Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
“Find one, grow up beside her, then marry her to one of the finest men in all realms,” Mars replied, jerking his head to True.
Jorie glanced at True before saying to Mars, “I don’t understand.”
“It will undoubtedly be explained eventually,” Mars muttered. “For the now,” he did not mutter, but he did take a deep breath before he concluded, “It is time to meet your sister.”
“Mars,” True said low.
He looked to his friend. “She would wish this.”
“I urge you to think of all that has happened in the last days, with her a part of it, and know she must now withstand this.”
“She has a silver soul, my brother. It is bendable, but it very rarely breaks,” Mars returned. “You treat her with care, which I respect, and I am grateful for. But she is much stronger than you think.”
True held his gaze before he nodded, but he did so still communicating he did not like it.
“I would know…”
Both men turned to Jorie at hearing his voice.
“What you meant by abuse and neglect,” he said to Mars.
“This man, at my side, until she met me, is the only man in her life that has shown her love and affection,” Mars explained.
Jorie’s eyes cut to True.
“She had but one friend,” Mars went on, and Jorie looked back to him. “Her maid. Until she met the women in the other room.”
Jorie’s face grew hard.
“She was an outcast in her own home,” Mars continued. “The man who raised her knew she was not of his blood, and treated her thus, even if she did not understand it. Though she knows it now. Regardless, he is of an ilk, if she was his blood, it would likely not be much better.”
Jorie’s voice was rumbling when he stated, “I would meet this man and have words.”
And it was at that, Mars finally fully calmed.
“That is not your duty.”
“I am her brother.”
“And I am her husband and I’m seeing to it.”
“How?” Jorie demanded.
“How else when my wife would be upset if I cut his throat?” Mars asked. “I’m taking away everything he holds dear and leaving him with nothing.”
Jorie studied him a moment before he muttered, “I approve of this.”
Mars didn’t much care.
“Would you like to meet Silence?” he asked.
“Why in the seas did they name her Silence?” Jorie queried in return.
“I do not know and care even less. But there is great calm and beauty in Silence, both the absence of noise and the uniqueness of my wife.”
Jorie’s eyes narrowed on him before he noted, “It is my understanding your marriage was arranged.”
“Yes, it was, thank the gods,” Mars muttered.
“You are keen on her,” Jorie observed.
“No, I love her.”
Jorie smiled largely. “This brings me great gladness.”
“That’s all well and good, now would you like to meet her?” Mars demanded.
Jorie’s body locked for a brief moment before he turned to Aramus and asked, “Why am I suddenly filled with unease?”
“Because her husband is maniacally protective?” Aramus asked in return.
“Tell me you would not do the same for Ha-Lah,” Mars clipped.
Aramus grinned at him before he looked to Jorie.
“You feel unease, my man, because she is your sister and you wish her to like you.” Aramus clapped him on the shoulder. “She is reserved of character, but warm of heart. And when you have a place in hers, as my wife has attested to you, her affection knows no limits.” He squeezed Jorie’s shoulder and dropped his voice. “Now, go. Meet your sister.”
Jorie nodded to Aramus, to Mars, looked to the room and turned to the door.
As Mars moved to follow him, True stopped him.
“I would be there, True,” Mars said impatiently.
“Silence is a mermaid,” True whispered, fear bleak at the backs of his eyes.
With all that just occurred, Mars had not fully taken that in.
He did now.
By muttering, “Fuck.”
“The Mer are…they have not been treated at all well, as you know, Mars,” True went on. “And Silence…” He shook his head “I’m protective, yes. But this is a great deal for her to take in.”
“No one will harm her.”
“If known, she will be a curiosity.”
“No one. Will. Harm her.”
True nodded but said, “I believe you, but I urge you to ask her brother not to share all and control the flow of information. In other words, slow it.”
“Gods, you’re an overbearing brother,” Mars muttered.
True reared back in affront. “Pardon?”
“My queen rained fire on traitors but days ago, True. She has a soul of silver. A heart of gold. A candied mouth. A cunning mind. And a spine of steel. I know you don’t underestimate her. What you must come to understand is, she is now a woman, a wife, a queen, and will, when things calm, be a mother. Allow her to grow up.”
“I have,” True clipped. “Of course I have.”
“She is no longer in their clutches, my brother,” Mars said quietly. “She is amongst those who love and respect her. You do not have to twist yourself into knots to be all to her in the limited time you have with her. Protect her from every hurt you can manage. In another time, I will express my gratitude to you for looking after her as best you could since her birth. In the now, just know, she is loved.”