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“He said he washappyfor me to be connected to Mitri. Practically pushed me into his lap like, ‘Hey, your problem now’!” I wave my hands dramatically in the air as I yell. Big mistake, it’s agonizing.

She takes a moment to absorb my rant as I pace. I’m just warming my legs up, stretching out the sore muscles. I’m not pacing in emotional angst. Nuh-uh, not me.

“You poor, pathetic Human,” she mutters with a shake of her head.

My pacing stops abruptly as I glare at her.

“I forgot how little you know of anything. You’ve only recently come from under your rock. Others do nothave a single spouse, you fool. Not enough females are on this side of the divide to make it feasible. I have seen females with ten mates easily. He is supporting your happiness in the hopes that he will be one of your chosen.”

Brain.Explosion.

Mab’s guards… maybe her husbands? Shit, she’s pregnant. What was that conversation like? The Salt House guys blatantly said they were Laverne Rodriques’ husbands. I thought they were just an outlier, not the standard.

“They all have multiple husbands…” I gape at Scilla like the idiot I currently feel like.

“Yeeees,” she agrees, drawing out the ‘e’ unnecessarily.

“So, I’m expected to…”

“Yeees?”

That’s a lot to juggle. Literally.

“I have a choice,” I argue weakly. “I don’t have to deal with several male egos at once. I could be celibate!”

I really couldn’t, but it is an option.

Scilla is shaking her head with a smile. “Best of luck with that. Being, and I quote, ‘The Last Mender,’ there will be many who will try toforcethe issue. Best if you connect to your own choices now so you can have the protection.”

I can’t right now. No. Nope. #Single forever. The bond with Mitri can stay cut, and I can just walk out of this territory with my middle fingers in the air.

Even thinking of it makes my heart cramp, and I know deep down that it isn’t from the physical abuse it just suffered through.

Hold up a second…

“Who are you quoting?”

“The Other Dunmas Times, of course. A reputable news source that follows stories fromdowntown,” she shrugs as if unconcerned, but her sly smile says she’s stirring shit.

“Bullshit,” I say weakly.

“Hmmm. You’ve made a splash, little mender. There are consequences.”

The scientists could find me. No, they’re all dead. I saw them. There’s no way. It’s an Other newspaper, not Human. Surely, that would stay on this side of the divide.

Insane me thought this would be freedom.

She’s a moron.

Which meansI’ma moron.

Before I can comment, Ben’s head pops through the doorway hesitantly.

He opens his mouth, and I interrupt before he can speak, “I’m so sorry, Ben. I freaked out. Did I hurt you?”

He blinks twice, and his eyes slide towards his Mother, who smiles sweetly at him.

“I found Mitri,” he says after a little silent communication with Scilla. “He’s asking me to bring you to him. Do you feel up to that?”