Page 1 of Healing His Mate

CHAPTER 1

NALBA

My bare feet slap against the tiled floors of our hallway as I chase Ekoya down the steps and out the front door.

“Sisters are supposed to share!” she shouts over her shoulder.

“Slow down, girls,” I hear my father say in a flat, bored tone as we pass him on the stone pathway. He carries his hunting gear over his hunched shoulders. I have never seen him anything but exhausted. That is when he is home, which is not often.

“You already had yours! That is mine!” I shout back at Ekoya as she shoves another large piece of junasii bread into her mouth. I will never understand how she is able to run at top speed while eating. Her ability to multitask has always been impressive, since the moment she took her first steps while patting her chubby hand against a toy drum. Perhaps I would be more in awe of her if I were not filled with rage that she has stolen my bread. Not that I have any wish to take it back. Certainly not after her grubby hands have been all over it.

Though the scent of warm bread still fills my nose despite the fresh air.

She takes a hard left down a narrow dirt alley, and I struggle to keep up. When did she get faster than me?

I notice the loosened laces of her boots flapping in the wind and whipping against her slim calves. “Slow down!” I command Ekoya, keeping my eyes focused on her feet. She should have tied her laces before we left our home. She always forgets and I have to do it for her. It is quite frustrating.

She ignores me, leaping over a fallen tree branch and charging toward the gray sand beach of the Vtria sea. “Catch me!” she eventually yells back with a mouth full.

I hear splashing up ahead as I duck and weave past the wall of thick brush that separates the heart of Oovahr City from the seaside. The beach is occupied, it seems. And I will revel in the embarrassment my younger sister will feel once I tackle her to the ground for her thieving ways in front of an audience.

The moment Ekoya emerges into the clearing, she trips on the laces of her boot and falls into the sand, face first. Her little arms flail as she pulls herself up, but her hands go to her throat immediately as she coughs and inhales sharply.

“What?” I ask her. “Are you choking?” Of course, she is. She should not run with food in her mouth. I have told her many times. Ekoya’s cheeks hollow as her eyes turn wild, and she points to her throat.

My heart stops. I do not know how to help her. I have not been trained in this.

Frantically, I slap the middle of her back as I encourage her to keep coughing.

“What do I do?” I shout as I grip Ekoya’s arm. “Help!”

“Move!” says a blur who shoves me aside. I stumble to regain my footing, and when I look up, I see Prince Varrek with his arms wrapped around Ekoya’s middle. He clasps his hands together in front of her and yanks them inward causing Ekoya’s eyes to bulge.

“What are you doing!” I yell at the prince. I have not spoken to him before, but I have heard all about the king’s dashing son, who has just begun warrior training and will one day become the ruler of Trovilia. His title means nothing to me though, especially if he kills my sister right before my eyes. I will end him if he does not save her.

Another boy, whose name I do not know, runs up beside him and corrects Prince Varrek’s form. I believe I have seen him at the market buying food with his mother. “You must strike up and in,” he says. His mane is long and black, and he flips it casually over his bare, wet shoulder as he watches the prince try again. This time, it dislodges the chunk of bread from Ekoya’s throat, which goes flying across the beach. Ekoya wraps both hands around her throat as she takes quick, deep breaths.

“T-thank you,” she whispers.

She is breathing. She will live.

As relieved as I am to see that, anger at how close she came to death washes over me like a wave. “How many times have I told you not to run with food in your mouth? And that wasmybread, you little monk slug!”

Ekoya shows no remorse. She does not regret a thing. “You did not catch me,” she replies with a sly grin through ragged breaths.

On the brink of death, she cares for nothing beyond beating me in a foot race. I worry about anyone who crosses her path once she is grown. I cannot even be angry with her for it because I am too astonished by all that I have just witnessed.

I open my mouth to reply, but laughter comes out instead. She joins me, and Prince Varrek looks between us, confused and mildly entertained, it seems.

“You are welcome,” he mumbles as he strides away with the other boy.

I narrow my gaze at the future king with his shimmery silver hair and his growing muscles. He is too confident for my liking. “I should thank your friend. He is the real savior here, is he not?”

The prince turns and puts his hands on his hips. “I suppose that is true.” His mouth curves up into a subtle smile.

“Thank you for your assistance, young warrior,” I say to the black-haired boy, adding a dramatic bow to show my respect.

The boy laughs and places a hand over his heart. “’Twas an honor to be of service.” As I turn to continue scolding Ekoya, I am ripped away . . . into darkness.

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