Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“They have the right to make their own choice. Whether to stay or go—you don’t own their lives or the right to choose,” Katur speaks after a long pause of my silence.
“I know.”
To be a member of the High Royal Hallan Army is an honor all male and female Hallans make once they’ve come of age. As much and as hard as we work together to take care of every Hallan, we train, fight, and explore to continue to protect our people and our way of life. It is not, however, a lifetime contract of servitude at the beck and call of the High Royal family.
Each Hallan has their choice.
As they should.
Katur leaves me to peace and privacy—although having grown up alongside my kin from youth to training days, modesty isn’t needed—to finish my washing. I use the clean paddle brush with natural bristles hanging from the tiled wall to get the worst of the dried matter out from beneath my claws. Rinsing out my braids takes the longest time.
Once I step into the clean belted pelt of layered squares of leather that matches the breast and back plate he produces for me to slip on over my head, I’ve made up my mind.
“Any Hallan who wishes to stay can,” I say.
Katur nods. “I will pass along word and get a better number on the total who will remain to fight.”
“I want to leave as soon as possible. I gave my word to my father that I wouldn’t stay here a moment longer than I needed to, and I have a lot to catch up on with my brother.”
I also miss my sister and my mother.
And home, too.
“I’m already working on that,” he assures.
I have no doubt.
“Are you staying?” I ask.
I think I already know, though.
My cousin grins. “There’s something here to fight for, Halun.”
Well, I can appreciate that stance at least.
“I assume you intend to return to Hallalah with your mate?” Katur asks as I retie a half head of my braids at the back of my head.
“I don’t understand.”
Katur stares at me in the reflection of the mirrored panel door of the washing stall. “Might she express an interest to stay? Her father is an Opposition leader, Halun. Have you considered that she might also want to stay and fight for her home and her people?”
“No, honestly.”
I hadn’t considered it at all.
The idea that my mate would be going anywhere but with me when I leave isn’t even something that crossed my mind. A non-starter. Zero possibility.
Laughable, really.
“You’ll just what, make her go?”
“If need be.” I turn and slam the towel I used to dry off into my cousin’s waiting hands. “No matter what, my mate, and half of this fleet, is coming with me when I leave.”
“I’ll make it happen,” Katur says as I pass him by to exit the washing stall. “Halun?”
I don’t reply, but he voices his warning, anyway.
“Careful she doesn’t end up hating you, cousin.”
I scoff.
Probably too late for that.
And whether she hates me or not, the compulsion to seek her out right now propels me forward. I get what I need for my mate from my tent and head towards that cursed house that smells like death and decay. But now … her scent is mingled with it. I can’t say I like the fact that anything taints the scent I’ve already become obsessed with.
I walk through the doors and a Hallan points me where I need to go without me having to say a word. I hear her voice as I get closer, amusement in it that I’ve never heard directed at me. For a moment, I feel weak for how badly I desire it to be. Is there such a thing as weakness with a mate, though? I know my parents would say no, and still … I find myself embarrassed by my weakness around her. The way I can barely think in her presence, the way just having her thrown over my shoulder had me hard the entire time I was aboard the ship, and how my breath seem to seize in my chest whenever her eyes meet mine, even if they are almost always narrowed when they do. Even her attempt to stab me has me feeling emotions I’ve never felt. If it were anyone else, their head would have joined the others at the entrance of camp, but with my mate, I could only admire her bravery, her lack of fear in the face of a blood-drenched male.
A warrior as much as he. The words of my fate have followed me all my life, but it never made so much sense until I set eyes on the female covered in blood, demanding I know that I didn’t save her, and holding a knife she was more than ready to use on me.