Page 95 of The Mentor
“When?”
“She has committed to three years in the Northlands with the condition that she can leave anytime she wants to. All she needs to do is give two weeks’ notice.”
“Did you tell her about the tournament?” Finn asked, his brows drawn together with a serious expression.
I shook my head. “No, do you think I should?”
Rubbing his forehead, Finn made a sound of frustration. “If you do, it might change her mind, but on the other hand…” He trailed off. “There are no guarantees.”
We sat together in silence, my thoughts racing a lot faster than the slow waves of water washing up on the beach only to retract again.
“Maybe you would be better off not telling her,” Finn said, breaking the silence. “Even though you’ve been preselected as one of the five champions in that tournament, the bride might not choose you. If that happens, you can just come back to the school and pretend nothing happened,” Finn said. “My point is that even though Kya says she doesn’t want to marry you, she might be angry with you pursuing marriage with another woman.”
I huffed out air. “The twisted thing is that I don’t want to marry anyone else, I want to marry Kya.”
“I know, but if you forfeit your golden chance to win a million dollars and get yourself a wife, you might end up with nothing. Next time there’s a tournament, you’ll have to fight like everyone else.”
I gave a deep groan. “I know, and that’s why it’s such a fucking difficult decision.”
“You want to know what I would do?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I would stop feeling sorry for myself and go.”
“But I…”
Finn gave me an honest look. “I’ve seen a picture of Lori Ann, and she’s a beautiful young woman who would make you a fine wife.”
I swallowed hard, my emotions running amok inside my body in an infantile tantrum, internally screaming that I didn’t want some sweet eighteen-year-old girl; I wanted Kya.
“No Nman has ever been in your situation, but you’ve gotta use your brains, man. If Kya is unwilling to give you a family, then can you really allow yourself to throw the chance of having children away? Think about it: Lori Ann could make you a father by next year.”
“Fuuuck!” Having a family was the most rare and prestigious thing in the Northlands. Hearing him talk about throwing such an opportunity away made me sound like a lunatic. “I really don’t have a choice, do I?”
“Look, you have a twenty percent chance of winning Lori Ann. If you don’t, you simply come back and try to convince Kya until the next tournament comes along.”
“What about you? Are you going to fight for Lori Ann?”
“I thought about it, but we both know that there are better fighters then me, and Pearl had an interesting proposition that suits me better than risking my life in a tournament.”
“Oh yeah, and what proposition is that?”
“She and Khan had a formal meeting with the Council yesterday, and they have approved her idea of letting a few Nmen visit the Motherlands.”
“What do you mean visit?”
“Well, I suppose it’s all about representing the Northlands and showing the Motlanders that we’re not monsters.”
“How long would you stay for?”
“I’m not sure; all I know is that I would have to be supervised by a mediator for safety reasons.”
“But what about your role as Kya’s protector?” I asked.
Finn smiled a little. “Ah, you know, as long as you guys stay on Victoria’s Island, she’s going to be fine.”
“So, when do you start your new life as aNorthlands representativehere in the Motherlands?” I asked and smiled back at him.
