Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Positively proud of himself, he asked, “Are you going to thank me?”
“No.” But my smile was genuine. “The entire act was self-serving.”
He laughed. An honest, genuine show of amusement that frightened the gawking crowd.
4
For the remainder of our stroll to my mother’s home, Cyderial kept my fingers intertwined with his.
The taboo of touching a male tickled at my thoughts. People, humans, could see this. They were watching our every move. Yet none rushed forward to tear us apart and punish the offense.
All because I now belonged to him in a way that could never be undone.
Not quite property, but definitely not free.
I was expected to let this man touch me, to touch him in return, for we would be together whether we liked it or not, for the totality of our very long lives.
What a concept to consider while walking through those overcrowded streets. Far more palatable to think about when I wasn’t trapped in his home or pinned under his body. What had he called my shifts protecting the farmers? “Scheduled moments where I was allowed fresh air”?
Blinking at the upheaval churning in my guts, I felt him offer a reassuring squeeze of my fingers as if he knew where my thoughts wandered.
“Are you enjoying the walk?”
I hesitated, eyes flicking back to the audience. “Everyone is watching us. Why are they pointing their communication devices at us?”
“They are recording. You are beautiful, and the news I am mated is something the broadcasts consider interesting. Your face will be known by everyone in the city by the end of the night.”
“Oh… that’s….” I didn’t like that.
Another squeeze of my fingers. “I’m sorry. Males of my rank cannot prevent human fascination with our lives. Much of what the broadcasts say will not be based in fact but in fantasy. And you never need be exposed to any of it. We will keep their nonsense out of our home.”
I tore my eyes from the throngs of humanity. Searching his face for any hint of threat. That such a statement was a warning that should I dare to run, my life would be at risk simply because everyone would know who I belonged to. I would be returned immediately or maltreated… as he had mentioned there were many who might strike at him through harming me.
Were this a test at the academy, it would be nothing to fool the teachers into perceiving me in a way that progressed my personal agenda—play to the humans for my benefit. Because my whole life had been one huge performance. And that had done me no favors in the end, had it?
So, I looked upon the humans with a curious eye, wondered why they cared if Cyderial had taken a mate, and accepted there was a whole culture I knew nothing about.
Which put me, once again, at a massive disadvantage.
These things should have been taught to young girls at the academy.
Cyderial halted my steps near a quaint high-walled courtyard boasting a pretty wrought-iron gate and gave me a long look. “Before we go inside, I want you to remember—you’re not a little girl anymore. You’re a trained vorec-killing machine. They may not treat you as they did when you were a less intimidating child.”
“I am charming, and my birthmother loves me,” I said as he reached for the gate’s latch, practically buzzing with excitement to see my mother.
The arched beige portal swung inward, leading to a small courtyard full of potted plants and drying laundry. There at the center of it all was the tiny woman I adored with my whole heart.
It had been so long that I dwarfed her now and could hardly equate the smiling woman with my memory.
“Lorieyn! Oh my goodness, yes, come in!” Talking fast, my mother pulled me into a tight embrace. The gate closed with the sound of a thrown lock once we were off the street. “I cannot tell you how excited I am to see you. And married to a general no less.”
Her husband waited to greet us as well, Richard having aged so much that his hair was mostly white. “Here, here!” he exclaimed, reaching for my hands. “Your genes are nothing but the best, Jae! Of course your hybrid would draw a fine fellow like General Cyderial.”
I had always liked Richard and found it easy to accept his kind hug. “Hello, Richard.”
Side by side, they made a cute pair. Energetic and familiar with one another in a way Cyderial and I were decidedly not.
And then it came time for them to size up the large, uniformed man standing tall at my back.
My mom broke the silence, all sweet smiles. “He’s very handsome, Lorieyn.”
I supposed he was, if we were speaking purely of the physical, but I was not going to say so aloud.
Fortunately, Richard rushed forward to offer his hand to my mate. “I am such a fan! Back when you were in the ring, that fight against Gigof? I still watch replays.” Richard’s fist bounced off Cyderial’s outer arm, the man saying, “But we’ll keep that between us. Those files are too special to destroy.”