Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 76857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Surprised at the new direction of my questions, he eased back and considered before speaking. “It would be best described as resonant music emitting from the perfect woman’s body at the exact frequency only I was born to hear. A beautiful sound, a siren’s call to be near her, to touch her, to please her in ways that it is my duty to provide. It calms me, yet entices my desire to kill every male who comes anywhere near my mate.” Measuring my reaction as he took a breath, he smirked. “I was quite struck the first time I experienced it.”
The idea of Cyderial being struck was laughable. It was too bad his calming mate wasn’t around the academy. More students may have survived. “Do the boys here experience the song?”
“If they do, the wisest bide their time. Acting upon it before their mate is sexually mature is abhorrent, though it does happen. And there is no guarantee that two males will not hear the same song from a single female. If that is the case, one male will kill the other, though it is rare now that the list is in place and introductions follow specific protocols.”
More confirmation females had multiple prospects for mates. “If more than one of you hears our song, why can we not choose who we prefer?”
The question curled his lip in disgust. “Though you may have several contenders, hybrid society cannot survive if men are murdering one another over partners. In the wilds, the strongest vorec male will slaughter all challengers for the rights to breed. A civilized list helps prevent infighting. Females are exposed to the highest ranked, the strongest first. And so on, until the song is heard and the bond completed.”
And why was this information not in the library? “What if she likes a lower-ranked man better?”
He’d grown his usual state of perturbed. “Do you honestly think the strongest male would allow an untried boy to have you? That he would trust a pup to see to your needs properly?”
“What about courtship? The humans do that.”
Annoyance was obvious, though he tried to contain it. “Human customs do not apply. For hybrids, courtship takes place after mating. Otherwise, the carnage would be devastating. Unmated females are too attractive to males who’ve never heard a song. They are too attractive to boys incapable of self-control. And in the scenarios I just described, good men might die over a natural impulse to keep their female to themselves. Our kind may be new to the universe, but the eldest of us have deeply considered this topic. We must balance the insatiable animal drive with self-awareness.”
Frustrated, I countered, “Were women consulted in the making of these rules?” Because this sounded extremely male-centric.
“The protocol involving the list was their idea.”
I did not believe that for a moment. Furthermore, something was very unsettling about the idea a male student might have heard my song and was watching and waiting.
Swallowing down my nausea, I muttered, “Do I have any contenders you know of? Is that why you’re pushing me to the list?”
A sneer came to his cruel mouth. “Managing the number of males that have grown interested in you over the years has been an absolute nightmare.”
That made me feel very unsafe. “Is there anyone specific I should avoid?”
Did a muscle in his jaw just tic? “You could always end their suffering and submit to be mated. Once knotted, the lesser men won’t foam at the mouth to bed you. Should they live long enough, they might even hear someone else’s song. Furthermore, you’d have a protector for life who loves you in every possible way and would give you anything you desired.”
Cold terror filled me at the thought someone might be stalking me even now, but confusion overrode it long enough for me to ask, “What does knotted mean?”
His eyes flashed. “That’s enough for today. Return to your class and apologize to Instructor Dirum. Do not make me interfere again.”
“You are lucky you’re alive!”
The vault had closed, sealing female recruits into their dorms. Having followed me to my tiny private room, Maeve shut the door, clearly anxious.
My actions earlier that day were inexcusable.
Instructor Dirum had been magnanimous in accepting my apology. One sharp slap to the face was all I received in response. But she had been harder on the next class, hard enough to challenge my flagging self-control.
My eyes had to stay on the prize.
To get out of the academy and find a male to ruin me.
Because I understood now that it was the only way to be free.
“Maeve, I asked him about sex. The answers were vague, but I know now. I have to be ruined. Otherwise… General Cyderial intends to assign me as a full-time instructor for the academy, regardless of my scores when I graduate. He is never going to let me out of this hell.”