Page 76 of Changelings
His golden brows shot up his forehead. “What?”
“You’ve tormented me all my life. Made me feel ugly and worthless. Maybe you didn’t mean to, at least not when you were younger, but you’re a man now. One who’s married to my sister.” Closing more of the space between them, she told himgravely, “You won’t call me Gen anymore. You won’t joke about my birthmark. And you aren’t going to make Neomi as miserable as you made me.”
Collin paled. “What—?”
“From now on, you’re going to support her. You’re going to make her feel loved and appreciated—whether or not you have a child. You’re going to stand up to your mother for her. You’re going to give her everything she needs and love her how she deserves.”
His lips drew thin, and what seemed to be true disquiet darkened his face. Perhaps he was more troubled by her words than she’d thought he’d be.
“You’re going to do all this, you’re going to make her happy, or else it’ll becomemybusiness. And what’s my business is also the care of five manticores. They have sharp teeth and claws, and I have a lot of land. No one will find you, Collin. So grow up, be a man, and take care of your house.”
Collin’s mouth fell open, and honestly, Imogen was just as astonished. Rather than letting him see it, though, she shot him a final nod before turning on her heel and striding right back out of the barn.
Did I really just do that?Her insides almost vibrated with jitters, and she couldn’t take more than quick, shallow breaths. A myriad of emotions zipped through her, none lasting long enough to parse out.
But then she was outside again, and it didn’t matter.
Right where she’d left him stood Balar, his arms crossed over his chest, and a proud grin on his face. “So says theerez,” he said.
She didn’t quite know when she started running, but then she was—and jumping into his arms. Throwing her arms around him, she buried her face in his mane as he lifted her off her feet to swing back and forth.
“I can’t believe—I did—that!”
“As fierce as you are lovely,” Balar crowed.
Imogen giggled, and then she couldn’t stop. Emotions crammed in her throat, and she just couldn’t seem to stop laughing, even as tears began to trickle from her eyes.
Holding her tight, Balar turned from the barn and continued on toward the lower pasture.
“Let’s go home now,urisá.I have many good ideas on how to use that bravery of yours.”
“You’re incorrigible,” she sob-laughed.
“Is that another human word for in love with you? If so, then yes, I’m incorrigible. For you.”
24
Balar could hardly contain his joy and pride as he led Imogen into the otherly village. His brothers walked with them, together forming a unified pride. Balar had suspected it for a long while, that even though he and his brothers got along just fine on their own, had made good lives for themselves, their family only felt complete with a newerez.
Imogen still blushed and harrumphed at being seen as anerez, but that was all right. She would grow into the role; Balar had no doubts she would meet the challenge. She already acted as anerezin many ways, even if she didn’t realize her soft power. His brothers deferred to her, and Kiri often went to her for guidance. She provided a center for their pride, a place to call home even if their cabins still stood at the otherly village.
Despite some initial reservations, his brothers had all come to love and respect Imogen. Akila was always looking to earn her laugh and smile with a joke, and steady Soren had become something of a confidante to her. Balar had set Diar to follow the merchant Gilda, to find out where and to whom she soldImogen’s goat milk and wool—so that they could undercut the woman and help Imogen profit directly. Diar threw himself into the hunt with gusto; if he had his way, Imogen would be running a goat empire within the year.
Through many nights of discussion and planning, he and Imogen had decided that his cabin would be broken down and moved to her land. Adding it onto her cottage would provide much more room for them—and any of his brothers wishing to stay overnight.
“I suppose I’ll need to see it,”Imogen had mused,“so I can get an idea of what we’re working with.”
Balar had lit up at the idea.My brave kigara.She was suggesting coming to the village, and he knew just when to bring her.
With winter beginning to release its icy grip on the Darrowlands, the village had decided it was time to convene and take several important votes—mainly, for the village name and their new mayor. From what Balar understood, campaigning had been fierce in both races.
His last official act as mayor was to oversee the smooth conducting of the vote.
He perhaps hadn’t been the most devoted of mayors, but this at least he could do. And it was the perfect opportunity to introduce Imogen to the village, for a long evening of feasting, drinking, and dancing followed every vote.
The whole village had gathered in the central square around an already roaring bonfire. Imogen dug her fingers into his forearm, but she kept walking forward.
He’d assured her, many, many times, that she would be more than welcome. Amongst a village of green-hued skin, blue feathers, and red scales, her birthmark would be seen as an interesting human patterning.“You’ll be positively mundane!”Akila teased on their walk over. Balar might have smacked himfor it, if he hadn’t been so correct.
