Page 70 of Protected by the Alien Warrior Triad

Forn strides towards the back of the cave, where I know his God must be waiting.

“You… you can’t go, Forn! I’mnotyour fated mate.” I speak softly, my heart breaking that he must now learn the truth.

I thought I said the words softly enough that only he could hear. Instead, all eyes turn to me. Even sick Aurelians perk up, staring at me as though I am now the only thing on the menu. I curse inwardly.

Of course. Aurelians have better hearing than humans. How foolish of me! But I don’t know how close the Orb-God is. If I hadn’t said anything, and Forn died because of it…

I don’t know whether to feel guilty or not. There’s no room for emotion with all these Aurelian eyes on me.

“What do you mean?” Forn demands, his voice strong but his eyes wide as he stares at me. Before, he told me that he’d felt a connection with me. I’d undeniably felt the same for him. I hope that when I tell him the truth, he won’t realize that it was all in his mind.

“Your… Your Orb-God didn’t open that portal. Lord Tenderfoot did. He was trying to create a bridge to your world, but he thought of his niece, in the city of Barl, when he opened it. That’s why the portal opened between you and I. It… It was not fate.”

Forn reaches forward, his hand tracing down my cheek. “No. I will not believe it. Ifeelthat you are my mate. I’ve never known anything with more certainty.”

“The woman speaks the truth,” says one of the Aurelians from behind Chief Rattler. “You know this, Forn – in your heart. The Orb-God will smite the both of you down if you consult it.”

The third Aurelian of the fish-eating triad, whatever Forn meant by that, steps forward. “This human female belongs to no man, then. She is open to any warrior who proves themselves.”

“No!” I say, my voice wavering.

“It is so,” growls Rattler, then coughs, more blackness on his white beard. My medical mind is whirring away, trying to distract me from the horror of the situation.

He coughed black. What does it mean? Oh, Gods - the Aurelians are going to kill each other over me!

“We challenge your triad to combat. Hadone took my woman from me, and now I will take his in return,” growls Ton, his voice filled with menace. My heart sinks as I watch the three fish-eating Aurelians approach, their hands near their weapons.

“No! I canhelpthis tribe. I can find out how to heal them!” I yell out, brandishing my hands at the sick, huddled masses.

Forn steps in front of me. His broad back obscures my view, and I feel instantly safer with him between me and the three fish-eaters.

Wait - why are those three so healthy, while the rest of the Aurelians suffer? What is it that causes this disease?

I hope that they’ll get the cough before they can fight my men.

Mymen. I told them that I’m not a possession, but some part of me feels as though those three Aurelians belong to me – as if they are truly mine.

And now they might die because of it.

“You don’t have any weapons,” I whisper, my voice so low that I barely even hear it myself. Forn nods almost imperceptibly, but I see his head move from behind. He heard my warning.

“If you wish to do battle, I ask that you wait two days to let my woman prove that she was Fated.”

“Prove? It will take only a minute for you to prove that neither of you belong. Go to our God, and show everyone the wrath of the Orb when the will is slighted,” responds one of the Aurelians from the fish-eating triad. I can’t tell which of them is speaking.

“She was brought to me by fate, I know it. Perhaps not by our God, but by another. She comes to save our tribe.”

“Then she will save it in the company of real men. We fight tomorrow, at dawn.”

Forn sighs. “Very well. Unarmed, for it is my choice.”

“Tomorrow, then, you will die,” says Ton, and this time I know which of them is speaking by the hatred in his voice. The fish-eating Aurelians leave, and I feel as though I can finally let out a sigh.

Forn turns to me and stares mournfully with those huge eyes. I hope desperately that he’ll survive.

Suddenly, he grabs me – holding me tightly and staring into my eyes with an intensity I’d not seen from him before.

“I don’t care what brought you here – it wasmeant to be. I feel it in every drop of blood coursing through my veins. You aremine, Tammy, and Iwillfight for you.”

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