Page 35

"We were just about to head back," I say, lifting my mate off my lap.

This time, I do not throw her over my shoulder. I wrap an arm over her shoulder and pull her to my side. Her hand fists the back of my tunic, and her other hand grips my abdomen in a way that tells me she is trying her hardest to look calm until we get back home. I give Erkoz and Xoth one last glance. They are speaking amongst one another, not paying attention to Tori or me.

I hope this is a good sign that nothing bad will come of this. My mate deserves all the creatures who bring her joy to be in her life. I doubt anyone would do anything as drastic as kicking Beren or Lyath out, but I do not want them to be put in that situation.

"Marron," Tori's voice sounds worried as we exit the great hall.

"Shh."

I hush her, not wanting us to say anything until I am sure no one is listening. I walk us quickly through the tribe and do not speak again until we are deep in the trees, off the path, even though we're headed for Beren's farm.

"I will make this okay. I will make it right."

"Did my wardens do something to Joll and his friends?" Tori asks, her voice full of many emotions.

I look down at her, and when I see her eyes are glossy with tears, I kneel in front of her and pull her tight to me so I can comfort her.

"I do not know, but if they did, it was because they were protecting you," I tell her, stroking the back of her hair until her shaking stops. "Let us go speak to your blood. I am sure they have a reason for their actions—if it was even them. There is a chance we came up with a lie for no reason, yes?"

Tori nods in the crook of my neck, rubbing against my bandage. My cock does not understand that now is not the time to attempt to impregnate our mate. It is relentless, though, and Tori is so close to me she can feel it as it strains against my pants and begs to rub against her.

My cock seems to lighten Tori's mood. She throws her head back and laughs, and then pulls me close to her before kissing me many times. "We talk to my wardens first, and then I'll care for my mate's needs."

"All of my needs?" I ask, making sure I am not misunderstanding her.

"All of your needs." Her hand runs down my chest, over my abdomen, and then cups my cock. "You can take care of mine, too."

"Always," I hiss before hopping to my feet.

Now, it is most important that we get things cleared up with Beren and Lyath so that I can go and see what needs Tori thinks I have. I am already planning on not telling her what I wish of her so that I can see what she is willing to do unprompted. Yes, that will be the most wonderful way to spend the rest of the day once we get this conversation over with.

18

Tori

There's no one in the fields when we walk up to the house, which is strange. I don't bother knocking on the door. It's late enough in the day that everyone should be awake.

"Nia!" I shout from the living area. I'm not about to bust into her room. "We need to talk!"

Jen comes walking out of her room, rubbing her eyes. She gives Marron and me a confused look, and then I give her one when Thro walks out behind her, rubbing his eyes like he just woke up, too. Marron frowns at the same time I give my cousin a look with a single raised eyebrow that's asking, 'what the fuck?'.

"He's been sleeping on the floor," Jen answers my unasked question, but her cheeks turn bright pink.

I feel bad for her because her crush on Thro has about six more years at least before he looks at her in any kind of way that's not as a friend. And that's if he feels called to her at all. Thro doesn'tpick up on anything happening between Jen and me. Instead, he looks at Marron and then at me, and smiles a big, toothy smile.

"We are blood now?" he asks, running over and wrapping his arms around me.

"Yes, yes, she is your sister now," Marron says, flashing his eyes at Jen to make sure she isn't uncomfortable with him calling me Thro's sister. She rolls her eyes before turning back to the bedroom.

"I'm going to sleep," Jen says. "Let me know if anything fun happens."

"Oh!" Thro runs after her, shutting the door a bit too loudly when he goes to close it. "We can go swimming. You said you wanted to do that. Or we could go looking for flowers to make dyes. You wanted to make some pink shirts, did you not?" Thro pauses to take a breath, which only means he's about to keep going. "Wait, are you truly getting back into bed? No, we are already awake. Let us go find something to do."

"I am sorry for your cousin," Marron leans down and whispers to me. "I am sure Thro will realize everything he missed when he is fully grown."

"She wouldn't want you to feel bad for her," I say. "Plus, she'll be old enough for the mating ceremony in a couple of years. Maybe she'll be over her crush by then."

"If she is not, it will be years before Thro can even feel the same toward her," Marron reminds me, as though Jen and I haven't had these exact conversations late at night.