Page 27 of Barbarian Brothers

After speaking to Helios about an alliance between the Fire Tribe clans in anticipation of the Sky Tribe’s impending attack, Amber and I return to our town with newfound strength and energy. Yet, as soon as I leave her to spend a few hours in the company of Cynthia, Alicia, and Jewel, I can feel her slipping away again. I cannot fault her friends for wanting to leave, for wanting to go back to Earth, but I cannot allow such ideas to fester anymore either, so I take Binzen aside for a talk one morning.

Amber is taking care of Valen with Cynthia and Alicia by her side. I’ve yet to see Jewel since last night’s dinner, but she can’t have gotten too far. My guards are always watching her, even when she thinks she’s managed to elude them.

“I don’t like where this is going,” I say once we’re alone in the house. “She’s still itching to escape.”

“Well, it will take a while for her to get used to all of it,” my brother replies.

“We both know it’s more than that. We may have to separate Amber from her friends. Kai and Maur are more than ready to welcome Cynthia into their midst, aren’t they?”

Binzen frowns. “But Cynthia isn’t.”

“Helios is actively searching for a partner to take Alicia home, as well. It’s only a matter of time before he selects a friend he can truly trust. He’s had some bitter experiences after the last battle with the Sky Tribe. The kind of treachery he experienced is hard to forget.”

“Izzo, what is this about? I thought we were making headway on every front here,” Binzen replies, his eyes fixed on mine.

But my anger is too strong, my frustrations and my fears burning in my chest as I look at my brother. “We’re nowhere near tight enough as a family to survive what’s coming,” I tell him. “We must do more. Perhaps it’s time to consider the lesser-liked scenarios we discussed in the beginning. Those friends of Amber’s are becoming an issue. Every time we’re with her, it’s perfect. Yet, as soon as she leaves us, I can see the doubt in her eyes. We may fail at everything if we don’t strengthen our hold on her.”

“Izzo, we can’t force Cynthia, Alicia, or Jewel to go with other Sunnaites! That is not our way.”

“We could at least move them across the river. We don’t need to host them anymore.”

Binzen comes closer and puts his hand on my shoulder. “You don’t want to lose Amber, I get it. Neither do I. But we must be fair and patient.”

“I was fair and patient for a long time,” I snap. “It cost us Alana. My whole life, I’ve followed your lead blindly, dear brother, even when it cost us everything. I warned you about Alana having contact with the other clans, but you insisted we let her move freely so she wouldn’t feel like a prisoner after everything she endured with the Sky Tribe. And then she caught the fucking plague.”

“Don’t you dare pin that on me,” Binzen replies, his voice low and cold.

It’s a low blow, and I’m fully aware of the impact of my words, but I need to shake him out of this reverie before it’s too late. “I’m merely pointing out that your decisions were not always the wisest, and the last time I overrode my instincts to follow you, it cost us our wife. I cannot let that happen again, not with Amber.”

“Izzo, we’re not sending her friends away.”

I’m too angry to make him understand. I’m too angry even to be here right now. But insisting on the matter at this point would only drive a wedge between us. And two brothers falling out of their synergy would ultimately impact our bond with Amber.

“I’ll go visit Alana’s tomb,” I tell Binzen. “You should stay close to Amber and Valen in the meantime. Watch how she is with her human friends, brother. You know what I’m talking about.”

Before he can reply, I walk out in a rush, eager to feel the hot suns on my face again. The heat always calms me down.

Once I leave the town behind, I feel like I can breathe again. The pressure of our position against the Sky Tribe has made it harder for me to sleep at night, even with Amber nestled between Binzen and me. I’d hoped the smell of her hair, the taste of her lips, the feel of her skin on mine might soothe some of this anxiety, but it’s not enough. It’s not enough because I know her heart isn’t fully in it.

It’s been a while since I’ve gone to Alana’s tomb, and I can’t help but feel a tad guilty. We buried her about a mile north of town between jutting rocks and flowering redtail bushes. Redtails were Alana’s favorite flowers. It made sense to have her resting here, surrounded by them forever. My heart aches as I sit by her tombstone—an oval piece of obsidian with her name carved across in deep letters.

“I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I thought I would spend the rest of my life grieving you and being unable to love another woman,” I say. I have faith that Alana can still hear me somehow, perhaps from another plane of existence. “And then Amber fell from the sky. I’m sorry I haven’t been around lately. Don’t think for a second that I don’t miss you. Binzen misses you, too. And Valen… oh, Alana, you should see him.”

I hear footsteps down by the river.

My ears twitch as I pause my thoughts and slowly lean over the jutting rocks of Alana’s burial place to look down at the rushingwater. Narrowing my eyes, I zero in on Jewel as she sneaks along the riverbank, constantly glancing over her shoulders.

“What the…” I mutter as I realize my guards are nowhere in sight.

She’s a shifty little one, isn’t she? Jewel actually managed to elude them, and now she’s quietly working her way up the river, probably looking for a way out. She knows not to try and run away from us now. No, she’s scouting. I’m well aware of her military background, and so I am also aware of the many steps it would take for Jewel to mount a successful escape. The girls must be in on it. Amber, too. It irks me. I wasn’t kidding earlier. I’m not letting Amber go. Ever.

As for Jewel…

I’ll need to prepare for what she will inevitably attempt. I can keep Binzen out of it until I’m certain she’s foolish enough to try it.

10

Amber

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