Page 80 of Mastering their Maiden

“I’m staying,” she said, calling the attention away from Aria and onto herself. “I’d like to volunteer.”

I flicked my eyes to Kaze, Ellis, and Makan, who all stood behind her. They weren’t about to leave her behind. If she stayed, so would they.

“How would you feel about Kavari sitting on your council?” Ellis asked, directing the question to Summer first, then to the other villagers. “Our peoples have existed these past few weeks harmoniously. We would continue to provide you with supplies and protection.”

A few of the volunteers wore tight expressions, and one woman, a younger one, finally spoke up. “Would you continue to select women to be your… whatever you call her now.” She glanced at Esme, expression tight. “You would procure us to serve—”

“I don’t serve as anything.”

Esme’s voice was hard, her back ramrod straight. The woman who asked gave her an apologetic look, but Esme narrowed her eyes and looked back at her men before she went on.

“Yes, Lavan procured me and brought me to their city, and the three of them have obviously taken me to bed.” She curled her arm protectively around her son’s head. “I’m not going to lie and say that they didn’t challenge me at times or claim the traditions they hold didn’t push me. But I’ve never served them in any capacity. They’ve kept me safe, comforted, and loved me more than I could have ever hoped for here. I submitted to them, and they to me.”

Quade slid his arm around her shoulders while Viggo laced his fingers through her free hand. Lavan smirked and reached forward to pick up a lock of her hair before bending to kiss the crown of her head. Esme’s body softened slightly, but her voice stayed strong when she addressed everyone listening.

“If I felt I was serving them, or thought they were harming me in any way, I wouldn’t have begged them to send Kaiden and the others to come down here. I wouldn’t have sent letter after letter asking them to keep Aria safe.”

Again, all eyes turned toward our girl, but she didn’t tense this time. She sat up tall and took her sister’s hand.

There was a tense silence, one that lasted a little longer than any of us liked. Finally, the woman who spoke up nodded, and the others who volunteered all murmured their agreement.

“Perhaps it would be good to have a few of you sit on the council,” she said. “We’re going to need each other if both our peoples wish to survive.”

Every single soldier seemed to relax. Even I let out a long sigh of relief. Behind Summer, Kaze, Ellis, and Makan were speaking quickly, and I noticed Viggo leaning over and gesturing to Ellis, himself, then to Summer and Esme individually.

“Ellis has been with you for a while. He’ll stay to help get things set up, and so will I,” Viggo said after they finished their quick conversation, smiling when the volunteers for this new council nodded their agreement. They seemed pleased, but I watched Viggo’s woman grow tense, and when Esme turned to look at him, her expression was pleading. Viggo shook his head, bending to kiss her cheek.

“It’s not safe for you and Aravan,” he said, curling one hand around his son’s back. “Not with the battle we are facing. You and I will stay here until it’s finished.”

Esme looked like she might argue, but Quade and Lavan both crowded around her, soothing her until she reluctantly nodded in agreement. In front of me, Aria seemed to relax, no doubt worried about the same thing Esme’s masters were. She wanted them both safe.

Just as we wanted her safe.

It hit me then, when I slid my palm over her shoulder and down her arm, how small Aria was. Curved and soft in the right areas, yes. Strong, yes. But she was small. She was human.

Perhaps I noticed it now because we were talking of war, or maybe I’d always noticed it since I was closest to her size. My mother was human, my father Kavari. I had their musculature and strength and drive to dominate. The same battle prowess my tribe possessed.

But I, too, was a little small. By centimeters maybe, but I noticed it. Especially when fighting against my fellow warriors. They pushed me, as they should, but never as hard as an enemy would. Never as hard as the men still loyal to Ryne would.

My gut twisted when I thought about Aria in battle. Seeing her storm through the cluster of men that night, bloodlust in her eyes, with Skepna stalking all around, my heart had nearly leaped out of my chest. She’d killed them before, and I would never diminish that accomplishment. It took bravery and skill to do that.

But the beasts were mindless. Outside of an instinct to survive and kill, they didn’t have much battle prowess.

Kavari soldiers did. They knew counterattacks and were aware enough to take cover when arrows were flying. Aria could shoot just as well as Kaiden, but a bow was no good if it was ripped from your hands. Zander had been teaching her to use a spear, but how proficient with it was she?

The thought weighed on me as the meeting ended, and I joined the soldiers who marched Micah and the other Elders out of the village, banishing them into the forest beyond. They were joined by Elders from the other two villages who were also part of the Skepna plot, and all of them scowled at us when we gave them a few dull swords and one bow to share. No quiver.

It was the same manner they’d driven other men out years ago, so the punishment seemed fair.

I stayed outside the village gates and watched them disappear into the forest, then drifted toward where a few Kavari soldiers were working on armor. Zander was there with Lady Indre, one of the few Kavari women left. She and her partner Blaise had come to the village to help us prepare for the upcoming battle. Their third partner, Klev, was currently in the village to the south with their maiden and newborn son.

“He’ll ride here tomorrow to join Viggo and the others who are staying. They’ll be safer in a group,” Indre explained as she held up a breastplate for Zander’s inspection. A heavy one. A smaller one, distinctly feminine shaped.

Just like the one she wore for protection.

I swallowed heavily when I realized who it was meant for.

“Will this one work?”

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