Page 78 of Corvak's Challenge

"Never!" I press my hand over his and hold it to my cheek. "Don't ever say that. You're the bravest, strongest, smartest guy here."

"I am not," Corvak admits. "There is a lot we can learn from these people. Many of them were gladiators before—Thrand, Ashtar, Vordis, even Valmir—and I can learn from them how to be a good warrior if there are no battles to be fought." He pauses and then continues after a moment. "Did you see Gren? He looks just like me."

"You're handsomer." And he is. Gren is like a pale copy in my eyes. Gren’s features are slightly different, his tail long, his eyes less curious. But I'm biased.

"Even so, it is good to see a face that looks like mine." He slides our joined hands down and presses them over my heart, where my khui is humming softly. "It feels like having a family. And there is a healer here, and she can look after you. Many of the females have had young, and they will know what to do when ours comes."

"So…?" I prompt, wanting his answer. "Stay or go?"

"Stay, I think." He says the words slowly, as if tasting them. "If we view all of this as a battle strategy, it makes sense to have allies and to hone our skills."

"You do realize everything isn't a challenge?" I ask, teasing.

"It never hurts to be prepared."

I laugh, and it feels good that we're on the same page. I give his shoulder a gentle push and tip him onto his back, and then I lean over him and kiss his smiling mouth. "I love you, Corvak."

"I love you, too, my Aidy." He pauses. "Can I ask you something?"

Tilting my head, I study him. "What's that?"

"You won't laugh at my question?"

"Why would I laugh?"

He makes a wry face. "Because I asked something about babies earlier and everyone laughed at me."

Immediately, my anger blisters white-hot. I sit upright. "Who laughed at you? Do I need to fight them? Teach them somefucking manners? Because you can ask me anything, love. And I'm not going to laugh."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Corvak is quiet for a moment, and then he puts a hand on my stomach. "How does something as big as a baby come out of your body?"

That's not such a weird question. "Well, your body stretches to accommodate the child."

His glowing eyes squint up at me. "But some of the children I saw were up to your waist! Look at Nadine's child Deeni! How is that possible?" His voice drops to a horrified whisper. "And did you see Steph's son? Pak is nearly as tall as her. No cunt can stretch like that."

Oh no.

I'm a liar. Because I'm absolutely going to laugh. I press my lips together hard, trying to compose myself. "Those children were different ages, Corvak."

"Just to confirm…Deeni did not come out of her body that size?"

"Absolutely not."

He lets out a huge, gusty sigh of relief. "That is very good to know. People keep mentioning children's ages to me as if it should mean something, but I am clueless as to what."

I bury my face against his neck, fighting giggles. Of course he doesn't know how age affects growth—he only knows full-size people. I can only imagine the mental gymnastics he's been going through trying to figure out why everyone's kids are different sizes. When I can hold it together, I give him an adoring pat on the chest. My god, I love this man. How can he be so innocent and yet so clever at the same time? All I know is I adore him with my whole heart. "Let me explain to you how children grow, my love…"

EPILOGUE

TWO MONTHS LATER

AIDY

There arefew pleasures as enjoyable as watching your mate work. I stand back, admiring the strong flex of Corvak's back as he loads heavy rocks onto a sled with Gren. The stones are gargantuan, but they're also flatter down at the far end of the beach, and Corvak said he wanted them for the floor of our hut that's currently being built. The two men set the enormous flat stone down on the sled they brought for transporting. They look pleased at the accomplishment when it crashes onto the sled and the entire thing shakes but holds together.

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