was working on this. He lifted the papers, feeling good about himself, glad he could suffer through the last several weeks. Walking into the main room of his shared home with Alchan, he found both his king and Luykas sitting there, talking over a hand-drawn map of the mountains.

“What do we know?” he dared to ask, walking closer to see the map better.

“Bryn is watching the forces closer to us, so we’re trying to figure out what to do about the other half of Lothen’s army,” Alchan answered, looking up. “What’s all that?”

Luykas turned as well. It was good to see the other mutt looking better. He’d reconnected with Mave only a few days before and seemed lighter. It had been a pain to see the king’s brother moping around when it was an easy thing to solve just by going to his wife and begging forgiveness.

“I’ve finished the investigation,” Rain announced proudly. “As much as it pains me to say, it looks like none of the gladiators are going to file any formal charges against each other, nor are they going to talk about what others might have possibly done that might let us stomp out problem behaviors before they occur.”

“What else?” Alchan leaned back in his chair, and Rain’s mouth went dry. Alchan had that effect on him when he looked like this—tousled, relaxed, bare-chested, and beautiful.

“They are working well with their unit captains, and they’re picking up the necessary skills faster than others, for the most part. Like every group, there’s those who shine, and those who don’t—just the nature of the beast. They tend to shine more than not. They’re rusty with traditional fighting methods, but nothing too serious.”

“Some of them tried to cause problems for Emerian and Trevan,” Luykas reminded them. “Are you sure—”

“If you and Mave hadn’t stepped in and stopped the potential fight, yes, we could do something about it, but tensions are high, and we all know those two are a vulnerable little unit in the valley. Trevan’s Elvasi, and that’s kindling. We just can’t let it spark,” Rain countered before Luykas could turn the small incident into a major problem. “I have no problem with Mave or you keeping them close, but there’s an inherent risk we have to account for. It could have been anyone. Some of the males who were part of the incident weren’t gladiators. They were ours from Olost and other freed slaves. There hasn’t been an incident since. Trevan is ignored when he escorts Dave. Emerian stays out of sight. For now, that’s the best we can ask for.”

Rain puffed his chest with pride as Alchan began to chuckle, and Luykas only raised his eyebrows, unable to disguise his shock.

“Well then, now that’s all handled.” Alchan reached out and grabbed Rain’s waist, pulling him closer. “Are you sure there’s no one…”

“I’m positive. I looked every gladiator in the eye and didn’t recognize a single one, and I remember every face from that day. Others had made obscene comments, and a couple of them apologized for it, but there was no one who…” Rain didn’t finish. There was no one Alchan needed to kill. None of those gladiators had survived. “And obscene comments are normal.”

“No, they aren’t,” Alchan murmured, leaning into Rain’s stomach. Rain looked at Luykas, then back at his king and lover.

“You make obscene comments,” Rain pointed out softly. Alchan growled against him, and Rain bit his bottom lip to stop a moan as teeth grazed his hip.

“Can you two wait until I leave?” Luykas asked, sounding a strange combination of amused, annoyed, and ill. “Shit. Just because I know, doesn’t mean I want to see all of this.”

“Sor—”

“Don’t ever apologize,” Alchan snarled, not moving. “Not to him, not to me, not to any of them.”

Rain’s heart began to pound, looking down at the top of Alchan’s head, the long horns angling up, nearly grazing Rain’s chest.

“Okay,” Rain whispered. “But Luykas has the right to come for a meeting and not see this.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Alchan whispered. “Because this isn’t the war room. This is our home, and I’ll be damned if I hide here.”

“I thought we had a deal about the rooms?” Rain regretted saying it as Alchan released him and leaned back in his chair, his amber eyes narrowed but also amused.

“And conveniently, he remembers he’s the one who gets to draw the line,” Alchan muttered, looking toward his brother. “Everyone always thinks the dominant Andinna is in control.”

“You did this,” Luykas grumbled. “Can we get back to this? If there’s no action to take against the gladiators, then they’re warriors like all the others. I’ll let Mave know tonight at dinner about the final judgment from the investigation. She’s been quiet about it, but I think she’ll be glad to hear it.”

“I need to speak to Kenav later about it. He knew we would be investigating any major crimes, so he should be pleased with the results.” Alchan suddenly seemed tired. Rain took his chance and wrapped an arm around his lover’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Rain asked softly.

“He’s my cousin, and I don’t like him, that’s all.” Alchan reached up to pat Rain’s hand. After a moment, he squeezed it. “He’s been making demands for more supplies, and he wants an official position in the rebellion leadership. Typical noble Andinna behavior. A little dominant, the right bloodlines, and suddenly an Andinna thinks they can have the position they crave.”

“What is he asking for?” Luykas asked, frowning. “And why didn’t you tell me he was bothering you for things of that nature?”

“He wants to be an official advisor if not a general with troop positioning power,” Alchan answered with a groan. “But he’s had a thousand years off from the roles, and I’m not sure he’s ready to take them back.”

“He does good work with the unit captains and the gladiators. He’s helped settle more accidental disputes than caused them,” Rain said, feeling guilty. Kenav, while an asshole, had given Rain no reason to hate him since he came off the ship. “I’d let him test the waters. He may be glad to be in something he’s comfortable with and excel.”

“Like you?” Alchan asked, looking up at him again. “Do you think so? You, Mat, and Mave knew him in the pits.”

“Mave knew him better than the rest of us,” Rain reminded his lover.

“Mave, as much as I love my wife, is not the person you want to ask for an unbiased opinion on the gladiators as they are now,” Luykas said with a heavy sigh. “She has a lot of years with them that can never be undone. I’m glad to hear the worst didn’t make it here, but even the ones she ignored or ignored her are not Andinna she will ever trust, even if they deserve it or earn it.”

Rain nodded slowly. He knew that. There was no hope for Mave and the gladiators. Keeping them apart was the best thing they could do. Mave was being good about it, so were the gladiators, and that was exactly what Rain needed…what the rebellion needed.

“How is Mave doing with the females?” he asked, looking between the two males. “She doesn’t talk much during the meetings.”

“She plays music for the newer females every couple of days,” Luykas answered. “Sometimes, I’ll go listen. I don’t think anyone considers her in charge of them. Most look to Allaina or Senri for any real help, but it’s good for them to see Mave regularly. She’s more of an icon than their leader. And, in better news, she gets along with all of them right now since we sent Fyren and some of the others to Leria.”

“It works,” Alchan said, shrugging. “If Mave doesn’t want to be more than what she is, I’m not going to force her into it.”

“That’s probably for the best,” Luykas agreed. “She has enough on her plate.”

“With Bryn gone and her recent problems with you, I agree,” Rain said with a small bite. He smiled when Luykas looked up at him.

“The only male in her household not giving her problems is Matesh,” Luykas fired back. “And we’re going to include your father in that.”

Alchan lost his composure, looking both shocked and amused. Rain felt shock blanket over him as he absorbed what Luykas had said.

“Explain,” Rain demanded. “What do you mean about my father? He’s the perfect house guest from what I’ve heard. He does the job of her three husbands by cooking and cleaning up after all of you.” He was insulted. His father, for all his problems, knew exactly how to behave with a female he respected, unlike Luykas.

“Oh, we’ve noticed,” Luykas snapped back, giving a vicious grin of his own. “Maybe you should talk to your father about how he gets rock hard for my wife.”

“Okay…” Alchan stood up and moved Rain away from the table. “Why don’t we talk about this like rational males?”

“He doesn’t—”

“Bryn picked up on it before he left on his mission. Mat and I have picked up on it as well. Mave has even picked up on it. Though I’m not sure what’s more shocking, my brother and you or Mave and Zayden. I wonder which is going to rattle the Company to its bones?” Luykas huffed. “Yeah, Zayden is the perfect houseguest. He’s also totally in love with Mave and won’t act on it. He smiles for her. He laughs. He’s the same old grouchy prick with the rest of us.” Luykas deflated as if his energy had run out. “I’m not even sure why I’m angry right now.”

“Neither am I,” Alchan growled. “Don’t…”

“Sorry, brother,” Luykas said softly. “I would never move on Rain in any way, aggressive or otherwise.”

“You better not,” Alchan whispered, turning to glare. Rain swallowed a lump in his throat as he realized Alchan had been trying to calm down the near fight, so he didn’t have to choose between his brother and his lover.

Rain took a moment to consider the idea of his father and Mave. Mave was his adopted sister, but when was the last time they truly acted like it? He looked up to her, but he’d outgrown the need for her. She’d given him the strength to keep fighting and protected him when he needed it. As in all things for the long-lived races, the idea of family could be a fickle thing. Sometimes, Mave treated him more like a fellow warrior and not her brother. Sometimes, he treated her like a mother and not a sister, sometimes neither. Evolving, changing as time moved forward, the way of the long-lived races.

“If they’re happy, there’s nothing wrong with my father joining her,” he said quietly. “Maybe it’ll be what he needs.”

“I think it will be exactly what he needs,” Luykas replied, rubbing his face. “I think he’s the glue holding her damn household together right now. Since he’s not on the training rotation as he goes through therapy, he manages all of it while the rest of us are pulled in every direction. She’s going to keep testing the waters and see how it plays out. We’ll see if anything comes of it or if it’s a temporary infatuation.”

Rain barked a laugh. “My father doesn’t do anything temporarily. If he’s into Mave, then he’s into her. Let me talk to him. He’ll always be honest with me.”

And maybe this has something to do with the talk we had in Kerit. Maybe he’s trying to live again, and I need him to do that. I won’t watch my father waste away, and maybe she’s the reason he hasn’t been.

“After we talk to Kenav. It’s the right time of day to catch many of them in the dining hall on that side of the valley,” Alchan said. “Luykas, can we pick this up later?”

“Certainly. I’ll go check in with Matesh and his work. He’s been saying the untrained males are coming along quickly. He gets more every day, though, and I’m starting to worry he’ll be swamped.”

“It hasn’t been easy to keep all the training schedules, but when Nevyn, Varon, and Brynec get back, he’ll be able to take a moment off. Help him out if you can.” Alchan sighed at his brother before turning on Rain. “Let’s go.”

Rain followed him to the door, and they pulled on their boots. They were followed by Luykas outside into the crisp air. It was spring, but there was still a bite to the air and snow patches on the ground in the shadowed areas of the valley. In another week, those would be gone, but Rain had already been warned by Alchan the chilly bite might not leave until mid-summer.

Luykas took off first, heading for the largest clearing in the valley where a majority of their force trained under Matesh. A lot of green warriors were in that flock and green unit commanders, all listening to Matesh try to guide the masses.

“Do you think we’ll train everyone in time for a battle?” Rain asked, watching Luykas disappear into the sky.

“Luckily, major battles are unlikely. Smaller skirmishes will frequently happen as the Elvasi try to punch into the mountains and set up new camps to deploy from. If we can disrupt that, they’ll never get into the mountains, but it’s going to be tricky. We need more information from the scouting team, but they’ve gone dark as they were trained to do. We won’t hear back from them for at least another week.”

“Of course.”

Alchan took off, and Rain followed. They made a quick flight directly over the central village, now a booming hub of activity, and landed on the other side of it, where another two barracks had been quickly built and were already brimming with males. Nearly every home in the cliffsides was full.

“I need Allaina to hurry with the second village,” Rain muttered, shaking his head at the cramped nature of their valley.

“They’re going as quickly as they can. It’s the village we passed over when we escaped Ellantia but decided to stay in the Spine. It’s a bit rougher than this one, and they started working on it while we were in Kerit. It should be ready by the end of spring. Blackbloods have already sacrificed to the land, so they’re also working the fields,” Alchan explained. “You would know all of this if you weren’t so distracted by the project I didn’t want you to take on.”

“Someone had to do it who had met many of the gladiators,” Rain countered. “And I didn’t want it to be Mave or Matesh. I didn’t want you or Luykas doing it either, and Skies forbid if my father had done it. It was best I did it, and nothing happened.”

Alchan snorted and walked through the congregation of males everywhere. Rain stuck to his side as if he was attached to it, knowing this would make him feel more comfortable. Rain didn’t like how crowded it got around the living quarters, thankful he lived on a cliffside where no one else dared to move. Alchan didn’t touch him, but Rain knew his king could tell Rain was uncomfortable.

“I don’t like them living like this,” he said softly.

“I don’t either,” Rain replied, looking around. “Kenav normally hangs out in the dining hall and talks to everyone when they’re off.”

Alchan nodded.

Andinna watched them as they passed, bowing and lowering their heads respectfully. Rain had no doubt in his mind about the loyalty of the gladiators to Alchan. They all seemed to accept their king and were glad to see one Andinna rise above them to rule and lead.

They headed into the community dining hall, another quickly thrown together building. Not that it was shabby, but it wouldn’t last longer than a decade, and something better would have to be built.

Hopefully, we’re not going to be doing this for an entire decade.

Rain stepped ahead of Alchan and raised his chin as Andinna began to notice them.

“Introducing King Alchan Andini,” he called. Alchan nodded once to the room and started walking again. They normally didn’t do the protocol of introducing Alchan to the room, but Rain had felt it was best for this situation. If Alchan had a problem with it, he would mention it later, and they could hash it out.

Alchan made it to Kenav on the far side of the large space first. Rain followed closely, watching the gladiators inside, making sure they were all perfectly respectful. The noise that had encompassed the room when they walked in was muffled now, as whatever conversations were going on were hushed. Everyone in the room wanted to know why the king had come to their small piece of the village.

“Cousin,” Alchan greeted politely. “We have much to discuss.”

“Do we, Your Majesty?” Kenav’s confusion was readable from his voice, and Rain glanced his way to see it plain on his face as well. “Has something happened?”

“No…” Alchan looked back at Rain, who nodded sharply. Rain trusted his judgment on the matter. Turning back to his cousin, Alchan continued. “We’ve finished our investigation. No gladiators need to report to me for any reason pertaining to their behavior or actions in the pits or during their captivity.”

Kenav’s face morphed into something between insulted and pissed.

“You came all this way to tell me something I already knew?” Kenav growled.

“Watch your tongue with your king,” Rain growled back. “Crimes had been committed in the pits, and we had to make sure those who committed the most grievous of them were punished. None of those we were concerned about made it to Anden.”

“What crimes?” Kenav snarled down at Rain.

Alchan stepped carefully between them, taller than his cousin by far. Gladiators whispered around the community hall, but no one else intervened.

“Crimes including rape and attempted rape,” Alchan whispered as he leaned toward his cousin, to say it so softly, only the closest Andinna could hear. “Crimes I’ve had detailed to me by survivors of such horrors, committed on them by their own people. I’m willing to forgive a lot, but I was never going to forgive that. Don’t be a fool, Kenav. Things happened in those pits, despicable things. I want you to spread word if anyone is being covered for, we’re more than willing to continue hearing reports, but as it stands, we’ve decided to close our active investigation. These warriors will continue working with the units they’ve been assigned to, and nothing else will happen as long as everyone keeps to the ways of our people.”

“Of course,” Kenav whispered back, looking down at his feet.

Rain wished he could flick a glance at Alchan because he had an idea. Luckily, Alchan was smart enough to figure out the same idea on his own.

“Because of your patience in this matter and your strong loyalties to these warriors, I want to bring you in as one of my advisors. We need to cut your teeth on fighting a war after being out of the game for so long. If all goes well, maybe this time next year, I’ll have you in charge of your own units,” Alchan said softly. “You’ll keep working with me, but don’t ever give my nemari an attitude. That will get you killed. If not by me, then by my warriors. He’s a member of the Company and therefore, considered family. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for the honor,” Kenav said, bowing lower.

“Now, that’s all I had to say. Rainev is taking the rest of the afternoon off, so you can feel free to come with me, and we’ll discuss more.” Alchan patted his cousin’s shoulder. “Including how I’m supposed to get you and my Champion to work together.”

“We’ve grown good at avoiding each other,” Kenav said with a rueful smile. “I figured it was best for both of us and everyone around us.”

“You would be right, but if you’re coming into my inner circle, you’ll both need to learn. Rain, you’re dismissed. Go check up on your father.”

Rain smirked. Alchan was getting nosy, too. Rain bowed and walked out, ignoring the Andinna around him. He was more confident than he once was. If he had been in a room with males like these just a year ago, he wouldn’t have felt secure. While he was uncomfortable, he wasn’t scared.

He left the overcrowded section of the village and flew across the valley to Mave’s home, landing deftly on her porch, knowing his father would be inside. He knocked twice then entered, knowing he wasn’t required to stay outside and have someone invite him in. The Andinna who lived in this home were as much his family as any of the Company.

“Who…” Zayden walked into view and smiled. “Rain, my boy. How are you?”

Rain smiled and went to his father. They shared a brief hug, then moved into the dining area. An afternoon setup was already prepared with small sandwiches and an entire tea arrangement. It wasn’t fancy, but Rain quickly counted the mugs set out. Enough for Mave, her males, and Zayden. Enough sandwiches for them to all snack on if they stopped home between training sessions. The only thing that was off was a mug set out, probably for Bryn, and he wasn’t around. Not a mistake his father would normally make if he had company over.

“I’m good, baba. Alchan gave me the afternoon off to come see you and relax a little. I just finished a major project for him. How are you?” Rain tried not to sound too curious.

“What project?” his father countered, raising his eyebrows.

“Investigating the gladiators for any who needed to stand before him for judgment,” Rain answered, shrugging. “I knew many of their faces and the culture they lived in. It was no problem.”

“You kept it awfully secret. I hadn’t heard you were put on that.”

“I didn’t want it getting back to Mave. I knew it would worry her,” Rain explained honestly. “I didn’t want her to worry or feel the need to jump in and protect me, so I kept it quiet.”

“Ah. She’ll be mad at you, but I understand the thought process.” His father nodded wisely. “I never worried Summer with things she couldn’t change. There’s no need to dump things into a female’s lap she can’t solve.” His father eyed him as he finally sat down. “So, you’ve come to bother me for the afternoon?”

“You, Mave, the family,” Rain said, smiling. “I’ve heard a little rumor.”

“Skies, I can only imagine.” Zayden grabbed the kettle from the center of the table and poured tea for both of them. “Tell me. I’m cooped up in here.”

“I heard you might be…interested in Mave,” Rain said softly.

His father froze for a moment, then slowly put the kettle down.

“Did she tell you that?” his father asked quietly.

“No. I think her males have picked up on it. Luykas mentioned it.”

Zayden cursed, and Rain scooted back from the table, ready for his father to snap and snarl. Not that his father would really act out, but there was a hot drink on the table. Rain didn’t want to get accidentally splashed with it.

“Was he right, baba?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Zayden whispered, standing. His father began to pace. “It doesn’t matter because she already turned me down once before. It doesn’t matter that she makes me laugh and has a charming, free side to her not many see. It doesn’t matter that she takes care of what I need. None of it matters because she’s already made it clear to me my attraction to her is unwanted. The moment I’m cleared to fly, I’m considering moving out before things get more complicated.”

“Are you even ready for a second wife?” Rain asked gently. “Father—”

“I’ve moved on from your mother as best as I’ll ever be able. We’ve had this talk. Am I ready for just any female? No. I’m over Summer because…” Zayden waved around at the home they were in. “They make me feel like I belong here, but Mave doesn’t want me.”

“How do you know?”

“She’s told me so. A year ago, when you were injured, and we had just given you over to Alchan because you’re his nemari, and he wanted to keep an eye on you. I…I told her I thought her protective nature over you was attractive, and she…” Zayden sighed and rubbed his face. “She laughed, Rain. Mave and I are never going to happen.”

“Baba—”

“Drop it. It’s not your business,” Zayden growled. “And I don’t need more salt to rub in that wound. I’m doing my best to keep out of her hair when we’re not training, and when we are, I just try not to be attracted to her. It’s hard enough—”

The door opened, and his father fell silent, which was for the best. Rain didn’t believe for a minute Mave had meant to completely reject him the way another female Andinna would. Were there lines females had to draw to keep males away? Yes, but Mave wasn’t that type of female. She didn’t draw in strangers who were looking for power because she scared those types of males. His father was a strong, attractive, younger male who was perfect and, from the outside, looked to be working well with her family.

Mave walked into view, a smile brightening her face as she saw them. Rain grinned back. His father ducked into the kitchen, obviously to hide. Rain didn’t miss how Mave’s smile faltered a little at the behavior, then she sighed.

“I just spoke to Luykas,” she said, not elaborating further as she sat down. “You were investigating the gladiators without me?” She didn’t display any of the anger they thought she might.

“I thought it was for the best,” Rain answered. “No need to worry you with it when you had other things going on and still do.”

His father didn’t come back out of the kitchen, but Rain saw Mave’s face turn back into a very small, knowing smile.

She knew. They all knew. Rain wondered what her plan was. Now that he was over the shock, he liked the idea.

Rain nodded in the direction of the kitchen, and she shrugged silently.

She’ll figure him out and wrangle him into her bed. I have no doubt. If she makes him happy, and he makes her happy, it’s no one’s business. I’m glad. This is good. My families are finally coming together, and it’s going to be perfect.

“I have the day off,” he finally said, breaking the silence. “I came over to bother my father, but bothering you would work, too.”

“You’re always welcome to come over and bother me,” she said, the smile coming back fully. She reached out and pushed his hair from his face, then leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Rain felt like a boy at his family’s table again.

Rain leaned onto her, thankful for her and everything she did for him, even when it was just giving him silent approval of his choices. She meant the world to him, and so did his father.

Yes, they’ll be great together.

24

Mave

Mave was laughing as Rain heckled his father while the male tried to cook dinner. Mat walked in with Luykas, both breaking into smiles as they sat down. For all the pressure of the rebellion, being able to enjoy moments like this meant so much to Mave. Even with Bryn gone, she was confident in his skills to get back to her alive. She allowed herself this moment, even while she was missing him. She knew he wouldn’t want her worrying every moment until his return.

So, she laughed.

“Baba, no! Mat’s here. Don’t let him convince you to change the spices. Please!” Rain called out, grinning.

“I never let Mat tell me how to cook,” Zayden called back. “Now, why don’t you sit quietly with them and behave?”

“He’s an adult. If he doesn’t want to behave, we’re not going to make him.” Luykas winked at the table. Zayden stormed out, eyes narrowed on the lot of them. Mave covered her face to hide her grin. This was how dinners normally went when Rain was in attendance, similar to the dinners she had shared with Zayden and Rain her first winter with them. She treasured every moment she could, seeing the father-son duo get onto each other. She loved joining in.

Now, there was an added spice to it. She met the grouchy father’s gaze and watched his chest puff out instinctively, a male subconsciously trying to impress her, even if he wouldn’t talk about it to anyone. Everyone at the table knew about whatever was brewing between her and Zayden. Aside from Rain’s meddling earlier, no one was trying to bring it up or talk about it. She wondered if Bryn was thinking about them, wondering if they would get together, wondering if he would come home to a fourth male in the family.

No…not that fast. Eventually, but not yet. I think he and I need more time.

The attraction simmering in her made her see him differently every moment they interacted. Instead of seeing the surface grouchiness with Rain and her males, she saw a male who wanted everyone around him to be safe, happy, and pulling their weight, and he was willing to fight for those ideals. She saw a homemaker, a male who had helped raise Matesh, raised his own son, and had run a household for a wife. She saw the faults and the positives, saw more than she ever had.

She wanted him to stay in her home, which meant she had to be careful. He seemed skittish. In Kerit, he had been down and talking about leaving. She didn’t know what might set off that thinking again, so she didn’t want him to be bothered. She wanted him comfortable until she could claim him.

She could be patient with this male. If it made him want to stay, she would be the most patient she had ever been.

“Here, eat,” Zayden growled, placing the finished stew on the table. “You are all going to drive me to an early grave. That is if my flying doesn’t.”

“Oh, don’t,” she said, reaching out to lightly slap his bicep. “You’re flying well, and you’ll be back to normal in a couple of weeks. Just stay low in case you have a crash landing. You’re too hard on yourself.”

He eyed her, and she knew she might have said too much, but instead of grumbling, he nodded.

“Thank you.”

She tried not to beam as she realized she had said the right thing. She knew from Senri’s family, sometimes a female needed to put her males in line, not just with discipline but to build their confidence. She couldn’t let Zayden begin spiraling down again, not when he was doing so well. When he was doing well, he was happy, and she liked seeing him happy.

She didn’t have much time to consider it as someone banged on the door. She was on her feet before her males, gesturing for them to stay where they were. She wanted to answer and give the fool a piece of her mind.

She yanked the door open to see Senri, upset and worried. She hadn’t seen the female for a couple of weeks because she had been fertile and her males had been with her, making sure they all did their parts. Mave’s stomach dropped. If anything had happened during that…

“What’s wrong?” Mave demanded. “What happened? Did any of your males—”

“It’s not about me. We’re fine. I just received word from one of my guard posts. Bryn, Nevyn, and Varon will be back when the moon is high overhead. They’re moving slow, but they’ll be back.”

“They aren’t due back for a week,” Mave whispered. Behind her, she heard the footsteps of the males currently in her home.

“I know. And there’s only five of them,” Senri finished. “Varon suffered an injury, but no one coming back is at risk.”

Mave let that sink in, nodding slowly. “But Bryn lost five of his hopefuls…”

“Yes. Confirmed kills,” Senri added.

“Are we meeting?” Mave swallowed.

“Yes. I sent Kian to Alchan, but I wanted to come see you.” Senri opened her arms, and Mave took her chance to step into them. The important information was passed, and now it was time to be comforted. Senri pulled Mave’s head to her shoulder, and Mave closed her eyes as horror ran through her blood. A gentle hand rubbed over her hair. “He’s coming back alive. They’ll have a lot to tell us, but he’s coming back alive, Mave.”

Mave nodded silently.

Again. She agreed to send him out again, this time with help and protection and still…still, she almost lost him.

She knew Senri understood. How many times had Senri watched Kian walk away, knowing he might not come back? Senri understood, and that was why Senri, her mother in the ways that mattered, had brought her the news.

“Thank you,” Mave whispered, pulling away again.

“Always,” Senri promised, touching her cheek. “They’ve given Bryn and the others their horses. That will speed them home to tell us what happened.”

“So, we need to go now,” Mave said, looking back at the congregation of males behind her. Mat and Luykas were both standing strong, ready to step up and help her if anything had happened to Bryn. Zayden, his face grim, held Rain’s shoulder, and Rain touched his father’s hand and squeezed.

“I’ll pack the stew,” Zayden said quickly. “I’ll meet you all in the war room. Rain, you should go to Alchan.” Rain only nodded and started walking. Mave and Senri made the space he needed to leave and take off into the glowing sunset.

“Let me help you,” Mat said to his friend. “Luykas, go with Mave?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll join you two,” Senri said, jumping backward and hovering in the air. Mave and Luykas launched into the air, and Senri made a formation with them, flying as an obvious unit. They landed together, finding Alchan and Kian waiting.

“Rain?” Alchan said quickly.

“Is probably checking your home, then heading here,” Mave answered. “He was with us for dinner and left right before we did.”

Alchan nodded once and walked into the war room. Kian stopped Mave from following Senri and Luykas.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

“I am,” she answered. “Senri knew…”

“Good.” He reached up and palmed the side of her head, pulling her in for a fatherly kiss to her temple. “We figured…”

“You figured right. Thank you. How was the…other thing?” Mave had heard stories of the fertile cycle. She remembered her one experience with it, and she hadn’t been with a male during it, protected from it. Males, especially if they were a female’s mayara, grew demanding and edgy, wanting to ride their female every moment she was capable. A female naturally ran from it since pregnancy was a dangerous endeavor. A female going into her fertile time led to a sexual power exchange that could grow violent if there wasn’t proper communication.

“It ended a couple of nights ago, and we got through it. We’re all walking on eggshells for a few days, but everything is fine.” He awkwardly patted her shoulder. “Thank you for asking, but we’ve done several of these now. Let’s get in. I’m more worried about you.”

She walked in with him, glad she didn’t just have Senri. Kian was obviously also keyed into her life now in ways she didn’t quite understand. He was a busy male, much like Matesh, always off training someone, but in the moments it mattered, he’d made a moment to check on her.

Mave took her position beside Alchan, and Luykas flanked her.

“Here we are, wondering what the hell might have happened,” Alchan said loudly as more people strolled in. Senri and Kian must have sent people out to collect the unit captains because even Yenni strolled in with the other female unit captain. Mave saw them nearly daily, but with the bustling activity of their valley, it was hard to catch a moment to really talk to anyone, and when people had a chance, they all decided to spend time with their closest friends.

“What did your guards tell you exactly, Senri?” Luykas wasted no time in getting into the thick of it. Mave sighed, considering what they were there for and trying to beat off the horror.

This was the second time Bryn had a mission go wrong, and this time, there would be no pleasant surprise. This had gone very wrong, and if he had lost five of the team, the chances he could have died were high.

It made her bloodthirsty, but it wasn’t her time to join the fight—not yet. She respected the males who were in charge of positioning and planning. They hadn’t wanted her out there to begin an assault. They had wanted information, and Bryn could get that for them with the help of Nevyn and Varon.

And look how that’s gone.

“The five remaining parties of the scouting expedition walked into view around midday. They were moving slowly, on the ground, saying they had been flying hard for several days—”

“If they had been flying hard for several days, they would have gotten back even sooner,” Alchan growled.

“If you give me a chance to finish, I’ll explain,” Senri snapped back.

Even Mave winced at her tone, knowing a chastisement when she heard one. Even Alchan was smart enough to look away from the female and wave a hand for her to continue.

“They arrived exhausted. They’ve taken a very long route to get home because there’s a belief they were being tracked, and they couldn’t take any chances. It’s standard protocol for anyone who is caught out and needs to get back to us. They couldn’t lead our enemies straight here, so they made the call to lead whoever might follow on a winding chase around the mountains before heading toward us. They’re coming in from the east, way off their projected path home.

“They were given fresh horses and should be here soon. One of my males flew ahead of them to let me know they were on their way so we could prepare for their arrival.” Senri finished, looking around at the others at the table. “Varon is the only one who has suffered a noticeable injury. My guard noticed it and decided we needed to know to have a healer on standby. I sent Willem to fetch one, so everything is ready.”

“What’s the injury?” Luykas asked.

“One arm was bandaged and put in a makeshift sling. The details of the injury, he didn’t ask. The scouting group didn’t seem to be in much of a good mood, and he knew better than to test them.”

“Survivors? Nevyn, Varon, Bryn, and?” Alchan looked up again, seeming tired.

“Cydrev and Tyvria,” Senri whispered. “The others are confirmed dead. No captures.”

Half of the Andinna in the room cursed. Mave rubbed her face. She recognized the names, looking at Yenni across the room. Both females had come from Yenni’s unit, wanting to be more like Bryn and scout. They had been small and fast enough to manage it, and Mave had tested their skills with the morok before signing off for Yenni to let them go.

“His best two hopefuls are gone then,” Rain said, walking in and talking from the back. He pushed through and made his way to Alchan’s other side. “Sorry, sire.”

“It’s fine,” Alchan said softly. “Unit captains, you’ll all come in for a meeting tomorrow morning, but the room is too crowded, and I’ll need to have some peace to talk to the survivors. Company, stay. Kenav, stay. Senri, stay.”

With a chorus of different affirmatives, the unit captains left. Mave found an empty chair and pulled it up to the table, swinging in place right next to Alchan.

“Sit down,” she growled. He sighed and did as she asked. Before she could get another chair, Luykas had one behind her. Everyone was now fumbling to get into seats. There was no reason to wait outside, though Mave felt antsy. “We need to start making plans.”

“We need to know how this mission failed so spectacularly first,” Luykas retorted, “so we don’t send Bryn back into another potential death trap.”

She growled but knew he was right. She wanted to go out and slaughter her enemies, wanted more battles like the reclaiming of Kerit. She hated this quiet scouting and talking to spies as Alchan and Luykas were doing. She wanted more.

“I’m with Mave,” Kian said with annoyance. “We need to establish ambush zones. We need to hit them.”

“Bryn was supposed to bring us that information,” Alchan growled. “Why don’t all of you be quiet? We have a death procession coming home.”

Mave leaned back in her seat, using her tail to keep her from falling on her back on the ground. Most Andinna seats didn’t have proper backs, thanks to their unique anatomy compared to the other races.

Mave kept her mouth shut, waiting like the rest of the room while Alchan looked over maps and mumbled to himself. When Luykas reached out to grab something, Alchan growled, and her husband pulled his hand away. Rain hovered behind Alchan but did nothing to stop their king, who was apparently in a bad mood. He shook his head when Luykas opened his mouth, and her intelligent husband leaned back in the seat, choosing to remain quiet.

What felt like ages later, someone entered.

“They’ve reached the edge of the valley,” the guard announced, looking around in confusion at the silent group sitting in the war room.

Alchan left first, Mave, Luykas, and Rain following him in their designated and official spots. Mave knew better than to break protocol now. This wasn’t the exciting and surprising return home she once had with Bryn. Alchan was going to want order, and she would give it to him…for a time.

They stopped in the center of the village as she saw them, her male, her friends, and the two poor survivors. They looked like they hadn’t stopped for a bath in a stream their entire trip. Mave didn’t know what was dirt and what was blood. Together, they got off their horses, Nevyn moving to help Varon before even Bryn got off his horse.

“What’s the news?” Alchan asked softly.

“They’ve trained the gryphons to track our scents,” Bryn answered wearily, the exhaustion evident in every line of his face and the posture of his body. “Maybe they always could but weren’t comfortable tryin’ it. They can now, and that’s all that matters.”

Alchan nodded, looking at the Andinna beginning to congregate in silence around them. Mave should have known this would draw in a crowd, but her eyes were mostly for Bryn, who held his horse, unmoving.

“Remember the fallen. Remember those who won’t touch our mortal skies any longer. Remember those who will fly with dragons beyond this world,” Alchan said loud enough for it to echo off the buildings around them, clear and strong. “This is war, and lives will be lost. Remember them.”

The crowds dispersed quickly as if they had been waiting on what Alchan would say or do at the news of their scouting party coming back in such tatters. The small party drew closer as a few Andinna dared to come and take their horses, keeping their heads down and their eyes on the dirt.

“It’s good to see you alive,” Alchan said, reaching to shake each hand of the survivors. “We need the full report now. I’m sorry.”

“Aye, it’s fine,” Bryn said, looking past Alchan. She met his summer-sky gaze and finally stepped forward. Alchan shifted only a little for her to maneuver around him and embrace her husband.

“Thank the Skies,” she whispered, holding him tightly.

“I’ll never die on ya,” he said back, a hushed oath. “Ya can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“I don’t want to.” She pulled away and touched his face, glad to see nothing was damaged. He felt solid, even if he reeked from weeks of dirt and sweat.

“Healer here!” someone called. Mave didn’t turn, knowing the healer was for Varon, who was busy talking to others. Mat and Luykas stepped forward to escort Bryn with her, and they went back to the war room together.

By the middle of the night, everyone was back, ready with their reports except Varon. They were in for a long meeting. Mave kept Bryn close, unable to tear herself away.

“So, they can track us?” Alchan asked, the room still quiet. No one spoke out of turn, not even Mave.

“Aye. We had just arrived and got eyes on their camp and valley. They had gryphons, but we didn’t think much of it.” Bryn sounded so tired, his accent was thicker than normal. “The entire party was trained to cover their tracks, I made sure of it. There was no way they could have found us unless they were trackin’ scents.” Bryn rubbed his face. “At one point, Cydrev and I were in some trees. The Elvasi was asking his mount to find us, trackin’ as a gryphon might in the wild or hunting dogs. When we rose above the trees, they had others waiting to see us fly.”

“How did you get away?” Luykas asked.

“We did some dangerous flying,” Nevyn answered this time. “Just below the treetops, before they could see us dive. They probably figured we went to the ground to try to hide, but luckily, Bryn had already figured out their game. The hunting horn they used didn’t help them with their stealth. It was a clear indication they were on our tails every time they sounded the damn thing. When we dared to fly above the trees, they were gone from sight, probably looking for our scents.” Nevyn looked back at Bryn, sighing. “They started with nearly a dozen, right?”

“Aye, twelve. They found our cavern, killing two of us on guard. Varon killed one as we dove to escape. They killed one while we escaped. We split, hopin’ to find a way to divide and conquer, but I lost one of mine against them. Cydrev and I killed two on the ground after that, and Nevyn lost one in his half, but also got some kills. With how dangerous it was and how close we were to their camp, we decided to run instead of defeatin’ the entire huntin’ group.”

“Then we led them on a possible chase around the mountains, hoping they couldn’t follow us straight back here,” Nevyn finished. “Sir, I recommend releasing Tyvria and Cydrev to their homes to bathe and recover. Bryn and I can handle all your questions.”

“Of course. Both of you are dismissed.”

The quiet, dirty, young scouts bowed to Alchan and left without a word. Mave was glad they wouldn’t have to sit and deal with the rest of this. Their first mission had turned to hell.

“How do we manage this?” Luykas groaned. “If they can use gryphon patrols to scent out our paths and movements, none of our scouts will ever be safe again. None of our ambushes will work because Lothen will be too smart to send anyone out without first clearing the area. We’d have to go in blind and attack every time.”

“Or we ambush the gryphon patrols,” Alchan countered. “But that’s risky.”

“I’ll do it,” Mave said evenly, offering herself up. “Let me go out there. I’ve fought them, both wild and mounted, single handedly and with more practice than anyone in the Company—”

“I’m not sending you out alone,” Alchan growled. “I’m no fool.”

“I’ll bathe and go,” Nevyn snapped. “We need to get our best out there. We need to kill these gryphons.”

“We also need to make sure none of my guards in the mountains are at risk and make sure none of the slaves escaping the Empire accidentally give away our position,” Senri added. “This could go to hell very fast if Lothen has a straight line to us or starts taking out the defensive positions I’ve established.”

“All valid points,” Alchan said, looking down at the maps. He turned to look at Mave again. “You’ll go with Mat, Nevyn, and Kian from the Company. Between the four of you, I want five Andinna apiece, making twenty-four. You’ll divide into parties of no less than twelve at a time. You’ll strike hard and fast. The moment you sustain major casualties, you’ll come back. That means, losing five Andinna, taking your numbers under twenty, or any one Company death. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.” She straightened up. Bryn grabbed her arm tightly.

“Love, are ya sure?” he asked in a sharp whisper. “I just got back—”

“They want a fight? I’m going to give them one. It’s my turn to go out there.”

“If we can’t risk scouting parties, we might as well send out tactical fighting units,” Luykas said with a heavy sigh. “Mave, Nevyn, Kian, and Mat…That’s who we can spare out of the best, and I’m certain there are twenty Andinna ready for a mission like this. Mave, it’s going to be bloody.”

“Good,” she growled. “Nevyn, how long do you need to recover?”

“Give me three days to make sure Varon’s healing is going to bring his arm back and relax these legs and wings of mine. Then we’ll fly.”

“Mave, you’ll answer to Nevyn,” Alchan said sharply, meeting her gaze once more. “Do you understand? He’s the one I trust giving the orders on this mission.”

“Of course.” Mave smiled. “You won’t spare Rain, will you?”

“No,” Alchan growled. “I won’t. Company, I want a mission plan here tomorrow evening with the twenty Andinna chosen. Dismissed.”

Mave nodded once and walked out, knowing her males followed her.

“Mave!” Bryn called after her. She stopped, grabbed him, and hugged him close.

“Don’t try to stop me. This is the second time I’ve let you get sent on a mission. This time, I thought everything was good enough to keep you safe, and it wasn’t. If going out there and killing off some of those fucking riders can get us a moment of reprieve together, I’m going to do it.”

He sighed in her arms, wrapping his own around her.

“At least let meh enjoy the few days we have, then,” he murmured.

“We can do that,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. She pulled away, waving a hand over her nose. “But first, you’re going to bathe.”

“Aye, of course,” he said, chuckling.

25

Emerian

Emerian waited in the clearing with Trevan, watching the warriors who lived next door. The entire family was outside, all talking about some mission they were about to go on. Since Emerian wasn’t privy to meetings as Trevan was, he didn’t know the details. He just knew that two of those warriors were going off to fight, and they were taking a large unit. Something about striking back for the failed scouting mission, news of that had spread quickly and had darkened the mood of everyone in the valley.

“Do you think they’ll come back?” he asked Trevan, hoping the Elvasi had some sort of insight he didn’t. He didn’t know most of the Andinna before them, but he felt a connection to them. Luykas trained him and was a constant source of support, mutt to mutt. And the Champion…she still terrified him, but he could never shake a strange feeling he had whenever he saw her—yearning, fear, need. From the first moment to weeks later, he still wanted to get on his knees when she was in his presence.

Andinna instincts. That’s what Luykas said, because of what I am.

“Everyone seems confident,” Trevan answered softly, his gaze dark and his posture stiff. The Elvasi didn’t ever want to talk about the Champion. Emerian had tried to ask more about her, but the longer they were into this new freedom, the more the Elvasi shut down.

“You still haven’t talked to her, have you?” Emerian knew the answer, but if there was a better time to bring it up, he didn’t know it. His friend was bleeding from wounds he couldn’t see or understand, and Emerian only had two real friends. He needed to take care of them.

Not that I ever thought I would actually consider Trevan and Dave friends. Then again, I never thought I would be in Anden, fighting for Andinna freedom either.

His life was going down an unexpected path, but he wasn’t upset. He kept watching the Andinna who lived next door, half yearning to be one of them one day. He’d seen the brutality of the Andinna for years, but never before had he seen it done so honorably. They were proud, that family—proud of their ways, proud of their power—but good with it. Luykas was teaching him that. The mutt was just as dangerous and vicious as the others, but he was also able to smile and laugh during training. He made mistakes with his marriage and tried to find his balance and place in the world, just like Emerian.

I wish I had known Andinna like them centuries ago. Maybe I wouldn’t have grown up so bitter. There are still bad apples, but if this family is considered the best of us, I’m okay with that.

He watched the white-winged mutt kiss his wife, and she got on her horse while another of her husbands mounted his own. They started down the trail toward the village, and Luykas watched them disappear before saying goodbye to the others left behind.

Emerian stood up a little taller when Luykas looked his way. Trevan didn’t move, didn’t change, the same dark shadow over his expressionless face.

“Yer goin’ to be trainin’ them now?” the smallest of the males asked. Emerian searched his name, knowing he had heard it somewhere before. Bryn. Emerian committed the name to memory, hoping he didn’t forget it again. He didn’t see this one often.

“I started while you were away. They’re good. Maybe you can come see them some time,” Luykas replied, shrugging. “I think we’ll be able to put Emerian in a small unit where I’m sure he’ll be safe by the end of summer. Trevan’s a bit hard, but he might make a good trainer for Andinna who have never fought against Elvasi styles.”

“Ah.” Bryn turned and started walking away, apparently unhappy with Luykas’ answer. “Come on, Zayden. Let’s figure out how much you fucked up the house.”

“You know damn well I didn’t fuck anything up in this fucking house,” Zayden snarled, snapping in Bryn’s direction.

“So, that’s what they have planned for me,” Trevan mumbled, looking away finally as Luykas walked toward them.

“Thank you for waiting this morning,” Luykas said with a smile. “The last few days have been rough.”

“Feels like every day is rougher than the last for you,” Emerian said, smiling back. He genuinely liked Luykas, who was able to curb his dominance to seem less intimidating. When Emerian asked about it, Luykas gave him a strange look and reminded him they were both half-Elvasi, and that blood would never make them as strict to the dominance structure as pure Andinna.

“It is,” Luykas agreed. “We don’t know the Empire’s plans, and I don’t trust Lothen sitting south of us on the other side of the mountains. If he’s able to punch through the terrain, we’ll be overrun.”

“He’s considered a great military commander, but his men hate him,” Trevan said quietly, beginning to walk toward their training field. “You might be able to use that because they trust his judgment, but not many are very loyal to him. He’s considered rash and headstrong when he’s in a bad mood, and sometimes, he can be very childish.”

“Oh, I know,” Luykas said with a sharp smile. “But it’s good to see the Elvasi know what’s wrong with the prince.”

Trevan snorted.

Emerian looked between them, but when Luykas shrugged and started walking, Emerian kept his mouth shut and followed, knowing better than to put himself between them. They were both better at fighting than he ever would be. For only an Elvasi guard, Trevan was good, very good. He figured the Elvasi would have no trouble giving Luykas a run for his money if they ever got into a fight.

I hope they don’t. I like Luykas, but he wasn’t the one who forced me to drag my ass out of the darkness and run to freedom on some fucking wild gamble and an insane belief about loyalty and honor.

“Today, I want Trevan to continue training with the morok. The more you know and feel comfortable with our fighting style, the more you can teach our newer Andinna about how to fight against what you were taught.” Luykas wasted no time getting into their training. “Emerian, I like you with the morok, but today, I want to try something different.”

Fuck. What am I in for today?

“He’s terrible with Elvasi weapons,” Trevan said blandly, grabbing his practice sword. “Just a heads up.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Luykas said with a chuckle. “That’s not what we’re going to do. Emerian, you were in the fields for most of your life, weren’t you?”

“I was.”

“I thought we would try a weapon not seen very often.” Luykas went to the shack with practice weapons and pulled out something Emerian hadn’t seen in a while, a sickle.

“That’s not a weapon,” Emerian said carefully. “That’s for harvesting wheat.”

“It’s both,” Luykas said patiently. “Humans have a death god, the grim reaper, don’t they? He carried a scythe, also called a sickle. Why?”

“I don’t know why humans do what they do,” Emerian mumbled, looking away, annoyed by this already.

“Because the sickle brings death, represents a time of dying. Farmers have often used this to protect themselves, their families, and their fields from invaders. Long before the Empire took over, humans often revolted against their own rulers for one thing or another and farmers with scythes? They were one of the strongest and most passionate armies one could find. When Andinna saw it happening, we just closed the borders and waited it out. We didn’t want to seem as if we would take advantage of such a crisis in the short-lived races, and we didn’t want to lose our heads.”

“How do you know all of that?” Trevan asked, frowning.

“Standard education for Andinna of the higher ranks,” Luykas answered. “Mativas, royals, nobles were required to be educated on the ways of the races we worked with closely. Alchan knows the same. You can ask him about it if you ever find a moment of peace to talk to him.” Luykas shrugged. “It’s stuff Rain will learn as Alchan’s nemari if he wishes to complete his training and gain nobility.”

He spun the sickle in his hands. “It has a strange balance, but you’ve used this before, haven’t you?”

“I have,” Emerian muttered, ashamed. He was just a farmer in the end, wasn’t he? He wasn’t a soldier like Trevan or a warrior like Luykas. He was a farmer, and he would get a farmer’s ‘weapon.’

Luykas gave him an odd look then attacked Trevan faster than Emerian could blink. It was a flurry of sweeping blows, and everything stopped as fast as it started as Luykas got behind Trevan, the sickle wrapped dangerously around the Elvasi’s throat. If Luykas tugged on it, the soldier was dead.

“It’s a dangerous weapon that can cleave heads from shoulders, and you have the muscle and the experience with its balance I don’t. We can always extend the shaft for more reach. You can keep a sword at your waist, but never discount anything with a sharp edge is a weapon. A smart Andinna knows a hunting knife, a carving knife, and a dagger can all achieve the same thing, regardless of the intended use. They’re all weapons and can all kill the enemy,” Luykas said, his voice even. Trevan was beginning to shake as the sickle didn’t move. “You wouldn’t be the first Andinna to use one to kill the enemy, whether it be a foe on the battlefield or a wild beast looking for an easy meal. I’ve heard of Andinna tending their fields and fending off wyverns trying to kill their nearby livestock, and all they had were their tools. They succeeded because survival doesn’t care what’s in your hand. It just matters if you know how to use it.”

The sickle left Trevan’s throat, and Luykas reached out to keep the Elvasi steady.

“Fuck,” Trevan groaned.

“Sorry. I needed an example—”

“You’re lucky we’re trained to put down peasant revolts,” Trevan said, panting hard. “I would have been fucked if I had never seen one of those used before.”

“Ah,” Luykas said softly. “I should have known her army would know how to handle anything.”

Trevan shrugged, rubbing his neck.

Emerian was still in shock, unable to move as Luykas walked to him and held out the sickle handle. He couldn’t bring himself to grab it, still amazed and terrified of the steel in the other mutt’s hand.

He had just…If I could have done that centuries ago, life would have been different.

“Take it,” Luykas ordered in the steely manner of a military commander. Emerian fumbled but took it. “You’ll train with it. If you don’t like it, well, at least we tried. We will try, though. I think you can manage it well enough, and knowing a variety of weapons and how to adapt is just as good a skill as any.”

“Yes, sir,” Emerian mumbled, looking down at the sickle in his hand. Something was different. He now had a level of respect for the tool in his hand.

“Good, and please, just call me Luykas. We’ve talked about this.” Luykas smirked and went for a practice morok.

They got busy, sparring against each other in rotation. Trevan was skillful enough to use the morok, but it still felt like an Elvasi using a blade he shouldn’t have. Something about the Andinna fighting style was meant for wings and tails, the ability to go into the air, a lot of things Trevan would never have. Emerian didn’t do much better, but the familiarity of the sickle helped him. It was like cutting wheat, slashing and trying to hook his opponents. He even gave Trevan a long cut across the back of the Elvasi’s thigh but took a hard hit for it.

In the distance, drums began. Luykas raised a hand, making them go still while Trevan treated the cut. Emerian was helping bandage it, knowing it was his fault.

“What’s that?” he asked. He had heard the drum before, normally late in the evening, but it was nearly midday.

“The war drums,” Luykas answered. “The assault party is leaving.”

“I thought they left earlier.”

“Mave didn’t want any of us hovering over her, and since she was leaving with Kian, she spent her last moments of preparation with her parents,” he explained, seeming far away.

“I thought her parents were dead. You mean her adopted—”

“Under Andinna law, a formal adoption is recognized by the local head of the community and the priesthood, but no one calls those parents ‘adoptive.’ They’re her parents. Senri is her mother, Kian, Willem, and Gentrin are her fathers. Nothing else about how that came to be matters. Don’t be foolish enough to call any of them adoptive in front of them. They’ll fight you.” Luykas ended with a smile. “Which is good. Senri loves Mave with everything she has. If there was anyone I could pick to love my wife like that, it would be her. And Kian? He’s been pretending to be a fun father since the moment he met her but didn’t want anyone to notice.”

“Why?” Trevan asked, covering up just how curious he was but barely. It was there, an intense need to know more.

“Senri and her males had a warrior child who died during the War. Senri saw something in Mave and wanted her to be close—to be her friend, her mother, her mentor. They relate, those two. Kian always wanted a daughter and saw his chance to pretend like he had one.” Luykas shrugged. “So, she got all of us to say goodbye earlier and went to visit her family before they rode out. It’s fine.”

The drums continued, pounding loud enough Emerian could feel them in his bones. It took a long time for them to fade away again.

Luykas nodded appreciatively at the end.

“That’s the sendoff they deserve. May they bring glory to our cause and fly swiftly on the blessed black wings of Kristanya.”

“Kristanya?” Emerian had heard the name before. “She’s one of our, uh, goddesses, isn’t she?”

“She is. The twin of Lariana, goddess of light and leader of our pantheon. Lariana brought us into existence and gave us order, but Kristanya gives us our purpose. She gave us her wings,” Luykas answered, nodding slowly. “Maybe…maybe you should meet Varon. He’s been injured and won’t be back in fighting shape for weeks, if not more. He’ll probably like a moment to devote himself to a more priestly task. He is one, you see.”

“He’s one of the…males who are together,” Emerian said carefully. He’d had attractions to other males but had never been with one. The idea of committing himself for eternity to some other cock was foreign to him.

“Oh, you really are more bent to the Elvasi side,” Luykas said with a chuckle. “Their marriage is just as valid as mine with Mave. They’re what every marriage should want to be, honestly. They’re perfect together.”

“Of course!” Emerian felt terrible. “I didn’t mean to…I just never…”

“I get it. I had some culture shock when I moved to Anden, too,” Luykas said, laughing. “Lighten up, Emerian. You’re in Anden, and unless you’re holding a weapon, we’re not nearly as serious as the Elvasi. We’re like the trees, the mountains, and the wind. We know how to coexist and remain who and what we are as individuals. We followed the rules that are instinctive to us, but we don’t make unnecessary ones to bend others to something unnatural. It’s why mutts do better in Anden than they do in the Empire.”

“Neither accepted me in the Empire,” Emerian reminded him. “And you train us because you know there are some who will kill us if they get the chance.”

“You stick close to me or anyone from the Company, and you’ll learn what Anden really represents,” Luykas said softly. “You’ll keep learning, and so will those who are too burned by their time in captivity to understand what you bring to the table. One day, there won’t be any animosity, because it’s not natural for us. You have wings, and therefore, you are Andinna, born to claim the skies.”

Emerian nodded. He always appreciated this. Even when he remembered how tenuous his position in the world was, Luykas reminded him how far a mutt could go, even one who’s half-Elvasi. And there was the blue mutt, Rainev. He was small but powerful. He wasn’t even truly long-lived, but he commanded respect from those who looked at him. No mutt could ever achieve that in the Empire—Emerian had tried his entire life.

But these respected Andinna look at me and see something of them in me. That’s something worth holding on to.

“I think we’re done with training today,” Luykas declared, clapping his hands together. “Trevan, I think Dave will be needed at the evening meetings, thanks to Mave’s absence, and he’s good at crunching numbers. If you don’t mind—”

“I’ll escort him,” Trevan said with a snappy bite. “See you later in the war room.” The Elvasi walked off quickly, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Emerian frowned at his friend’s back, but Luykas only sighed sadly, grabbing Emerian before he could follow.

“Leave him. He’s obviously going through something neither of us can help with unless he talks to us. Sometimes, a man needs time to figure out something for himself.”

“But—”

“We’re going to talk to Varon and maybe my brother. I think we need to expand your education about our people. It’ll help you fit in better. We’ll start with my brother, actually.”

“I don’t like your brother. Well, I don’t know him. He’s just…” Emerian didn’t know how to stop shoving his tail in his own mouth.

“I know. When I first met him, I didn’t much like him either. He’s imposing, formidable, dangerous, and fills up a room with his very presence. When Mave is standing next to him, I’m amazed any of us know how to breathe. They’re too much.” Luykas released him and thumped his shoulder in one fluid moment. “Let’s go.”

Emerian launched into the air beside him, and they flew hard for a cliffside. They landed together, and Emerian looked around, seeing only one home in view on this cliff. He tilted his head back and saw another high above. With further inspection, he saw dark holes in the sides of the cliff. Maybe they were homes that hadn’t been refurbished yet.

“Brother!” Luykas called out. He tapped Emerian and nodded his head to the door, and Emerian followed him up the stairs, swallowing a hard, terrified lump in his throat as Luykas threw open the door and walked in without knocking. “Alchan!”

“What?” Alchan snarled back from a back room.

“Present yourself, I have company with me,” Luykas called, now with more patience and some worry in his voice.

Alchan strolled into the room, his hair somewhat a mess.

“There was nothing happening.” Alchan lifted his chin and gave a hard stare at his brother, baring his teeth.

“Yet,” Luykas muttered. “Doesn’t matter. I was hoping you and I could have a talk with Emerian. He’s still having a hard time with some of the instincts of being Andinna and embracing them. And I think it might just be good for him. You helped me adjust, and Rain lives here, another mutt.”

“Ah…” Alchan nodded slowly and waved for them to come in further. “Come have a seat. I know it’s troubling times, but I don’t like hearing how any of my people aren’t feeling their best. Please.”

Emerian noticed the change and saw something soften in the king’s face. Was it because he had done a lot of this for Luykas as the white-winged mutt had mentioned?

“Luykas, for his royal blood, might seem like he had it easy,” Alchan said blandly as he went into the kitchen. Emerian sat down at the table when Luykas pulled out a seat for him. “But in reality, it wasn’t easy and never will be. He was raised by his Elvasi mother with all the Elvasi rules and standards. She also refused to teach him any of the arts of war, including those of her people.”

“Mind you, I wasn’t betrayed by either side of my blood until much later, unlike you. What you went through must have made you want to stomp down your Andinna side for a long time. My wife recently mentioned to me, she wants you to get your tatua, but I’ve been hesitant to ask.”

“For good reason. I’m with Mave. The sooner he has it, the sooner he stops seeming like an outcast among the valley, and the target on his back gets smaller,” Alchan said, bringing in two drinks. “Tatua is our mark of Andinna adulthood, the first of it, anyway. Then, as we go through major life events and feel it’s time, we’ll reach out to a Blackblood for more. I’ve been getting the itch.”

“I don’t…” Emerian looked away. “I don’t want it. I’ve turned people down before. I thought…it makes us look so dangerous and aggressive, and I never wanted to be associated with that.”

“It can seem that way when an angry Andinna is confronting you,” Alchan agreed. He smiled as he sat down. “Our father wore his like armor, and he was a vicious, brutal male who wanted everyone around him to submit in fear. Imagine Luykas, growing up with Elvasi sensibilities, meeting such a man. Our grandmother was the Queen at the time, the very definition of what our people represent and bestowed with great power and fearsome dominance none could match.”

“Yeah, he was awful,” Luykas muttered. “And she was terrifying. See, Emerian, for most mutts, it’s a hard adjustment, and things can happen that turn off a mutt to their Andinna heritage. I was lucky. I met a good male, Mave’s father, before I met my own. He taught me what Andinna are before I was given the bad impression my father was bound to give me. Each taught me something—what to be and what not to be.”

“And those are lessons we carry with us for the rest of our days,” Alchan added. “You were given a bad impression first, and it will carry with you for the rest of your life, but Luykas wants to show you what we can be from a perspective you can relate to. I can show you how an Andinna ruler is dominant and in charge—”

“But kind and patient,” Rain said, walking in. “He’s not a bad king, so don’t let him try to convince you that he is. He’s intelligent, wise, and understands the needs of his people, even though he’s unafraid to put them in the dirt on their asses for challenging him. He holds strong convictions of what is tolerable in Andinna society, and one of those convictions is a mutt is Andinna.”

Emerian looked up at the blue mutt, small in stature compared to other males. He stood proud, though, just as Emerian always saw him.

“Thank you,” he said honestly, looking at the young male considered Alchan’s most trusted hand, his assistant, and probably, his confidant. There was an ease Rain had, standing so near the king that gave away more familiarity and friendship than just their working relationship. “It’s not that I don’t think I can make this work. I just need more time adjusting and learning. There’s so much I don’t really know, and I’m ashamed to say, it’s because I spent most of my life not respecting it.”

“You had a reason not to respect it,” Alchan said sadly and also forgiving. “Like Mave. She didn’t know anything, robbed of her place in our society because of the way other Andinna treated her. She, however, craved it when she got the chance to embrace it. I think that’s why Luykas brought you to me because I’m not scared to ask. Do you crave it? Are you willing to put in the time to fully absorb every little detail and become a member of my people in full, or will you always float between two worlds, unable to find a place? I will be your final judge, Emerian. Until I think you’re ready, there may never be a place for you in this valley. It’s a harsh judgment but a necessary one.”

Emerian thought of the family this morning—Mave and her males, one of her friends, happy, ready to go to war, proud—a unit when they were together or leagues apart. It was more special and believable than any ‘happy’ Elvasi family he had ever seen. In some way, it reminded him of his parents. He hadn’t seen a love like theirs his entire life until he saw that family all together.

The Elvasi were cold and never had to say a word to make him feel like an outcast. Even the one Elvasi who did like him readily admitted the Elvasi hated ones like him.

But these Andinna were working to repair his impression of this other side of his heritage, and he was already learning every day, every asked and answered question with Luykas during training.

“I want more,” he decided. “I want to learn it all.”

“Good, and when we’ve all decided you’re ready, I’ll do your tatua,” Luykas said with a smile. “I knew it was time. I just knew it.”

Emerian smiled back, in full agreement. It was really time for him to commit to this.

He was Andinna in his blood, and he craved the skies. It was time to fully embrace it.

Me and my fucking sickle.

26

Mave

Mave finished unbuckling her horse from its reins and saddle, then hid the items in a makeshift shack her crew had put together.

“Are they going to be safe here while we’re gone?” she asked, frowning as her mare ran off to play with the other horses. No longer a beast of burden, it kicked and pranced, happy to have the space. They had ridden hard for nearly a week and a half, needing the animals to help carry food and other items.

“Well, probably, but I would rather the wilds claim them than the Elvasi,” Nevyn answered pragmatically. “I know it’s harsh, but they have a better chance being allowed to roam free for a little while than being with us. We can shoulder what we need, and we’re only going to be half a day away by flight. We’ll camp here and check in on them. It should be fine.”

Mave nodded slowly, a smile breaking out as her mare bit a gelding on the rump and made it nicker then run away.

“Good girl,” Mave whispered. “You teach them who’s in charge.”

“Well, with horses, a stallion is in charge,” Mat reminded her. She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. There was a sly, arrogant smirk on his face.

“Stallions are for riding,” she retorted, looking down at his body. “And they better know how to be ridden well. My mare is a smart one, and she has no patience for males who can’t perform.”

“We both know that has never been a problem,” Mat crooned. He was right. If there was ever a time when she was in the mood, he was the first to be ready for her. He let her explore and try new things, teaching her as they went. It was special in its own way, even if it wasn’t the explosive blood bond connection she had with Luykas. Mat was her first husband, and she had a feeling he would be the hardest to chase away if it ever came to it.

No, his performance wasn’t a problem, and by the sparkle in his emerald eyes, it never would be.

“No sex on the mission,” Nevyn called in a singsong voice. “Especially when I can’t have any.”

“Well, you can,” Kian teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

Nevyn started to laugh. Mave looked around to see how all of their warriors were now giving the Company members weird looks.

“It’s been…over three thousand years since we’ve been together, hasn’t it? You just can’t live up to Varon, I’m sorry,” Nevyn said, chuckling as he patted Kian on the shoulder.

“You’ll never live up to Senri, so it’s okay.” Kian only shrugged. “I just figured old friends and whatnot, I could offer.” Then he started to laugh, too.

“Wait, really?” Mave felt like she was the last one to really understand they were serious. Mat shrugged when she looked at him.

“Who knows what the old men get up to when no one is looking. They’ve lived a long time. I wouldn’t doubt they’ve done things we haven’t even thought of yet,” he said pragmatically.

“Yeah, it was a couple hundred years before we both hooked up. Lonely, young males. Most of us hook up with other males at some point or another before settling down.” Kian smiled over at her, and Mave could only shake her head in bemusement. It wasn’t the first time she had heard a story of that nature. She saw Andinna in the valley hook up for similar reasons when they weren’t pining after the few females in their community.

“Have you ever told her the story of how you and Senri got together?” Nevyn asked, looking between her and Kian. “I’m certain she would love to hear the story of her parents.”

“Yeah, Senri and I told her about it. Spring festival will always be the best day of my life every year, except this year. We had to call it off because we’re too close to the fighting for that sort of fun.”

“Shouldn’t we get moving?” someone asked.

“What he asked,” Mave said patiently. “Who knows how long we’re going to be safe in this valley. We don’t know how big their patrol ring is.”

“I’m feeling pretty confident,” Nevyn said, humming softly at the end as if he were in deep thought. “We’re half a day by air, which would be the same for them, but I bet they have to go back to their camp to keep those gryphons fed regularly. They probably aren’t as easy to care for as horses. They would keep a tight perimeter around the main camp.”

“Who knows if they’re setting up a second camp somewhere, though.” Mat was on her side. “We should move and find our camping zone. Well, our ambush spot. You said they caught you in the middle of the night, which means they must do evening patrols, yeah?”

“It would make military sense. During the day, they would see us coming if we tried an attack.” Nevyn nodded. “We’ll walk and talk. No reason to rush in there. We have our plan, we just need to stick to it.”

“Walk and talk it is,” Kian declared. “Everyone packed and ready? Yeah? Let’s go. And back to the topic at hand, she knows about Senri and me, but have we ever told her about you and Varon?”

“I’ve never heard that story.” Mave perked up, walking to stand between them, Mat chuckling behind her. Once, she had craved stories of her blood family, but now she had Seanev, she was moving on from any attachment she had for the dead. She didn’t know them, and no matter how many stories, she never would, but she knew Nevyn and Varon, males she liked most of the time and respected all the time. Their stories intrigued her, and she wanted more of them. Mat had made an interesting point earlier. They were over three thousand years old, and the stories they had were probably as vast as the skies.

Nevyn sighed, smiling. “Well, it was the summer after Senri and Kian got together. They were shacking up, and I was the odd man out. I adore Senri, but she and I never clicked that way. There was no intention on either of our parts to ever be anything more. Truthfully, I had little interest in anyone from our community.”

“Why?” He seemed too carefree for that.

“I was a lonely, seaside soldier who spent his days raiding pirate ships trying to port in Kerit while my mother watched like a hawk, hoping I would be the best,” he explained. “So, I took the season off for leave. From the first official day of summer to the last, I was free to do as I pleased, go wherever I wanted, and leave behind the pressure. That led me to the Dragon Spine and a temple of Amonora.”

Some of the males in the back coughed.

“He went to get sex from someone who wouldn’t judge him for who or what he was—male son of a mativa, rough soldier. It’s better than paying for someone who might live too close to home or maybe even blackmail a young man,” Kian explained softly. “Many Andinna, male and female, used to pilgrimage to those temples for their own reasons. Some wanted to learn the arts of love, some needed advice on relationships, some needed physical comfort.”

“Ah. I think I’ve heard that before, but thank you for the refresher.” It wasn’t information Mave ever intended on using, so she always half ignored those sorts of lessons.

“I arrived and…” Nevyn chuckled. “I was so uncomfortable, so awkward. Other than romps with other males, I hadn’t been with a female. Too much stress of joining a mayara and…well, Mat understands, I think, even though he dealt with that pressure in a different way.”

“Yup.” Mat kept his answer purposefully curt, but then, Mave knew all about his sexual history.

“What happened?” Mave asked, keeping her eyes on the dark red eyes staring down at her. Nevyn seemed bashful as if he was telling an embarrassing story.

“The Head Priestess recognized my problem immediately and called for Varon,” he answered. “I was barely able to make it to his quarters, absolutely terrified of what I was doing. Something had called me to that temple. I knew I needed that fresh, uncomplicated love, but I worried about dishonoring Amonora and letting Varon down. I didn’t know the protocol very well and made a complete embarrassment of myself, as young Andinna generally do.”

The males behind them all chuckled. Nevyn looked back at them, his eyes narrowing. They hushed quickly. Nevyn picked up his pace, and Mave followed, realizing no one else was. Kian and Mat each held up a hand, telling the males further back they weren’t welcome in the conversation anymore.

“That should do it,” Nevyn said softly, nodding. “Well, Varon knew I needed my nerves calmed down, and he…he, uh, sang to me. It was beautiful. I’ll…” He closed his eyes, a pained expression going over his face. “I’ll never forget that sweet music. Needless to say, by morning, I knew I was in love with him. We spent the entire—”

“He sang?” she asked, confused, her brain finally catching up as pieces of the story didn’t fit together. “He’s…he’s mute. What happened?”

Nevyn gave her the saddest expression she had ever seen on him. Her jovial comrade was marked by a deep and unsettling sadness.

“Mave, that’s our secret, and you’ll have to promise it goes nowhere. You can’t tell anyone outside the Company.”

“Of course.” She saw no problem with that.

“Varon wasn’t born mute. He was born blind.”

Mave’s chest gave several hard thumps. That made no sense.

“Do you understand?” he asked softly.

“No,” she answered with full honesty. She had no idea how that made any sense.

“He was consigned to the temple to live and die there. He couldn’t fly. Blindness…” Nevyn growled softly. “Blindness is normally a death sentence. Oftentimes…” He sighed. “This is going to sound harsh, but it’s with the best of intentions. When a baby is discovered to be blind, oftentimes, they are taken to a temple of Kristanya and given a peaceful and quick death, for they can never use the wings she gave them. It’s believed, in the afterlife, she raises them, children born to die and be her young because she’s a goddess of death and can’t have any.”

Mave’s stomach sank, threatening to eject the contents of her rations.

“Easy,” he whispered. “Mave, it’s always for the best, and it’s rare. There might be one blind child out of a generation thirty-thousand strong. Varon was lucky. His parents loved him so much, they took him to the temple of Amonora. He was their first child, and they refused to give him up. Since he could never fly safely, he could never leave. He was safe and educated. And he was there when I arrived.”

“How…how is that okay?” she asked softly.

“Imagine a life where you were doomed to never fly. You’re lucky. You never flew for a thousand years, but you knew one day you could. Varon lived for six hundred years, knowing he could never feel the wind beneath his wings and suffered through it, cursed to live in that temple for his entire existence. Imagine his pain.”

“Oh…” Mave nodded. “That’s…”

“The worst part of being Andinna,” he said softly. “I told Varon if we ever want children, we’ll adopt the blind ones. I can’t bear to think that another Varon could be lost to the world. You understand?”

“Yes, but then how…He can fly now. He’s the best archer in the Company, possibly out of the Andinna.”

“The night before I had to leave to return to Kerit and my unit with Kian and Senri, he gave a blood sacrifice to his goddess, proclaiming he loved me so much, he would give up everything to follow me out of the temple—her favor, his life, it didn’t matter. He would not suffer any longer. We fell madly in love that summer, and…and he was willing to die for me. Like I was willing to die for him by trying to take him by force to come with me.” Nevyn wiped his face. “Fuck, I hate this story…The High Priestess found him very early in the morning before I woke up. I was sent for, and there he was, lying at the altar, neat scars up his arms where he had cut himself open, fully intending to get Amonora’s attention or die trying.”

“By the Skies…” Mave wasn’t sure if she could believe what Nevyn was telling her, but by the earnest expression on his face and the utter despair in his eyes, just considering Varon possibly dead, she couldn’t imagine him lying either.

“When he woke up, it was as if he was staring into the sun. His eyes were wide and bright, and I knew the moment something changed because…he saw me. He saw me, and he tried to whisper something, and nothing came out.” Nevyn rubbed his face harder. “Amonora is not a goddess of creation, not truly. She couldn’t give him his eyes and let him fly without taking something in return. So, she exchanged them for his voice, the very thing that stole my heart to begin with. And so, my love, my true, beautiful, wonderful male, my priest, my light in the darkness, is now mute, but he can see, and he can fly. He followed me back to Kerit. Kian, Senri, and I taught him to truly fly. He became a warrior at my side. We blood bonded before the year was out.”

“The gods…” Mave shook her head. No, they couldn’t be real, not that real.

“Are very much involved in our lives,” Nevyn said ominously. “Don’t ever—”

“No,” Mave snarled. “They left me to rot for centuries in the pits. You don’t get to tell me now they have that kind of power. I refuse to…”

Nevyn looked stricken but said nothing as Mave started to stomp off, her mind reeling.

There’s no way. What did I ever do to them for them to leave me to rot like that? What did I do to deserve it?

Rage boiled in her, and she knew what she needed to do.

“Let’s go kill some fucking Elvasi,” she growled back to the males. Kian frowned, but Mat looked like he knew exactly what she was feeling. He had been there that day in the pits when she had turned her back on the Andinna dragon gods.

“Mave—”

“Let’s go,” she snarled.

* * *

Mave stood on a cliffside that night, looking down on the trail they had used to get there. Hopefully, the Elvasi patrols would find it and come for them. She needed that.

She also needed to do something else. Nevyn stood silently next to her, and everyone had avoided her the entire day after her outburst.

“I wasn’t angry with you,” she said suddenly, unable to bring herself to avoid it much longer. “I…” She clenched her fists. “It’s funny, hearing old legends and thinking they could be real but what you described…”

“Mat explained,” he whispered. “All of it. I don’t blame you for the anger. I can imagine there’s a lot of resentment in you for our gods. Just like you and the gladiators.”

She frowned, still staring at the path. Was it resentment?

Yes.

“I leave the gladiators to their own. I let all of you pray to our gods. I always thought they just couldn’t, and if they could, why not me? What had I done to not gain their favor?” Mave chuckled sadly. “Killed thousands of their people might be one of those things, but I was just trying to survive and…”

“I know,” he said gently. “Mave, I’m not a priest. Varon would be a much better person to talk to about this. If I had known our story would set you off, I would have never said anything.”

“Your story is beautiful,” she said, emotion choking her for a minute. “It’s beautiful, and I’m jealous. They never cared about me that much.”

His arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her close, and together, they stood under the quiet night sky.

“Let’s talk about something else,” he said kindly after a long time. “We could be here for a couple of nights.”

“Yeah, we could—”

“You two hash it out?” Kian asked behind them. Mave smiled over her shoulder.

“Yeah. Are you coming to bother us?”

“I am,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked up beside her. “You know, I heard a little rumor from Matesh. Maybe he didn’t want me to hear it, but he was mumbling about it on the ride, and I’ve been dying to ask about it.”

“Oh, great. If you mention it in front of Nevyn, the entire Company will know, probably before we even get back,” she said dryly. “Let’s hear it.”

“You and Zayden,” he mentioned casually as if it wasn’t a big deal. By Nevyn’s sudden sputtering and removing his arm to cover his face, it was a big deal. Mave hadn’t expected that to be Kian’s topic of choice.

“Oh. Let’s not let that spread around. I don’t think he’s comfortable with the idea. We’ve had a couple of tense moments, and he’s reacted poorly. I want to give him more time.”

“So, you’re serious?” Kian seemed surprised, his eyebrows going up his forehead and under his black hair, cropped shorter than most Andinna’s. “Really?”

“I think I am,” she answered, shrugging one shoulder. “It’s not really that big of a deal. We spend a lot of time together, he lives in my home, and he works with my males. It’s…he’s already part of the family, I think. Whether he wants to stay in it and…” Mave swallowed. “I don’t really want to talk about this right now, not with you.”

Nevyn coughed louder, leaning over to wheeze. Mave gave him an odd look, wondering if he was going to be okay since it hadn’t stopped yet.

“Zayden,” he finally exclaimed as if the grouchy father’s name was a dirty word. “Never saw that one coming.”

“He’s…funny when he’s relaxed,” she explained quickly. “He smiles, and it’s like he’s centuries younger than the way he normally acts. He…”

He makes my pulse jump when he looks at me, and his sapphire eyes are glittering with happiness. I want him to be happy more. I want him to be happy with me.

“What did you mean by he’s reacted poorly to…tense moments?” Kian asked carefully. “You know, I am your father. I can answer some of these questions.”

Nevyn started to chuckle again. Kian reached around her and hit him. Nevyn swung back as Mave stepped away to get out from between them.

“Everything is fine until we’re too close, and there’s obvious attraction. Then he’ll find some excuse for the training to be over and leave. By the time we get back, he won’t need to train with me anymore, so I’m going to lose those moments with him.”

“Huh.” Kian frowned. “Zayden’s a really by-the-book male. If he was feeling even some sexual attraction, he would have mentioned it before.”

Nevyn nodded. “He would have. It also means if he feels he’s unwelcome, he’ll never bring it up again.”

Mave’s eyes went wide as the males both nodded sagely, looking between each other and her.

“Ah…” Kian slumped. “What happened?”

“It was…a year ago,” she said softly. “He said I was attractive. I thought it was funny. I laughed. I didn’t…”

Now, they were wide-eyed.

“Oh. You turned him down, then,” Nevyn said, groaning. “And here we are, Mave once again not quite realizing the full ramifications of what she’s done. Mave, if he expressed interest, and you laughed as if he was a joke, he’s not going to pursue you anymore. Living with you is probably torture.”

“What? Are you saying you males have a bunch of stupid rules I don’t know about? Color me surprised.” Sarcasm dripped from her tongue at the end as she settled into realizing she had once again messed up, thanks to some weird idiosyncrasy of Andinna culture. “What do I do to tell him he is welcome?”

“Well, the rules change. He doesn’t pursue you, you pursue him. You need to make it expressly known you want to…” Kian waved a hand at her. “Make him realize you’re okay with him now. If he’s still interested, he’ll respond. Sometimes, a female has to take a male by the balls and drag him into her bedroom before he’ll relent, but don’t worry, he’ll relent. You’ll know the exact moment he does, even if he’s still got a bit of fight in him.”

“You’ll also know the moment you need to stop because he genuinely doesn’t want to have you. He’ll make it clear, and if that happens, it’s best he moves out of your home,” Nevyn said quietly. When Kian glared at him, he shrugged. “It’s Zayden. Who knows if he’s honestly ready for a relationship, much less being part of a mayara? That male has his head so far up his own ass—”

Mave growled, cutting Nevyn off and silencing the insults. Kian smirked.

“Oh, yeah, he’s yours, all right,” her father whispered. “That’s the best advice I can give you. I hope it works out for you. He’s not a bad male. If anything, he’s what most Andinna fathers wish they could be. He’s hard on himself, and we’re hard on him as well, but he’s not a bad male.”

“Well, with that kind of endorsement, how am I ever to deny him?” she asked, going back to a bit of sarcasm. She already knew Zayden was a good male, a strong one, and while his overbearing nature on Rainev had once gotten on her nerves, now she respected it. He loved his son more than life itself, and that was special. He loved Rain enough to change himself, to force himself to live uncomfortably, so his son could be happy.

And he has a beautiful smile.

She smiled to herself, ignoring the two males with her.

One of them said something softly, and the other chuckled.

“We’re going to head in. A couple of the others will be out for watch, so we have a heads up,” Kian said finally, loud enough for her to register what he was saying. She nodded a little and watched them go toward the cavern they had claimed. Nevyn had the idea to repeat the circumstances of the failed scouting mission, but the difference was, this time, they were prepared. They weren’t trying to hide. They were hoping to kill, and if the Elvasi were stupid enough to follow the same sort of circumstances, they deserved to die.

Mave had no objections. As she stood, lost in her thoughts, four of the Andinna they had chosen came out and took their positions, all holding bows instead of their swords. It would give them the advantage to kill a few of the Elvasi before an attack ever started. Another missed opportunity of the scouting mission when only Varon had been prepared for archery.

“Champion, you can go in. We’ve got this under control,” one of them finally said to her.

With a sharp nod, she left them to their watch and headed inside.

Soon, very soon, she would get a piece of Elvasi flesh for the first time since the battle for Kerit.

27

Mave

“We saw a patrol fly by. We should get into position,” someone whispered in the dark cave. There was no fire lit, so their eyes could adjust to the red moonlight. Mave could see clearly enough, but discerning features to identify which Andinna spoke was impossible. It wasn’t one of the Company, so she didn’t recognize the voice. She quietly left her spot, feeling Mat rustle next to her, and they moved out of the cave together, the world growing brighter as they reached the mouth. The red moonlight lit the world like a thin layer of blood.

There was nothing more appropriate.

Mave climbed into a tree growing out of the cliffside. They had picked this one for its cover. Not many plants could survive on the sheer cliffs prevalent in the Dragon Spine, but some could, and those were enough. She let the foliage hide her, knowing all around her, other Andinna were climbing into position, hiding behind rocky outcroppings and bushes.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. It was easy to get anxious and excited, waiting for the right time to strike, but she couldn’t let that lead her to make mistakes. Her left hand held the tree, keeping her balanced and still. Her right hand hovered over the hilt of her morok. She had only brought one. Fighting with two weapons in the air was trickier than it was on the ground. She had a dagger if she needed it.

The world was silent until a soft bird-like sound was heard. Talking in the distance meant they had caught the Andinna scents left for them to find.

Come, little Elvasi. Time to meet your makers.

Rustling in the trees erupted into several Elvasi on the backs of gryphons, pointing and talking, none of it intelligible. Below them, the trees still rustled, and the sounds of gryphons getting worked up were growing louder.

There was still talking, and one gryphon and its rider flew away, but the rest drew closer.

Maybe going for reinforcements. We’ll have to strike hard and fast, then get out of here. Nevyn will have noticed that, and he’s probably going to say the same thing the moment we’re done.

The Elvasi drew closer to the cliffside, unaware of the danger waiting for them. They searched the side, looking for possible hiding spots, and Mave saw the moment they noticed the cavern. They still had no idea there were over twenty Andinna waiting for them. Nevyn and Kian had talked about old hunting theories. If they covered the entire cliffside in their scents, it would make it harder for the gryphons to find one of them in the rough terrain.

She counted. There had been twelve on the patrol that attacked the scouting party. There were only eleven here. They had gone a man down to send back word, the fools. Or maybe they had been hoping for reinforcements to show up before they engaged—thoughts for another time.

Mave could barely breathe as the entire patrol unit entered the air, and one went to land in the mouth of the cavern.

“NOW!” Nevyn roared, jumping down and killing the Elvasi gryphon rider.

Blending with the chorus of answering roars, Mave leapt from her tree and assaulted the closest mounted Elvasi. Arrows flew through the air and hit others. The Elvasi were caught off guard. As she drew close to her target, she saw his eyes widen, unprepared for the immediate danger he found himself in. She unsheathed her morok and stabbed him in the chest in one fluid movement. Yanking her blade out, she kicked him, using it to propel her into a backflip as the gryphon tried to attack her legs to protect itself and its rider. The kick also sent her rider to the side, dragging the gryphon down with the dead weight.

She steadied herself in the air again and turned to see, just as quickly as it had started, it was over.

“Really?” she said, pissed off. “That was it?”

“We had double their numbers. They didn’t have a chance,” Nevyn said loudly. “Now, we need to move to a new location. Everyone, grab your packs, and let’s go!”

Several of the other Andinna flew in and landed inside the cavern, grabbing everything. Mave caught her bag as it was tossed to her, nodding a sharp thanks to the Andinna warrior who had grabbed it for her. The unit flew fast up the cliffside and reached the top, landing long enough to make sure their scents were easy to find.

“Any casualties?” Kian asked loudly. “Injuries?”

A chorus of nos followed. Everyone was fine, and their mission could continue. Mave understood why Alchan had put limits on their mission. If the force was weakened, there was no reason to risk the entire operation and some of his best warriors. Mave would honor the rules and wouldn’t balk. She wasn’t much in the mood for dying or losing any of the Andinna with them.

They ran into the forest at the top of the cliff, Mave in front. She was the fastest, and they already knew their fall back location, a game trail to the next cliffside they intended to use. She jumped logs and ducked tree branches as she ran, checking over her shoulder every few moments to make sure the unit was keeping up. Reaching the new cliffside, she jumped into the air and found her next hiding spot, watching all twenty-three following Andinna do the same.

“When did you get so fucking fast?” Mat asked, chuckling.

“I’m smaller than you. It’s not hard,” she smirked. “Do you think they’ll see their dead and decide to chase?”

“I hope so,” he said softly. “Or we can wait them out another night. They’ll come back to see if we’ve left, or if we’re a threat they still need to deal with.”

“They’re definitely going to come with more. Expect the next fight to be harder,” Nevyn added, jumping into the quiet conversation.

From their spots, they could see over the treetops. The Dragon Spine was tall mountains, small valleys, and sheer cliffs stacked on top of each other—perfect for this sort of warfare.

Mave waited, anxious to see if they would be followed. They were only half a day’s flight from the horses, but the Elvasi camp was even closer. Hopefully, they would see more to battle with soon.

It felt like ages. The red moon crept to the horizon. Dawn wasn’t yet coming, but it would soon.

“Where are they?” someone asked, obviously getting annoyed.

Mave waited, and finally, a large unit of gryphons and their riders came up and over the cliff. Some landed, probably looking for their trails. Most stayed in the air, ready to attack.

“There they are,” Mat said with a satisfied growl. Mave reached out and touched his shoulder, grinning viciously when he glanced her way. Mave was glad all of her males were warriors. They could be as bloodthirsty as her, and she knew Mat was skilled. She trusted him at her side, always. He was the first to fight by her side, and that bond between them couldn’t be broken.

By his returning grin, she knew she was right. He reached out and pulled her into a swift, hard kiss, ending it with that arrogant smirk, knowing she would be thinking about it for the rest of the mission.

No sex on the mission? Nevyn was going to have a hard time enforcing that one once they were clear of the Elvasi.

“How many?” someone asked softly. “Did anyone manage to get a count?”

“I figure nearly the same numbers as us. Twenty to thirty, but it’s hard to tell,” Nevyn answered. “Kian, what did you get?”

“Twenty-two, but I probably missed a few. They’re coming out to crush us. They don’t want us getting away like you and the rest of the scouting team.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Nevyn agreed. “Archers, at the ready.”

Mave made sure her body was loose. If she tensed up too soon, she would find herself cramping when she needed to launch an attack. Staying limber was important.

The gryphons drew closer and closer, tracking the scents left by their group. This time, Mave knew Nevyn wouldn’t wait so long to give them the order to attack. They needed to hit even harder with the numbers so closely matched. The more they killed in the first hit, the better off they were.

“ATTACK!” Nevyn roared, spooking the Elvasi as they realized arrows were coming for them.

Mave was one of the first to fly out of cover, followed by Matesh, Kian, and Nevyn. The arrows barely beat the Andinna to their targets. Not all of them were kill shots. Two Elvasi dropped, taking their overburdened gryphons with them into the trees. Generally, once the gryphon was free of the Elvasi, they ran from the fight. Mave hoped that continued to prove true.

She dove to one of the riders, glad for the advantage of being above them. She nearly hit the one when another gryphon barreled into her, and a spear just missed her, slicing the side of her arm. She stabbed sideways, hearing a screech in return, knowing she had hit the mount. It pulled away as she yanked her sword free of the muscle, tendon, and bone.

She could barely hear anything as the screeches and screams of warriors, soldiers, and gryphons filled the air—background noise but also the most beautiful music. Her blood came alive on her skin, dripping from her injury. She called on its power, strengthening herself. The next swing she took cut an Elvasi’s arm off. The next took his head and sent it down into the dark forest.

More riders came up from the trees, flying fast to fight alongside their troubled comrades. She dodged one soaring up and felt claws rake her thighs as the gryphon tried to grab hold.

“So, we finally meet on the battlefield!” someone called, laughing as the gryphon turned and halted. Fighting was going on all around them, but her eyes were locked on the rider and gryphon that had just tried to grab her out of the sky.

The gryphon, even under the red moon, was obviously a very unusual color. Gryphons tended to be natural tones, but this one was white—from fur to feather, it was different shades of white.

And its rider had cruel eyes and a victorious smile.

“I look forward to recapturing you, Champion. I didn’t think you would be so bold to come down here and pick a fight,” Prince Lothen said.

She started up for him, blazing fury rushing through her body, her focus only for him. She had to kill him. She needed to kill him. If she failed, she would consider this mission a loss.

She was bold? He was the spoiled monster thinking he could fly in her domain. The sky belonged to the Andinna.

Prince Lothen was going to learn that lesson.

She roared as she drew closer, but he pulled the reins of his gryphon and moved back as another came in from her side. Claws penetrated her side and shoulder this time, pulling her away from her target. She screamed in pain now, frantically trying to figure out how to get the beast to release her. A spear came down and stabbed her thigh.

Mave pulled on her blood’s power and channeled it into her own body—heal the injuries, strengthen the body, quicken the reflexes. Blood came out of her nose black, but she didn’t bother holding back as the blood magic deadened her to the pain, and she regained her senses enough to stab upwards into the gryphon’s chest.

Claws released her and she began to drop, falling as her body tried to repair itself with the power she had called upon. She spread her wings, trying to slow the fall just enough it wouldn’t be fatal when she landed. She luckily caught a draft and was able to flip over, putting her belly to the ground and angling to soar upwards again. The fighting above was vicious as the riders and gryphons clashed.

She looked for Lothen again, hoping to see the unwanted intruder, the man who didn’t belong in her skies. She found him coming straight for her, spear in hand.

She dodged his attack and tried for his back, but his gryphon was fast, realizing her intentions. She only barely escaped the vicious claws of the gryphon’s front paw.

“Sir! We’ve sustained casualties!” someone called out in Elvasi.

“Mave, we’re down six!” someone else screamed to her.

She and Lothen stared at each other for a moment. She growled, and he grinned.

“Kill them all,” Lothen ordered.

“Fight!” she roared, meeting sword to spear as she and Lothen reengaged. “This is my sky, Lothen. You don’t get to have it.”

“I’ve been flying longer than you will ever get the chance,” he taunted, using his gryphon to body check her. It knocked the air from her lungs, but she didn’t let that stop her from trying to assault him again. An arrow flew in and hit Lothen’s thigh, causing him to scream. She tried to attack him again, but his gryphon must have realized his rider was injured and took a defensive approach, moving away from her as Lothen pulled a small dagger and cut the arrow down short enough, it wouldn’t be a hindrance.

“Your prince is injured!” an Elvasi called, flying up beside Lothen. “Your general needs protection!”

The Elvasi pulled away from their fights, all flying to Lothen. Mave felt someone pull her back.

“Mave, we need to use this to get out,” Nevyn growled. “We’re not going to win tonight without losing more. If they want to be cowards and protect Lothen, then they can—”

“No! We can kill them!” she snarled. Another pair of hands grabbed her and pulled. She saw Kian, blood over his face coming from an unknown origin.

“They outnumber us! We need to go while we can! The mission has been a success. Let’s move!”

“NO!” Mave tried her best to pull away harder, furious they would declare this the point that the battle was over. She needed his blood. She needed to see the light fade from his eyes. For all the centuries of torture and abuse she suffered through, she couldn’t let him get away now.

She called on more power, but instead of a rush, it made her dizzy.

“Grab her!” someone screamed as her body decided to give out. “She’s bleeding out!”

Her chest thumped into another chest and arms wrapped around her waist.

She was conscious and furious, but her body wouldn’t cooperate as they flew from Lothen and his fucking riders. Mave was going to make all of them pay for this.

They landed at dawn in the valley where they had left the horses. Mave was slow on her feet, knowing the moment she was on horseback, she was going to sleep while she rode.

But she was still angry—so angry.

“We could have killed him!” she roared, shoving Nevyn as he released her.

“And more of us would have died. We’re at seven casualties and more severe injuries, including yours. We had to pull back. Now we know Lothen is one of the riders, and he’s willing to come out and fight. We can use that.”

“WE COULD HAVE KILLED HIM!” she screamed.

A large pair of arms wrapped around her as she swayed. She knew Mat’s spicy scent. It didn’t matter if there was blood, sweat, and dirt covering him. He always had that spice to him as if he rolled in them every night.

“We’ll get him before the end, love,” he whispered. “But we have to move. If he follows with a bigger force, our entire mission was in vain. We can’t suffer any more losses. We did well.”

“No,” she said, groaning but unable to call back the rage to fuel her. Her body couldn’t sustain it.

“Treat her injuries,” Nevyn ordered. “Kian, help him. I’ll help the others.”

Mat pulled her away from Nevyn, and Kian followed, grabbing her arms from the front.

“You’re bleeding internally,” Kian growled. “You’re bleeding black because you tried to pull too much energy to heal it while you fought. It looks like you were nearly eviscerated by a gryphon. You can’t keep this up. If you try, you’ll die.”

Her legs gave out as she looked down at her abdomen. There was no reason she should still be alive—none at all.

And that made her eyes feel heavy.

“She’s fading!” Kian snarled. “Lay her down so we can get to work!”

“Mave,” Mat whispered close to her. “Stay with us. Please stay with us.”

She didn’t have the power to.

* * *

She woke up on the path—not the field she had fallen in, where the horses were playing, or the cliffside where she had battled.

Mave woke up on a path in the eerily quiet forest. She struggled to get to her feet, feeling weak and sluggish.

Not this. Not right now. I can’t do this right now.

She started walking because her feet gave her no other option. She was being beckoned to battle once again, and there was no stopping the inevitable.

She stopped in the clearing and stared at the wingless Andinna. Mave opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Are you going to kill me again? Or are you the last face I’m going to see before I actually die?

“I have no intention of attacking you,” the female said, her upper lip curled in disgust. “You look like someone has already done the job for me.”

Mave’s eyes went wide. She tried to speak again, but nothing came out.

Sighing, the wingless female waved her hand, and Mave felt something hard on her chest lift.

“Who are you?” Mave asked.

“Your worst nightmare and your most hopeful dream,” the female said, the disgust leaving her face and something enigmatic coming over it. “What’s happened?”

Mave felt a bolt of confusion, but she couldn’t resist answering this female. This female had a question, and Mave had to answer. Instincts welled up that Mave had never encountered before.

She’s more dominant than me. Or I’m imagining she is. She’s just a dream.

“We ambushed Elvasi gryphon riders. I was severely injured,” Mave growled, looking away from the female. “I failed to kill their prince before I was forced away from the battle.”

The female growled as well. “Yes. They have decided to try to claim our skies, haven’t they? We’ll have to do something about that.”

“Yes,” Mave agreed. “The Elvasi don’t deserve our skies.”

The female laughed.

“Do you really believe that?” she asked softly. “I see your heart, Maevana Lorren Amori. You don’t believe in a world that is black and white.”

“My name is Mave,” she snapped at the wingless Andinna. She ignored the other part, refusing to acknowledge her heart agreed with the sentiment. Maybe there were a few Elvasi who deserved to fly as the Andinna did, but Mave was too consumed with her rage at Lothen on the back of that gryphon to accept it. She wanted to crush the belief.

“A child’s name. No, your name, as written by the tatua on your skin, is Maevana Lorren Amori, daughter of two households, warrior…” The female sneered as she walked forward and reached out. Mave couldn’t move to stop the touch, the female’s fingers trailing up Mave’s arm from the elbow and around her back, down the other arm, stopping at the elbow again.

“Champion. Champion of what, though? There are different answers. You have been many things, but you forget you cannot escape the things you once were. They are as much a part of you as they once were and will always be. Overcoming them is not the same as escaping them. You will never erase the marks and scars they have made on your soul, just as you can never escape the scars they made on your body.”

“My name is Mave,” she snarled, trying her hardest to turn and face this woman. “Maevana was a little girl who was abused and kicked around by men like Lothen, and I’ll see him fucking dead one day. I’ll see all of them dead.”

“You are that little girl,” the female whispered. “Mave is just the embodiment of her rage. Mave is just a shield to protect the bruised soul. Mave is the sword that lashes out when something might harm the little girl.”

“NO!” Mave refused to believe those words. She would never be that scared, frightened child with no power ever again. Something painful pierced Mave’s heart through her back, and she looked down to see a blade.

The wingless female had gone back on her word and stabbed her in the back.

“But the heart consumed by rage is still weak. I’ve heard tales of a cold warrior, her gaze the same color as steel and her defenses impenetrable. All I see now is a weak-hearted warrior, consumed by feelings she’s never had to confront. The heart consumed by rage makes rash, dangerous decisions that lead to the deaths of those around them and themselves.” The blade was yanked out, and Mave fell to her knees. “The heart consumed by rage will never win the battles that must be fought. And it doesn’t deserve to.”

“Who…” Mave gagged on her own blood.

“If you need to ask, then you aren’t ready for the answer. I’m everything you wish you were and everything you fear to be,” the female growled before kicking Mave into the dirt and letting her die.

28

Matesh

Mat stared at his wife, sleeping peacefully now. She had gone unconscious while they tended her injuries. After a few hours, on a makeshift bed being dragged by her mare, she started tossing and turning, growling in her sleep.

“Have you ever seen anything like that from her?” Kian asked, staring at her as they rode their own horses. Now she was quiet, back to sleep without any sign of moving, wrapped tightly in several of their travel blankets.

“No,” he answered softly. “She sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and leaves. Before Luykas lived with us, she apparently would meet him out in the woods, or he would go find her. Now, he leaves with her. It’s not often. Maybe once every few weeks, but…”

“She’s been having nightmares?” Nevyn asked, turning his horse to walk beside them. “For how long?”

“Since we’ve arrived in Anden…and I don’t know if they’re nightmares. She won’t talk about them to anyone, not even Luykas. He told me she once called them troubling dreams.” Mat sighed. “I had hoped they would end after Al Moro Nat and everything that happened with her and her brother and everything else, but they came back. Mornings without her came back. Not often, but enough to notice. They’ve become part of our life.”

“And yet…” Kian frowned down at her. “She hasn’t spoken to Senri about them. Nevyn?”

“Varon and I haven’t heard anything about it,” the warrior growled softly. “And we should have. Troubling dreams could mean serious problems for someone like Mave. They could be haunting bits of her past that are keeping her off balance—”

“I know,” Mat snarled.

They continued their journey in silence. Mat didn’t need a lesson in how bad restless sleep could be for warriors. Being haunted by their lives could do damage to the mind and soul of a warrior, which could lead to dangerous things happening.

How she fought us to get to Lothen, that was bad. She’s normally more controlled and levelheaded. What had gotten in her? I know he did terrible things to her, but she would have gotten herself killed.

Mat sighed. As the sun went down, Nevyn took them off the path they were on and down into another small valley with a stream. They weren’t being followed, probably because they had wounded the Prince. The Empire would always put the wellbeing of their leaders before the battle. It was something the Andinna needed to continue to use to their advantage.

“We’ll make camp here,” Nevyn said, looking into the sky. “If they aren’t on us yet, they won’t be fast enough to attack before we pack up and leave. I still want three on guard at a time. Mat, I’ll help you with her.”

“Is she going to live?” one of the males finally dared to ask.

“Yes. She’ll be weak for a few days, but she’ll be back at fighting strength probably before we make it back to the village,” Kian answered. He helped the others set up camp while Nevyn helped Mat.

Mat didn’t speak as Nevyn watched him while they carried her close to a fire and laid her down.

“She was stupid,” he said, staring down at her. “Your wife was stupid.”

“Fuck you—”

“Watch your mouth, Nevyn,” Kian snarled from across the growing campfire.

“She was. She used blood magic to go well beyond what she should have, with no care what she was doing to herself. It was keeping her alive until you tended it, but it also nearly killed her. She could have done irreparable damage by drawing so much power from her blood to keep fighting. She should have retreated and got help. I plan on telling her all of that the moment she’s awake.” Nevyn’s tone was hard. “Alchan put me in charge, but let’s be honest. Do you think he’ll appreciate his Champion and the female of this mission doing something so…” Nevyn growled, looking away. “I don’t want her to die, just like everyone else. If that means knocking her around to make sure she doesn’t do something so fucking stupid again, I will.”

“I like you better when Varon is around,” Mat snapped. Varon would have knocked his husband on the back of his thick skull.

“Varon would have berated her just as quickly,” Nevyn snapped back. “Because we’re the best of the best. We’re the ones Alchan relies on to live and succeed, even as those around us fall. She can’t show him that she’s not capable of that.”

Mat huffed and laid beside his wife as Nevyn stormed off.

Was he right? Probably, but Mat would never stop defending her. If she led him to his grave, he would go because that’s what he signed up for. He’d never wanted another female the way he wanted her, and that would go with him to his death.

His eyes were nearly closed when she started tossing and turning. He sat up to see her eyes wide open, and she was panting so loud, Nevyn and Kian rushed over. She scrambled out of the blankets before Mat could do anything to calm her and half crawled away, breathing too hard.

“Mave,” he said gently. “Calm down. You’re safe. You were in a healing sleep. You need to calm down.”

“Whoa,” Kian said, grabbing her as she tried to stand. None of them had a chance to talk about the very new black lines on her skin. That was going to have to wait. Mat was positive he was seeing things, but even Kian had wide eyes as he registered them, looking over her.

“I need to walk,” she said, trying to pull away.

“Mave, you can’t,” Kian said, holding her in place. “We need to talk.”

“About what?” she snapped, baring her long Andinna fangs at him.

“Look at yourself,” Mat said softly, finally finding his feet. Nevyn was strangely quiet, staring at Mave as if she had grown a second head.

They watched as his wife looked over her body, and her eyes found her arms. From her shoulders to her elbows, she had tatua. She hadn’t had them when Mat wrapped her in the blankets. None of them had performed the ritual.

Their origin was unexplainable.

She turned and vomited, and Mat gasped to see her entire upper back was also riddled in the harsh black lines of tatua, all connecting to her chest, making her entire upper body nearly finished.

“Nevyn?” he said softly, turning to the warrior who shared a bed with a priest. Mat was a Blackblood, but he had never heard of someone giving themselves tatua, the only explanation he could think of.

Nevyn’s gaze was shocked, but with a thoughtful darkness.

“I don’t know,” the wise warrior answered. “I just don’t know.”

Mat’s stomach sank as he looked back at his wife to see real fear in her eyes.

“What did you dream about?” he dared to ask for the first time since she started having these troubling dreams.

She only shook her head, a flat refusal to speak on the matter.

“Mave—”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” There was no steel in the words but a desperation that made him stop. “They’re mine to deal with. As for this…” She lifted her left arm, looking over the new delicate and sharp lines. “I don’t know. I just don’t…understand.”

“Neither do we,” Kian said softly. “Okay. Why don’t you sit down and eat or drink something?”

She nodded slowly and walked back to Mat. His heart soared that she came to him and wrapped her arms around him before they laid back down on the shared cots and blankets.

“Is it so troubling?” he asked softly. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“It’s…it’s not troubling,” she answered. “It’s strange. I don’t understand it, but I know it’s for me to deal with, so I’ve been dealing with it. It doesn’t stop me from doing everything else I want to do, so I manage.”

“Okay,” he whispered. “Would you like to talk about anything else?”

They were silent for a long time, but finally, she was the one who broke the silence. He was relieved she did because he didn’t want her thinking she couldn’t talk to him.

“How do you feel when you think of those Elvasi on their gryphons? Flying in skies that should belong to only us?”

“I hate it,” he answered honestly. “But…”

“But?” she jerked back from him, and he knew he needed to explain his mixed feelings quickly.

“Gryphons also own the skies. As do the birds, as do the wyverns, as do the bugs,” he said carefully. “Andinna, we just share it with them. We aren’t its sole rulers. We are just part of the system of life and death. Does flying speak to our souls, so we treasure our relationship with the great expanse? Yes, but it’s not ours to claim and rule.” He watched her thoughtful mind work through that, her eyes looking at something he couldn’t see.

“Ah,” she whispered. “So, if we weren’t fighting against them, you would be okay with sharing the skies with the Elvasi on their gryphons.”

“If they respected the system, yes. If they adapted, and it became something important to them that needed to be cherished and protected, yes.”

He had no idea what was going through her mind, and when she didn’t continue the conversation, he knew she was dealing with another thing by herself. Mave did this often, and he had long accepted that sometimes, she needed to close herself up and consider her problems on her own, coming to her own conclusions. It was just the way her mind worked. Whatever mental hurdles she needed to overcome, she had to do it on her own.

But he didn’t understand what she could be thinking about when it came to the Elvasi and their gryphons.

“I’m going to lay down,” he whispered. She nodded, leaned over to kiss him, then left him on the cots alone, walking away from the fire and the camp. Mat didn’t like the way she walked, obviously in pain, but he knew better than to try to stop her.

* * *

Three days into their trip home, Mave was looking better. She was still injured and weak from her use of the blood magic, but Mat no longer worried she was going to fall off her mare as he had from the first day after she woke up.

He watched her constantly but tried not to be overbearing, knowing she wanted to save face. The other males on the mission were just happy she was alive. They had lost good males on this mission, which happened, but at least they were bringing home the Champion.

“What’s our official report to Alchan going to be?” Kian asked softly. “Have you worked that out yet?”

Mat turned to see he was talking to Nevyn, who sighed.

“My best bet was Lothen came out with a large unit because he was hoping to capture some of us. Luckily, those of us who lived got away. I would call the mission a success because of how many of their gryphon riders we defeated compared to our own losses.” Nevyn leaned over. “And I need to tell him about…”

“Ah…Please don’t. Let me try to handle it or Senri.”

“He has to know, and he’s the king.”

Mat looked away, glad they didn’t notice him. They were going to tell Alchan about Mave. At least Kian was trying to stop that, but Nevyn, for all of his jovial nature, was a warrior who didn’t let personal feelings get involved. He did what was best for the unit, as he did in his relationship. It was impossible to convince Nevyn of anything if it meant possibly hurting his relationship with Varon. It was similarly impossible with the health of the Company.

“She’s fine. It’s like nothing happened—”

“She woke up with tatua no one gave her,” Nevyn growled. “That’s so out of the ordinary, I want Varon’s input. Can you say I’m wrong for that? Mave won’t even—”

“I can hear you,” the female in question snapped from further ahead.

Mat sighed as he glared back at the males.

Everyone was quiet after that, riding down the mountain trail like nothing was wrong. After a while, Mat pulled on his reins and moved, so he was beside Kian, opposite Nevyn.

“Mave doesn’t like her personal business being everyone’s business,” he said quietly. “She likes to work things out on her own, and she’s good at it. When she’s ready to talk to someone, she will, but until then, if you want to tell Alchan, you can. Just don’t expect to cause more than a fight between the two of them if he decides to try to sideline her.”

Nevyn narrowed his eyes, then nodded.

“Fine. I’ll talk to Varon about her tatua, and that’s all. Don’t think I’m comfortable keeping this from our king, but I’ll give her time to get her head on straight. Maybe I’m just overthinking because she went after Lothen the way she did when she was about to drop out of the sky.”

“He used to beat and rape her. The moment those two saw each other, we should have all known it was going to be hard to get Mave out of the fight,” Mat reminded the other warrior. “And that incident has nothing to do with…the other thing.”

“Or it has everything to do with it,” Nevyn said softly, looking ahead. Mat followed his gaze and saw it landed on Mave’s back.

“Why don’t we change the topic?” Kian said brightly, looking between them. “I see both sides of this, but let’s try smaller measures before we jump into putting the two most dominant Andinna against each other.”

“Fine.” Nevyn didn’t sound sure, but Mat would take what he could get.

“We should talk about the gryphon following us,” Mave called back. “That’s a problem.”

Mat leaned over, groaning. They had noticed it the morning after Mave woke up. It hovered away from the unit, just following them. It had no rider, and its equipment was tattered and dirty. It was one the scouting team must have accidentally freed.

“It is,” Kian agreed, pushing his horse to ride with hers. “Some hunting dogs are known to get loose of the pack and track their own game. Since it doesn’t know how to go home, it probably thinks following us like it was trained to do, we might be an easy meal.”

“So, we take an evening to kill it,” Nevyn said, shrugging. “Not a problem.”

“No…I don’t want to kill it,” Mave said softly. “I have an idea.”

“Are you going to tell anyone your plan?” Kian asked, smiling in an annoyed male fashion. Mat felt it to his bones. Mave could be enigmatic when she was feeling like it. Now more so than usual.

“Will it bother you all day if I don’t?” she asked back, turning. Mat caught the profile of a grin.

“Yes,” Kian growled.

“Then you can wait until we camp tonight. If it’s still following us, I’ll deal with it.”

Kian turned to glare back at Mat, the obvious question and demand in his expression. Is she always like this? Come fucking deal with it.

Mat shrugged nonchalantly. Kian wanted a daughter—now he had one. He was going to need to learn to deal with this side of Mave on his own.

They rode for the rest of the day and hit their planned camping location. They had camped in the same valley near the beginning of their journey. They would be at the village in only two more days.

“We’re dealing with the gryphon tonight!” Nevyn called out. “We can’t let it closer to the village than this.”

“Yes, sir!” some of the males called back. Others nodded before continuing to set up camp.

“Mave, what’s the plan?”

“We’re going to capture it,” she declared, rubbing her hands together. Mat grabbed them to look over what she was bothered by and saw the new blister on her palm. It would resolve by morning if she got a good night’s sleep, so he released her and let her continue. He was desperately trying not to fret or freak out at her words. He didn’t need to be another male doing that to her.

“We’re going to do what?” Nevyn growled. “Are you mad?”

“Apparently, but we have a use for it,” she said patiently. “I’ve been thinking about it. I have this…Elvasi back at the village. He’s been guarding Dave.”

“Trevan,” Mat said softly, hoping she really hadn’t forgotten the poor man’s name.

“I think they’re hampered by their inability to fly, especially with this harsh terrain. There are a few positives. Luykas was telling Mat and me before we left, he’s hoping Trevan can teach some of the new warriors how to fight against Elvasi fighting styles. He’ll be able to fly himself and Dave between meetings. The gryphon will help keep them safe from attacks by our own people.”

Mat was quickly realizing where she was going. His intelligent, thoughtful wife had just needed some time to consider this. Maybe if they didn’t have one trailing them, she would have asked for one to be seized later on. By the look on her face, she had spent the last three days thinking about this.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Nevyn conceded. “Do you think he’ll be able to ride it?”

“I think he’ll respect the honor of it,” she said softly, looking into the trees. “Not that I know him very well. I plan on correcting that, as well. I brought him to these mountains and gave him a simple task, but I don’t know what I want from him, and he deserves something. This may be a gesture of goodwill.” She sighed. “He deserves it for everything he’s done for me.”

Mat slowly leaned on a tree, listening to her.

“Love?” he asked softly, tilting his head, intrigued. How was it that she continued to surprise him? How did she do this to him every season?

“The world is shades of grey. I learned that a long time ago. None of the Elvasi we fought deserved to be in the skies, but Trevan might. I think we capture that gryphon and give him the chance. Once, they were our trading partners, friendly rivals. Right?”

“Yeah,” Nevyn said carefully, nodding. “Okay. We’ll capture it. If it gets to be too much of a problem, though…”

“Yeah, I’m not asking anyone to die for this.” Mave chuckled. “I just don’t think we should waste a life that could be useful to us.”

“Agreed,” Kian said with a similar nod as Nevyn’s. “We’re catching a gryphon.”

Mat smirked as Mave came over to him.

“Is this what you asked about that night?” he murmured as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Yes. Do you mind?”

“Love, I’ve been trying not to ask you about Trevan this entire trip. We brought him, Dave, and that mutt to Anden, and he’s been waiting so fucking patiently for someone to give him a purpose. If this will help him feel like Anden truly welcomes him as he deserves…” Mat traced his fingers over her cheekbone then down her neck. “After everything he did for you and me and Rain…” He felt guilty. He should have had dinner with Trevan himself, just to sit down with the Elvasi who went out of his way.

Life has been so fucking busy with training and missions and meetings. We should have all set some time aside for him.

“Have you spoken to him?” she asked.

“No. We should both fix that.”

“Me, you, and Rain,” she agreed. “Let’s go get this done.”

Mat smiled and followed her away from camp. Nevyn and Kian were right there with them, patient and quiet. They each had several loops of rope, divided evenly between the group.

“Mave, you want to play bait?” Nevyn asked. “You’re the smallest of us and still weak. It’ll pick up on that.”

“Yup.” She stepped away from them, leaving them for a clearing near their campsite. He watched as she found a seat and pulled out a little flute and began to play.

“I didn’t know she brought that on the mission,” Kian whispered, his voice thick with emotion. Mat knew the flute had been a gift from Senri, and in turn, Kian, Willem, and Gentrin.

“She takes it everywhere,” Mat explained. “She never leaves home without it.”

They waited, spreading out around the clearing. Finally, the gryphon came out, screeching as it launched for Mave, looking half-starved. Mave dodged easily, mainly because the gryphon was so starved and weak on its legs. Mat ran out and looped his rope around a front leg as it reared up. Nevyn threw his and got the loop around its head down to its neck. Kian was last, catching a back leg. Mat and Kian moved away from each other, pulling the gryphon off balance. Nevyn ran forward and looped his rope several times over the beast’s mouth.

“It’s about to drop dead,” Mave whispered, getting closer again. “It hasn’t eaten in so long.”

“The chances he’s ever learned to hunt properly in the wild are slim,” Nevyn said with a grunt, tying off the rope. “It’s good he’s so starved, though. It made him weak enough we could rope him without a problem. Hopefully, he’ll make it to the village.”

“Is it a male?” she asked. Mat chuckled as Nevyn and Kian gave her blank stares. “I was never taught how…” She walked around and leaned over, putting her hands on her knees. “Ah, yeah. Definitely a male.”

Mat snickered. Kian looked like it was causing him physical pain not to laugh.

“I didn’t get the chance to check his package,” Mave muttered, shaking her head as she walked away. “Now, how do we get it to calm down?”

“Feed it,” Nevyn answered. “It would be easy to go to a stream and catch a couple of fish. I bet if we start feeding it, it’ll begin realizing we’re not prey or threats. Kian, Mat, hold it. Mave, do you know how to catch a fish?”

“Yes.”

Mat watched them walk away. The gryphon lost the will to struggle soon after, too weak to fight and move with both of its legs bound. Mat had never seen a gryphon so starved and powerless. If it had been wild, it would be dead within the season, and spring was moving fast. Summer was going to be on them in another couple of weeks if that. There was no defined date, but by the recent heat during the days, it was nearly there.

“Should mercy kill it,” Kian muttered. “It might make it back to the village, but it’s going to need a fucking horse to get enough food to start rebuilding muscle.”

“Trevan can use that time to bond with it,” Mat said gently. He wished he could go up and pet it, but it wasn’t safe.

Mave and Nevyn came back with five fish. Mave was the one who went forward and put one of them in front of the gryphon’s face while Nevyn worked on opening the rope enough for the beast to eat.

“There you go,” she whispered as it grabbed the fish and swallowed it whole. It clicked its beak, looking up at Mave, knowing she was the source of food.

“It’s like a horse,” Nevyn pointed out. “They must have been breeding these beasts for centuries to get it docile like this for food. There’s an understanding there.”

“Well, the Elvasi aren’t stupid,” Kian grumbled as Mave put down another fish that was quickly devoured, then another.

“Try letting it stand,” she called out.

Mat and Kian walked closer, giving the gryphon slack to stand. It did, but barely, its legs shaky.

“It must have been trained that finding Andinna meant food,” Nevyn murmured, still thoughtful. “This is good. We’re able to learn more about these mounts as well. If they don’t see us as a food source, they must be tracking us to get their food.”

“Like hunting dogs,” Kian said in agreement. Mat only nodded. Andinna never used hunting dogs, but a long time ago, they had agreements to let humans, Elvasi, and dwarves hunt in the Dragon Spine. They saw the use of hunting dogs frequently, and knowing about them became standard Andinna education.

Mave gave it another fish, then started to walk away. It followed like a horse, trying to get an apple. Smiling, she turned, and it turned as well, walking around her, forcing Mat and Kian to take a wide loop around the clearing, so they could keep control.

“I don’t think it hates us,” she said softly.

“No, it doesn’t. It found us; therefore, it gets food,” Nevyn said softly. “Let’s get it back to camp and feed it more. It has a few days of walking, then Trevan can nurse it back to health. He can even name it if he wants.”

Everyone chuckled. The Andinna weren’t in the practice of naming their horses. They had names from those who owned them before or bred them and kept records, but none of them got attached to the horses. They were great animals, but they didn’t last. They were respected, but no one treated them like pets, as some humans were prone to do.

“Let’s go,” Mave said, then clicked her tongue. The gryphon followed, hoping for the fish. Nevyn used the rope as a lead. Mat and Kian released the gryphon’s feet from their binds.

Mat nearly wanted to laugh until he cried. His wife nearly killed herself trying to kill someone else, and three days later, she had new tatua and was capturing an enemy mount for someone.

He wasn’t sure what he expected when he fell in love with her. It hadn’t been this.

29

Mave

Mave was road-weary as they rode into the village—road-weary and something else. She couldn’t put her finger on it—rage that she missed the chance to kill Lothen, gratefulness at surviving the encounter, and something else.

She felt better about something, and as Andinna crowded around the returning unit, she caught a glimpse of Dave and that Elvasi, Trevan.

“I see your heart, Maevana Lorren Amori. You don’t believe in a world that is black and white.”

No, she didn’t. She had never believed all Elvasi were evil like Brynec did, and the last couple years of her life had taught her no one was as they seemed. The Andinna weren’t cruel barbarians. They were warriors, but loving, with a special appreciation for rustic yet beautiful things. Alchan was a great ruler. Zayden was a good male. Rain was her adopted brother, her friend, and sometimes, even her child when he leaned on her, looking for support of a female he loved. She did the same thing with Senri, her best friend, and the woman she looked to as a mother figure, and she had never expected that relationship.

The world wasn’t black and white.

Alchan walked through the crowd, along with the rest of the Company, but Mave kept her gaze on the Elvasi. She hadn’t known what to do with him for weeks. Since he stepped off that boat, she had been at a loss what she expected out of either of them. She had wanted him here, and now, it was time to tell him.

She swung off her horse and led the gryphon to him. Everyone was giving it a wide berth, but Trevan didn’t move, even as Dave backed away quickly, his brown human eyes wide.

“Is there something I can do for you, Champion?” he asked, lowering his gaze. Something seemed dark about him, his pale gold eyes were shadowed, and unhappiness was in every line of his face.

Unacceptable. Anden shouldn’t be hell to him the way the Empire was hell to me.

“We captured this trained gryphon from the enemy,” she declared, loud enough for everyone to hear. “We share the skies with many things, as my husband Matesh was so kind to remind me. We don’t rule it, but we protect it. The Elvasi have bred and trained these beasts to try to take a place in our skies, but we all know they will never respect it the way we do.” She smiled as Trevan looked up. “But I think you might.”

Stricken—that was how she wanted to describe his face.

“You risked your life for my freedom. In that time, I’ve learned to fly. I’ve soared above treetops and even mountains. I have let my wings graze over the vast seas. I’ve found my people and been reunited with the culture I should have had for a thousand years. I don’t know you, Trevan of Elliar. I don’t know the Elvasi who would turn his back on his own people to give me that, but I want to. Consider this gryphon and my friendship a gift for everything you’ve done for me.” She held out the lead rope they had used on the road. He took it slowly, his pale gold eyes now much wider than Dave’s. “I want to know you. I know I have barely glanced your way since you’ve arrived, but I think if anything, we can get to know each other.”

“I would like that. Thank you for the gift, Champion.”

“Call me Mave,” she said. Then she turned on Alchan and bowed her head ever so slightly. “My King.”

“My Champion,” he greeted, smiling a little. “What do you report for us upon your arrival?”

“We lost seven warriors. We defeated roughly two dozen gryphon riders of the Empire’s forces, and we met Prince Lothen in battle. He survived the incident wounded, just as I did. He’s fighting with his men, and we believe it can be taken advantage of.”

Alchan nodded then looked to Nevyn, who also nodded. A lot of silent communication passed between them, and Mave knew she should have been insulted, but she wasn’t. Nevyn was the near-general. He would be before this was all over. She was the Champion. Her words carried a lot of weight, but at the end of the day, she was glad to be just a warrior with a special title and a bit of respect. If Alchan felt the need to check with Nevyn, that was what would happen, and she was okay with it.

“Then we’ll speak of this in the war room. Would you call the mission a success?”

“We would,” Nevyn answered for her. She wouldn’t go so far, but if that was the official declaration, she would live with it. She just wouldn’t publicly say it.

“Then we’ll get back to work,” Alchan said with a vicious grin. “Disperse! Injured warriors, there are healers standing by to attend you if needed. Commanders of the mission, meet me in the war room as soon as possible.”

“Yes, sir!” they all called out from behind her.

She turned back to Trevan and pointed to the gryphon.

“It was separated from its Elvasi rider during the attack on the scouting group weeks ago and has been slowly starving since. It’s going to need food and care. It’s trained to fly with a rider and to track Andinna. It was docile enough for us once it realized we can feed it. With a season, you should be able to get it back to flying strength. It’ll give you easy access around the mountains and maybe let you haul Dave around. Do you want to talk tomorrow?”

“I’m available at your convenience,” he said softly, rubbing the gryphon’s beak. It already seemed more comfortable being near an Elvasi, the race that had raised it.

“I’ll call on you then.” She gave a jerky nod and walked away before she completely lost her courage to keep talking. Public speaking wasn’t easy. She was drained and wanted to get out of the crowd.

She went directly to the war room, knowing everyone would eventually get there as well. Some would want to tend their own horses, but Mave was used to someone else grabbing hers and dealing with it.

She stopped by the door and waited for others to catch up, seeing Luykas and Alchan first, both with deep, matching frowns. Bryn came next. She laughed as he picked her up and swung her around.

“Now I know how ya feel when I’m gone,” he said as he let her back down to her feet.

“Yeah, it’s not pleasant, is it?” She kissed his cheek. “I probably stink. I bathed in a stream a couple of days ago, but…”

“It’s fine, love,” he said, smiling. His eyes went down to her arms, then back up. “Did Mat do those while ya were gone?”

She looked down at the tatua, a chill running down her spine. How was she supposed to avoid all of them? She didn’t want them to think she was insane, dreaming about a wingless female with an attitude, constantly killing her in her dreams. She had an entire conversation this time.

They can’t know. Something in her bones vibrated with that knowledge. It had every time Nevyn, Mat, and Kian had asked about it on the road. They couldn’t know about this.

“I was going to ask the same thing,” Alchan said evenly as he stepped up, his eyes locked on her closest arm. “Doing tatua rituals out on a mission isn’t particularly a smart idea. I can’t stop you, but I would prefer if you didn’t.”

“I’m more jealous he got to do it again,” Luykas mumbled, giving her a look. She looked between the royal brothers and saw Mat and Nevyn walking up. Varon didn’t bother landing, flying directly into Nevyn’s arms. Kian and Senri walked over together, smiling at each other.

“Are you talking about her new tatua? I didn’t do it,” Mat said, drawing closer. He looked at both of them, then at her, giving a hard stare. He wanted her to tell them exactly what happened, but she couldn’t since she didn’t understand it herself.

“I was severely injured. I used a lot of power from my blood to keep going. I woke up with them,” she explained, looking away. “No, I don’t know how they got there. Let’s move on.”

“No, let’s not move on,” Nevyn growled.

“We made a decision on the matter,” Kian interjected. “We would prefer to keep you out of it, for now, Alchan, so you and Mave don’t get into a thing over it.”

She turned back to him, realizing he was still staring only at her, not bothering to even glance at the others. Their eyes met for a moment, then he nodded.

“You’ll tell me if something is wrong, but I’ll leave the oddities and strangeness to all of you. I have a rebellion to manage and people to rule,” he said, stepping out of the group and heading inside.

Once he was out of sight, Senri stomped up to her.

“You’re going to talk to me,” she said in a low voice as the males went inside. “What happened on that mission?”

“We fought Lothen, and I nearly died—”

“There’s more, and we both know it,” Senri growled. “No one in the history of the Andinna has ever just woken up with tatua. Is there a possibility you performed the ritual on yourself? And if you did, do I need to explain how dangerous that is? There’s a reason a separate Blackblood—”

“I don’t know the ritual, so if I had accidentally done it, I don’t know how,” Mave answered. “Senri, if I knew what was going on, I would tell you. I don’t.”

The truth. Mave was telling the truth, even though she didn’t tell Senri the entire story.

“Kian mumbled about you having dreams,” Senri said evenly. “Would you like to explain those?”

“I…” Mave swallowed. It was easier telling the males to back off, but the chokehold was tighter when she tried to find a way to avoid it with Senri. She couldn’t say anything. If she was insane, they would never let her fight again. “They’re just dreams, Senri. Nothing more. I have them. Sometimes, they wake me up. Sometimes, they trouble my sleep. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Sometimes, things will happen, and the dreams are more likely. That’s all.”

Mave wasn’t just trying to convince Senri, who seemed unbelieving, she also wanted to convince herself. The dreams didn’t scare her like they used to, but they were changing, and that was troublesome. Now, the wingless female was talking. Mave had an entire conversation with the strange manifestation.

“If that’s all you have to say, so be it,” Senri whispered. “Let’s go inside and find out what disasters the males are planning now.”

Mave smirked and went in first, surprised by the hush that fell over the bustling room of warriors the moment she walked through the door. Yenni was already inside, and the long low whistle she gave made Mave nearly sigh.

“Well, well. Someone has done something silly,” the female muttered.

“Leave it,” Mave ordered. “It’s no one’s business but my own.” She walked around the room and took her spot beside Alchan. “What did Senri and I miss?”

“Not much. Nevyn, Matesh, and Kian were giving me a more detailed rendition of the mission. It’s giving me some ideas,” Alchan answered, looking down at papers filled with numbers. “Luykas?”

“If Lothen is willing to fight, then yes, we can use that against him. We’ve already prepared two other teams to go out and perform similar strikes against their forces. We can easily pull together a third. If we keep striking them hard and fast, they won’t have the time to push into the mountains and make a closer camp. If we continue to deliver blows to the gryphon riders, we can whittle away their threat.” Luykas pointed at a few locations on the large map on the table. “Here are a few places where Lothen could be scouting for a forward base. If we can stop him from moving into those, we can keep him from finding a path directly to us.”

“Agreed,” Alchan said softly. “Let’s send the two teams here…and here.” Alchan pointed those out. Mave recognized one by its drawn geography as the valley where they had left the horses. “Was this valley as safe as we planned?” he asked, looking up at her, then at the other Company members who had gone on the mission.

“Yeah. Our horses were as safe as they could be, but we were barely away from them for a day. We didn’t need much time to bait out an attack from the Elvasi.” Nevyn pointed at another valley. “We had the gryphon follow us until here, and Mave decided to capture it. We need to be careful others don’t follow us and bring their riders. It was easy enough to make docile. They aren’t out to attack us, it seems. They think finding us means food, so we got ropes on it, fed it some fish, then it calmed down. It didn’t try to attack us again after that.”

“It found you, then got food,” Luykas said softly. “Makes sense. They wouldn’t want their steeds attacking every Andinna it sees. Train it like a horse to respond to different leg pressures and commands, and you have a well-educated beast to ride that will track and fight.”

“That’s all well and good, but this mission had four Ivory Shadows on it, and we all know you’re better than the rest of us,” Yenni pointed out. “Our twenty-four might not have a chance against gryphon riders.”

“I’m asking you to try,” Alchan said softly. “We have no other options except hiding. We can’t do that. Every week, more Andinna sneak into these mountains. If we hide, the gryphon patrols will grow, and they’ll be recaptured and probably executed or worse. If we keep Lothen busy, it not only keeps us safe but allows the growing number of Andinna escaping from the Empire to run. It also keeps Senri’s guard stations around the mountains from being disrupted unless there’s an emergency.”

Yenni nodded once. “I understand the need, sire. If you think the risk is necessary, I’ll leave with my unit come dawn in two days’ time.”

“Thank you. And you?” Alchan looked toward a large male, one of the unit captains. Their numbers were growing. Mave had a feeling some were going to get promotions soon enough to lead other commanders, or they would end up with a hundred Andinna in the war room every meeting.

“We’re ready, sire,” the male answered.

“Then you two can fight over who gets which attack point. One trip is longer, so account for that in your plans. Dismissed.”

Mave watched them leave, their heads down as they started toward each other.

“The rest of you, I need reports on how your numbers are holding up. Is there anyone who isn’t keeping up with training? If so, I’ll need to send them north to Seanev for more intense training and have him send several others.”

“We have a group coming down from him in a week’s time,” Senri said loudly across the room. “My northern guards caught sight of the caravan and sent word down earlier today.”

“I’ve heard,” Alchan said with a sigh. “Who, I don’t know, but Leria thinks she has a small group who can assist Allaina with the community, and she sorely needs the help.”

“Two villages for one mativa and under these circumstances?” Senri snorted. “She needed the help a month ago.”

“I know,” Alchan growled.

Mave raised an eyebrow. She knew Allaina had been busy, so busy, they hadn’t had the chance for a long conversation in weeks, but she hadn’t expected her bitchy friend to be so overburdened that Leria wanted to step in and send help.

“Is the second village up and running?” she asked, frowning.

“We moved two hundred Andinna into it just last week,” Luykas answered, smiling. “It’s looking good. They’re preparing to take on two hundred more come mid-summer. We declared summer start a couple of days ago.”

“Ah.” Mave nodded, glad to be caught up on that little bit of information.

“Moving on,” Alchan said loudly. “Unit captains, you’re dismissed. Company, you stay.”

The crowd thinned out even more, and soon, Mave could relax with only familiar faces around.

“We’re going to strike at Lothen with orders, if we can capture, we should,” Alchan explained. “If he’s entering the battlefield, we should use it, and if we can capture him, we can get important information. As it stands, Luykas’ contact in Elliar is being kept out of the loop of his plans and many of the plans of Shadra’s other military commanders.”

“It’s also a statement,” Luykas added. “If we capture the Crown Prince, we can bargain with Shadra. She might do anything to get him back. Or we execute him and deliver a decisive blow to the Empire. They’ll go into a time of grieving and give us a moment to breathe. They’ll know we’re a serious threat and either concede to our demands or retaliate, but it’s a risk we should take. From a political standpoint, it will greatly weaken Shadra in the eyes of her nobles and her people. They’ll see her and the children she’s raised as so weak, they can’t even put down a slave revolt.”

“Is that what they’re calling it?” Alchan asked, chuckling. “Really?”

“Last I heard,” Luykas said with a shrug. “I figured it wasn’t something you needed to know.”

“I needed a laugh,” Alchan said, still smiling as he looked down at the papers and the map again. “I’m going to do some shuffling of everyone here. I want groups of you in charge of assault teams. Yenni had a good point. If they don’t do well or suffer too many casualties, I’m going to send you out with them. I’m thinking Kian and Nevyn with Varon once he’s back to fighting strength for team one. Mave, you’ll be with your husbands and hopefully Zayden, though he might have to support Nevyn and Kian for a little while. He’s been in the air recently. You did good work getting him back on his feet and using his wings.”

“Amazing,” she said, smiling. For all the joy she had, hearing he was flying again, she felt bad she missed him getting the all-clear from the healers. She had been hoping to celebrate that with him. “Why isn’t he here? Or Rain?”

“He’s with Rainev in the secondary village, helping figure out some living situation problems,” Alchan answered softly. “He’s good with civilian males. He knows how to address their needs in much the same way Kian does, but Kian was with you.” Alchan looked back up, and Mave watched his amber eyes soak in the group around him.

“We’ve been fighting together for a long time, alone—my Ivory Shadows. Now, we find ourselves at the center of the largest scale rebellion against the mighty Elvasi Empire. I hope I can continue to rely on all of you as I have for so many years. Take a few days to rest, warriors who have just returned. Those of you who have been with me, help them catch up on what they’ve missed. The rebellion is moving quickly, and it will only get faster and more dangerous as we draw more Elvasi attention to the Dragon Spine.” He turned away from the table and walked out. None of them followed, but Mave watched his back.

“That was surprisingly sentimental,” she pointed out, thoughtful why they had just gotten the small speech.

“He’s been worried about everyone making it back,” Luykas said softly, stepping closer to her. She felt his hand run over her lower back above her tail, where a bit of her skin showed. Through the bond, she felt the worry her husband had during her time away. “After the failure of the scouting mission, he was worried this one would collapse. We sent our best, though, and we could only rely on all of you proving why you are in the places you’ve earned.”

“It wasn’t a hard mission,” she said, turning to him. “Honestly, the fights weren’t a problem. If the coming missions get the drop on the gryphons, they’ll win.”

“Says the female who almost died,” Nevyn muttered. “Love, I’m going home.”

Varon took his husband’s hand and pulled him out of the room, an obvious agreement to the sentiment.

“Would you like to go home?” Luykas asked softly.

Mave reached up and touched his face, then looked at Bryn and Mat.

“Yes.”

Tomorrow, she would get back to work. Lothen was out there, his sword ready to be coated in blood. She had to make sure her blades were ready to be coated in his.

30

Trevan

Trevan picked up the leg of venison off the counter, his heart pounding as he left the kitchen and walked outside.

His eyes immediately found the new gift waiting for him, tied to a simple post he had Emerian and Dave help him install in the clearing right outside their home the night before. While they had been doing that, Mave had come by and asked to talk the next day. He had quickly agreed, trying to ignore the stares from her males. Once the gryphon was fed and secured and she was gone, he had tried to sleep.

It hadn’t been easy.

For weeks, Trevan had felt as if he was in a haze. He’d grown edgy and annoyed at his circumstances, even though they weren’t bad. He hadn’t fit in, been looked at, or talked to outside of training with Luykas and Emerian. It had begun to weigh on him, being so alone in such a vast place.

He’d been only days away from asking to go to Kerit and taking the first ship to Olost.

Then she returned with this and looked at him.

She wants to get to know me. What am I even going to say to her without sounding like a stalker or a fool? I don’t know her either. I always respected her, but…

The anxiety terrified him.

He focused on the gryphon instead, walking down the steps to where it slept. Lifting its head slowly, it saw what Trevan was holding and sniffed the air. The gryphon clicked its beak several times, making a strange bird noise.

Trevan put the leg down as the gryphon rose to its feet and walked closer. Trevan was amazed it had even stayed on the post all night. This was a beast meant to serve, but he had never seen one in person. Like a horse, if it knew food was coming, it would wait.

“Hi,” he whispered to it, reaching out to touch it as it sniffed the food. When he received no reaction, he began to pet its side as it tore into the leg. He knew how to check over a horse and performed the same sort of check on this beast, hoping he could learn more about it.

First thing. He is a male. Good to know. Hopefully, he doesn’t run off and try to find a mate when the season is right.

The gryphon’s feathers were of a reddish nature, very common colors, and the hindquarters were like a small mountain cat. Due to malnourishment, every bone was visible in the legs, both bird and feline.

Now that he was seeing it up close for the first time, he could appreciate the strangeness and mythical nature of the animal. While they existed like any other beast in their world, they were definitely not of a natural origin. Only a god could take a feline and a bird and put them together in such a deadly way.

“There it is,” someone said calmly with a pretty, feminine voice Trevan didn’t recognize. She spoke in Common, meaning she had wanted him to understand. “Look at how pretty it is.”

“It’s going to fucking eat someone,” a gruffer voice said, very much a man.

Trevan turned slowly to find the new onlookers who had snuck up on him and recognized the mativa, whose name escaped him. She wasn’t hard to miss, being a feminine beauty. There was also no missing the three large males, one on either side of her and the tallest directly behind her. They had to be either her guards or her husbands…or both.

“How may I help you?” he asked, turning his back to the gryphon. He kept with Common, thankful they had been speaking in it.

“I wasn’t able to come by and help you with this last night, so I wanted to check in this morning to see what you might need for its care,” she answered. “And it’s finally time I met you, Trevan. I’m Allaina, a friend of Mave and mativa of this village and the neighboring one. It’s my duty to make sure all households have their portion of the rations, basic needs met, and address any concerns or official duties between households.”

“She’s the bitch in charge,” one of the males said with a growl. “And you’ll drop your eyes to her.”

Trevan did that, hearing a thwack.

“I’m trying to get to know Mave’s friend, and I finally had a reason to come over here. Her household has been sending in the reports for their supply using the human, but I haven’t had the chance to talk to the Elvasi or the mutt. Please do not be an asshole, or I will send all of you home.” She sounded annoyed with her males. Trevan looked back up and saw her glaring at them, her back turned to him. When she turned around again, he dropped his eyes. “Stop that. I want to speak about the gryphon. Mave brought this into my village without warning, and if we’re to have it, I think it should be well cared for. It’s safer that way.”

“Ah, of course,” he agreed quickly, straightening up. “I just fed it, and it should be calm. He hasn’t given me any trouble since last night. He ate what I gave him and curled up to sleep.”

“Did you install the post?” she asked, pointing at it. “We have something sturdier built. He can’t go in the stables, he’d probably eat the horses, but maybe we can have something built for him up against the cliffside. Gryphons love cliffs as much as we do.”

“A lot of work for one beast,” a male said softly. “Do you think he’ll take food?”

“Mave said they fed him fish on the trip, and he ate from her hand last night,” Trevan explained, swallowing. They didn’t seem to hate him, but he didn’t want to accidentally insult them either.

The male nodded and walked forward, opening a pouch. He held out a thin piece of jerky, giving himself space from the gryphon. The beast sniffed the meat, then sneezed.

“Doesn’t like spices then, just like the horses,” he said quietly. “Raw meat only might be best.”

“Good observation,” Allaina said, stepping closer. “You must be happy.”

“I’m…” Trevan looked down at her and tried to find what to say. He felt more hopeful this morning than he had in weeks.

“Leave him be,” Mave called. “He doesn’t need you bothering him, Allaina.”

“There’s my friend. I was coming to yell at you for bringing this thing home, but I caught Trevan feeding it and decided it seems nice enough. You’re lucky.”

Mave jumped off her porch and walked forward. Trevan tried to stay as small as he could as he saw two obviously dominant females square off.

“You wouldn’t be able to stop me,” Mave said evenly, “and you know it. My gift to Trevan is none of your concern.”

“We’re going to make it a stable and a strong post. Maybe Gentrin can recreate the gear for it, so Trevan isn’t riding bareback.” Allaina smiled innocently. Mave seemed both amused and annoyed. Trevan felt trapped between the two. “How was your mission, my friend? I see the new tatua.”

Everyone has seen the new tatua. Am I really going to have to stand here while these two catch up?

“It was good, now run along and leave us be. I need Trevan. You can come back in the afternoon with a building crew and get to work.”

“Fine.” Allaina sighed and launched into the air, her males following her. Mave looked at him, then the gryphon.

“Did you name it yet?” she asked in Elvasi. He was somewhat surprised by her choice in language. It took him a moment to remember Elvasi had to be one of her first languages, if not Common. She wouldn’t have learned Andena until she was free, though he knew she could speak it.

Trevan shook his head quickly. “Not standard to name the short-lived beasts among the Elvasi, except for tracking their bloodlines.”

“Same for the Andinna.” She crossed her arms, staring at the gryphon. “But I think this one deserves a name.”

“Yeah?” Trevan sighed. “What would you name him?”

“There’s a word in Andena…” She glanced at him. “How is your Andena coming?”

“It’s coming,” he said, shrugging. “I can pick things up, but mostly I’m glad many Andinna talk in Common when they’re talking to me or saying something I need to hear. I don’t speak in Elvasi to anyone. I’m not a fool. What’s the word you were saying?”

“Vahne,” she answered, looking back at the gryphon. “It means strong. He’s not yet, but he will be one day. If he wants to survive, he’ll grow strong, and his wings will carry him once more. And he’ll carry you.” Nodding, she stepped closer. Trevan was transfixed, watching her every smooth move, not carrying even a touch of hesitation. “Or maybe you can give him a name deriving from ovensita,” she whispered.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s built on the word for submit, sita…and it means slave.”

Trevan felt cold for a moment.

“No. He’s not a slave. I would release him right now if you think—”

“Vahne, it is. No, I think it should be Vahn,” she said, crouching down so the gryphon rose over her. “Strong. Don’t be surprised if anyone calls him lenti, though. Before you ask, it means pigeon, and it’s a childish insult to imply someone is stupid and useless.”

He had heard it before.

“Thank you for the education,” he said softly.

“No problem. Now, let’s leave Vahn to rest after his breakfast. A starving belly needs time to readjust to so much food.”

He nodded, knowing she had learned that lesson on her own. He followed her as she walked toward a trail that left the valley. He had no idea where she was leading him but followed, nonetheless. They walked for what seemed like hours, but when they reached a cliffside, he saw the sun was barely halfway through its journey to midday.

“You wanted to talk,” he reminded her, in case she was planning on killing him instead. She was wearing her armor and her sword belt with both of her moroks, one on each hip. She took off the belt and laid it over a log in silence, then undid the laces and buckles of her armor, carefully removing the chest piece and putting it beside the swords, then sat down, staring at him.

“I did,” she agreed. “I need to know, Trevan of Elliar, guard of the Empire forces, why you decided to risk everything to free me.”

“Maybe it was childish,” he said, looking down at his hands. “One day, I was a young, young man, and my friends wanted to go to the Colosseum. They dragged me along, a gift. Did you know that most Elvasi knew exactly who you were? Well, they did if they went to the Colosseum. They hand out small scrolls where your tale is written. The Empress didn’t want you to be a mystery. She turned you into a symbol.”

“I didn’t know one could buy scrolls about me, no. I knew she turned me into a symbol. I always felt its effects when the other Andinna tried to kill me.”

“Ah...yeah. We were under orders not to help you unless it seemed…”

“I understand,” she whispered. “And you needed to keep yourself alive. Guards had a tendency to die down there. Back to your story, though. There’s no reason for us to rehash the culture of the pits.”

Thank the gods for that.

“Well, I bought one of those scrolls. Slavery never made me comfortable. I would never have gone to the Colosseum if my friends hadn’t taken me. My parents didn’t own any and lost some status when they refused to engage in the practice. They raised me to believe everyone deserved to do work they wanted and earn a wage from it. They had apparently disagreed with the War before I was born. I was born shortly after.”

“It’s good to hear there have always been good Elvasi,” she said, looking away. “Keep going.”

“I read your story. Daughter of the great Andinna general, given a privileged life in Shadra’s palace, then you killed one of her guards, unprovoked.” Mave snarled when he said that, so he stopped for a minute, letting her turn those hard, cool steel eyes on him, full of rage. “I didn’t believe it,” he said softly, hoping she would calm and see the truth on his face. “I wasn’t a complete fool. I knew what happened to slaves. I heard what my friends said about the ones they had encountered. I…knew it couldn’t be true. My parents had also filled my head with how Andinna were a wild people and could be very fierce, but that you weren’t mindless killers. They had lived up north for a time before the War and moved south to get away from the fighting and armies the Emperor had marched through, you see.”

She said nothing, only watching him now, her body relaxing again.

“So, I saw you fight. I saw how you refused to bow, and I guess I grew obsessed. Seeing slavery in its most disgusting and brutal form made me angry. I signed up for the military the next day, telling my parents maybe I could go down there and protect a few slaves from the Elvasi. I never imagined what I was walking into would be like it was, but I was a young, foolish man. And for six hundred years, I was down there, watching.

“About fifty years in, someone got in touch with me, and soon, I was wrapped in with a group in Elliar who whispered about one day freeing the Andinna. That didn’t become useful until one day when Dave told me he needed my help. We both knew we were on the same side, but we never spoke, never helped each other. We couldn’t give away that we were connected by anything but the pits.” Trevan rubbed his hands together.

“The two…Matesh and Rainev. When they were brought, we had received word someone was hoping to free them. I told Dave I wouldn’t help those two without helping you. For six hundred years, I watched you become colder and colder. Seeing you with them, I knew your future was with them, so I fought to see you go, too.”

“And you were right,” she said softly.

“I guess I was.” Trevan chuckled sadly. “I thought I was going to die that night. I was prepared for it. I had achieved the goal I had set myself six hundred years before. It would have been a good death. I was accepting. My parents never taught me any of that, but I…” He touched his chest, hoping she understood what he felt. “I promised something, and I intended to see it all the way through. I clung to it while I was in the pits, and it wasn’t easy.

“Between the Elvasi and the Andinna, even Shadra herself, I had everyone telling me I needed to be a certain way—I needed to sell out whatever I knew about the Andinna to gain my freedom—but I couldn’t because I was set to continue being…good.” He waved a hand at her.

“So, there you go. That’s how I came to be the Elvasi who worked in those pits for six hundred years and ended up helping free you.”

“I hope I’ve lived up to all the dreams you had for me,” she whispered, blinking several times. “I didn’t know anyone dreamed for me. Dave, you…” She turned away and leaned over. “You saw me on those nights I had to crawl back to my room, hoping no one would find me.”

“I wished I could have helped you more,” he said, meaning every word. “If you had been my sister or my friend, I would have killed someone for doing that to you. That’s why I never understood slavery. What was it about you that made it okay to do to you when it wasn’t okay to do to our own people?”

“She wants to break us,” Mave said, holding her face for a moment longer, then taking a deep breath. “She wants to break our spirits and turn us complacent. Maybe one day, when the strong wills were crushed, she would have freed us to be regular citizens. We’ll never know.”

“No, we won’t,” he agreed, “and I’m okay with not knowing. I would rather see all of you as you’re meant to be than to see you under her boot ever again. Elvasi, we’re a proud, vain people. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s what we are, we just need to learn to control it. Andinna, you are a warrior people, and you stand strong, but you live with a sense of balance. That’s what you are, and there’s nothing wrong with it.”

He had come to terms with it since he had come to Anden. They lived in balance with nature, in balance with the concepts of life and death. Everything they did respected the world they were in, adapting, not forcing. They were a people of dominance and submission, but they always submitted to nature, respected and treated it properly, protecting it.

The Elvasi had only crushed it, destroyed it, and ruled from ivory towers.

“Are you proud and vain?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t…possibly. I went to work in the pits, thinking I could make a difference, like a child playing a game he didn’t belong in.” Trevan finally walked over to the log. “In the end, I learned. My time down there, both as a guard and as a captive, humbled me. Mave—”

“Quiet,” she ordered, standing up as an Andinna male walked out of the trees.

The male pointed between them and started growling out words in harsh Andena. Trevan recognized him, another gladiator, and probably the worst one who could have walked in on their conversation.

“Speak Common, Kenav. There’s no reason to use a language he can’t understand because you’re feeling like an ass,” she growled in response to whatever he had said.

He continued to rail at her in Andena. She stormed up to him, snarling back in the same language. Trevan got up slowly, wondering if he should have brought his own sword. He considered grabbing hers to throw to her since the male was grabbing the hilt of his own.

“Yeah, I can speak in Andena,” she snapped in Common again. “Funny how things changed once I met respectable Andinna.”

“You can at least have some fucking pride in it by not speaking fucking Elvasi right outside the fucking village,” he growled, switching over to Common as well. “It’s insulting to our people.”

“Every member of the Company knows some Elvasi, even if they aren’t fluent in it, which most are,” she fired back. “There’s no shame in learning a language that can help keep you alive at the end of the day. You don’t get to talk to me about what’s insulting to our people, Kenav. Not today, not tomorrow. Don’t presume you have that sort of power just because Alchan made you one of his advisors.”

“Fine, Champion,” he snapped. “But don’t think I won’t be reporting this.”

“Go ahead and report it, Seventy-Two,” she hissed. “And we’ll see whose crimes are more severe. There’s a lot Alchan knows, but I bet you I can find something that gives me the right to put you out of your misery. Try to pick a fight with me now, and I can promise you, I will win. I’ve only gotten better. Freedom hasn’t made me complacent.”

He backed away from her. Trevan had seen this dance before. Mave always had her ways to keep the gladiators from getting too close. She had grown proficient at it over the years, forcing them to keep their distance under the threat of death. He was almost relieved to see some things hadn’t changed. It meant she was safe from any bad blood from the pits. He would have felt like he failed if that had followed him from freedom and invaded her new life.

“He pardoned us—”

“On the condition you don’t keep up the behavior,” she reminded him swiftly. “We don’t like each other. We will never like each other, but we can agree to work together. I know the pits were a terrible place, and we all did horrendous things to each other. I’m doing my best to move on and let all of you help the rebellion because the Andinna are yours as well, but don’t ever try my patience. There were some things done to me, I will never forget that you had a hand in.”

He scoffed and started walking away, shaking his head. Trevan walked closer to Mave, wondering if she needed anything.

“Is this going to be a problem?” he asked in Common, not going back to Elvasi since it was obviously a bad decision.

“No,” she said, sighing. “I’ll have to tell Luykas or someone I had a run-in with him. Maybe we shouldn’t have used Elvasi, but it wasn’t something that needed his level of aggression.”

“What did he say?”

“You don’t want to know,” she answered softly. “It wasn’t kind and was along the same lines of things he used to say to me regularly in the pits. I won’t repeat it to anyone because then my husbands will kill him for something small in the scope of things. Alchan will have to punish my husbands for that, then I’ll fight with Alchan. It’s not worth it.”

“Ah.” The fact that she could figure out that entire chain of events and was dead serious actually concerned Trevan even more. “Would they really?”

“In a heartbeat,” she confirmed. “And Alchan would have to deliver his justice swiftly. Then we collapse as a people because I’ll kill my king before he kills my husbands. It’s something Alchan and I have had to deal with before. He once told me he would kill me if I tried to kill Luykas. I knew he was serious, and at the time, I knew he would succeed.” She thumped his shoulder in a friendly manner, and Trevan wondered if she even realized what she was doing.

“Let’s get back down, so you don’t miss training. Do you mind if I stick around? I want to see where Luykas has gotten you and that mutt, Emerian.”

“I wouldn’t mind at all.”

Something seemed easier between them as they walked back down the trail. Mave chuckled as she pointed out Vahn, who was rolling around in the dirt, and Trevan laughed.

“Trevan, before we get there,” she said as they stopped in front of his house. “I hope you’ll feel more comfortable here and know you can always come to me as a friend. We have history, and I would love for that to be a future. One where we speak and continue to foster some understanding.”

“You don’t need to—”

“I want you to be my friend,” she said, cutting him off, then walked off in the direction of the training field.

He smiled.

I want to be your friend, too.

31

Mave

Mave watched their training, glad she could finally find what she wanted out of Trevan, and he had been receptive to it. He had been an unknown light in the darkness, and she was glad to see him finding a place in Anden, free.

It was right. In her bones, she knew she had made the right decision. He would be a good friend and ally.

“Mave? Is that my Mave I see?” someone called out behind her. Turning, she grinned to see Rainev land with his father right behind him.

“Rain!” She laughed and opened her arms, letting him come in for a hug. “How have you been? Neither of you came by last night for my welcome home dinner.”

“We figured you needed time with your husbands, so we stayed over in the other village to keep helping this morning too. There were some logistical problems about how the housing is arranged over there, but we worked it out.” Rain squeezed her tightly. “I heard about…” He pulled away and looked at her arms. “Those.”

“Yeah…” Mave sighed. “Those. I know. Let’s just skip the conversation, please. I don’t know why or how. Everything is fine. There’s nothing crazy going on as far as anyone knows.”

“Sure, because Andinna wake up with new tatua all the time,” Zayden said, narrowing his eyes on it. She reached out and lightly shoved his chest. He looked up, and something hot was in his eyes—not just insult from the light, playful shove, but a dare. “Let’s not start that. I’m all healed. I don’t have any reason to spar with you now.”

“But you’re going to, anyway,” she said as if he had already agreed. “Now that you’re healed, we can start up group sessions in front of home every morning before we all go off to our tasks. Allaina does it with her males.”

Zayden’s eyes went wide, then narrowed again as he listened to what she had said. She knew he was putting the pieces together. She was treating him like he belonged to her, and in her mind, he did. Kian and Nevyn said she had to pursue him now, so she would. She would make sure he knew she wanted him—in her life, in her house, and hopefully, one day, in her bed.

He smiled a little after a moment and looked away.

“I’m not your male,” he reminded her. “But I live in your house, so you put out a rule we train every morning, I’ll be there.”

“Good,” she said, still smiling.

Rain looked between them and started walking away.

“I need to get back to Alchan. You two have fun.”

Mave watched him leave, then turned back to Luykas, Emerian, and Trevan, who hadn’t paused their training. Emerian was confident with the sickle Luykas had given him, and the way the sun caught off his dark skin made Mave more interested than she had any right to be. Since he had walked off the boat, she had found him interesting to look at, even pretty. That hadn’t changed even when she had another male she wanted right next to her.

If they were meals, I think someone would accuse me of eyes bigger than my stomach.

There was something about Emerian’s plain face, though. The strong cheekbones he shared with Trevan, an Elvasi feature. The softer brow was an Andinna feature. His eyes were Andinna as well, but that blood-red was bold and vibrant against the black. They were like Allaina’s, but he had more. He had the red horns coming out of thick, cropped, black hair. The red wings and tail were a statement that couldn’t be missed.

“Mave?” Zayden seemed curious, with a heavy dose of annoyed. “You haven’t seen me in weeks, and you’re going to stare at them?”

“He’s pretty,” she said casually. “You are too when you smile, but it doesn’t sound like you’re smiling, so I’m going to keep staring at him.”

He growled and stepped into her line of sight.

“Really?” he demanded, frowning deeply. “You have three husbands, and you’re on the hunt for more?”

“I grew up without a family. I don’t think I know the definition of when enough is enough.” It was true in its own way. If she ended up with a dozen males by her side, she was positive she could make it work. If she ended up with only four, she would be happy. As long as she had a family that was hers, and they knew they all belonged to her, she didn’t care.

He leaned back, and his frown faded at her words.

“Oh. So, you are looking?” he seemed more curious now than annoyed.

“I’m always looking. I was looking before I met Mat. I have an appreciation for the form of a male warrior. I hated them, but I used to stare at the gladiators. I like the big, bulky builds of the Andinna more than the thinner, leaner forms of the Elvasi I was forced to be with most of the time.” She smirked. “I never told you that?”

“No, I think I figured until you met Mat, Andinna males were just…” Zayden shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, obviously trying not to shove his tail into his mouth.

“I have eyes,” she reminded him. “Let’s go. I’m hungry, and I’ve been out all morning.” She stepped away from him, preparing to leave. He chuckled and started walking away, but she laughed and went into the air. “We’re flying! You have to show me what you can do now.”

His answering grin was bright and wonderful as he jumped up to follow her.

“Happy?” he asked before darting away in the air. She followed him, racing him back to her house. She was going fast enough, she had to brace and land on the cliffside, barely beating him. They both did controlled slides down to her porch and staircase.

“I won,” she said happily.

“You’re small and female, of course, you won,” he reminded her, rolling his eyes. Once they were inside, he went to the kitchen, and she sat down at the table, picking a spot that let her watch him.

“I was told recently, some males need to be pursued when a female wants them. Luykas, Bryn, and Mat all came naturally in their own ways, so I’ve never had that problem. What do you think?”

“Some males, yes,” he answered, coming out with a drink for her. “Some males need a knock over the head to know they’re wanted.” He didn’t look at her now, but she watched his face.

“Okay.” She sipped the drink. “So, you’re all healed. Have you been briefed from last night?”

“Yeah, and I’m going to go with Yenni’s party tomorrow. She’s only taking a few of her females and several males, but when I heard she was going with no one from the Company, I knew I wanted to help out. I need to get back into the fight. I’m ready.”

“Ah. Then I wish you the best and can’t wait for your return,” she said softly. “Zayden—”

“Let me go back out there and feel like a warrior again,” he requested softly. “Let me do that.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to know I’m worthy,” he answered, looking up with deep sapphire eyes that showed the vastness of his insecurities and fear.

“Okay.”

He nodded his thanks, then left the room. He didn’t just leave the dining area, though. She heard the front door open and close, leaving her alone in her home.

Worthy of what, Zayden? Being a warrior? Being a member of the Ivory Shadows? Me? Do you even know what I want to ask you? Is it all of the above or just in general?

She sipped the tea slowly, realizing he must have made it before he and Rain had come to find her. It was her favorite, one of the least spicy varieties they had. It always picked her up and helped her get moving and tasted better than the coffee he was always pushing. With another sip, she realized he had put a little honey and milk in it just for her—none of her males liked either in their tea. She was still sitting there when all three of her males walked in.

“Do any of you think I look at other males too much?” she asked blandly as they rounded the corner and saw her.

“No,” Mat answered immediately, kissing her forehead as he passed her to go into the kitchen.

“Nah. You are who ya are. If anythin’, take more males. As many as ya want because it only makes it a bigger community for us. Some like those really small families, but if ya want a big one, that’s fine.” He sat next to her, smiling.

“Luykas?” she eyed her challenging, dominant husband, who seemed the most uncomfortable with the question.

“As long as I have space to get away sometimes,” he said carefully. “We’re not just talking about Zayden, are we?”

“For now, we are,” she said enigmatically. “I like the way males look. Zayden teased me about it since he caught me staring at Emerian. He’s interesting looking. I can’t help it.”

“Ah…” Luykas sighed. “So, five. We’re looking at possibly five. There have been bigger mayaras. Once, we had a queen who had ten males and five children. She was also known to have a couple of lovers who didn’t want to be in her immediate family but hung around in case she was interested in them at one point or another.”

“What’s normal?” She had no real reference. Many females had two or three from what she saw, but nothing about the Andinna right now was normal. They were separated by leagues, and many were enslaved. She wanted to know what was normal before the War.

“A healthy, active female Andinna can attract two to five males in her lifetime. Whether they all stay is up to the family,” Matesh answered, walking back in with a plate, but instead of food, he balanced drinks on it. “Some females only want one, some want a dozen and can’t keep them all because there’re problems between the males. There are no hard and fast rules. How many can fit in your home, and how many can you feed? Can you give them all the attention they need? Do you need a second bedroom? Those questions need to be answered. I bet…” He looked around the house. “If you want to fill this house up with males, you could probably fit four in each bedroom, but you wouldn’t be able to get all of us in the same room.”

“None of you are…jealous?” She was certain there had been some jealousy from Zayden with her staring at Emerian, but none of them seemed to get defensive. Luykas was probably more worried about how crowded things could get.

“We’re in your mayara, and we know you love us as much as we love you,” Luykas said softly. “Another male joining or several is not the problem. If one of us is jealous, that’s something we need to discuss as a family, and normally, it’s rooted in the insecurities of the male feeling jealous. If everyone feels secure, different personalities can work well together.” He gestured around the room. “Look at us now.”

“Aye.” Bryn grabbed a drink and raised it.

“Okay.” She shrugged, happy with their answers. As long as she didn’t upset the males she already loved, she would keep looking. She saw no reason to box herself in, and she refused to stop her eyes from seeing. “Did you know Zayden is leaving with Yenni?”

“No,” Mat said with a growl. “I didn’t. Bryn?” The rogue shook his head. “Luykas?”

“I might have known something, but I wanted him to bring it up to you,” Luykas said, giving her a stare. “There are some things I need to keep to myself as a commander, I wish I could tell you as a husband. He said he didn’t want a fuss. He just wants to get some blood on his morok now that he’s healed and rehabilitated. I couldn’t think of a good reason to say no when Alchan was busy telling him okay. Alchan wouldn’t let us keep him here just because you want him.”

“I know.” Mave accepted he was leaving. She eyed Luykas. “Any other secrets?”

“Many, but none of them are mine to tell,” he said with a sad smile. “You know all of my secrets.”

She reached out and touched his cheek, then turned on her other males. They all settled in, and she took the new drink Mat had prepared for her. Luykas got up and started a better fire as the chilly night came for them, and by the time Zayden walked back in, Bryn was finishing dinner for everyone.

“You didn’t have to start without me,” Zayden grumbled. “I was nearly home.”

“Aye, but yer about to leave, so let me feed ya.” Bryn chuckled and moved around him to put the steaks on the table. “Sit down and be quiet.”

Zayden seemed insulted, but he sat as ordered. Mave watched him for a moment, turning away when he glanced in her direction.

“We’ll help you prepare to leave tonight and see you off in the morning,” Mat promised.

Zayden’s expression was somewhere between an annoyed frown and secretly pleased. The only reason Mave could tell was she knew what his eyes looked like when he was happy.

* * *

“You’ll fight hard,” Mave said quietly, tightening a strap on the horse’s tack. “You’re better now than you were before you were injured. You’ll do well.”

“Do you really think so, or are you trying to convince everyone here of it?” he asked, already grouchy. She knew he would be, which was why she had sent her males away before she talked to him. He was anxious to get on the road and go ‘prove he was worthy,’ not that she believed he needed to for any reason. Whatever his specific reason, he didn’t say, but when she looked up at him, she had a feeling. Her heart thumped in her chest quickly.

“I believe it. The Company believes it. Everyone believes it,” she answered. “Yenni is a character, so consider yourself warned if you’ve never spent much time with her before. The gryphons know how to handle aerial combat. They’re smart and fast, and their riders have spent a lot of time in the saddle, so be prepared for a hard fight if you can’t get a fast kill. If you—”

“I know how to go on a mission,” he growled. “You don’t need to do this.”

“I want to,” she growled back. “Damn it, Zayden, you’ve lived with me since last fall. It’s been three seasons. You’re a member of the Company, you’re a member of the family, and you’re my…friend.” She had to quickly throw in ‘friend’ before she told him he was her male. He was about to go fight. If she jumped on him now, he could possibly spend the next few weeks distracted. She couldn’t have that.

“You’ll fight, you’ll come back, and if there’s anything I can tell you that will make that more likely, I will. I’ll miss your cooking, and you make better tea than any of them, and who is going to keep an eye on Rain if you don’t come back?”

“You are,” he answered, yanking the reins of his horse to pull away from her. “You’ll look after Rain. I know you will.”

She nodded, accepting that. The fact he trusted her with the life of his son was an honor.

“Yeah, I will,” she promised softly. “Fight well.”

He nodded in return, then turned his horse away and rode away.

Luykas, Bryn, and Mat came up around her after the grumpy father was gone from their sight.

“He’ll be back,” Mat whispered, kissing her cheek. “All we can do is train while he’s gone, so we’re ready for his return.”

“Of course,” she agreed.

Turning together, they headed back for their home. Mave knew the summer would be long, but she was ready for it.

32

Zayden

They were in position and ready to strike. The unit had moved fast, and Zayden was glad for Mave’s warning. Yenni was a character.

“Stumpy,” she whispered from her position. “Psst, Stumpy.”

“That’s not my name,” he growled back. “And there’s no reason to be quiet. We have no sight or sign of the Elvasi yet from any of our positions.” They had taken over the side of the cliff and had been there for three days already. Every day, someone had to go out and put down a fresh scent. Every night, they all waited for battle. No one came.

“We’re close to their camp. There’s no reason to think they wouldn’t have arrived yet,” Yenni said softly, almost sounding bored. “But I wanted to ask you about something.”

“What?”

“How was it training with Mave every day?”

Zayden frowned, considering the question, and it struck him as odd. “You trained with her every day, along with all the other females who wanted to stay in the Spine,” he said, wondering what she was getting at.

“Yes, but she directs the females most of the time and only spars with us sometimes. I’ve never trained with her,” Yenni countered. “You spent morning after morning training with her. She would tell me she didn’t need much sparring practice because she was already getting it with you.”

“She’s intense,” he finally answered. “Even when she’s joking around with a sword, every move is purposeful. She’s always planning her next attack or trying to bait one out from her opponent. She grew up fighting one-on-one combat, groups that outnumbered her, or even beasts. She’s thoughtful with a blade in her hands.” He thought more about it before adding something else. “If you want to beat her, piss her off just enough for her to get sloppy, but not so much that she grows cold. When she’s cold, she’ll kill you, training session or not.”

“Have you ever seen her get sloppy before?”

“No,” he answered honestly, but he had heard of it happening, especially with the stupid risks she had taken on her mission with Matesh, Nevyn, and Kian. He didn’t explain further to Yenni, though. “Why are you interested?”

“I’ve never actually seen her in battle, and sometimes, I look at her and…I don’t see it. She’ll look tired or worn out. She seems too mortal to have the stories she does, not that I don’t believe them, but…”

“You want to really test yourself against her,” he said evenly, understanding now. “She’s mortal like the rest of us, but she doesn’t fight like she is. She uses a sword with more confidence than she flies. It’s an extension of her. Her awareness of the world around her when she’s fighting is uncanny.” Unless she’s too focused on one target and makes a terrible mistake. “The night I met her, I watched her do something I had never seen before. We were being chased by Elvasi calvary. They were closing in on us, and Mave jumped off the horse and turned on them. Mat followed her lead, of course. They were already madly in love. Rain and I readied last, but she was the first to prepare, so she was the closest. Without seeming even remotely worried, she allowed two of the calvary riders to come at her, still on their horses at full speed. In one smooth movement, she cut the legs out from under their mounts and made them easy kills. It didn’t stop there, but the boldness of her, the confidence she had, that will always stick with me. At that moment, she was the best warrior I had ever seen and unstoppable.”

“Yet, she’s not…normal for an Andinna,” Yenni pointed out. “Do you think—”

“There’s nothing wrong with her,” he growled, sitting up from his position and grabbing the hilt of his sword, ready to attack if necessary. “Don’t ever imply there is. She’s unique. She’s Mave Lorren, King’s Champion, and has overcome greater odds than many of us will ever experience, and she’s my fucking female.”

Yenni’s audible gasp practically echoed through the area.

Zayden couldn’t relax his tense grip on the hilt of his sword, could barely move as he realized what he had just voiced.

“She’s not…she’s not my female, but she is my friend—”

“Not my business,” Yenni said quickly, not allowing him to correct himself.

He growled as he sat back, getting comfortable again, kicking himself repeatedly.

She wasn’t his female, but he knew he was too far gone to ever get away from her. She invaded everything about his life. She was the person he trusted his son with. She was his confidant about his insecurities, about needing to come here and fight. She saw him while he was at his lowest physically and emotionally, then helped build him back up.

She can’t be mine until I can handle my other problems. I need to prove I’m a warrior and will always be one. For myself, as selfish as that is. Training is one thing, but a mission, spilling blood, and battling for my life is something that has been a part of my identity for so long.

He also didn’t know if she was serious. He had lived with them for so long, he figured it would be a good idea to move out for a time. Maybe some distance from her would give them both a chance to really consider whatever was swirling between them. He’d stopped trying to deny it a long time ago. She was interested in him now. Her behavior proved it. Zayden could be dense, but he wasn’t that dense.

“Does she know?” Yenni finally asked. “Does Mave know you’re one of her males?”

“Probably,” he answered truthfully. “She treats me like I am.”

“Ah, but nothing has been formally decided. Why are you here, then? Why aren’t you back with them, waiting to go out with their group? You’re assigned to them.”

“I wanted to do this for me,” he explained, sighing. “I’ve been injured since Kerit, and now that we’re fighting again, I wanted to get some experience. I needed to remind myself this is what I love to do.”

“Is it?” Yenni asked softly. “I love to be a warrior, and seeing the blood of my enemies soak the ground is satisfying, but I wouldn’t say I love this…this constant fight for survival.”

He didn’t respond, and they went back to waiting in silence.

As dawn broke, he left his hiding spot and went into one of the small caverns they were using for cover. The days had proved safe so far, but he wasn’t foolish enough to believe they always would be. He was first watch, so he quickly ate a piece of jerky as three other males came in and nestled down for sleep, then he walked back out to the mouth of the cavern.

He was alone outside. Yenni was already gone, off making sure the tracks were fresh for the Elvasi to find. They didn’t do anything too obvious, but they wanted their scents caught, but so far, nothing had happened. For three days, they had seen nothing from the Elvasi, which made Zayden uncomfortable.

They should have found us by now. There’s no reason they haven’t unless their patrols are that bad.

Over two weeks before, he had left the village, excited for this mission, but now, he was growing anxious. He wanted to do something, even if it would be called stupid later. He was out on the mission to prove he could still be a warrior, and he refused to go home without doing that.

They only had four days left to try. They were only given provisions to last one week on their own in enemy territory before they needed to turn back and head home.

“You look pissed,” Yenni said, landing next to him, back from her duties.

“I am. Where are they? We could have hit them and left already.” He and the Company had done assaults before. Ambushes were fine, but a real assault would be more impactful.

“I don’t know,” she said softly. “Maybe you and a couple of the others can set out on a small scouting mission. Keep low, and if you get found out, fly right back to us, and we’ll handle it. It would satisfy the mission, and you might learn something.”

“I like that idea,” he said carefully, nodding. It wasn’t an assault like he craved, but it would get him off his ass and out there, looking for the enemy, wherever they were fucking around. “I’ll pick three others, and we’ll head out tonight.”

“Good idea.” Yenni nodded once, then yawned. “Now, it’s time for me to get some shut-eye. Make sure you sleep well before you go out tonight.”

Zayden nodded silently, and when his replacement came, he went inside the small cave and forced himself to sleep. They were going off the plan tonight, and he had to be well-rested.

* * *

Zayden stood with the three males he had chosen at the mouth of the cave when Yenni came out and looked them over.

“You’ll head back at dawn,” she said, as much a commander as Zayden figured she was. He had seen her in action, leading the females through training exercises. She had the imposing nature Mave sometimes had when she said something and left no room for male argument. “If this fails, you won’t be going out a second time. We’ll just hope we get some action before heading back to the valley and going home. Are we clear?”

“Of course, Yenni.” He wasn’t stupid enough to tell her she was playing too cautious.

“Good. Now, get going before I change my mind. If this goes wrong, Alchan will have my fucking hide. I like it attached to my body, so nothing can go wrong.”

He chuckled and jumped up, glad to be leaving the cliffside they had camped on for four days with no success. He was going to find their enemy and bring them back or find a place Yenni could draw up an attack for. Anything was better than what they’d had for four days.

He turned south and flew fast and low, knowing his chosen warriors followed him. He wasn’t close with any of them, but he had made sure none were previous gladiators. He didn’t want to go home, giving any glory to one of the males who once tormented Mave. He saw the shadows in her eyes when they were mentioned. He would never work closely with any of those males. Zayden had to hide the bad taste in his mouth over one of them becoming Alchan’s advisor. He didn’t care if Kenav was Alchan’s maternal cousin and of noble birth—he was also a known gladiator ringleader.

Maybe I’m too biased, thanks to Mave. The gladiators haven’t done anything too stupid yet, and they’re stronger warriors than what we have coming north from the Empire right now. We won’t see Sen with Andinna from Olost until the fall, at the earliest. We knew this summer would be one of the harder ones. At least there are no large engagements happening like Kerit, even with Lothen’s forces down here on the south side of the Spine.

He landed on a cliffside at the edge of the next valley, looking around in confusion. Below him was a dark camp. By foot, there seemed like only one way north out of the valley unless they wanted to climb. There were only a handful of gryphons in the camp from what Zayden could see. Nowhere near enough to do a patrol and fight with Andinna units. This camp wasn’t set up for that, which bothered Zayden greatly. That meant something.

He gestured for the others to follow him and started walking around the cliff, his eyes still on the camp. He saw some soldiers on watch and others moving around the camp, but it seemed quiet as if they had no reason to believe there would be any trouble.

He slowly made his way down a cliffside, thankful the night was dark enough, the soldiers could barely see anything. His males followed him down to another ledge, closer to the camp.

“What are we doing?” one of them asked in a whisper.

“Figuring out what’s going on,” Zayden said softly before climbing down further. When they reached the next ledge, he held up a hand. “Wait here. I’ll go in alone. There’s no reason to have all four of us running around their camp.”

“Sir, we’re not trained for this,” one hissed.

“I know what to do.” He was a member of the Company, and covert missions were part of the job. He spent a thousand years sneaking in and out of places. He wasn’t Bryn, that was for sure, but every Company member needed to have the basic knowledge in case any of them were called for the task of infiltrating a building or an enemy camp.

He made it to the ground and was thankful for a layer of trees left around the edges of the valley. It gave him more cover as he moved to the southern side of the valley and found the large tents that would house the general or other commander who probably reported to Lothen at the other site.

Zayden crept closer to the tents, hoping he found the largest tent empty. He didn’t, finally catching the faintest hint of light through the thick canvas fabric. Someone was inside.

“We need to go out and deal with the Andinna,” someone was saying as Zayden went to his knee, using his wings to help keep him covered in the shadow. He could only hope he was far enough from the gryphons they wouldn’t catch his scent and cause a commotion.

“They’re staying away from the camp, and we know it’s a trap. Lothen’s camp fell for it a second time. That camp has more gryphons as well. We can’t go out and risk all the ones we have.”

“But sir—”

“No buts. The objective of this camp is to support scouting efforts in the Dragon Spine. Lothen and I spoke at length about the possible home base of this little fucking rebellion, and we decided this camp would help narrow down the locations. Right now, I have ten scouting teams out there with set destinations to check. A third of them won’t come back because they’ll run into the Andinna. We only need another month. We’re not risking more of our men yet.” The older man sounded annoyed. “We’re under direct orders not to engage unless the mission is at risk. It’s already frustrating they know our location. If we fight with them and prove easy, beatable targets, they’ll send more, then we’ll lose our ability to sneak more scouts into the mountain.”

Zayden grit his teeth. It was ingenious. One half of the force was large enough to wipe out the rebellion if they got the upper hand. The other half of the force was actively working on making sure the Elvasi had that advantage.

I need to get in there. Maps, letters, anything would be more useful than this half-conversation. I need to know what they know; so do Alchan and Luykas. If they’re scouting the mountains this much, then we have problems, especially if they’re only accounting for a third of their teams being lost. That means others are getting back with information that could be dangerous.

He waited, tucked between several bags and barrels, hoping no one walked by on patrol. It seemed the camp was relaxed. They must have gone out regularly to make sure Andinna weren’t getting close enough to get into the valley, and Zayden had gotten lucky. He’d slipped in at the right time, but now, he needed to get what he needed and get back out.

“Get some rest, soldier. We’re back at it tomorrow. Lothen is getting frustrated by our slow progress. This was his plan, and we need to get back on schedule. He should have been able to move his forces further into the mountains by now.” The older man sighed. Footsteps told Zayden at least one of them left.

Zayden leaned over, putting his head to the ground and very gently lifted the bottom of the canvas and looked inside the tent. It wasn’t a clear view, but it gave him an idea of what he was about to disrupt. One Elvasi was still walking around inside, the light coming from him. It had to be a lantern, which was good for Zayden since a campfire was harder to put out and would have given him away.

The tent grew dark as the second Elvasi finally left the tent with said lantern, and Zayden knew it was time to take his chance. He belly-crawled under the canvas, holding his wings to him as tightly as he could. The Andinna weren’t built for this sort of operation, which probably made the Elvasi more comfortable, but ages ago, Alchan wanted the Company to know how to do it for that very reason. He’d noticed a weakness in the Andinna and worked to correct it, even if it wasn’t easy.

Zayden was able to get on his feet and saw the center table. There was nothing else he found important in the tent and knew he didn’t have time to look for anything more than what the Elvasi foolishly left out. He went to the table and saw the maps first, his gut twisting.

Alchan had a very similar map written in Andena. Zayden had a hard time not knowing Elvasi well enough to discern the important information, but he could tell what they had been tracking on the map. They were crossing out abandoned Andinna villages throughout the Dragon Spine, narrowing down the possible locations of the rebellion, and they were closing in. Zayden saw two villages scratched out that the Company had passed over only a couple of days from their base of operations. He saw red circles, and fear took him hard as he knew those locations as well. He’d seen the war room and paid enough attention at meetings to know where Senri’s guard posts were patrolling.

He’s using the lost scouts to tell him information as well. He’s figuring out where our smaller force is keeping watch and where we are located so Lothen can use a direct line straight for us. That plays right into Luykas’ theory about why they’re so close to us. They had narrowed us down to this area of the Spine and were closing in.

Zayden picked up several of the maps, folding them and shoving them in a hip pouch he wore with his uniform. He found others from different regions and grabbed them as well. He also found letters and other correspondence sitting out, knowing he would run out of space if he tried to take them all.

He caught a light in the corner of his eye and looked up to see the tent flap opening and a mature Elvasi standing there, holding the lamp.

“How?” he snapped. “Guards!”

Zayden snarled and drew his sword, lunging for the Elvasi, knocking the lantern from the soldier’s hand. It crashed on the ground, oil going everywhere, followed by fire. Grinning, Zayden shoved the Elvasi back before running to the table again. Fire was all over the ground now, and he swept an arm over the table, knocking the papers, letters, and maps off into the flames.

“No!” the Elvasi screamed. He unsheathed his sword and ran for Zayden, who easily blocked the attack and kicked the Elvasi back. Before the soldier could recover, Zayden delivered a fatal blow to the man’s gut, causing organs to spill out onto the ground.

He didn’t have a chance to pause, launching an attack on a guard running, stabbing him quickly, and using the body to block the attack of another. Then he shoved the body off his sword into the other Elvasi, freeing his sword from the dead soldier.

The camp was lighting up, and men were screaming. Zayden stepped out of the tent and launched into the air, wincing as an arrow landed in his thigh. It wouldn’t take him down, but it was annoying. The Elvasi used barbed arrowheads meant to stay in the flesh and cause damage. Sometimes, they attached ropes to drag their quarry to the ground, but these Elvasi hadn’t had the time to set up such a trap or prepare for an Andinna being in their midst.

As he flew higher, he saw his males flying up as well.

“We saw you going up and followed!” one called.

“We need to go!” Zayden roared. As much as he wanted to fight, to prove himself as a warrior, the intel he had just stolen was too important. Looking down for a moment, he saw Elvasi trying to handle the gryphons waiting. The tent he had infiltrated was now blazing, everything in it probably lost, which was for the best.

They started flying, but as they cleared the valley’s steep cliffs, Zayden looked back to see the half a dozen gryphons following and fast. They were road-tired the way he and the warriors were, but they were moving in. Zayden slowed, moving to the back of the group, his eyes on the gryphons. He hadn’t fought the beasts since they assaulted Ellantia. Now it was time for him to get a piece of them again. As one drew close, he dropped lower and slowed further as he rolled to glide with his back to the ground. The gryphon didn’t have time to reposition, and Zayden was able to drag his sword along the beast’s gut and open it up. Its flight faltered, and Zayden made a risky roll to get out of its way as it fell at its top speed. His warriors cheered, and the riders realized it was going to be futile to follow, pulling back to see if the rider on the dead gryphon was okay.

Comforted, he moved back with his small unit and nodded at them.

“Feels good to be back in battle,” he said with a grin. “Now, let’s go tell Yenni what we saw, then we need to cut the mission short. I have intel the king needs to see.”

“Yes, sir,” they said as a chorus.

Zayden’s chest swelled. The Elvasi might have tried to get the upper hand, but they were going to lose it the moment Zayden showed everything to Alchan, and this camp wasn’t prepared to hunt him down before he made it back.

33

Mave

Mave was sitting on a log, watching most of her favorite people train. Luykas was drilling Emerian and Trevan in their clearing now, where she could join at any time. Matesh and Brynec were sparring, and she was waiting her turn and enjoying the view.

She had to grab the good moments when she could. One of the missions had already returned, and it wasn’t Zayden and Yenni’s team. It had been the one full of males, and they had been in a hard fight and barely made it home with gryphons trying to track them the entire way. There had also been a fight at one of Senri’s guard posts, leaving the spot abandoned for over two weeks now. There weren’t enough strong warriors to man it from the village and lose valuable training, so Senri was waiting for another guard post to report and move over to the key location.

Mave tried to banish the thoughts. Since the gryphons and their riders were so dangerous, there wasn’t much anyone could do except try these risky missions to keep the Elvasi too occupied to push forward. It didn’t help that Senri’s best were running thin, thanks to fights all over the Dragon Spine against scouting parties. That had been an ongoing problem since they first came into the mountains, but losing an entire unit, thanks to the male who led the mission, was a painful hit to their plans that shouldn’t have happened.

Mave spaced out and didn’t pay attention to much until she noticed the distinct lack of swords clashing and looked at her males, who were pointing to the sky.

“There they are!” Luykas yelled, pointing up. “Zayden! Down here!”

Mave looked up, her heart suddenly pounding.

“Really?” Mave said, standing up as she stared at the sky at the Andinna in the sky coming from the south. She couldn’t breathe as one angled toward them and dove toward the ground.

Zayden’s landing was rough but not dangerous. He’d been going fast, and he looked exhausted.

She was the first to him, looking him over swiftly.

“How are you? Any injuries?”

“No. Everything healed,” he answered, his obvious exhaustion translating to the way he panted as he tried to speak. “The mission didn’t go as planned, but we can talk about that in the war room once Yenni finds Alchan to let him know of our return.”

“It’s good to see you back,” Matesh said, stepping around her and wrapping Zayden into a bone-crushing hug. Mave smiled as the two old friends held each other for a moment before parting with smiles. “And it’s great to hear that you’re not hurt.”

“It’s great not to be hurt,” he said, letting Mat go completely to give Bryn a quick, friendly handshake, then Luykas. Emerian and Trevan stayed further away. Mave raised an eyebrow as Zayden waved at them.

“You’re in a good mood,” she pointed out.

“I’m home with important intel. The mission didn’t go as planned, but we have some things Alchan needs to see. Sorry, Luykas, but I’m not going to explain all of it twice.”

“It’s fine. Where are the horses? We should get your stuff inside then head to the war room for debriefing.” Luykas didn’t seem to care, and Mave was glad they could take a quick moment to just welcome Zayden home.

“We left them at the edge of the valley to send others to get them. We didn’t want our arrival to be slow,” Zayden answered. “When I saw you all practicing down here, I decided to come down and head to the war room with you. I was growing tired of Yenni.”

Mave chuckled. She knew it would happen eventually.

“Then let’s get moving,” Mat said, grinning. “Bryn?”

“Aye, I’ll tell those two to head home. Well, I’ll tell Trevan to bring Dave to the war room for ya, love.”

“Thank you,” she said, kissing his cheek before he walked back over to the mutt and the Elvasi. Once Bryn was back, they started walking together to the war room, but Mave was surprised when Zayden held her for a moment. She nodded to her males, and they continued ahead, and she walked beside Zayden.

“Something happened while I was on the mission,” he said softly, looking down at his hands. “And I wanted to tell you before anyone else did.”

“What?” She frowned, worried again. Missions could go wrong, and if Zayden was hiding an injury, she was going to strangle him.

“I called you my female during a conversation with Yenni,” he said softly. “And I know it wasn’t my place—”

She reached out and grabbed his face, kissing him to stop whatever stupid thing he was about to say. She remembered what Kian said about needing to pursue Zayden because she had accidentally rejected him once before. This seemed like the perfect time. He groaned into her mouth, leaning into the kiss, and wrapped his arms around her waist. When the kiss ended, his face was red, and he quickly released her.

“It’s your place if you want it,” she whispered against his lips, holding him so he couldn’t get away.

“I was considering moving out to make sure it wasn’t just our close proximity,” he murmured, looking away. “To make sure whatever we are is real. I haven’t been with anyone for a long time, Mave, and you’re with my best friend. My son looks to you for so much. I’m just a lonely grouch, who took two centuries too long to move on from his wife and learn how to let his son grow up—”

“Don’t move out,” she said quickly. “And please stop thinking so poorly of yourself. Have you been those things? Yes. But I’m not the same female I was two years ago or even a year ago when I laughed at you. I’m sorry for that, by the way. I understand more now, and I see things differently. I see a stressed father who needed help. I see a male who wants to do his best, but he’s stuck in a position that makes him feel older than he should. I also see a male with a beautiful smile, who knows how to have fun sometimes. Even if you don’t want to be in my mayara right now, that’s fine, but I’m tired of us pretending like there’s nothing growing between us. Don’t leave. Stay in my home. You can keep using your bedroom until you’re comfortable.”

“Fine,” he said softly, looking away. “I’ll stay in my bedroom, and we’ll talk. I’ll take you for a picnic. I want to do this right, Mave. I don’t want to just fall into your bed and never leave.”

“Is it customary for us to go on picnics?” She nearly wanted to laugh and barely stopped herself from snickering. He liked the old-fashioned ideas.

“It’s customary for a male and female to get time outside the home and talk before they fuck,” he said, his face losing some of its shocked softness. She had annoyed him, and that was nearly as comical. “We don’t all solidify the relationship by fucking.”

Where’s the fun in that?

“Fine. We’ll spend time together,” she promised. “Just as long as we’re done avoiding the obvious.”

“We’re done avoiding it,” he agreed, nodding. “I won’t be easy.”

“I didn’t think you would be. I gave up on easy when I decided Luykas needed to be in my mayara,” she said blandly, trying not to smirk when said husband turned around to give her a look of annoyance.

They walked to the war room because they all knew Zayden was too tired to continue flying now that he was on the ground. From the way he looked, she was amazed he had even been able to fly from the southern edge of the valley to their clearing.

When they arrived, it seemed everyone else was already there except for Dave and Trevan. Mave turned back to see them right behind her group and gestured for them both to stand near her during the meeting. Dave had a book out, but she took the quill from him.

“I won’t need notes for this one, just listen,” she said quickly. “It’s important intel that might not be safe written down anywhere. We don’t know yet.”

“Of course,” he agreed quickly, closing his book and shoving it into his shoulder bag. With a nod, he stepped back toward the wall and stood beside Trevan, who rested his hand casually on the pommel of his sword, a warning to anyone who might mess with him or his human charge. Mave pointedly looked at the hand, then the pale gold eyes of the Elvasi, and mouthed a thank you. He gave a sharp nod. This was probably the most Andinna they had ever been in the room with, and tensions could possibly grow high.

“What’s the word, Zayden? You found the intel, you can explain it,” Alchan said as he came in as if he owned the room. He did. Rain followed him, stopping for a minute to hug his father. Alchan made no move to rush them, heading to his spot and waiting patiently.

“We had gone four days without being able to bait the Elvasi into an ambush, so I went closer to their position. I snuck in and was able to hear a bit of conversation. They knew we were trying, so our luck for a couple of missions is running out. They’re on to us with the ambushes. Not only that, but the reason the second location of Lothen’s army exists is to support a massive scouting operation. They’re hunting us, and we don’t have the numbers to stop them.” Zayden pulled out several papers and began unfolding them. “I can’t read Elvasi well, but the information here is clear. They’re finding and marking off abandoned villages throughout the mountains, narrowing in on where we are.”

“And they have already been able to narrow us down to this area of the mountains,” Luykas said softly, picking up one of the maps. “They’re getting close.”

“They also report where they lose their scouting teams,” Zayden pointed out.

“Where they meet my guards,” Senri hissed. “Fuck.”

“That’s problematic,” Alchan growled, taking the map when Luykas held it out to him. “They narrow us down, find Senri’s forces, then develop a route to attack us at home without us figuring it out in time. We’re going to need to escalate before they do.”

“Alchan…” Luykas seemed worried. “There are five thousand men in each of these camps. At our best—”

“We’re not going to defeat the army,” Alchan snapped. “But I think we should escalate our plan to get hold of Lothen. It’s underhanded, but we’ve already discussed how useful it would be to either ransom or kill him.”

“But that doesn’t stop them from knowing where we are,” Mave pointed out, worried. “Someone else will be put in charge, storm across the mountains, and attack us.”

“They knew where our main base was during the War,” Nevyn said patiently, shrugging. Mave frowned, hoping he would explain more. “If we work south of them and hit their supplies, they can’t push safely into the mountains. Really, every year was the same thing, season after season. We stopped them from getting too far into the mountains from the beginning of spring to the end of fall. Everything pauses through winter because they can’t handle Anden winter, and the Spine will see them starve or freeze to death. We also move much faster in the mountains. It would take Lothen ages to move the army to us, and we would have ample time to whittle away at his forces. It’s not good positioning for him in the valleys where his force would be able to camp.”

“What are you trying to say?” she asked, feeling a little lost.

“He needed the element of surprise and no longer has it,” Alchan said quietly, still frowning at the map.

“Brother, what do you really want to do? Think for a minute, just take in the intel,” Luykas spoke as he leaned to his brother. They both took everything Zayden dropped on the table and turned away from the room and began to whisper. Mave was close, but they were talking fast and too quietly to hear or understand.

“Will you listen to me?” Luykas finally snapped loudly, and everyone in the room jumped. No one intervened, however, not even Mave. “If we start—”

“If we don’t start, he breaches the mountains, and we have to push him back,” Alchan growled. “We need to deliver a strong hit that will buy us a few more seasons. Capturing him is the answer to that.”

“He’s not going to be in a vulnerable position again. He wasn’t part of the fight Deago was in. He didn’t come out. He won’t, not after meeting Mave on the battlefield. He knows she has a death wish to kill him.” Luykas seemed frustrated. “How many would we send?”

“Forty to fifty,” Alchan answered immediately. “Night operation. Get into the camp fast, grab him, and go.”

“You would lose half if not the entire fucking mission, and you know it, Alchan,” Luykas growled.

“I’ll go,” Mave finally said. Luykas spun on her, snarling.

“I know,” he growled.

“And that’s why I’m not listening to you,” Alchan said softly. “Because you and I can’t go, but she can. The entire Company can, but we can’t, and you don’t want to risk her.”

“Would you send…” Luykas stopped for a moment at Alchan’s snarl. “Would you?” Luykas pressed, never finishing the sentence.

“Yes,” Alchan answered. “Now, let’s fucking sit down and make a plan. We’re sending in a team to capture Lothen and destroy whatever intel he might have on our location and the locations of other Andinna in the mountains. This mission will be dangerous, but it must be done. It’ll take some time to plan. I expect the team we pick to leave in two weeks.”

“Yes, sir,” they all said in response.

Mave felt something sing through her blood.

She was going to have a second chance at Lothen sooner than she had expected. Before she left to help, Alchan held up a hand for her to stop.

“I’m going camping for a couple of nights,” he said quietly to her and Luykas. “Also, Mave, if you haven’t, you should talk to Senri.”

Mave frowned and looked to her friend across the room, wondering how and why Alchan of all people was telling her to talk to her mother.

As she walked out, she grabbed Senri, annoyed.

“Alchan just told me to talk to you, and that he’s going to be away for a couple of days,” Mave said sharply. “Explain.”

Senri, looking back at the door. “How does he know? It has to be a bedru thing…”

“Senri…”

“Remember, my family and I dealt with my fertile cycle this past spring,” Senri said softly. “I think I’m pregnant.”

Mave’s eyes went wide. “You already know?”

“No, I think I am, which is why no announcement has been made. A Blackblood healer should be able to tell come the beginning of winter, but I have a feeling.”

Mave smiled.

“I might be a big sister?” she asked softly. “Then I guess I really need to get my hands on Lothen as fast as possible. No little brother or sister of mine is ever going to have to live in fear of him or the Empire he serves, not while I live.”

Senri kissed her cheek, running a hand over her own stomach.

“I knew I loved you,” Senri whispered. “I’m blessed to call you a daughter. Now, go be a warrior and prepare for your battle, Mave. Know I always have a place for you to come home.”

Mave grinned and jumped up, ready to get to work.

34

Luykas

Luykas sat quietly at the table, looking around at the strange family that was developing. He loved it, but one face was missing. Zayden was looking more relaxed than he had before his mission, and it was good to hear he and Mave were going to take things to the next step. Mat and Bryn were also glad Zayden was considering becoming a permanent male in the family. Mave was relaxed, and for the last week, she had been more involved in mission planning than she ever had been before. Rain was even helping her, and he would be going on the mission as well.

Luykas knew the only face missing from this family built on blood and love was Alchan.

He needs to talk to Rain about going public. Or Rain needs to talk to him. I’m tired of seeing them and knowing they’re falling further in love but have to be secretive. And it’s so obvious. Rain looks at my idiot brother like he’s the center of the world, and Alchan treats Rain like his most prized possession, which is a giant compliment from a bedru.

His brother wasn’t at the table because only Luykas, Nevyn, and Varon knew of the deep love growing there. He didn’t talk to the lovers about the relationship, and they didn’t come to him, but sometimes, he looked at them when they saw Rain and Alchan together, and the knowledge was in their eyes.

Luykas didn’t like keeping the secret from his family. His wife and lover demanded a lot of his heart and soul, but he was torn between Mave and Alchan many days, and this was another added burden to the problem.

“Later tonight, I have to contact Nyria and try to gather whatever information I can about Lothen’s protection or his camp,” he finally said, breaking into whatever conversation was going on around him. He figured getting down to business would keep his mind off his personal problems, of which there seemed to be many.

“Oh.” Mave looked up, surprised. “I knew you would be, but…”

“I’ll have Alchan with me,” he said quickly. “I know you would like to be there, but…”

“No, it’s fine. He’s who you’ll need to report to right after, anyway.” She smiled. He was so amazed by her. She was so different from the female he had met that night outside Elliar, who had been cold, unmoving, angry, scared. She was still fearsome, but she was softer and more relaxed, more confident in herself and what she knew. Her immediate acceptance of his work was evidence of her confidence in him and their relationship. He just needed not to fuck it up again.

Let’s hope I don’t. I don’t like having to stay away for so long because I’m scared to face her.

“Thank you.” He pushed his empty plate back and stood up, sighing. “It’s late, and I’ll need to prepare. I’ll be back in the morning after I sleep off the magic.”

“Be safe and don’t overexert yourself,” she said as he walked over and leaned down. They exchanged one simple kiss in front of the family, then he walked out, taking a deep, shaky breath as he stood quietly on the porch.

He knew what his problem was, and he hated it. He hated how it made him feel. He hated the secret well of pain and guilt he didn’t know how to crush.

Jumping into the air, he flew directly to Alchan’s home and saw his brother waiting for him on the porch. He didn’t bother landing, angling up so Alchan could follow him to his private residence. He got the door open in time for Alchan to walk in as he landed.

“Do you think Nyria will help?” Alchan asked immediately. “I know she’s trying to tell us whatever she can, but I don’t want to assume she’ll help with this and accidentally cause her loyalties to switch.”

“We’ll find out,” Luykas replied softly. “Alchan…do you know what you’re asking me to do?”

“I’m asking you to help Mave kill your brother,” Alchan answered, his face betraying the sadness that didn’t come through in his words. “I know, and if things had played out Shadra’s way, you would have one day met me on the battlefield, and we would have tested our mights against each other.”

“I hate him,” Luykas admitted softly. “The stories about him and what he does to those around him, what he did to Mave…I hate him, but…”

“He’s your brother,” Alchan whispered, stepping closer. “And he’s Nyria’s brother, and even though he’s a monster, this could be hard on her. Don’t think I don’t understand, Luykas. If I ever had the chance to kill our father, I would have taken it, but it wouldn’t have been easy. It would have been very hard because he’s our father.”

“Thank you.” He was glad to hear his brother really understood. This was killing family, awful, evil family, but family, nonetheless. Since he started talking to Nyria, he had begun to remember that. They were as blood-related to him as the brother beside him. Just because he identified more with Alchan and the Andinna didn’t stop him from being half Elvasi.

Emerian and Trevan were helping him remember that as well. He could relate to both of them in ways no one else could, and they could relate to him. He enjoyed their company and sometimes despised it, but he’d made a promise to them and his wife to see them trained. So, even on the days he wanted to hate them, he went. He rarely ever ended the days angry with his nature.

Tonight, he had a feeling he would.

“I’m going to get ready,” he whispered, walking into a back room of his private home. Suddenly, he wanted Mave here but knew better than to get her. He had Alchan, and his brother would keep him strong. This was a family affair, but not one for his family with Mave. This was between two great houses, two powerful rulers, and the families and blood that tied them together: him.

He prepared quickly and threw himself into the connection with Nyria, letting it yank him far away. He found himself in her room as he normally did. Normally, she was preparing for sleep at this time, but tonight, she wasn’t.

“What’s the word?” she asked softly, looking over something at her small desk.

“We’re about to do something, but I need information before we’re comfortable going through with it. We don’t absolutely need your information, but we would like it. What’s the word from your end?”

“She’s focused on Elliar and only reads reports from the Dragon Spine. She trusts Lothen with it, and from what I hear, other than a minor incident, plans should be going forward,” Nyria answered. “What those plans are, I don’t know.”

“He’s been mapping the mountains and our guard positions, looking for an open route to our village to crush us before we know he’s coming. We know now and are formulating a response,” Luykas answered. “Nyria…”

“Ah…” She turned and leaned against the desk. “I understand what you might be saying. Come with me. We can plan something together because there are some things I still need to do here in Elliar.”

He nodded and watched her walk to a simple wall. Pulling on a light fixture, she caused the wall to creak open softly, and he nearly chuckled—secret hallways and doorways, typical of an Elvasi residence. He followed her into the dark hall and into another room with no windows or airflow. Even in his astral form, it felt like dead air, dusty and hard to breathe. The door closed slowly.

“They’ll think I’m in the bath,” she explained, “but we must be quick.”

“Do they check on you?”

“No. Sometimes a maid will come in to collect laundry, but I’ve told them to start doing that earlier, so I can have my late evenings in privacy. My mother knows I like my privacy and respects it. She loves me, you know.”

“She used to love me,” he said, looking away from her.

“I know. I think she still does sometimes.”

“I’m her oldest child, and she has many faults, but being a neglectful or unloving mother was never one of them.” He was old enough to admit that. “So, what is it you want to do?”

“You are planning on killing Lothen, aren’t you? It’s a smart move. He’s commanding the forces, and he’s the heir to the throne. It would send the Empire into a tailspin of grief and a mandatory period of grieving when we couldn’t go to war. It buys you time.” She opened a trunk, and he felt shock run through him at the equipment kept there—simple black clothing, weapons wrapped carefully, and ancient tomes, probably with spells he had never seen before.

She was a war sorcerer and was probably more skilled than him, based on the sort of reading she did. Catching him looking at one of the tomes, she lifted it and put it on a table, opening it quickly to a spell.

“Read while I explain. I’ve heard stories of your strange magics. You’ve mastered combat techniques of the strange blood magic of the Andinna and combined them with sorcery of other races. You might be able to use that spell. I’ve never been able to work it.” She barely took a breath before continuing. “Now, about you going after Lothen. He’s going to be stationed in the center of his camp, surrounded by his men. It’s standard procedure for royalty in a camp. Makes it difficult to sneak in and attack or assassinate us. You’ll need to come in from above on a moonless night, or so fast they can’t stop you. Then you need to get out quickly. He keeps several gryphon riders, but you know about those. I think you have a seventy-five percent chance of succeeding with this if you use your best. Like that wyvern shifter, the Zira mutt. I’ve heard stories. Some fires and you can easily send the camp into emergency mode, get in, then get out.” She stopped after that, walking closer.

“What do you think of it? The spell?”

“Why would you need this spell?” he asked softly, looking over it. It was a death spell. Powerful and incredibly dangerous to pull off, it would make the one who was the victim seem as if his body had failed him. “And how does it give you trouble?”

“It needs fresh blood of the victim,” she answered. “And that ruins the point of the spell, doesn’t it?”

Chills ran down his spine. “How do you think I astral project to you, Nyria? I don’t have your fresh blood. We share blood. You just need to be able to find the connection piece to make sure it works on the other person and not yourself. You need to feel the difference. Shadra used her blood to do this very spell to see me when she had none of mine.”

She inhaled sharply. “It’s a spell to kill a family member,” she whispered, her eyes going wide and a small smile forming. “Oh, I feel so foolish now. I was planning on using it on some of my mother’s generals, but this is perfect timing. Let me know when you intend to kill Lothen. I’ll use the chance to kill my father. Right now, he’s the main source of her funding. When he dies, I inherit everything, and I’ll be able to funnel some of his money to keep helping Andinna escape across the Empire.”

“You’ll also be heir to the throne when Lothen dies,” Luykas reminded her cautiously.

“That doesn’t worry me,” she said, waving a hand. “I never did any of this for power, but I’ll die before I see Lothen sit on my mother’s seat. I want to change the Empire for the better if it ends up with me there. If I die trying to help end this trouble, I’m okay with that as well.”

“You’re very…focused. Nyria, these people are your family,” he said carefully, turning back to her. He’d committed the spell to memory, but he had no intention of ever using it. Not even on Lothen, though he had reasons for that beyond the disgust the spell gave him. It felt like foul magic.

“I stopped seeing them as my family centuries ago and came to terms with their cruelty before that. My family? They are the people I have worked with for centuries to end the cruelty everyone in the Empire is currently subjected to. They are the people who have seen me change faces from who I am to who my mother believes I am. I grew up learning to hide important pieces of myself to be something acceptable to her, and even though I’m acceptable, I’m not special in her eyes. She might be my mother, but she is not my family. Fenoth? He’s my father, but he’s not my family. Lothen? He’s my brother, but he’s not my family. So, yes, I’m focused. Focused on defeating those people who have tried so hard to crush me and forced me to be things I am not for centuries. Focused on correcting the terrible things done in the name of what is best for the Empire.”

“Am I your family?” he asked, frowning.

“You might be one day, but right now, you are my ally,” she answered pragmatically. “Of all people, you should know family is those you keep close. Don’t let blood determine who should be worthy of your love and affection. You can’t choose who is in your blood, but you can choose who is your family. Now, you should let me know when you intend to kill Lothen. I can arrange for Fenoth to die around the same time. It would be a crushing blow to her. Thank you for explaining the spell. That’s not something I was taught.”

“The idea of blood is important to the Andinna,” he said softly, looking back at the spell. “It’s sometimes used in sorcery but not commonly. It’s considered dirty and dark, but Andinna, we know how powerful blood truly is.”

“Hmm.” She didn’t seem impressed, but her eyes betrayed a curiosity he recognized in himself.

“I’m blood bonded with my wife,” he explained. “We know how to fool even the gods when it comes to our bonds and relations. She’s formally adopted, and therefore, exchanged blood with two of the parents of her new family. Not even the gods would deny that. My blood bond with her allows us to know each other’s hearts and feelings, both emotional and physical. Blood is the carrier of the life force, a great source of power. Andinna are naturals. We use it to bless the land, pouring our own energy into it instead of taking from it. That’s why lots of sorcery doesn’t work unless it’s done on Anden soil. Our blood’s power naturally repels other forces. If you ever have more questions or want to practice using your blood to focus on someone else, try astral projecting to me. You’ll be stopped by the mountains, but if you feel that, then you know you’ve succeeded.”

She nodded, pondering. Every time he spoke to her, he saw this side of her—an intelligent, cunning, and fearsome woman who lived in secret by hiding in plain sight. Like Mave, but different. Like Mave, Nyria did what she had to because survival and her own goals were important to her.

“You should go,” she finally said. “I’ll consider this new information. Andinna blood magic is understudied and banned in the Empire. If my mother has learned some tricks from it, it’s about time I figured them out.”

“Have at it,” he said, shrugging. “Sleep well.”

She was already distracted by the book on the table and waved him away. He nearly laughed as he left and let the call of his own body take him home.

When he opened his eyes, Alchan was waiting.

“She gave me information,” he said, staggering as he tried to stand. It always exhausted him to do this. “Lots…”

“Tell me in the morning,” Alchan said gently, helping him stand. “Rest and turn your thoughts to happier days. Tomorrow, we can finalize our plans to kill your brother.”

“Not family,” Luykas whispered. “She reminded me that…he’s not…”

“Luykas?” Alchan seemed distant. Luykas wasn’t sure how his feet were moving. Maybe they weren’t.

“You…family,” he mumbled before his eyes closed, and he couldn’t say anything else.

35

Mave

Mave walked in a wide circle around the near forty Andinna in the clearing. She was impressed, but she knew she couldn’t show it, not yet.

“We leave in four days!” she roared over the groans of pain from the warriors. “If I see anyone I feel will slow the rest of us down, I’m pulling you from the mission! This is your final test! Don’t let down those who have taken a chance on you!”

She was the last of the Company to approve the lot in the field. Of the Company, everyone but Alchan, Luykas, and Varon were assigned to the mission. She, Mat, and Bryn were Team One with twenty of the warriors. Zayden, Kian, and Nevyn were team two with the others. They would attack in waves, following Rain.

But first, she needed the warriors chosen to prove they were ready. They were, but she was glad to see them working harder for her eyes than they had for any of her males and friends, as if they felt the need to push themselves beyond their limits just for her.

“How are they, Champion?” Alchan asked, coming up beside her.

“I’m pleasantly surprised. They’ll do, I think.” She smiled at him fiercely. “The Elvasi won’t know what hit them.”

“Good. I’m glad they all pass your inspection. Now, you’ve had them out here for half the day with all of us waiting on you. I’m going to take over.”

“Of course.” She waved for him to step up and look over the males she had been running into the ground. “Attention for the king!” she roared over the sound of clashing steel as the Andinna sparred against each other. They all stopped, moving to stand straight and wait for Alchan’s words.

“You will all go home and spend time with your friends and family for tonight and tomorrow night,” he said loudly. “This mission will be dangerous, and I want all of you to look at your loved ones and decide if you wish to be on this mission. You have two nights to make the decision to stay home. You are dismissed.”

Mave raised an eyebrow but didn’t question Alchan’s proclamation. She was too riled up to ever decide she wouldn’t be on this mission, but could see why some of the younger males with a new female, or older males like Kian with potential babies on the way, might suddenly decide they couldn’t.

“I’m going to go camping tonight,” he said, sighing as he turned back to her. “And think. I need to get away and think.”

“You just went a little while ago,” she pointed out, frowning as she realized Alchan went camping a lot.

“I don’t like how crowded everything is here. I can never clear my head, and I need to, or my temper begins to act up, and this mission, it’s very easy for me to get stressed. No one likes me when I’m stressed,” he explained, giving her a tight smile.

When she had met him, he’d been a prime example of an asshole, thanks to the stress of the mission to free Matesh, Rainev, and her. She would never forget her first impression and their words to each other. She didn’t want to repeat them.

“I’m going to entrust everything with Luykas, so he’ll be busy for the evening. Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine,” she said, shrugging finally. “Will you let him know?”

“I told him before coming over. Someone had to stop you from beating those males into the ground.” He chuckled and walked away. She watched him as he went to Rainev and spoke softly, too low for her to hear, then they both launched into the air. Once they were gone, she went to her males and the rest of the Company.

“Tomorrow, you’ll come to my place and spend the evening with your mother,” Kian said, pointing at her.

“I will,” she promised. “Let me figure out the schedule. It seems like there’s going to be a lot going on over the next few days before we leave.”

“I’ll send Willem over before dinner tonight to find out when you want to come over,” Kian said, nodding, then launched into the air. Nevyn took Varon’s hand and left with him, and Mave was grateful. Since the last mission she was on, they had been acting strangely with her, not as close or fun as they once were. Varon was still rehabilitating his arm and gave her odd looks. Nevyn was just confused and cranky, and he had reason to be. She had nearly killed herself the last time she met Lothen in a fight, then unexplainable things had happened she refused to talk about to anyone.

“Love,” Mat whispered to her. “Do you want to spend the night with all of us and tomorrow night with only Luykas?”

“That would be good. I’ll spend the day with Senri, then head to Luykas.”

“We were also thinking…” Mat looked to the side, and she followed, seeing Zayden standing there, looking somewhat out of place and nervous. Bryn was standing next to him and gently pushed the much larger male forward. Zayden shot her rogue a dirty look, then looked back at her.

“I would like to spend the rest of the day with you,” he said, looking at Mat, who nodded. “We can go out and have dinner under the stars, something just between us. It’s been so busy, but I would like to before we go on this mission. Then you can have the night with Mat and Bryn.”

“I would really love that,” she agreed. “Let’s get out of here.”

They went home and had lunch before Zayden packed a bag for them. Once he was done, she left the cliffside home with him, waving at Trevan, Emerian, and Dave outside as they played with Vahn. They were trying to get the gryphon to rebuild its strength, and getting it to exercise in play was the best idea anyone had.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked.

“I figured we could walk the trails for a little while and talk. I know this side of the valley and what’s beyond it, so maybe we go to an area neither of us has seen. Something different.”

“Okay.” She was down for anything as long as she got the oftentimes grouchy male to relent and have some fun with her. Since he invited her, she hoped that meant they were in for a fun afternoon and evening together. “I haven’t done any exploring near Alchan’s home. He and Luykas have claimed that rim and everything beyond it, but I don’t think he’ll mind if we wander around it tonight.”

“Agreed. We’re allowed over there, but respecting his privacy is really important. We did the same thing in Olost, and he never minded us as long as we weren’t frequently in his space.”

They jumped into the air and flew toward one area of the valley Mave didn’t know well. They landed at the top of Alchan and Luykas’ cliff then headed away from the valley, going into the trees beyond. Mave found a game trail and pointed it out to Zayden, who nodded silently. They followed it deeper into the wilds. These mountains were larger and wilder than the ones in Olost, the forests were thicker, the cliffs steeper and taller. And the game? Mave thought she had seen some big deer in Olost, but the ones in the Dragon Spine were massive with big antlers, and there were several kinds. Wolves did well in the Spine, but there were other predators as well. Everything seemed so much more alive.

“I love it here,” she finally said as they walked.

“Anden is a good place,” he said softly, looking around at the trees around them. “I’m glad you got to see it. Maybe one day, you’ll see a proper city.”

“I’ve seen Kerit,” she reminded him.

“Kerit isn’t a proper Andinna city. An Andinna city…” He sighed. “They’re massive like our capital, Lariant, where Alchan’s family once ruled from and where the throne hopefully still sits. It’s built into a mountain. From base to peak, there are levels of homes on the mountain, ending with the palace at the peak. I saw it once when I was younger. Mat and I had decided to go visit, just to see. There are other cities, a little smaller but with the same idea, but the capital was built out of the rock of the mountain it rested on. Courtyards made to survive the different altitudes going up. It overlooked a lake that rested in the center of the valley, and on the coldest days of winter, everyone would play on it. In the summer, you could catch hundreds of Andinna playing in the water. The land wasn’t used for farming or hunting. The palace preferred that done just outside the valley, so the land was for Andinna to walk, think, or anything else.”

“Sounds wonderful,” she said, watching his face as he talked, the light in his eyes brightening as he lost himself to memories of better times.

“It was,” he said, smiling at her. “One day, you’ll see it. There were five major cities spread out over Anden—Kerit, Larie, Krisir, Amonir, and Lariant.”

“Wait.” Mave noticed a trend in the city names. “Were they all named after…”

“The three female dragons? Yes,” Zayden answered, chuckling. “We’re not the most original people.”

“And no one thought to name anything after the…male dragons? There’re four, right? The elementals.” She wasn’t sure why no one ever spoke about them.

“It’s said the males were wild and uncontrollable until Lariana brought them to heel and made them her husbands. They are nature, the very forces of it, and that power needed to be focused on building the world we live in now. It’s not that they were mindless, but they were driven by instinct until she showed them purpose. Then she brought life to their creation. Kristanya finished the cycle by bringing death. Amonora gave both her sisters meaning by adding love and beauty, things worth living and dying for. Once satisfied with their land and after the humans began to encroach, they created the Andinna and the wyverns.”

She didn’t say anything, staring at him for a moment until he laughed.

“So, no, nothing big is named for the males. Smaller cities, villages, certainly, but nothing large. We’re uncontrollable things, driven by instinct. You rein us in, give us life, and lead us to our deaths. You give us beauty and love, things worth living and dying for.”

“I don’t think you’re only driven by instincts,” she whispered, reaching to touch his free hand. “I don’t think…”

“It’s an old way of thinking,” he said, smiling. “It’s not the complete truth, but it reminds us of our places in its own way. And we are, Mave. A male will do anything to achieve two things in life—breed and protect the products of breeding. We want to seed a female, have young, and die for that female and young. It’s our most basic instinct and why we all avoid other families while their females are going through her fertile time…” He trailed off, sighing.

“Zayden?”

“I never got to experience that,” he said softly. “A female Andinna in her fertile time. I know you still haven’t had yours, and I’m not trying to make it sound as if it’s something I’m looking for. I just never got to experience it because Summer was Ziran, a clan member. I do, however, understand the rest from personal experience. I would kill for Rain. I would die for him. He’s my legacy. He’s what I will leave on this earth, my bloodline moving forward.”

“Mat and Bryn don’t…”

“Kian understands,” he said softly. “You’ve seen the shadows over their family more than most. A male who has failed to protect his young is a male who feels as if he’s failed in his only task. Those males will do anything to have another with Senri because she’s their female and the one they wish to bring new life into the world with.”

“She thinks she’s pregnant,” Mave said suddenly. “She thinks it…stuck.”

“And she’s sending Kian on a mission? I can’t say I blame her,” Zayden said, chuckling. “We’re fierce protectors over pregnant females. We have to be. She’s vulnerable, and the pregnancy is long and painful.”

“You know so much more than my other males,” she said, almost mystified.

“Not more, just different,” he countered.

“Fine,” she said, smiling.

They walked deeper into the woods until Zayden heard something.

“Is that a stream?” he asked, tilting his head. “Let’s go. I have an idea.”

“What?” She gave his back a confused look as he started to jog toward the sound of water. She had to run to catch up and nearly bumped into him when he stopped. Looking around him, she saw the wide, deep river and noticed he was looking downstream. “What’s your idea?”

“Follow me,” he said quickly. “Trust me.”

“Okay.” She didn’t know what he was thinking, but he seemed excited.

They walked along the river’s edge for most of the afternoon and evening was upon them as they began to hear a loud crashing.

“A waterfall,” she whispered, running past him to the edge of the cliff and looking down. It was beautiful.

“The trees are out of the way for us to see the stars when the sun goes down,” he explained. “That’s what I was hoping for.”

“I like your ideas,” she said, smiling back at him, then looking back out on the view—the waterfall below her and the sunset before her over the tops of mountains. A hand touched her back.

“Come sit down, and we’ll eat. Then maybe we can explore the falls. Normally, the water will cause little caverns to form as chunks of the cliffside fall. Have you ever seen that before?”

“No,” she answered. “I can’t wait.”

He smiled brightly and pulled a small blanket out of the bag she hadn’t realized he had packed. Settling on it, she tentatively grabbed his tail with hers, prompting him to reach out and pull her closer, so they sat right next to each other, their shoulders and wings touching.

“You know…” He handed her a sandwich. “I never thought I would fall for you. I never thought…”

“What?” She never thought she would fall for him either, but here they were.

“Summer wasn’t Andinna. You are. You’re everything I could ever dream of now that you’ve settled into our culture. I’m sorry you’re getting damaged, secondhand goods with me, but I’m glad you’ll have me. For years no one interested me, no matter how pretty they were or how much they respected me, or I respected them. None of them made me want.”

“And I make you want?” she asked, her heart pounding.

“Thinking about you, seeing you, talking with you. Every time we touch…” He leaned closer to her. “I think about you—a lot. You make me feel like a complete, unbroken male. And I’m a little broken, Mave, by grief, by stress, by being a warrior.”

“You’re just not the male you used to be,” she reminded him. “One day, we’ll all be different from today.”

“We will be, but I hope that different is something that still works together,” he said.

She made the first move, ignoring the sandwich in her hand. She leaned in the rest of the way and gave him a slow kiss, tentative and unsure for a moment before putting more dominance in it. He groaned against her lips and leaned back, letting her take charge. When it was over, the food was discarded, and she was nearly straddling him.

“I thought we were taking this slow,” she teased.

“You do things to my self-control,” he grumbled underneath her. Laughing, she pulled away and found her meal, taking a loud bite. “I wasn’t done either.”

She waved a hand, hoping he continued.

“I loved Summer, but I missed the ideal life I wanted, and it was something she always felt bad about. I had always wanted to be in a big Andinna family, and you’ve given me that, without expectations. You understand me better than she ever did. It’s hard to admit because I really did love her, but…”

“She wasn’t Andinna. I’m not perfect, but I have the instincts to understand what’s expected of me now that I have the chance,” she finished for him, hoping she was right.

“Exactly,” he agreed.

“Eat,” she ordered, realizing he hadn’t even begun to pick out his own food. He narrowed his eyes, but she saw the smirk as he devoured a sandwich under her orders.

He had been craving a female who understood him and knew him. She was that female and was perfectly okay with being that for him.

They ate quickly, then he got up and helped her to her feet.

“Let’s go explore,” he declared. “I used to do this sort of thing with Matesh, then Rain.”

She followed him to the cliffside and was mystified by how he jumped down and grabbed the cliff. They would be climbing, not flying down. She joined him, laughing as water sprayed over them.

They climbed down together, finding a ledge where they could put their feet. He grabbed her and pulled her between him and the cliffside. Her heart pounded as his lips met hers again, his body pressed to hers. It echoed a moment, long ago, when she had only just met him, pretending to be lovers in Myrsten. She ran her hands over his shoulders and neck as he pressed a thigh between her legs and gave her something to grind on as the heat between them built.

Panting, he was the first to pull away.

“I know you didn’t do that with Rain or Mat,” she teased.

He growled as he reached for her. She ran toward the waterfall, laughing as she ducked behind it into a cavern.

Then she stopped laughing.

He bumped into her.

“Mave?” Rain whispered in shock.

Her heart was still pounding as happiness fled, replaced by shock.

“Fuck,” Alchan snarled, moving to protect Rain from their view, his bare back and ass covered in scratch marks from a lover.

There was only one option who that lover could be.

Alchan turned to see her, keeping Rain behind him. He was completely nude, bite marks on his collarbones. The fierce blaze in his amber eyes told her exactly what she had just walked in on. In the back of her mind, something screamed for her to back away slowly. This male would kill if she dared take a step closer to him or his object of affection, much the same way she might if someone threatened her with one of her males.

This was a bedru male, they were dangerously possessive, and she would lose in an unarmed fight against him.

“What the fuck is this?” Zayden snapped, and Mave realized her other problem. Behind her stood a father who was finding out his son was fucking their Skies damned King.

“Oh, no,” Rain said, stepping out from behind Alchan. “Father…”

Alchan snarled as Zayden took a step forward.

“Really?” Zayden snapped at their ruler. “You’re my commanding officer and my king, and you…”

Mave was paralyzed as her mind tried to figure out how she was going to get everyone out of the cavern alive.

“It was me,” Rain said quickly. “I started this. Please.”

Zayden snarled at his son, and Alchan responded in kind, stepping forward, closing the distance.

“Mine,” Alchan growled.

“Fine. But I’m not,” Zayden snapped. “Fuck you.” Zayden had the balls to spit on the ground between them.

Mave made her move as Alchan moved, putting her body between them and held up a hand, noticing how it shook. She was mad—mad Rain and Alchan would keep this from her, from all of them, and mad she was forced to draw a line that could break everything she was trying to build.

“Mave, you have to see how wrong this is,” Zayden growled.

“I do,” she whispered, her eyes locked on Alchan’s. She was barely able to give Rain a glance, trapped under the gaze of her king. At that moment, she realized he was always more dominant than her. She had been the only person close to him, but he would win.

She came to another conclusion in that second, barely able to comprehend most of the thoughts running through her mind.

This wasn’t her business.

Rain was an adult. Alchan was the king.

And she was going to have to draw a line the male behind her was going to hate her for.

She lowered her eyes and hand, glad Alchan didn’t immediately attack her as she lowered her guard. She turned slowly on Zayden, her heart pounding.

“It’s not proper,” she whispered, “but it’s not our business.”

“He’s…”

“Zayden, let’s go,” she said, moving back toward him, putting a hand on his chest. Mave’s parents, Senri’s family, had once explained to her it was a female’s duty to protect their children from overbearing fathers. So, she drew the line. “Just go. This isn’t ours to get involved with.”

“He’s fucking Rain!” Zayden snarled. “His nemari. That’s a breach in protocol, a thousand times over, and he fucking knows it. For nobles, it was considered an offense, an abuse of power, and they were punished by his family for doing it.”

“Go,” she pleaded.

“Or what?” he growled down at her.

“I’ll protect my king.” She looked up and met his gaze. She had to draw the line. This was the male she wanted to keep as her own, but the king behind her was one she couldn’t betray—not now, not ever. If she did, she might never find a ruler she respected again. Behind her was also a son, a young male who had a father, but no one else, no one to temper the Andinna male who would die to protect his son from injustice. Rain was once her adopted brother, but for this, she would protect his choices the way a mother should. She could hurt the father for that.

She just hoped she could live through it.

She saw the betrayal in his eyes, and her heart bled. He turned and stormed out, leaving her alone with the two males who had probably just destroyed the very fragile beginnings she had with Zayden.

“Mave…” Rain sounded wounded.

She turned and stared at him, ignoring the lover’s marks all over his skin.

“I’ll fix this,” she told him evenly. “Your father is mine to deal with. You two will tell the rest of the Company about this. I’ll be sending someone to talk to you, Rain.”

“You have no right—”

“I’m about to be his father’s wife,” she growled at her king, cutting off his idea of who had a right to what. “I am your sister, wife of your brother, and I’m your fucking Champion, Alchan Andini. I think I have every right. That is if drawing the line just now didn’t destroy all of my chances. And Alchan? If they did, you’ll be fucking hearing from me a lot sooner than you want. You should both get dressed and go home.” She met his eyes again and noticed they had softened and lost some of the power they had in them previously. “Tell me one thing. Do you care for him?”

“I love him,” Alchan answered, the naked truth in those amber eyes.

“Good. Both of them deserve that, don’t you think?” She wasn’t even sure what she was trying to say anymore. Rain seemed as if the world was fucking ending, and some part of her thought, maybe it was.

“Mave, I never wanted this to…” Alchan seemed lost for words now. “I thought he was going to try to take Rain, and…”

“You can explain that to someone else. I have more important things to deal with.” Like stopping the betrayal I put in Zayden’s eyes from destroying everything.

36

Mave

Mave left the two males standing in the cavern, storming out and taking to the sky the moment she had the chance.

Someone else could get to the bottom of those two, she needed to find Zayden. Checking the spot where they had sat and kissed and laughed and not finding him, she knew he would go home.

And probably try to leave her and her family.

Unable to accept that, she raced home, flying faster than was safe, dodging other Andinna in the air, who screamed at her to slow down before she accidentally killed someone. She landed hard on her porch and stormed through the open front door.

“What the fuck happened?” Mat asked as she stormed into the main room.

“We caught Rain and Alchan…fucking. Having just fucked. I don’t know. They’re lovers,” she explained fast, not even looking at who was all in the room. “Where’s Zayden?”

“Right here,” he snarled, coming out from his side of the home. “And you stepped in and decided to protect Alchan instead of…” He snarled and threw down whatever he was holding. “You didn’t need to attack him, but you could have helped me take Rain out of there, so I could talk to my fucking son about what was going on. Alchan knows it’s against the fucking rules to…”

“Alchan and Rain?” Mat seemed disbelieving. “Bryn?”

“I haven’t heard shit about somethin’ like that,” the rogue said quickly. “Luykas?”

There was no answer.

She turned to see who was in her home. It was just her three males. Luykas was pale, his face blank.

“You knew,” she whispered. His secrets; he kept his brother’s secrets.

“Yes,” he answered, his eyes full of emotions she couldn’t quite put together. She didn’t bother touching him for the bond to tell her, though. Something screamed to her, she didn’t want to feel whatever potent mix of emotion he was experiencing.

Zayden was across the room in a flash. In a flurry of movement, things got knocked around, and a table was kicked. Before any of them could move to stop it, Zayden had Luykas against the wall.

“Protecting your brother, huh?” Zayden snarled. “Really? You…”

“He loves Rain,” Luykas said, gasping for air, but not fighting the hold. “He loves him, and my brother has lived for centuries, thinking he would be alone. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them to stop after I found out in Kerit.”

“Who else?” Zayden demanded. “Who else knew?”

“Nevyn and Varon,” Luykas choked out as Zayden put more pressure on his throat. Luykas didn’t fight back.

Mave ignored that cut of betrayal. She understood Luykas kept the secret to let his brother find some happiness. She was okay with that. Nevyn and Varon, she didn’t understand.

Zayden figured out something she didn’t put together, though.

“Varon blessed it?” he asked softly, staggering back. “But…”

“I know this looks bad,” Luykas said, panting. “He’s your commander, your king. Our king. He’s entered into a relationship no one should be okay with, but I am begging you, Zayden. Don’t stop it. He loves your son. He loves Rain, and he deserves someone to love. Please.”

“I’m leaving,” Zayden declared. “Leaving this fucking house. Leaving the Company—”

“No,” Mave finally said. “You’re not!”

“You turned on me and protected him!” Zayden growled. “Why would I stay here?”

“He rolled me! What did you expect me to do?” she demanded. “For the first time since I met him, Alchan rolled me. He established dominance, and unless I wanted a fight, which I would have lost, I had to turn. He’s my king, Zayden. I understand why you’re upset. I’m not happy with them, but Rain is an adult, and Alchan is the only king I’ve ever had and respected. I couldn’t…”

“Oh fuck,” Mat whispered. Luykas groaned, and she watched her mutt bend over.

For the first time in her life, she had been forced to look down, and she couldn’t blame Alchan. If someone had walked in on her with a lover and tried to take that lover from her, she would have done everything she could to stop it from happening.

He’d done the one thing he knew would stop her from involving herself on Zayden’s side and taking Rain from him.

“Would you rather I had fought and gotten killed? Would you rather I had let you fight him in the insane belief you were protecting Rain and gotten killed?” she asked, looking at Zayden’s very still form. “He’s a bedru. He would have killed both of us.” Still nothing from the betrayed father. “Zayden, please listen to reason. We’re going to talk this out. Mat, you’re going to meet Rain and Alchan at their home. You are going to talk to Rain in private to make sure he’s not being abused by the king. If Alchan tries to turn you away, you’ll warn him he won’t like if I show up. I’ll bring my fucking swords.”

“Of course, ilanra,” Mat said, jumping up. She took comfort in the fact that she was still his beloved.

“Bryn, you’re going to get to Senri and her family and tell them what happened,” Mave continued. She channeled Senri and her ability to direct Kian, Gentrin, and Willem. She had to be firm and in charge as if she had everything under control. “They might have advice to deal with the fallout.”

“Yes, love.” Bryn was already moving, heading for the door.

“Luykas, you’re going to Nevyn and Varon. Tell them what happened and tell them my orders for you all. Whatever is decided, I won’t be available until morning.”

“Okay, Mave.” He didn’t sound good.

She kept her eyes on Zayden as she spoke. It took only a dozen heartbeats for her males to leave, then she was alone with Zayden.

“Zayden…”

“Alchan…”

“Betrayed your trust by possibly taking advantage of your son, who has gone through so much and went to him to be trained and grow stronger, not be a lover or a sex slave,” she said for him. “I know. I know, Zayden. I know what happened to Rain in the pits, I know it all, but I’m not letting you storm out of this house and do something you can’t take back.”

“If you think you’re going to keep me without a fight, then you have another think coming,” he growled softly.

“I’m willing to fight for you. Alchan isn’t the only person in the Company who deserves love.”

“And if I truly don’t want to be here?” he said, looking up, his sapphire eyes looking as hard as the gemstones they mimicked.

“You would have already left,” she said softly. She caught the glimmer in his eyes. “I’ll bring you to heel and get you in my bed, Zayden. You belong with me, and I’m not letting this break us.”

“Try,” he dared.

She crossed the room and pushed him up to the wall.

“Do you really want this to get rough?” she growled. “It doesn’t have to. We both know I’m right. We both know my decisions in that fucking cavern were the best ones I could make.”

He glared in response, and she reached down, feeling him hard in his breeches.

“Ah, this is what you want,” she murmured, licking his jawline. “I see. You want an Andinna female to prove she can rule you. You want to know if I’m worthy of keeping you in line, to curb your base impulses and your rage, and make you think clearly.” She gripped him through the leather, listening to him groan. “I can do that.”

She claimed his lips, but he bucked, pushing her away, panting. Before he could move away from the wall, she slammed him back into it, only for him to retaliate this time and turn them, so her back was against the wall.

“I’m going,” he growled.

Shoving him off her, she opened her wings to block his paths as she circled to get between him and the escape of the doorway.

“You’re not going,” she said softly. “Because I’m not letting you do anything stupid.”

He growled, but a quick glance told her he was into this. He was still erect. Testing his will against hers was something that excited him. Being put in his place at the end of it was probably going to be satisfying for both of them.

But first, she needed to get him to relent about leaving.

“Stay here,” she said gently, holding out a hand. “Stay with me. I want you here. You deserve to be happy, Zayden. I want it all. I want to be the female you crave. I want to be the center of the home you love. I want to be everything.”

Not everything needs to be about power and strength. I know what he wants, and that’s my weapon. That’s how I’ll bring him to heel, and he’s going to be furious about it.

She saw a moment of weakness in him as she struck a chord—offering him everything he never thought he would get a chance at. Her offer was honest, but it came with conditions as she was certain he would remember soon enough.

He reached out to take her hand, and she used it as leverage to pull him in and kiss him hard again. Before he could shove her away, she wrapped her arms around him and jumped to swing her legs around his hips. He growled in desperation against her mouth, and her back roughly hit a wall.

He ground against her, but she gave him no satisfaction from her own reaction, growling as she pulled his hair to lean his head back. She angled to bite his neck as she dropped her legs to push them in a different direction. She felt him stumble into another wall and knew they were where they needed to be. He walked backward as she forced him in the direction she wanted and was able to reach around him to get the handle to the door after he bumped into it.

One twist and she shoved him into her bedroom, the one she shared with her males. She kicked it closed after she walked in and watched him process for a minute where he was but didn’t give him a chance to fight it. She reached out and undid his breeches, pushing them down to expose his cock, still standing ready for her.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” she said in a growl before biting his neck and gripping the base of his shaft. “Not today. Not tomorrow. You’re going to remain with me until we’re old and frail, Zayden. I want your anger. I want your happiness. I want all of it, and I’m not going to take no for an answer.”

“Damn you,” he said, panting.

“Do you want to leave? Answer me honestly, do you?” she demanded.

He was furious—furious at Alchan and Luykas, furious with Nevyn and Varon, furious with her. He was furious with all of them. This was his last chance to ignore the erection in his pants, his chance to destroy the relationship they had been building.

Mave wasn’t expecting how he reached down, grabbed her under her ass, and dumped her on her back, leaving her staring up at him. He knelt between her legs and yanked off her bottoms. She grabbed his cock and angled it, letting him push in with a single thrust. The fury didn’t abate. He pounded into her, but she needed control. She threw her weight up and twisted, making him snarl as she claimed the top position and rode him.

Only then did the fight in him begin to leave. It was still fast and hard, this first time between them, but he didn’t growl, snap, or snarl. He relaxed and let her ride at her own pace, matching it.

She knew she had tamed him, given him someone he could respect, who could hold his metaphorical leash, maybe even someone he could love. She wanted him to love her, but for that moment, they were just fucking, and he belonged to her. She cared about him and made sure he knew that as she ran her hands over his chest. She rode him as she leaned over and kissed him, delighting in their moans as their lips met.

She drove herself to her own climax, knowing he would either follow or help her to a second. She gasped as she finished on him, listening to his groan as he came with her, filling her.

“Fuck,” he said with a small growl. “How did you…”

“I’ve learned a lot over the last two years,” she reminded him, biting his bottom lip before lifting herself up. She continued to straddle him, just a physical reminder of where he belonged—with her in this room. “And I don’t fight my instincts. Your body gave you away.”

“It did. What are we going to do about…them?” He seemed lost. “I thought I wanted to resign from the Company, but I don’t think you’ll let me do that.”

“No, I won’t. You and I are going to stay here tonight and let everyone else ask around and make sure Rain is happy where he is. If he’s happy, it’s not our business, Zayden. We’re going to respect it. Tell me something. What really makes you so angry with this? I know you want Rain to find love, and he might have. Is it Alchan?”

“How dangerous do you think being the king’s nemari is? He’s expected to step in front of the arrow. He’s expected to stop the knife to Alchan’s back. He’s the last line of defense. Consider how dangerous his life will be as Alchan’s lover, Mave. Consider that.”

“He turns into a wyvern, and he’s not afraid to use that. He’s a strong, capable warrior, even if he’s my size. You have to learn to let him make his own decisions. We’ll let others worry about politics and propriety. The only thing you need to be is proud. He’s come a long way since I met him.”

Zayden nodded slowly. “This is why…this is why I’ve been falling for you. Did you know that? You see me, and you know just what to say like a good female always does. Without even knowing it, you took the time to step in where so many have given up, and…”

“I see you,” she agreed, leaning down to kiss him again, knowing what he intended to say. “I see you as the father, the friend, and a lover. When you smile, I see a male in his prime, enjoying his life. And I see how wise you can be, even if you don’t always think to use what you know. Emotions make clear thinking hard. I know. I’ve been there, consumed by rage that wasn’t in my best interest. Tomorrow, we’re going to address the source of your anger. Tonight, you’re going to stay with me.”

“Of course, I’ll stay.”

She had him.

“How common is this?” she asked, moving on him to get comfortable. She smiled at his groan.

“I didn’t want our first time to be like this,” he mumbled. “I wanted it to be something else. I didn’t think we would find them doing what they were doing.”

“Zayden…” Mave noticed how he didn’t answer the question.

“I really like when a female puts me in my place, so it might happen often,” he conceded. “I love this. I love the power of the Andinna female. Mave, if I ever piss you off, I want this. I want to be knocked around and taken. I crave this.”

“Often…” She sighed. “Okay, I’ll remember that.”

“Mave—”

“Don’t worry,” she said with a small smile. “I loved this, too.” Her dominant nature thrived when she was given the chance to claim and own. She loved that he wanted a fight because she had loved it more than she ever thought she would. There was a roughness that should have scared her, but she was in control.

He groaned underneath her as she bit his jawline and wrapped a hand around his neck, feeling powerful. She felt him grow harder again and started riding, glad she had guessed he would like something that made him feel powerless. This time it was slower, but they both knew what it meant.

Zayden belonged to her.

37

Alchan

Alchan sat in his main room, staring at the fire as Rain moved around in a much more anxious manner than he could tolerate.

“Please sit,” Alchan said desperately, hoping it worked. He was too tired to force the younger male to stop moving but also too tired to deal with the anxious, fearful energy of his lover.

“What do you think is going to happen?” Rain asked.

“Mave is going to send someone to ask if you want to leave,” Alchan whispered, knowing it was the inevitable conclusion to this nightmare. “And most will expect you to say yes.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Rain said softly, coming around in front of him. “Alchan, you know that, right?”

“I do,” Alchan said gently, reaching out. He grabbed Rain’s hand and gently tugged. Rain was the one who decided to close the distance, though, sitting on his lap. Alchan wrapped his arms around Rain’s waist and sighed as he placed his forehead on the younger male’s back. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Then nothing changes,” Rain said with a certainty that made Alchan want to laugh.

“I made a mistake in the cavern, Rain. I rolled her. I forced Mave to submit. She’ll hate me until we take our last breaths. That changes everything. Beyond that, if we want to continue this relationship, we need to go public. There’s no way we’ll continue to keep this a secret from everyone if the entire Company knows.”

“Yes, there is. We all keep Luykas’ secret,” Rain countered.

“Luykas isn’t always beside his lover, wanting to touch but can’t. We’ve slipped once. We were discovered today. I’m not going to foolishly believe we can keep trying to do this and keep it a secret.” Alchan leaned back, pulling Rain with him, so Rain was practically lying on him as Alchan got comfortable on the cushion. “If your father knows, there’s no reason for me not to kiss you in front of the world.”

“Is that what you want?” Rain asked, looking down at him.

“Yes,” Alchan answered honestly. He wanted it more than he could breathe sometimes. He wanted to hold Rain close during meetings, someone to comfort him when he heard bad news. He wanted something even more than what they already had.

“I do, too,” Rain whispered, kissing Alchan’s neck before nuzzling in. “I never thought…”

“I didn’t either,” Alchan said softly, running his fingers through black hair. “But first, we need to see if I still have a royal guard, or if they consider this a deeper betrayal than an ill-conceived relationship.”

“They would never leave you,” Rain said passionately.

“Your father was a moment away from saying it, and let’s not pretend otherwise. If Mave hadn’t stepped in, he would have continued to grow angrier, and his reasons were sound. This was once considered very close to illegal under my grandmother. A noble or member of the royal family had too much power over a nemari to engage in a sexual relationship. He had the right to be furious.”

“But you never…” Rain sighed. “I understand, but we have to convince them that this isn’t like that. I came on to you. We have rules. You never force me into anything. And maybe if we’re public, we can try new things.”

Alchan nearly groaned—new things. There were several things Alchan enjoyed they hadn’t done yet because of their need for secrecy. The idea of a freefall meeting with Rain made him grow hard. Rain shifted and noticed, his face turning pink.

“We can’t think about that right now,” Rain whispered with a smile.

“You started it,” Alchan growled. “I can’t help that thing.” He slid a hand over Rain’s thigh and between his legs. “Seems like you can’t either,” he teased, nipping Rain’s ear.

There was a sharp knock at the door, and Alchan knew it was time to face one of his Champion’s males. It wouldn’t be Luykas. She wouldn’t be so foolish as to send him. So, now he had to see if it was Brynec, who could slip a knife through his ribs, or Matesh, who loved Rain like an uncle and would stand by Zayden and Mave’s side. He knew which one he preferred.

Rain jumped up from his lap, leaving him bereft of the physicality he enjoyed. Alchan didn’t bother grabbing anything to cover his erection. He was wearing pants, and they would have to do.

Mat walked back in the room with Rain, and Alchan gave a sigh of relief. It was the one who was easier to deal with. Mat wouldn’t try to kill him.

“I was sent by Mave. If you send me away, my orders are to go back to her, and she’ll come with her swords,” Mat said without preamble.

“Then have a seat,” Alchan said, feeling annoyed that he was the king, but Mave was running the situation.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it,” Mat said with some annoyance. “Really, you two? Even if you had worries about Zayden, you could have told her, me, or any of us near him to help lessen the damage done when Zayden did find out. With that said, I’m required to ask a few questions. Rain, are you, in any way, being forced into this relationship by Alchan Andini, King of the Andinna?”

“No.”

“Alchan, have you given Rain proper recourse to leave this relationship if he so desires?”

“Yes,” Alchan answered, staring into the fire.

“Is it true that Varon knew about this?”

“Yes,” they both answered.

“Luykas and Nevyn as well?”

“Yes,” Alchan growled, turning on him. “Are we going to divide the Company in two over this?”

“No,” Mat said softly, finally coming to sit down. “But not everyone is on the same page, and we need to be. If you two want this, I’m not going to say anything. Alchan, you know what was done to Rain while he and I were slaves in the Empire, right?”

“I know,” Alchan answered, staring at the male’s eyes, realizing this male wasn’t a threat. “You saved him from it with your female. For that, I thank you. I never thought this would ever come about. It wasn’t my intention to ever be in a relationship with Rain, but I…I’ve fallen in love with him, and I’ll kill every single Andinna who tries to take him away from me. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” Mat whispered. “I’m not here to take him. I’m here to make sure he wants to be here.”

“I do,” Rain said, speaking up again. “Mat…where’s my father?”

“Mave is handling him the way he wants to be handled. You can see both of them in the morning.”

Before anyone could continue, there was a sudden flurry of people storming into Alchan’s home—Nevyn, Varon, and Luykas, followed by Kian and Bryn—all talking over each other.

“Oh, fuck,” Alchan groaned. “One at a time!”

“You need to go public,” Nevyn said sharply. “Considering you’ve now fucked up keeping this a secret twice—”

“Rain and I have already spoken about it, and we will,” Alchan growled, cutting off one of his best warriors. He wasn’t in the mood to be told what to do. He was tolerating it to a point, so the warriors he commanded would respect him for another day, but he wasn’t in the mood.

“Varon is willing to give Amonora’s Blessing. If either of you is willing…”

Yes. Ah, please, yes. Let me tie my life with his. He’s the only one who has ever wanted me, and if that will keep him with me until we’re old and grey, then yes.

Alchan looked at Rain, whose eyes went wide.

“That’s formal protection of the priesthood to defend a relationship that might look poorly in the eyes of the Andinna,” Rain said, looking around. “Right?”

“Yes,” Alchan said gently. “I would be willing to accept it. Rain? It’s your decision. It would formalize us. We would be considered a married pair, and you would be my consort, I think.”

“Yes, he would, and you can take others, due to your station,” Nevyn said, sitting down next to Matesh. “We would do it right now and push it out as if you had it done in private without thinking about public opinion.”

“I want…” Rain frowned. “Alchan, I can’t do it without…”

He wants Mave and Zayden here. I would never ask him to do something like that without them.

“Then we’ll hold off until after the mission,” Alchan said softly. “Whenever you feel comfortable and only if it’s what you want.”

Rain nodded. That was all they got out of the younger male, who walked out, probably overwhelmed by so many people finally knowing this secret and the very real relationship they had. Alchan wanted to follow him, but couldn’t, knowing all eyes were on him to clean up this mess.

“Varon, go check on him?” Alchan asked softly, looking up at the priest. Varon nodded and walked out, as well. He looked at the rest of the males around him, needing to ask the most important question. “Are we going to be okay?”

“Do you love him?” Mat asked.

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Luykas and Mave. Yes. The answer will always be yes.”

“Then we’re going to be okay. I’m mostly upset because this was kept secret from us. I understand the reasons why, but we’re the Company and of all the things…” Mat sighed, looking up at the others. Kian and Bryn both nodded in agreement. Nevyn shrugged.

“I always knew, but I can imagine why they’re all pissed,” the warrior said before the room was too silent for too long. “Now, we just need to worry about Mave and Zayden.”

“Mave will be okay,” Mat said, unconcerned. In a way, Alchan trusted his judgment regarding her more than he trusted his brother’s. Luykas might have the blood bond, but Mat knew Mave better than anyone from experience. He saw her when she had been in the dark hell that had been her life. He was the one who stood by her every step of the way, his loyalty unfailing.

“Good. And Zayden?” That was where Alchan felt guilty. Zayden had been his loyal warrior for a thousand years. Just in Kerit, they had fought together and nearly died together. And the entire time, Alchan had been in bed with his adult son.

“Mave is handling him,” Mat said, repeating his earlier words.

* * *

The next day came quickly, and Alchan was up before Rain, preparing breakfast when a knock came to his door. He knew it would have come eventually, but he hadn’t wanted it to be so early in the morning. He didn’t bother answering, looking up from what he was doing to see Mave and Zayden walk in.

“Good morning,” he greeted. “I spoke to everyone else last night, so did Rain.” They had talked well into the night, everyone making sure of the same things Mat had. Was it consensual? Was Alchan abusing his power? Was there any reason they needed to leave with Rain?

In the end, both he and Rain had convinced them all none of it was necessary. They had both been apologetic for the secrets, but they weren’t sorry for what had grown between them.

Alchan had only ever been truly claimed by one person outside of his family, and Rain was continuing to stand by him. He would die for that. For the first time, he had something very personal to fight for that wasn’t only his duty as a brother, a prince, or a king.

Now, he looked at the only two people who could take it away from him. Not without a fight, but he knew they were capable of winning that fight.

“Is Rain still asleep?” Mave asked, finding a seat at his table.

“He is. We were up late, and I wanted him to have the rest. Before either of you tear me apart, just let me reiterate that I’m in love with him. There is no changing that. There was no plan for it to happen. It was unexpected, but it’s here now, and I’m willing to fight to keep him.”

“I’m not here to take him,” Mave said softly. She looked at Zayden, who flushed.

“We’re here to apologize for walking in on you yesterday. My son is an adult, and so long as he’s happy, that’s all I need. The love of a king is probably the most dangerous love, but it’s also one of the fiercest. I don’t know what else I would have picked for my son, but it’s greater than I think I ever had hoped for him.” Zayden groaned, looking back at Mave. “Happy, Mave?”

“I am.” She smiled. “Zayden is my newest male. Be patient with him. We’re going to train him out of his bad attitude one day.”

Alchan nearly smiled, but it faltered as he remembered what else he had done in the cavern, trying to protect his relationship with Rain.

“I rolled you,” he said quietly, picking up his coffee and putting it in front of her. “Sister, I’m sorry—”

“Don’t be,” she said quickly. “You always knew you could, didn’t you?”

“I did,” he admitted softly. “But you were so dominant and gave a good fight every time. I enjoyed not being so alone at the top. I wasn’t thinking when I did it yesterday. I just wanted to protect him from being taken from me.”

“I know,” she said softly, looking up at him. Their eyes met, but neither of them wavered. “I put it together on my own. You’re my king, and if that means it was finally time to establish the official ranking, then it was time. I’m not as fragile as I once was, and this won’t destroy my confidence in myself. Don’t expect me to lower my eyes often, though.”

“I would never,” he promised. “Keep challenging me as you please. It’s humbling.”

“Good. I like humbling males.”

Then he did laugh, and so did she—the only person at the table who didn’t was Zayden, who sank in his chair a little. Alchan reached out and tentatively put his hand on Zayden’s shoulder.

“You raised an amazing male,” he said to the father, who was two hundred years younger. “And we’re going to get Amonora’s Blessing when the mission is over.”

Zayden inhaled sharply and looked up.

“That’s…it would make him your consort.”

“Yes,” Alchan said, sitting down beside Zayden. “I want your blessing, as well.”

“You’ve been a great commander to me for many years. You watched me stumble and continued to give me chances. You saved my life.”

“And you saved mine,” Alchan reminded him.

“If he’s happy, you have it. I was angry yesterday, but Mave…”

“I don’t need details,” Alchan said, looking between the two. He had a feeling he knew exactly how Mave got Zayden to calm down and look at the situation differently. “Stay for breakfast. Let me wake up Rain. I’m sure he would love to see you both, and if you don’t want to talk in front of me, you’ll have the entire mission to talk behind my back.”

Mave started to laugh again behind him as he went into his room and saw Rain standing there, half-dressed.

“Did you hear that?” Alchan asked, leaning on the door frame.

“Yeah.” Rain smiled. “I did.”

“Okay. Then come out and have breakfast with him and make him happy.” Alchan smiled when Rain walked up to him and kissed him slowly, pushing him out into the hallway where they could be seen.

Alchan turned as Rain left him and went to sit at the table with his father and the female who might as well have been his mother. She smiled over their heads at him.

They would be going on a mission in only two days, and Alchan, seeing all of them together, realized it wasn’t only Luykas and Mave he considered family. The entire Company was his family, and he hoped they would all return. He wanted to have more mornings with his lover and the family they shared.

Perversely, he was glad they all knew.

He heard the door open and close, seeing his brother come in. Luykas stopped short, seeing the scene at the table, then turned to Alchan with a shocked expression.

“Family breakfast,” Alchan said softly. “Before everyone leaves on the mission.”

Luykas smiled, then went to kiss his wife on the check and give Zayden a hard, friendly thump on the back.

“Mave, don’t forget you promised to spend the day with Senri and her males,” Luykas said to his wife.

“Oh, I haven’t,” she promised, then looked at Alchan. “I thought you were making breakfast.”

Alchan lifted his hands and walked for the kitchen, getting back to work on his preparations. A moment later, Zayden walked in and silently began to help him, doing things Alchan had never done in his own cooking, using spices Alchan never bothered with.

“Rain’s favorites,” the father said softly. “Might as well make sure you’re perfect for him.”

38

Mave

Mave jumped off her horse, looking at the night sky stretching above her as she led it to the valley field.

“Make sure you eat before we move again!” Nevyn called out. Forty Andinna answered back with grunts of affirmation. Mave only chuckled as Mat held out a piece of road jerky for her, and she snatched it, trying not to be annoyed.

“We’re nearly there,” he said softly, looking south after they released their horses into the valley.

“Nearly.”

Due to the size of their unit, it had taken over two weeks to get to the very same valley where they had stashed their horses before. It wasn’t the slowest pace, but it was slower than if they had gone with a light strike team.

“We’ll arrive at their camp before dawn,” Kian yelled. “This is the point of no return. If you want to take a moment and say your prayers to the gods, now’s the time!”

Mave rolled her eyes, but when she looked at Mat, she saw something in his hand.

“What’s that?” she asked, frowning at the medallion.

“A symbol of Kristanya,” he answered. “I’m going to go say some prayers…if you would like to join me?”

Mave took a moment to consider it.

“Fine,” she relented. “Should we get Bryn and Zayden?”

“If you would like,” he said, smiling.

It took a moment to round up her males, then they found a quiet spot under a tree. She watched her males kneel in a circle, pointing inward. They left a gap for her, and she took it, even though she had never participated in this. She had never even seen them do this before.

“Mighty Kristanya, the black dragon, the one who sacrificed her wings.” Chills ran down Mave’s spine at his words. How many times had she heard that Kristanya gave her wings to the Andinna? Probably thousands. Tonight, it struck a chord. “Embodiment of the darkness, ruler of death, and master of war. Hear your warriors’ prayers as we prepare for battle. We ask you to guide our hands as we slay the enemy. We ask of you to steady our wings as we fly. We ask for your blessing as we march to death and confront the inevitable. May we be masters of it in your name.”

There was a moment of silence. Mave kept her eyes down, knowing it was proper for prayer. No one said anything until Mat sighed.

“And now we hope she heard us,” he said, pulling the medallion from the middle of them and tucking it away.

“Aye. Not havin’ her blessin’ for this would be a disgrace,” Bryn said, nodding sagely as she looked up.

“I’ve never seen any of you do this before,” Mave pointed out. “Like before Kerit.”

“Alchan’s words would have been considered a prayer to her in the name of all the warriors,” Zayden explained, standing up and brushing off his knees. “You also don’t need to do this so formally. You can send a silent prayer to her as well, which is what I normally do on the road when I get a chance. A quiet minute, just for me to clear my head and ask for her blessing.”

“But?” She heard a but.

“We’re about to knowingly engage with the leader of the enemy forces and attempt a risky move, capturing him to face judgment,” Mat said softly. “I wanted to pass along something more than a silent prayer.”

“Okay.” She didn’t let it bother her, but things were beginning to click—things that would probably be on her mind for the rest of this journey. “Let’s meet with the others and see if it’s time to go.”

Walking away, her heart was pounding. Nevyn and Varon’s story had been the first time she heard of their dragon gods playing an active role in the lives of the Andinna. She knew many considered Luykas’ problems with the blood bond to be a punishment of the gods, but she had never thought of it that way. That couldn’t hold a candle to the reality of Varon, once blind, regaining his eyesight and losing his voice, a trade done by the goddess Amonora. Hearing that story was one of the reasons she had taken to avoiding the priest.

Between that, her dreams, and her new tatua, she felt as if she was facing something she couldn’t beat.

All I can do is focus on the mission at hand.

She found Nevyn and Kian at the front of a growing line of Andinna, waiting to leave.

“Are we ready?” she asked.

“We’re waiting on some to handle their business and finish eating,” Kian answered. She moved to stand beside him and used that to keep Nevyn at a distance. Avoiding Nevyn and Varon was still one of her top priorities.

As they stood there, waiting for everyone to get back together, a shadow passed over them. Mave looked up to see the wyvern overhead and heard Andinna gasp as Rain landed in the middle of the clearing, scaring many of the horses.

“Hey! Watch it!” Nevyn roared as the blue beast walked toward them. In the blink of an eye, Rain was in front of them, throwing a thin cut of cloth over his waist to cover himself.

“Sorry. I was looking around the area,” he said, sighing. “Who has my pack?”

“Matesh, but you’ll probably be going back into wyvern form any minute,” Mave answered, holding up an arm. He ducked into it and held close to her side. “How’re you?”

“Ready to fight,” he answered. “Everyone here moved so slow, it was the worst. I could have been down here days ago.”

“Well, we didn’t have horses for everyone. Nearly thirty of our warriors were on foot for most of the trip,” Kian reminded him. “Mat, Rain needs his pack!”

Mat brought it quickly, and they all watched as Rain dug through it and pulled out a piece of jerky.

“I ate earlier and let it digest, but it’s nice to eat something with some flavor…and no fur,” he mumbled with his mouth full of the dried, spiced meat. “Don’t tell Alchan I was eating wild.”

Most of the males snorted, but Mave gave Rain an odd look, wondering why he was concerned about that. Rain sighed at her stare and sagged.

“I don’t want him to think it’s gross,” the young male explained. “He probably wouldn’t, but you know…”

“Ah.” She nodded quickly, trying not to smile. After her initial anger and their secrecy, she thought Rain and Alchan made an interesting pair—Rain, young and naïve in some ways and Alchan, brooding and dangerous, but tender underneath it all. She had seen the tender side of him before, even if he tried to hide it under gruffness and distance.

They make each other happy. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?

She was beginning to think so. Maybe two years ago, she would have gutted Alchan for being with Rain.

I know I would have. Maybe it wasn’t just their father who made them feel the need to keep it secret.

Zayden walked up and looked over his son and how she was holding him, then moved to stand beside Matesh. Bryn was quick to follow, falling in with her other males.

“I know you’ve been with him for a couple of seasons now, but how is it? Being with Alchan?” Mat asked, crossing his arms. “I know we spoke at length, but I’m certain I’m not the only person curious to hear about it, now that we’re past the high emotions, and he’s not hovering.”

“He’s…” Rain trailed off thoughtfully. “He’s protective, but he’s always made sure I feel like I have my own power, too. He’s big on rules. He made sure there’s always a space for me to go to if I’m not in the mood or can’t deal with him. He treats me differently, and I used to think it was a bad thing, but he does it because he cares. He’s not physical with me if I challenge him over something, and he’s quick to admit his faults, not that they’re really his fault. They’re just who he is, but he beats himself up over them. He’s…” Rain cast a look at his father, his face heating.

“Don’t let him being around embarrass you,” Mave said, also looking at Zayden. “I could tell you things about him that would disturb you.”

Zayden’s face flushed as well. Rain snorted and looked away. She had made both of them red-faced and embarrassed, and that delighted her. Since the moment he was officially in her mayara, she found a perverse pleasure in giving Zayden a hard time, and he loved it. He was a glutton for punishment in ways her other males weren’t. Bryn and Mat both laughed, leaning on each other as Zayden glared at them. Then he turned his sapphire eyes on her, full of promise that he would get her back for what she had said.

“Well, I’m not sure Alchan would like me talking about our more…private life,” Rain finally said. “And I’m not keen on hearing about my father’s…habits.”

“Varon would get a laugh out of all of this,” Nevyn whispered to Kian.

“He would,” her father answered. “Too bad he wasn’t ready in time for the mission.”

“He was disappointed when the healer refused to give him the all-clear. Another week and he would have been brand new,” Nevyn said, sighing. “He’s probably losing his mind back in the village, completely healed and not here.”

Once everyone was around them, they started walking toward a trail out of the valley. Rain stayed in his Andinna form. Getting closer in his wyvern form would draw attention too quickly, and they didn’t want Lothen’s camp to have a chance to prepare for their attack.

As they walked, Mave’s attention turned to the mission again. It was easy to relax while traveling, but now she focused.

Lothen was close, and this time, she wouldn’t let him get away. Years of torture at his hands would culminate in his capture today and his execution once they took him back north. Alchan and Luykas were planning to meet them south of the village, so the trip back wasn’t as long. They had to be quick, or they risked the Empire launching a large-scale rescue attempt.

They flew short hops between cliffs but kept under the trees most of the night until Mave knew they were in range to find possible patrol units.

“Hold here for a moment,” Nevyn said softly. “Remember, everyone, my team is going to swing around their camp and come in from the west. Mave, your team will come in from the east. Rain, you’re going to assault from the north and cut straight down the middle, and we’re going to pinch in from the sides. And Rain? Don’t get shot down. If they focus on you, you need to get out after doing some damage and not risk yourself too much.”

“I’m the one who breathes fire yet gets told to leave as soon as possible,” Rain said, almost annoyed.

“You’re too valuable an asset to lose, and it’s not because you’re fucking the king,” Kian said sharply. “We might need you for later missions. Right now, your entire job is to level some damage on them and make it hard for them to strike us as we go for Lothen. If their camp is burning to the ground, we can get in and out without needing to fight the entire damn army.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mave inched forward, knowing they were so close. All they had to do was launch their final flight.

“Remember, we’re not to kill him yet,” Nevyn continued. “Capture only. We want to attempt to use him as a bargaining chip. If not, we allow Alchan to decide his fate.”

Mave’s hands flexed as she anticipated the final orders from Nevyn.

“Everyone ready? Let’s get in the air.”

Rain shifted into a massive blue wyvern, knocking down trees around them as they jumped into the air. He was last off the ground, but Mave had to dodge as he quickly overcame them and flew ahead.

“Split!” he roared.

Mave veered to the east, knowing she was ahead of her unit. Bryn was the only one who could keep up with her, but she knew Mat and Zayden were close behind. They left the relative safety of flying beside Rain. If they pinched the army and came in from both sides, the camp would be thrown into chaos.

It was a fast flight. Soon, the valley ridge was in sight, and once they cleared it, she knew she would see their targets. At night, she couldn’t get a clear idea of where Rain was. She hoped nothing slowed him down once they separated. This would fail without him.

She was the first of her group to pass over the ridge, and just as she did, Rain came in from the northern edge. She stopped as he did his work.

“By the skies,” said a warrior near her.

Rain came in fast, and his blazing flames quickly lit up the Elvasi army. Within seconds, there were screams coming from the tents as burning bodies ran out and dropped dead only a couple steps later. Mave saw gryphons down in the camp, screaming as flames caught them as well, but the beasts were well spread out around the camp. She knew some would get into the air but hoped enough would die to buy the Andinna time. She watched as Rain circled around the middle of the camp, keeping Lothen’s obvious tent in the middle, cut off from others. She couldn’t see the prince in the dark, but she hoped he wasn’t caught in the flames somewhere else in the camp.

Mave wanted a piece of him for her own.

Rain beat his wings several times and climbed in the air, giving Mave and the others their signal.

39

Mave

Mave dove, aiming for the center of the army, unsheathing her swords as she did. She landed on an Elvasi soldier, roaring as she killed him, then rolled to give herself less chance of injury. She cut into another soldier as she rose. As she spun, she saw Matesh and Brynec moving in for her, and together, they formed a unit with an objective. Capturing Lothen was the top priority of the mission, and she would see it done.

They moved for Lothen’s massive tent and found themselves facing a line of soldiers, ready to die for their prince. Mave blocked an attack and kicked back the soldier into another. Mat roared and cleaved the head off one to her left. Bryn, always fast, cut down two without her ability to help. Elsewhere, she heard steel clash and knew the warriors of her unit were creating the much-needed perimeter. They would hold off the rest of the camp from stopping her and the rest of the Company from taking Lothen. That was if they made it through Rain’s fire. A roar echoed through the valley, and Mave took a split second to look up, watching Rain fly overhead with gryphon riders around him. Luckily for her, the soldiers near her also took the chance to look up and see the commotion, and she took advantage of it.

She stabbed one who was shocked to the point he was unmoving, his sword slipping from his hand. Fear had the tendency to do that to some. Mave was grateful she was never one to freeze as the soldier dropped. A wide swing came at her head, causing her to duck. As she did, she took a controlled spin and cut down two soldiers at their knees, sending them down to be trampled or bleed to death.

“There’s a hole! Mave, get in there!” Nevyn roared. Mave turned to the tent again and saw the gap, running for it without hesitation.

She threw herself through the flaps and found nothing.

Prince Lothen wasn’t there. No one was inside the tent.

She turned to see a soldier running after her and quickly discarded him before heading back outside.

“He’s not here!” she called out. “Andinna, fly, and find the prince!”

She jumped into the air, watching as others followed. As she cleared the fire, soldiers on the outside began firing arrows. One went through her wing, but it didn’t bother her as much as the gryphon riders now flying around. Dozens filled the air.

Why are there so many?

She flew higher, twisting and spinning as she dodged their attempted attacks. Rain roared louder, his fire brightening the light further as she fought in the air against the smaller but faster opponents.

Andinna were getting back into the air, but she saw one drop to a spear throw and two others take arrows.

Where is he? Where is Lothen?

She had to find him. They needed to call the retreat, but she refused to let this mission go down as a failure.

Fury rushed through her blood as she realized this could fail.

No.

Then she caught a glimpse of white, flying in the burning light of Rain’s fire.

He had been on the back of his gryphon the entire time. These had to be the patrols that saw them launching their attack. They had been taken into account while planning the mission, but there had only been a slim chance Lothen would be out since he had been injured the last time he went on a patrol.

She flew to meet him, realizing he was trying to help his men take Rain down. Rain continued to fight them off, but she knew what would happen if it was allowed to go on for too long.

“Mave! Do you see him?” Nevyn roared over the commotion as he flew up beside her.

“Call our warriors. He’s attacking Rain. We can grab him and go!”

Nevyn nodded and peeled off, yelling for the Andinna to fly and rally around Rain.

She was nearly on Lothen when he turned to dodge a swipe of Rain’s massive claws. His eyes went wide as she raced for him. There was no time to stop the collision. Slamming into the side of him, she plunged her sword, killing his gryphon, something slicing over her side at the same time.

They began to drop. She grabbed Lothen’s arms and tried to slow the fall, hoping neither of them died when they hit the ground, but lost her grip as her wing bashed against several branches.

She hit the ground hard, losing both of her swords. Near her, Lothen groaned, but the sound of metal clanking together told her he was trying to get to his feet.

Mave fought to get to her feet first, keeping her eyes locked on Lothen struggling to get up as well. She needed to find her swords and needed to find some way to subdue Lothen without killing him.

She staggered as she stood, groaning as she tested her wings, glad to feel neither of them was broken. They hurt, but they seemed to work just fine.

She took several limping steps to the prince and kicked him back down. He rolled onto his back, revealing he had a dagger and stabbed upward, slicing open her calf. She kicked it out of his hand and reached out to grab the front of his armor, using it to yank him up and onto his feet. A fist met her jaw, and rage blossomed in her chest as her nose started bleeding. It paralyzed her for a moment…but only a moment.

Roaring, she turned and threw a punch of her own, sending him back to the ground. Before he could get up, she roared again, screaming out into the night with all her fury and stomped on his chest, bending the metal he used to protect himself.

“Mave!” someone called out. “Where are you?”

She lifted her foot again, ready to stomp Lothen to death when arms grabbed her and pulled her back.

“We need to get out of here,” Kian snapped. “I’ll carry him. You fly. Go!”

She snarled, but he shoved her away. She took several steps back as he glared at her.

“Find your damn swords and defend as I get this fucking heavy armor off! I can’t carry him with it.”

She nodded sharply, realizing he was speaking reason. She limped through the trees, looking for the swords. The camp was close. She could smell the burning flesh and fabric, but they were in the trees around the edge of the valley, which provided her cover to find both her blades and make it back to Kian, who was nearly done stripping Lothen down to only his padded under armor.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“I am,” she promised. “I’ll protect you.”

He nodded and threw Lothen over his shoulder before jumping into the air. Mave followed him and quickly got ahead of him, making sure there was no one in the sky who realized he was carrying their quarry. Rain was the most impressive thing in the sky, still battling against gryphon riders, swatting them out of the air.

“Here!” Mave roared.

“To the Champion!” someone else roared. Soon, everyone was screaming it, word traveling through the Andinna in the air.

Kian was already flying to leave the valley, and Mave moved to stay close to him, watching as Andinna flew fast to catch up with them and escape the death pit of flames, arrows, and spears. Nets were tossed. Mave, knowing she couldn’t help, watched as three Andinna were hit, trying to get to her and Kian. Rain shook off two gryphons from his back and belched fire down on the camp one more time as he flew to her.

She stuck to Kian as he flew further away from everyone, heading north like their mission orders demanded. She had no idea where Matesh was or Brynec and Zayden. She didn’t know if Nevyn was going to make it out. She had lost track of all of them in her single-minded focus to get Lothen.

She was so intent on watching the Andinna trying to follow and Rain trying to shake the gryphon riders, she almost missed a gryphon and its rider coming up on her left. She ducked down and let it soar over her head, then watched as Rain clamped his jaws on it and shook hard before dropping the dead down.

She nearly stabbed someone when a hand wrapped around her ankle. Looking down, she saw Zayden, quickly followed by Matesh and Brynec. Nevyn tore up past them as fast as she had ever seen him fly and caught him raising his sword against the red moon.

“Andinna! Fall back!” he ordered.

Mave turned and started to fly again, ducking as gryphon riders continued to harass them. She spun and cut a rider off his mount, letting the gryphon decide what to do with itself after that.

“Zayden!” she cried out, watching a gryphon come over the top of him, but in a move of brilliance, he rolled and opened its gut, then dodged its falling body.

“Down,” Nevyn ordered, then she watched him drop into the trees. She followed, landing directly next to him, her swords at the ready. Andinna landed all around, and Rain slammed into the forest, knocking down trees. He didn’t seem injured like the night they ran from Ellantia, but she couldn’t be certain.

“Form a perimeter,” Nevyn barked. “Company, to me. Kian, are you still able to carry him?”

“I would like to pass him off,” Kian said. Mat ran forward and took the unconscious prince, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack.

“Walk together! We can’t go back into the air and risk being attacked. Kill them as they come down. Rain, stay in wyvern form, and do your best.”

Rain snorted.

Mave started walking with the rest, moving to stand behind Matesh with Bryn and Zayden right beside her. Nevyn led the way with Kian, and all around them were the remnants of their unit.

“How many casualties so far?” Kian asked, looking around. “Do a headcount, everyone!”

Slowly but surely, the Andinna counted through. When it got to Mave, she called out twenty-two. She was the last, aside from Rain, who made twenty-three. Out of forty-seven, there were only twenty-three left. They had already lost practically half of their entire unit, and they weren’t out of danger yet.

“Keep an eye out,” Nevyn called, looking up as he walked. Rain jumped up and grabbed an Elvasi gryphon rider from the sky with his jaws and tossed it, blowing fire at the body as it flew like a rag doll through the sky. Others were already swarming the sky.

“They’re not going to let us leave with Lothen,” Kian muttered.

Mave grinned, holding her swords tightly. The entire unit stopped and moved closer to Mat carrying their hostage.

The gryphon riders dove. Rain spun and knocked at least two from the air with his tail. Mave heard screams as some landed on Andinna. She threw her sword up as one came down over her, then rolled as it dropped to its death, her sword buried in its neck. Yanking it out of the gryphon, she cut off the soldier’s head with a single, decisive blow.

Blood sprayed everywhere from different bodies, Andinna and Elvasi alike. Mave was tackled to the ground and shoved her sword up to stop the gryphon from taking a bite out of her. Claws dug into her shoulders and chest as it held her down. A roar was heard, and the rider fell off it, dead. The gryphon, injured already, keeled over and nearly crushed Mave. It landed on her wing, infuriating her as another gryphon tried to take advantage. She cut off a paw that nearly crushed her head while also trying to free herself. The gryphon body was knocked away by Rain after a moment, who didn’t stop to even look at her, turning on another of the gryphon riders.

“Rain, hold still!” she called, jumping on his tail. She ran up his back and jumped off him, meeting a rider and gryphon in the air, sinking both her swords in the gryphon’s side. Before it crashed, she used its body as leverage to yank her blades out and jump off, landing back on the ground, unharmed.

As she landed, she noticed things were calming down again. She turned, wondering if she would be attacked again, but dead littered the forest floor with no Elvasi left standing.

“Did we do it?” she asked, gingerly walking toward her males. Like her, they were covered in blood. Mat reached down and picked up Lothen again.

“I think so,” Nevyn answered. “Everyone, keep moving. We don’t rest until we’re back at the horses.”

“Yes, sir!”

So, they walked. Mave made sure to check behind them every twenty steps, paranoid more would come. They had lost another six in the last attack. Next to her, Bryn staggered, and she grabbed him.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Fine,” he mumbled. “Leg got torn up and makin’ it hard to walk, but…”

He passed out, and Mave cursed.

“Help! Bryn’s down.” She lowered him gently to the forest floor as Zayden turned and rushed to her, Kian behind him. Searching wildly for her rogue’s injuries, she found the ‘torn up’ leg and pulled away the fabric of his breeches. There were several places where bone was exposed, and the muscle was destroyed.

“Shit,” Kian groaned. “Okay. Tie off his upper thigh.”

“Can we save it?” Zayden asked softly, his eyes wide.

“Yes, if he doesn’t bleed to death,” Nevyn answered, kneeling down beside her. “Rain, I want you to carry him once we stabilize him.”

“What do you think…” She held a hand over the wound, noticing how the bleeding was already slow.

“A gryphon got a hold of him and tore him up before he could kill it,” Zayden said. “That’s the only explanation. Bryn is a tough one. He doesn’t quit until he’s dead.”

She understood that feeling.

Someone started to chuckle, and she turned slowly to see Lothen, tied and propped up against a tree.

He didn’t need to say anything. His chuckle set her off. With a roar, she dove for him, ready to pluck his eyes out of their sockets. She wanted to tear out his throat. A thick arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her away.

“He’s for Alchan!” Mat said, grunting as she struggled against him. “Mave, he’s for Alchan. We can’t kill him, not yet!”

She wanted to. She wanted his blood on her hands—for what he did to her and what his people had done to hers, the source of so much cruelty. For weeks, she had plotted his final moments.

She wanted them now.

“Knock her out!” Nevyn snapped. “We don’t have time for this.”

“Nevyn—”

“Fine.”

She was still trying to get to Lothen, who laughed harder when something slammed into the back of her head, and her world went black.

40

Brynec

“I’m fine,” Bryn growled as Nevyn came near him. “I just cleaned and bandaged it.” He was pissed with the warrior, a long-time friend. He didn’t want Nevyn’s shit right then.

“Are all of you going to hate me?” Nevyn demanded, stepping in front of him. “Really?”

“Ya knocked mah wife out like she was the enemy.”

“She was out of control,” Nevyn snapped. “Everyone knew it, and I had to make sure you lived and couldn’t deal with her killing Lothen against orders at the same time.”

“I don’t care,” Bryn said, looking away. “Ya laid a hand on my wife, and I’m goin’ to be pissed off with ya.”

“Fine.” Nevyn sat next to him. “I just received word Alchan and the rest will be here at dawn for the proceedings.”

“Good.” He was tired of waiting and wanted to go home. The mission to capture Lothen had been a bloody one, and he wasn’t the only severely injured member of their team.

Looking down at his leg, he remembered the chain of events. It had started with a lucky slice by a faceless soldier who died after his lucky hit. Later, he had been trying to take off, and an arrow hit it. Once in the air, a gryphon had been able to cut it open deeper, scoring him to the bone. That was the one that had slowed him down. They had been attacked in the woods, he had been too slow to react, and the next gryphon had torn open his lame leg like it was dinner. He should have tried getting it treated sooner, but he knew they had to move, so he walked on it, then walked on it some more, then he fell.

“I did this to myself, didn’t I?” he asked softly, touching the thick bandages on his thigh. “I’m always goin’ to limp now, aren’t I?”

“Probably, but you work at it, and it’ll be as stable as it once was,” Nevyn said softly. “I let Alchan know healers were needed for you and the others. They’ll be able to tend the muscle and make sure it correctly heals as they did with Varon’s arm.”

“Ya excited to see him?”

“Yes,” Nevyn whispered. “I don’t like so many missions away from him.”

“Hm.” Bryn was angry with Nevyn, but Nevyn and Varon had been his first friends, and he could never forget the help they gave him when he was trying to adjust to freedom. “I’m sorry we don’t spend time together anymore.”

“You have a wife and duties, and we have duties of our own. One day, we won’t be at war and will have more time for simple friendships.” Nevyn smiled. Bryn raised an eyebrow.

“Simple friendship?” They had been almost lovers once. He’d gone to bed with Nevyn and Varon more times than anyone before he met Mave. They had taught him how to love and laugh; not that he had fallen in love with them as he had Mave, but a different type of love, yes.

Nevyn held up a finger and covered his lips, a human signal for silence, then winked.

Bryn reached out and hit him, glad to hear the warrior laugh when he did.

“Simple now,” Nevyn relented. “You’ve done well for yourself. Mave is a strong female, and you have a large family to lean on. You don’t need Varon and me anymore, not like you used to. That’s okay.”

“A strong female ya laid hands on,” Bryn reminded him.

Nevyn groaned and leaned back, rolling his eyes.

They sat silently for a minute before Bryn sighed.

“Was she really goin’ ta kill him?”

“Yes. She was completely gone. I’ve seen her like that once before, the last time she ran into him. She can’t control herself when Lothen is around. It’s concerning, and I already told Matesh and Zayden they need to keep an eye on her. That’s why they’ve hovered the entire trip here while Kian and I kept Lothen with us. Alchan and Luykas want Lothen, and we’re not to kill him.”

“Of course, because killin’ him on the battlefield is too easy,” Bryn muttered.

“It is,” Nevyn said plainly, then stood. “Let’s go. Dinner is almost ready.”

Bryn grunted and grabbed his walking stick. Zayden had quickly carved it for him on the first day of their journey back. Bryn hoped he didn’t need it for very long, but it was a thoughtful gift from the newest male in the family.

He followed Nevyn back to their small camp. They had picked an abandoned village since there was a chance they would need a few nights of rest. They didn’t use any of the old buildings, but they had wanted the option in case there was a storm, or others needed shelter.

“Alchan will be coming with an entourage,” Nevyn said loudly to everyone seated around the fire.

Bryn made his way to sit with his wife. Mave reached out and pulled him down to sit on the dirt between her legs. He was the only one of her males small enough to fit there comfortably, and it gave him the chance to stretch out his damaged leg.

“Luykas said there would probably be over two hundred warriors to bear witness.”

“How’s Lothen? We’re keeping him fed, right?” Kian was cleaning off everyone’s weapons to keep busy, working on Zayden’s at that moment.

“We are. Custom dictates we give him the best chance he can have, and Alchan was adamant about doing this the proper way.” Nevyn shrugged. “I would have been fine starving him, but it wasn’t my call.”

“Who?” Mave asked softly.

“Don’t think you don’t know.” Nevyn gave her a look of annoyance. “Everyone will bear witness. You will meet him if he demands trial by combat, or Shadra isn’t willing to trade for him.”

“Shouldn’t it be Alchan or Luykas? Royal for royal?” Mat was to Bryn’s right, but he had a spot on the log.

“Alchan outranks him. Luykas forfeited his right. It falls to Mave or Rain as the next highest ranking Andinna.”

Zayden snorted. “My son, do you hear that? Tied for third highest-ranking Andinna. What a world.” There was a lot of humor in the statement, a fatherly teasing. “Overachiever.”

A thump told Bryn someone had smacked the father, maybe Rain. It was a funny concept. Rain was the most submissive Andinna of the Company, and now, he was being considered the king’s consort. The ceremony wasn’t done yet, they wanted to do it after Lothen, but everyone in the Company knew it would happen swiftly.

“I’m not stupid enough to take it away from Mave, so it falls to her,” Rain said nonchalantly. “Are you ready?”

“I’m always ready,” she answered softly. Bryn felt her fingers weave through his hair. Once done with his hair, she ran her fingers on his horns, her nails catching the bony ridges. He felt that vibrate through his horns to his scalp, and the sensation was pleasant. “I’m going to rest. Will you three be joining me early, or do you want to help Nevyn?”

She seemed too calm, distant. It was better than her fury with Nevyn and barely restrained need to kill their hostage. Bryn looked up and grabbed her hand, kissing the back softly.

“Mayhap ya should get some rest tonight without us humpin’ yer leg.”

She gave him a small smile before standing. Her hand drifted away, and he watched her leave.

“We’ll find somewhere else to sleep, so she can rest tonight,” Mat said, also staring in the direction their wife went. “Let’s go. I want to look at that leg before we lie down.”

“I already cleaned it,” Bryn said, but Zayden was already reaching down for him.

“That’s too bad. We’re going to look at that leg before you sleep.” Bryn couldn’t stop as Zayden pulled him up and grabbed the walking stick in the same movement. Bryn took it and followed him, Mat close on their heels.

The three of them hunkered down after checking Bryn’s leg. His eyes closed quickly, begging to go back into another deep healing sleep, and he went quickly.

* * *

Bryn wasn’t up first. Mat shook him gently.

“It’s almost dawn. We need to be up for Alchan’s arrival.”

Bryn nodded, trying to open his eyes. He yawned and pushed himself up, hearing Zayden’s grunt.

“Ya should have been awake,” he mumbled. “With Mat.”

Zayden growled and pulled away. Bryn growled back as Zayden’s stumpy tail accidentally whacked his wing.

It was a struggle, but they got up and moving, walking toward the center of the abandoned village. Bryn nodded to Nevyn and Kian as they drew close. Rain landed last, looking around.

“Mave not up yet?”

“I think she’s still considering what today is,” Mat said softly.

“There!” Nevyn said, pointing into the sky.

Bryn turned in the glowing dawn light to see a tidal wave of Andinna fly over the ridge and sweep down into the valley. They landed all over the small valley, but they stayed behind the leaders.

Alchan and Luykas landed closest. Varon was the third, just behind them, then Senri, without Willem and Gentrin. Unit captains and Kenav were next. Seeing who landed nearby, Bryn quickly stomped down disgust at the sight of Trevan on a gryphon with Dave. Emerian stood at the side of them, looking around with watchful eyes.

Yeah, protect ‘em because they’re idiots. Someone needs to tell that fucking Elvasi just to go to Olost. I’m beginnin’ to wonder why Mave gave him that fucking beast after seeing what his people fuckin’ do with them.

He tried not to be enraged at their presence, but it was hard. The Elvasi was his wife’s friend now, and he needed to respect that, but it was so hard.

Focus on what matters, Bryn. Ya can’t do anything about him.

“Alchan!”

Bryn stepped aside as the younger male walked through the Company toward his king. Alchan’s hard face softened as the mutt approached him. In front of the entire entourage, the king reached out and touched Rain’s cheeks before pulling him into a slow, leisurely kiss.

“I’m glad to see you unharmed. We’ll catch up later,” the king whispered, just loud enough for the closest of the Andinna to hear. Rain nodded, pulling Alchan’s hands off him and stepping to the side, taking his place as either consort or nemari. Bryn wasn’t sure what the young male was going for, but Alchan made his intentions very clear. He put an arm over Rain’s shoulders and wrapped a wing protectively around him, staking a claim bolder than any kiss ever would. Alchan was a bedru, telling the world Rain belonged to him, and he would die for him.

“Your reports stated you had the prisoner,” Alchan said loudly, looking up from his lover. “We’re going to do this quickly. Have him brought forward and let the warriors settle in with decent views. I want this to make a statement.”

“Are we expecting other guests?” Mat asked, frowning.

“We might, and I want everything ready,” Alchan answered enigmatically. He began walking, holding up a hand to signal those behind him to stay in place. The Company, Bryn included, made a semi-circle around him, wondering what he wished to say privately. “Luykas reached out to Shadra two nights ago. We’re hoping she’ll visit.”

“She’s down in Elliar,” Nevyn said, frowning. “How…”

“She and Luykas both know how to astral project. It’s how he’s been getting in touch with our spy in Elliar. Shadra has done it to him before, shortly after we came back to the Empire and were headed for the Dragon Spine. We know she can reach these distances. She can’t, however, project herself too deep into Anden soil. We’re just south of what Luykas believes to be the limit of her power. It’s more complicated than I wish to explain, so if you want to bother him about it, you can.” Alchan seemed tired of the conversation. “We’re going to give her a choice—her son in return for the freedom of our people or his execution, for which he’ll have a choice.”

“We’ve kept him fed.” Nevyn was always the one with the least fear talking to Alchan, and Bryn was glad he was the most natural leader of their group.

“Good. I won’t have it said this wasn’t done right.” Alchan looked up, glancing around the semi-circle and beyond. “Where is she?”

“Readying herself,” Mat answered.

“Here,” she called out, landed behind Bryn. He turned to see his wife walking toward them.

“Do you understand what you might need to do today?” Alchan asked.

“Yes.”

Bryn feared the fury blazing in her eyes—borderline insanity—but he knew it was justified. She was about to get the chance to kill one of the greatest enemies from her time as a slave—a man who had done unspeakable things to her. She was in a killing mood, which Bryn had seen before, but he never liked it when he saw his wife so…angry. There was something disturbing about her projecting so much pure, unadulterated hate and fury.

“Good. You’ll know when I need you.” It was the softest dismissal Bryn had ever heard from Alchan but a dismissal, nonetheless. She turned and walked away, growling at an Andinna who landed too close to her. The Andinna smartly stepped back, giving her the space she obviously needed.

“What don’t I know?” Luykas asked sharply, watching her leave.

“She’s been riding that killing mood since we captured Lothen,” Zayden said. “We need to get this done before she loses her patience and lashes out.”

“Good thing we’re moving fast,” Alchan said softly.

“Everyone! Prepare yourselves for the trial of Lothen, Crowned Prince of the Empire and enemy of the Andinna!”

Andinna cheered.

41

Mave

Mave paced through the crowd as the trial was prepared. She couldn’t stop moving once Alchan and the entire entourage arrived, her feet taking her all over the abandoned village in the small valley, but she kept coming back to one spot. She kept coming back to the edge of a circle where they had cleared a space.

“Bring me Prince Lothen of the Elvasi Empire!” Alchan roared. Everyone cheered.

Memories haunted her and her every step—the circle, the cheering, the prince.

Since the night he had the gall to laugh, she was chased by visions of her past. She slept, and she saw them. She remembered the state of her body, time and time again, unable to fight back, unable to save herself.

Time and time again.

The rage grew. Every night she couldn’t kill him and erase his existence from the mortal plane, her fury compounded.

Mave couldn’t even begin to understand why. Today was the day. Today she would have his head. Today, she would make him suffer for everything and pay for his crimes with a pound of his flesh.

Today, she was going to end him.

And still, she was enraged.

She waited, pacing through the crowd, her eyes on the empty space between Alchan and the rest of his closest advisors and the Company. Trevan, Emerian, and Dave were behind Luykas. She wished she could take a moment to say hello to them, but she knew she wasn’t fit for such pleasantries. Her other males were close as well, forming a line, shoulder to shoulder, with Luykas to the right of Alchan. On Alchan’s other side, Nevyn, Varon, Kian, and Senri. Kenav waited there as well, his eyes blazing victoriously.

A path cleared, and two warriors walked on each side of the prince.

She was glad for Andinna tradition. They had kept him fed, let his injuries heal, and kept him as close to his full fighting strength as they could.

Lothen wanted to meet them in war, so they would execute him as a warrior, which gave her the opportunity to fight him one last time and end it. He didn’t deserve the honor of being called a warrior, but she wanted his blood on her swords, and she would tolerate nearly anything to have it.

He stopped and stared at Alchan once he was in the center of the empty circle.

“Prince Lothen, we’re just giving one last guest a chance—”

The crowd gasped. Mave moved for a better angle and nearly paused.

Beside Luykas, a specter formed, becoming more opaque every moment until it was clear it was Shadra, Empress of the Elvasi Empire.

“And here she is,” Alchan said, turning to her. “Empress Shadra. I’m glad you heeded our summons.”

“What do you want?” she asked immediately, looking down at her pureblood son, the heir to her Empire.

Mave stalked, her hands tight on the hilts of her moroks. She wasn’t in the mood for the formalities. She didn’t care about peace. Lothen wasn’t leaving the Dragon Spine alive. Mave would make sure of it.

“Free the Andinna, swear to never invade Anden again…” Alchan smiled. “There’s probably a list somewhere, but you understand what the terms are. We can have them officially written and sent back with him.”

“Do it,” she snapped.

“No,” Luykas said softly, looking down at his mother. “We won’t.”

Shadra’s eyes went wide. Mave wanted to celebrate the terror shining from her eyes.

“We have begged for freedom. We have asked nicely. We have pleaded, bargained, and fought. Shadra, you are a cunning woman. You have betrayed us more times than I think anyone could count. Why would we ever believe you would trade Lothen for our freedom and peace between our people?” Alchan chuckled. “The fact you tried does surprise me.”

“I’m serious,” she hissed. “Give me my son back, Alchan Andini, or I will expose the dark secret of your family.”

“Yes, Mother, let’s have that conversation,” Luykas snarled. Several Andinna gasped. “There, nothing to expose. I am the brother of King Alchan Andini. I am the son of Behron. I am also your son. However, my loyalties are clear. The King’s Champion is my wife. I have bled and fought for the Andinna every moment for over a thousand years.”

Shadra turned around slowly. None of the Andinna moved as her eyes scanned the crowds, falling on her son.

“Lothen—”

“You fucked one of these beasts and bred with it?” Lothen said, his face twisting in disgust. “That is my brother?” He pointed at Luykas, obviously furious Luykas could be in any way related to him.

The pain that lanced through Shadra’s expression was one Mave could almost relate to—almost. She had raised this monster, and now, he was turning his sharp and poisoned tongue on her.

“Yes.” She made no attempts to deny it. Mave was almost impressed by the bravery that took.

“Then I don’t want your protection, your deals, or trades. King Alchan Andini, I demand Trial by Combat. I will defeat whoever you consider your best and free myself.” He glared at his mother. “Then, I will take the throne.”

Shadra stepped back, realizing the terrible mistake she had made.

“So be it,” Alchan said softly.

Nevyn stepped up and threw down Lothen’s equipment, his sword and secondary dagger, at least. No Andinna wore plate armor, so it wasn’t offered to him. Everyone waited silently as Lothen buckled his belt to his waist. Alchan watched him carefully as Luykas moved closer to his brother.

“Who among you is my best?” Alchan finally asked the crowd.

No one stepped forward, but one. Mave slid between two of the Andinna and made her way into the circle.

“Your Champion is your best,” she declared. She looked at Alchan, and the Andinna around them created an uproar as she bowed low to her king—a gift she had never willingly given to anyone. She bowed with a flourish, her arms wide, her head low.

When Mave rose back up, her king’s amber eyes glittered in amusement. He knew the stories.

She had never bowed to Shadra.

Alchan smiled. “Yes, she is.”

“No,” Shadra gasped. “No…Mave…”

“Don’t bother asking,” Mave snarled at the empress.

“Really?” Lothen snorted. “I’m not worried. I used to keep this bitch on her knees.”

Rage consumed her. Before Alchan called for the battle to begin, she roared. Unsheathing her swords, she rushed to attack him. Steel hit steel as Lothen blocked her attack. She tried to shove her blade down, testing his strength and felt something else slide between her ribs and looked down.

He yanked the dagger out and kicked her back, sending her to the dirt. She pushed a hand over the hole, gritting her teeth as blood poured between her fingers.

No. I can’t lose to him. Not here. Not now.

The Andinna around her roared in fury. Boots stomped the dirt and caused the ground to shake as Lothen looked down at her.

Memories—every beating mixed with every battle she had fought on the sands. Conflicting emotions over who and what she was, collided. Was she the slave who had to keep silent and let it happen? Or was she the warrior who never lost?

Was she in the opulent chambers of the prince, in a dark corner of the palace, or was she in the Colosseum?

I’m in Anden.

Mave dodged Lothen’s downward swing and jumped backward, pulling power from her spilled blood to begin closing the dangerous wound, slow the bleeding, encourage skin and muscles to reform.

She circled him while her blood magic did its work. It wasn’t perfect, and she wasn’t out of the woods, but it would keep her fighting. She took more power and fed herself, feeling it course through her muscles and expand her lungs, even as one filled with blood.

He attacked. She countered, back and forth. Now she met Lothen as her mind cleared, realizing she was none of the things she once was, and she was also all of them.

Another piece of advice hovered in the back of her mind.

Rage makes the heart weak. Rage creates mistakes and gets warriors killed. Mave had let her rage and her hate for the prince cloud her mind. Once, she had been the Champion of the Colosseum and had been undefeated on the sands. She had never let rage cloud her mind. It wasn’t something she had fallen prey to, yet now, she had to overcome the fatal mistake. She knew its cause. She had spent years fearing this man and what he would do to her, dreading every moment she knew she would have to spend in his presence. He had made her feel powerless and weak, and those feelings drove her to lash out in rage.

Now, Mave understood. She knew what to do.

She didn’t bottle it away as she had for centuries.

Mave let it go.

Lothen was a surprisingly strong swordsman, faster than most Andinna males, thanks to his size. He knew her more than she knew him. He had watched her fight for her life. She realized he remembered all of it as he dodged her classic attacks, knowing how to meet them.

Her thighs bled, and her arms were covered in a myriad of cuts when they both stepped back, panting.

“I never realized you were so adept at the sword,” she said, keeping her voice even and patient.

“There’re many things you didn’t know. It didn’t help that you kept your head in the pillow,” he jeered.

The barbed comment hurt, but Mave didn’t take the bait, and that’s what it was. He wanted her off-balance and angry. He wanted her to be weak and ashamed of all the things he had done to her, things he had done to make himself feel powerful.

Mave retreated and found a comfortable, cold place in her heart, devoid of emotion—a place where his insults would fall on deaf ears, and her heart was encased in an impenetrable cold darkness. She had to approach him like any enemy without a face. He had tells. He would make mistakes. She needed to take the emotion out of the equation. Her skills had only grown sharper since she left the Empire, but the shield she had formed around herself and the coldness that guided her had faltered. Laughter, love, anger, all good for moments at home with her family, but they couldn’t be here, not if she wanted to defeat her enemy—not if she wanted to return to all the wonderful things she had gained in the last two years.

Today, Mave was the Champion, just as she was two years ago. Of what? That had changed, but in the end, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t just about Lothen and Mave, prince and slave. It was the Empire and the Andinna. She was fighting this battle, not only for her own satisfaction, her own revenge, but for them to see one of their own overcome one of the Empire’s best.

She blocked his next attack, staring him down as they forced each other to a standstill. Her tail swiped for his legs. He jumped away and swung, this time slicing open her wing several handspans. She pulled them to her body, unworried it was an injury that would stop her from flying.

I’ve spent a thousand years fighting on my two feet. I don’t need to fly.

She held them as she had as a slave, a lesson she learned on the sands—keep them as close as she could, even with the bindings, or they would be vulnerable.

She kicked him back, her mind only going through the motions.

The crowd cheered as two warriors battled, their feet making the ground shake. Her legs were used to that. Her mind knew how to block out the sound.

Mave was the best, and she had been the best because she had been unafraid to die. She had been unafraid to face death every day and meet it unflinchingly—just another opponent, just another sword.

Lothen, in the end, was just another body.

She spun fast and slid her morok over his gut. Before he could move, she passed him and stabbed her sword backward, going through his spine and out his chest.

She looked over at Shadra as she pulled the sword out. With one more smooth, fluid movement, she cut off the prince’s head.

And the crowd cheered.

For once, they cheered for her victory.

Finally, the deed was done, and as the crowd cheered, emotion rose up in her. She left the coldness and let the overwhelming love and acceptance of her people wash over her. She had done this for them in the end, and she would do it again.

She looked at Alchan and bowed low again.

“Sir, it is done,” she said softly. “Was it done to your satisfaction?”

“It was done well,” Alchan answered.

Mave turned to the empress again, Shadra’s face twisted in silent grief.

“Do you want his body or his head?” she asked the Elvasi.

Shadra blinked and met her gaze, giving a visible effort to stop looking at her son’s corpse.

“Whatever you wish to give me,” Shadra said softly, then disappeared.

* * *

“Well, well,” the wingless female said that night as Mave met her in the clearing on the path. “There’s the steel-eyed female warrior I’ve heard so much about.”

“What do you want, Kristanya?” Mave demanded, raising her chin. “Why are you doing this?”

“Do you believe it’s really me?” the goddess asked, smiling.

“Yes.” Mave had no doubt in her mind. “Now, why are you doing this? What do you want?”

“I want to see what you’re made of.” Kristanya materialized two moroks, tossing one to Mave.

Mave caught it, looking down at it, feeling it. All of this just to show the goddess what she was made of. Mave was pissed off. She had nothing to prove to the dragons who had turned their backs on her years ago, letting her suffer. She had no loyalty to them. She fought for her people, not for these enigmatic figures everyone else revered.

“You know I turned my back on you and the rest of the gods years ago, right?” Mave wanted to make sure that was clear to the goddess.

“You might have turned your back on them, but you’ve never turned your back on me. Always remember, I am Death. You embraced me long ago.” Kristanya stepped forward, raising her sword. “Prepare yourself, Maevana Lorren Amori. We’re only just beginning.”

42

Shadra

One Week Later

Shadra wore white. She would for the next year, mourning the death of her son—mourning not only his death. She couldn’t banish the look on his face when he found out about Luykas—Luykas, her eldest, her half-breed, her greatest mistake, her accident, her failure.

Lothen had hated her at that moment. She knew her sons. She knew their moods. She had watched each of them cultivate their own personalities and become the men they were today. She knew her sons.

And before Lothen had died, he had hated her just as much as Luykas did.

“Mother…”

She turned slowly to see her golden daughter, her sweet, demure little girl. Lothen’s death wasn’t the only blow the Empire had taken. Only two days before her son had been captured by the Andinna, Fenoth had died in his sleep. Her daughter had been wearing pure white since her father had died, and now, Shadra had joined her. Nyria’s eyes were filled with tears.

“How is our family going to survive?”

“We’re going to be strong. Nyria, I’ve allowed you to shelter yourself for many years. I know there was no love lost between you and your father. I let you hide because of what he tried to do to you, but it’s time for you to step up. With his death, you became the richest Elvasi in the Empire. Between your own funds, the funds as a member of the royal family, and the wealth of his house, now your own, you are one of the most powerful Elvasi of the Empire. Except for me.” Shadra walked across the room to her daughter and touched her cheek.

“You are also the heir to my position. One day, you’ll claim this seat and the burden that comes with it. One day, you’ll usher in your own vision of the Empire and bring new glories to our people. Now is not the time for tears. We are past that. We must be strong.”

“I’ll try,” Nyria said softly, blinking. Shadra watched as her daughter tried to hold back the glistening tears.

“Today is the beginning of your final education. Being an empress is much different from being an emperor. There will always be men who want to take your power from you. There will always be some who believe you should be married and bedded, and your husband should be in power. Don’t get married. Have children as you please and name them yours first, and your lover’s second. Control everything, down to the last servant who works for you. Show no weakness and tolerate no failure, for they would surely blame both on what is between your legs.”

Shadra stepped back, looking over her child. Nyria was a grown woman and no longer had an older brother potentially overshadowing her beauty, age, or intelligence. She had Shadra’s hair, both in style and color. She also had the golden eyes Shadra wished she could love, but now they only reminded her of Luykas.

Now, Shadra needed to make this pretty woman into a ruler.

“Come. You’ll do the address at my side. They must see you and I together. They have grown accustomed to Lothen with me, but now, they have to see you, as my successor, are as ready as Lothen ever was. You are smart, as well. I expect you to begin applying that intelligence to areas that might not be your interest.”

“What are we going to do about the Andinna?”

“Come spring, I will be riding north with the entire army. Our fleets will move to Ellantia and await my orders to retake Kerit by the end of next summer. I’m only going to allow the Empire to grieve for the coming winter, then we must crush this resistance. Already, nobles of the northern provinces are concerned about their harvest rotting in the fields because they might not have enough workers to harvest it all, and this is only the beginning.”

“What would you have me do?” Nyria asked as they walked toward the throne room.

“Stay here and familiarize yourself with the everyday workings of the Empire. You’ll hear the small problems and sort them out. Nobles with problems concerning this situation will be told to report to me on the front lines.”

They climbed a staircase tucked in a tower behind the throne. Shadra walked out the top door and down a long path, glad she could show herself in the pure white of royal mourning with her daughter by her side. A united front was a strong front.

With a simple spell on her throat, she was ready.

“People of the Empire!” Shadra called down to the waiting masses. “A tragedy has befallen us. Prince Lothen, heir to my throne, second of his name, has fallen in battle against the Andinna slave rebellion.”

People cried out in despair below her. Already, she saw the flags of mourning being dropped around the city.

“Many of our soldiers have already fallen. Many more will. Some will ask why we fight against these ravenous barbarians. Some will ask why I would risk the lives of your children. Know this! I don’t just risk your children, but my own. My son is gone from this world. Do not think I take this burden of sending our armies north lightly. And I risk the lives of more to stop the dangerous ways of the Andinna. They would see us all dead if they had their way!” She started to stand straight, putting more punch into her words.

“They are warriors who pray to gods of death and violence. They are a race of blood magics and sacrifice. They are a race of bestial people and have proven this time and time again, yet we continued to give them chances! They are not like us!” She threw her arms out. “Consider the Champion who once fought in our Colosseum! Raised in my palace, she was given a home of warmth and safety! I tended to her since she was a young child, and still, she became violent and killed an Elvasi in this very palace and despised me, even with all the love I tried to show her. They are uncontrollable! They are bloodthirsty! They must be stopped!”

The crowd cheered.

“The enemy may have triumphed today, but they do not yet know the full weight of the Empire. They shall learn! Come spring, I will be riding to war with our entire armies and fleets. They will understand that monsters do not roam free in our world! They do not get to murder and butcher our people! The loss of my son will be their last victory!”

Shadra found the crowd’s cheers below her to be like music. Months ago, Elliar had been a shell of its former self, thanks to the escape of the Andinna and the fires. Now, it was shining bright white again, and the people below her were with her. She had them. She knew she could get anything from the cheering masses below.

“People of the Empire! Are you willing to fight with me?” The crowd answered the way she wanted. “Then fight, we shall!”

Shadra had twenty thousand men in her army, both human and Elvasi. She knew by the end of winter, she would have at least thirty.

She waved, gesturing for her daughter to step closer.

Together, they were a shining beacon for the Empire.

Shadra had defeated the Andinna once before. She could do so again. Her only regret was letting Lothen try to handle it when she should have done it herself.

Dear Reader,

Good bye, Lothen. You will not be missed!

Also, hi Kristanya, goddess of death, darkness, and war. Been waiting awhile for you to make this whole thing official. Maybe next book you’ll tell everyone what the hell is going on.

As you might guess, readers, there’s a lot going on in the world of the Andinna right now. There’s only two more books in the series. Obviously, they’re probably going to be doozies. I don’t know what else to say as I write this other than I hope, so close to the end, you don’t bail on me yet! We’ve got four of six in the harem now. Yes, you heard that right. There will be six once the series draws to a close. I’ll finally give you that little tid bit of information. You’re welcome.

Reviews are always welcome, whether you loved or hated the book. Please consider taking a few moments to leave one and know I appreciate every second of your time and I’m thankful.

And if I still have you…

You can come join me in being a little bit crazy in The Banet Pride, my facebook reader’s group. I have deleted scenes and chapters from different points of view posted for free!

About the Author

KristenBanetAuthor.com

Kristen Banet loves to read books that make people cry. She likes to write books that make people cry (and she wants to hear about it). She’s a firm believer that nothing and no one in this world is perfect, and she enjoys exploring those imperfections—trying to make the characters seem real on the page and not just in her head. Worlds of action, adventure, trying times, and true love are the things that get her writing.

She might be crazy, though. Her characters think so, but this can’t be confirmed. You might want to try asking her husband, two dogs, and cat.

You can join her in being a little bit crazy in The Banet Pride, her facebook reader’s group.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

BookBub

Amazon

Also by Kristen Banet

Reverse Harem

Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance

Age of the Andinna

The Gladiator’s Downfall

The Mercenary’s Bounty

The Warrior’s Assault

The Rebel’s Vision

The Enemy’s Triumph

Witch of the Wild West

Bounty Hunters and Black Magic

Werewolves and Wranglers

Complete Series

The Redemption Saga

A Life of Shadows

A Heart of Shame

A Nature of Conflict

An Echo of Darkness

A Night of Redemption

Wild Junction

The Kingson Pride Series

Wild Pride

Wild Fire

Wild Souls

Wild Love

The Wolves of Wild Junction Duet

Prey to the Heart

Heart of the Pack

Also by K.N. Banet

The Tribunal Archives

Urban Fantasy

Jacky Leon

Oath Sworn

Family and Honor

Broken Loyalty

Echoed Defiance

Kaliya Sahni

Bounty

Snared

Andena Glossary

Feminine- ‘am’

Amin- Female

Ami- Baby

Amra- Mother

Arra- Mommy/Mom (Informal mother)

Amara- Daughter

Amir- Sister

Amrya- Aunt

Amyra- Neice

Amran- Grandmother

Amanra- Lover/Wife

Masculine- ‘bod’

Bodin- Male

Bodi- Baby

Bodra- Father

Baba- Daddy/Dad (Informal father)

Bodara- Son

Bodyr- Brother

Bodrya- Uncle

Bodyra- Nephew

Bodran- Grandfather

Bodanra- Lover/Husband

Alternative Male and Female

Ahin- A gay female

Ahren- A female that is excessively submissive. Normally isn’t strong enough in personality to attract males.

Ahyara- Committed female-only relationship.

Bedin- A gay male.

Bedru- A male that is excessively dominate and possessive. Normally considered unsuitable to females due to dominance issues.

Bedyara- Committed male-only relationship.

General Terms

Ahea- Hello

Ohea- Goodbye

Al- The

Ut- You

Uta- Them

Et- Me/I

Rai- The term for the Andinna temper. No real translation.

Mativa- A ‘tradition keeper’, or someone, normally female, who passes on important cultural knowledge and leads a community.

Olda- Blood

Oldura- Official Andena word for a ‘Blackblood’. No real translation.

Tatua- The Andinna ‘ink’ normally done by a Blackblood with blood magic.

Mayara- Andinna family unit. The band of males who center on a female to protect serve, and in most cases, love. Generally husbands/lovers, but can also include brothers, fathers, sons, or just close male friends.

Illo- Big, large (Illon- bigger, larger)

Illi- Little, small (Illin- smaller, littler)

Oto- Old (Oton- older)

Oti- Young (Otin- younger)

Ildan- Friend

Ilanra- Beloved

Ildar- Adopted/Adopt/Adoptive in terms of family.

Raki- Mixed blood/mutt.

Ensam- An Andinna without social place. Forced out by the community or by choice.

Mara- Life

Olmara- Birth

Moro- Death

Somaro- Elite warrior

Morok- Classic Andinna curved blade

Svamor- War group of Andinna.

Semara- Soul

Sema- Skies or just the sky.

Sita- Submit/Submissive

Andin- Dragon

Andinno- Wyvern

Vahne- Strong

Nola- King

Lera- Walk (Lerani- run)

Vorha- Mountain

Curses and Sayings

Kak- Shit

Amov/Bodov- Bitch for female and male respectively

Kuk- Ass

Voek- Damn

Linti- Pigeon

Voek al Sema- Damn the Skies

Na al Sema- By the Skies

Skies/Sema- a way Andinna reference their gods without blaspheming. “Damn the Skies.” “By the Skies.”

Anvea et- I’m sorry or ‘forgive me’

Et anvea ut- Apology accepted or ‘I forgive you’