Page 2 of The Warrior
“I know that was your goal, but to be honest, I like a little drama once in a while. Magni throws some explosive tantrums, but often they morph into amazing sex between us.”
Lennie wrinkled her nose. “That sounds horrifying.”
It was always weird talking about sex with Motlanders since in general they didn’t see the point of it. To the majority of them, sex-bots were considered a more hygienic solution to fulfilling any physical need.
“It’s not horrifying at all. I wish you’d try sex for yourself.”
Lennie had told me that there were sex clubs for naturephiles who had a fetish for the human experience. I’d been curious to see it for myself, but Lennie didn’t see the point when I admitted that I wasn’t interested in having sex with anyone. Using strong words for a Motlander, she had let me know that the poor naturephiles weren’t there for my amusement.
Lennie tilted her head to one side as if she needed to get a clear view to see if I had a hole in my head or something. “I’m not interested in sex, and may I remind you that you complained about Magni being domineering and controlling.”
“That’s true. He orders me around as if I was one of his soldiers. It’s fine in the bedroom, but outside it’s driving me crazy.”
Lennie made circles on her knee with her index finger. “Why would you go back to a man like that when you can stay here with us?”
I drew in a deep breath, and released the air in a slow exhalation. “The Northlands is home to me and I miss it. Not just Magni, but my friends and family too.” Tapping my lower lip, with a thoughtful expression I pondered out loud. “My dilemma is how do I change the most stubborn man in the world?”
“I can’t help you with that.” She placed a hand on my knee. “Laura.”
“Yes?”
“Promise me that if he mistreats you, you’ll come back here.”
I lit up. “That could work. I’ll tell Magni that unless he treats me as an equal, I’ll move to the Motherlands permanently. He won’t like that.”
“Ultimatums should be avoided,” Lennie said in a soft voice. “Are you sure you wish to threaten him like that?
I pushed up from the floor with determination and dusted off my hands. “It’s the only leverage I have. Cross your fingers that it’s going to be enough.”
CHAPTER2
Seeing Magni Again
Laura
The earthquake was the first one of catastrophic proportions in more than a century. We had experienced smaller ones, but none so powerful as the one that hit us ten minutes after I arrived at the border.
Before it happened, I’d been consumed with wanting to look strong, powerful, and unaffected by the sight of Magni. Or at least not let him see how wobbly my legs were.
Magni stood tall and fierce on a stage with officials from the Motherlands and Northlands. He wore his usual scowl and the battle scars that spoke of his heroism as the commander of the armed forces and leader of the Huntsmen, an elite unit of the finest warriors the world had ever seen.
Magni’s brother, Khan Aurelius, the ruler of the Northlands, was making a speech and I gave a double take when the hundreds of women in front of the stage cheered and raised posters with slogans like “No more borders,” “I’ll marry an Nman,” “Take me home with you,” “Nmen or no one,” and “The doctor is mine!”
I knew the last sign was referring to Finn MacCumhail, whom the Motlanders lovingly calledthe doctor. Finn was Magni’s best friend and one of the five Nmen who had spent the past ten days in the Motherlands. Yesterday I’d met with him when he tried to convince me to come home, and I’d seen for myself what a celebrity Finn had become.
The ceremony today was an official end to the visit of the five Nmen and a signal to the whole world that the integration process between our nations had begun.
It didn’t take Magni long to see me as I leaned against his sleek red drone. We shared a moment of brief eye contact before I looked away with my heart hammering in my chest. The intense fire that burned in his blue eyes only confirmed what I already knew; Magni was furious with me.
I swallowed hard, expecting him to charge over here and confront me with my betrayal. To be fair, Magni had every right to be angry with me. Leaving him six months ago with only a note to explain that I’d gone to the Motherlands, a place beyond his reach, had been a shitty thing to do. If he’d done something similar I’d be furious with him as well.
Still, I didn’t regret it. As a female, my world had been limited in the Northlands and my time here had opened my eyes to the woman I wanted to be.
Magni’s hands pressed into fists and his eyes were locked on me. It had to take willpower for him to stand still until his brother’s speech was over. It was a testament to the fact that Magni was raised to put his country first. He didn’t move.
Six months ago, I would have been standing by Magni’s side as his quiet, obedient wife, but much had changed in that time. My time here had opened my eyes to the freedom I had been denied as a woman born in the Northlands. In the Motherlands, women didn’t need a male protector. They didn’t depend on men for their survival, and they were free to work and live independent lives.
Not only had studying martial arts taught me how to fight and defend myself, it had also given me a new self-confidence that showed in the way I walked, and held my head high.
