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  Once they were done, Mave started walking again. There was no Senri or Allaina today, leaving Mave alone with the females. Senri had guards from distant areas of the Spine reporting over the next few days. Allaina was managing the final pieces of construction of the new forge for Gentrin and whoever he decided to train to help him. One of the dwarves wanted to join in, that much Mave knew. Whether they had an Andinna or two willing to pick up the trade was someone else’s problem…Allaina’s, most likely.

  Mave led the females up a cliffside trail that had been recently cleared. She couldn’t go too far from the valley but could climb one of the mountains, making the females work for it.

  The first one vomited after only a few minutes.

  “What’s wrong?” another female asked.

  “My stomach is sloshing,” the girl said, doubled over at the waist. Mave stopped everyone to wait, and during that stop, a second female lost the water they had stopped for.

  “We shouldn’t be doing this,” someone said to her. Mave glanced at Fyren dismissively.

  “This is exactly what we should be doing. I warned you about the water.”

  “You’re going to make us all sick!” Fyren was glaring at her. The amount of anger in those eyes made Mave frown.

  “People get sick when they do physical activity that might be beyond their limits, or they drink too much water, or they eat too much food. Being sick isn’t fatal. It’s a hard lesson to learn.” Mave’s quiet anger grew as Fyren crossed her arms, defiantly raising her chin. “Be careful. I’ll always win a fight for dominance.”

  “Females rule the Andinna, yet you bow to a male. If you’re truly the most dominant female, you should be ruling. Not some bedru with a half-breed brother.”

  “Alchan Andini is a member of the royal family—”

  “And the royal family lost the War,” Fyren reminded her.

  “And I’m a Lorren, daughter of the generals who lost the War.” Mave closed the distance between them. “This attitude is wearing my patience thin, Fyren. And if you ever disrespect Alchan or Luykas again, I’ll meet you in a sparring ring and make sure you pay for it. Treason won’t be tolerated. Do you think you could lead us?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t be picking a giant fight with the Empire without warriors to back it up. I would protect those already free—”

  “What do you think the Company has been doing for the last thousand years?” Mave shoved her anger through the bond. Luykas would come just to find out what was eating her. “Do you think Alchan just sits around, eating and fucking while everyone works? He’s been busting his ass trying to figure out how we’re going to win this time.”

  “He’s trying to figure out how to get us all killed or to lose loved ones. Not like you would care about that. You have your position, and you can lord over all of us. You have a husband who our precious king would never risk because he’s friends with you.” Fyren’s words hit a sore spot. Mave lashed out, grabbing the female by the arm and shoving her into the closest tree. There wasn’t much struggle from her. Blazing, angry eyes were now bright with fear. Mave wrapped her free hand around the female’s throat to hold her there.

  “I have two husbands,” Mave hissed. “Matesh and Brynec. You’ve never met Bryn and may never meet him because he was sent on a scouting mission in Anden weeks before we rescued you. For a month and a half, we haven’t known if he’s alive or dead. Don’t you ever claim we’re not fighting or making the same sacrifices we’re asking from you. If anything, the Ivory Shadows are more willing to make them first, so you don’t have to.”

  “Um…Champion? I don’t think she can breathe?”

  Mave snarled, not looking at who was talking. “You have no idea the risks we’ve taken. You have no idea the damage we’ve all had done to us to make sure Andinna, like you, can have one day of freedom or even a fucking chance at it. You have no idea—”

  “Mave, let her go,” Luykas ordered sharply as he landed behind her. “She’s not breathing.”

  Mave snarled louder and watched as Luykas wrapped a hand around her wrist. Emotions coursed through them. He was so worried about her. He was scared for the female in her grasp. Mave finally looked at Fyren’s face, really looked at it. She was red, her mouth open. She held Mave’s wrist with both hands and had no chance of prying herself free.

  Mave removed her hand one finger at a time and stepped back when she was finally able to let go completely. Luykas kept holding her arm but didn’t force her to do anything with it. The hand print on Fyren’s throat would bruise before the day was over. It would heal that night.

  But for the rest of the day, everyone would know she had to be put in her place.

  “What happened?” Luykas asked softly, leaning in close.

  “She’s a little bitch who thinks Alchan shouldn’t be in charge. She doesn’t understand, and she thinks she’s dominant enough to have an opinion,” Mave snarled. “And she fucking dared to say none of the Company would ever sacrifice—”

  “Okay. Okay, Mave.” Luykas wrapped his arms around her. All she could see was his chest, bare like every other male in the village. The white lines of his tatua caught her eyes, and she focused on it, trying not to think about Fyren. “I recommend all of you hike back to the village. If I catch one of you flying, I’ll bring your asses back here, and you can go again. Use those feet and think for a minute.”

  They started walking away faster than they ever had for Mave. As they left, their silence became gossiping and chatter. Mave and Luykas remained quiet, only listening. For the most part, it seemed like general village rumors and talk, but some were bolder.

  “Half-breed telling us what to do now.”

  Mave snarled, trying to launch out of Luykas’ grasp. He didn’t relent, keeping her away from the females.

  “Is he really the king’s brother? I bet that’s just a story, so we ignore his half-Elvasi look.”

  “Let it go, Mave,” Luykas whispered harshly. “Let them go.”

  “They shouldn’t be able to talk about you like that,” Mave snapped. “They should—”

  “You can’t force them to trust me. You can’t beat them into it. It’s something that has to come on its own time. The new ones who are angry were born after the War. Everyone born before it and who remember, knows me and knows what I’m about. They’ll handle the youth. We can’t.”

  “String them up by their fucking heels—”

  “Mave, let it go.”

  Mave hissed, yanking away from him but not pursuing the females.

  “I knew I was too angry to handle this hike today, but I came anyway because I had it scheduled for weeks.”

  “Why a hike?” Luykas was so obviously trying to divert the conversation, she snorted.

  “Because none of them are strong enough to walk or climb in terrain like this. They were born and raised on the plains in the Empire. I just want them to be ready for what might happen.” Mave ran a hand through her hair. “And when one of them got uppity, I reminded her I would win that fight. She came back with how I’m supposedly the strongest female, but I follow the rule of a male. Her point was almost valid if you ignored Alchan’s bloodline compared to mine. She had some choice words to say about him and me.”

  “There’s a reason females of the royal bloodline are the rulers,” Luykas reminded her. “They can trace a bloodline back to Lariana, the goddess who rules our pantheon and bestowed on them a godlike dominance that cuts the arguments of other strong females before they start. Before the royal line was established, the Andinna were much like the clans of Zira. There was lots of infighting and bickering over who would be in charge. This was also during a time when we weren’t truly established as a matriarchal people. Let’s say, the first ten or so generations of the Andinna didn’t have it easy.”

  “How do you know all of that?” she asked, trying to take her mind off everything else.

  “It’s common education for most Andinna growing up. I learned it as an adult when I moved
out of the Empire into Anden. My aunts took special care to make sure my education matched Alchan’s, as per the duties of a male born into the royal bloodline. We’re never supposed to sit on the throne, but we’re supposed to bring honor to the family. Often times, males of the royal line won’t ever have children, which is how branch bloodlines die out so quickly, but we’re perfect diplomats. Mind you, all of that was established for males like Alchan and our father, but I was dominant enough to be a problem and had to learn.”

  “You’re educated like an Andinna, you fight like an Andinna, you’re a Blackblood—”

  “I’m also educated like an Elvasi, can fight like an Elvasi, and know sorcery. They have their reasons to distrust me.” He seemed ashamed. For the first time since she met him, he seemed genuinely ashamed of what he was. He broke eye contact and was looking at his boots as if they were the most interesting thing in the forest.

  “You’re not at fault for your birth or your upbringing, Luykas. Don’t let a bunch of young, stupid fools make you feel that way.”

  “Just like the War’s sad ending was never your fault?” He raised an eyebrow. She raised her chin before nodding defiantly.

  “Just like that.”

  “Do you want to head back now?” he asked, extending an arm. She weaved hers into his, and they started a slow walk down the trail. “You know, it’s good to see the temper I know you have.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “You’ve been changing. In a lot of ways, you’ve mellowed out. You’ve settled into the role of second most powerful Andinna, and something in you has calmed. Then you did this today, and I think I liked the reminder you’re so dangerous.”

  “How did you ever forget?”

  “You didn’t get very angry with me about Bryn.” He sighed. “I thought you were going to gut me for knowing before you and not saying something. Mat and I came to blows before we headed your way over it. He was furious in your honor.”

  “Who broke you up?”

  “Alchan. He was pissed. Then we told you, and you questioned me but didn’t get as angry as Mat did. It was strange.” He chuckled dryly. “Then I see this today and…”

  “It’s because I know you’re a friend. You and Alchan would never purposefully hurt me or my males because they’re your friends too. Plus…” She sighed deeply. “There’s nothing we can do. We either wait for him to make contact or come home. Or we get word that his body is somewhere…” She rubbed her face with her free hand. “Fyren isn’t a friend, though. She’s a threat until I determine she’s harmless or needs to be taken out. Or she fixes her damn attitude. I thought I made my point when we came back with Sen, but…” She shook her head in anger. “I guess I didn’t. She’s just found new things to insult or be angry about.”

  “She’s mativa material. Allaina told Alchan and me during a meeting a few weeks ago. She’s naturally inclined to voice her opinion about the well-being of the Andinna she feels belong to her. She’s protective of the other females who were freed with her. We need to refocus that into what you need from her, and you need to earn her respect. Not her fear, but her respect.”

  “Thanks for the advice.”

  “You have Allaina’s respect. And it’s not uncommon for mativa females and warrior females to have differences in opinion. It’s a different type of dominance, a different way of thinking. Generally, you two wouldn’t mix. Mativas keep a council and report to the royal family through it about civilian affairs. Warriors take positions in the army, letting their dominance and skill help them climb in rank. There’s a third social class, in a sense, when it comes to the priests and priestesses, but we only have one of those, and it’s Varon. He’s male so…”

  “Yet all males are the same,” she mumbled.

  “We are the uncomplicated sex.”

  She narrowed her eyes and looked up at him. He smiled, and she took her chance to thump his stomach playfully.

  “I was going to say you’re the simple sex,” she teased. “Simple as in eat, sleep, fuck, and incapable of higher thought.”

  He stopped, looking obviously offended. She grinned, her mood growing lighter.

  “What? Too close to the truth?” She released him and walked ahead. “I’m just saying, everything you guys do is only to feed those basic needs.”

  “Eating and sleeping, I’ll agree with, but I don’t believe I’ve done anything about the third in a long time,” he retorted. She looked over her shoulder and paused at his gaze.

  There was something hot and annoyed in his gold eyes.

  “That sounds terrible,” she said plainly, unsure of how to proceed while he was staring at her like that. “Is there anyone you’re even interested in? I’m sure even with being half-Elvasi, you’re good looking enough to get their attention.”

  “There’s someone.” He started walking again but didn’t offer his arm as he passed.

  “Male or female?” She was curious now. Very rarely did she hear about this sort of personal thing from Luykas. There was a lot about his past, a lot about how he lived in the world, but she never heard anything about his feelings.

  “Female,” he answered in a curt tone. They were now walking side-by-side but weren’t touching.

  Alchan told me to fuck him, but Luykas has his eye on someone. I should tell his brother so there won’t be any more meddling.

  She tried to ignore something gnawing at her. She had no business feeling it.

  “Well, I hope it works out for you,” she said pragmatically. He raised an eyebrow and glanced her way. She shrugged in return. “You’re my friend, Luykas. You’ve done your best to make sure I have the ability to be happy. You’ve saved my life, we’ve fought side-by-side, and we share a bond. I’m allowed to wish you happiness.”

  “You are,” he agreed softly. “Would you like my advice?”

  “About?”

  “You’ve been spending all of your time with these females. Literally, all of it. The only time anyone sees you is if they visit your training field or you come to a meeting, of which there are several and you have missed a few.”

  She winced. She had been hoping her absence hadn’t been noticed for a few of those.

  “You need to train you. You’re not working out your temper anymore, and that’s partly why you lashed out today. You know you could kill Fyren in less than ten heartbeats. You never used to let Andinna so much weaker than you bother you. You need to start staying on top of your own exercise. Something your pace, not theirs.”

  “Does the Company still train?” she asked, sighing. “I don’t see anyone anymore.”

  “After dinner, as the sun goes down. Nevyn, Kian, and Varon are always there in the clearing in front of Alchan’s home. They train with me, Alchan, and Rainev. Sometimes, Zayden shows up. The only two who haven’t are you and Matesh.”

  “He’s busy with the basic training of—”

  “Yes. Alchan and I have noticed he’s taken the brunt of that on himself like you have with the females. I’m of the mind you two are trying to work yourselves into an early grave so you can sleep easier at night since Bryn isn’t there.”

  She winced again. Truer words hadn’t been said in a very long time.

  “Come tonight. Drag Matesh along wit you. I’m going to make a rotating schedule. You’re not going to train those females every day, Mave. You’ll accidentally kill one of them, eventually. The same stands true of Matesh and the young males. Nevyn, Varon, and Kian can rotate in. So can I. Even Zayden—”

  “Not Zayden. He’s doing too much for us as it is,” she said quickly. “And I still want lead on the females.”

  “You’ll still have it. We’ll follow your training regimen and only make suggestions to you. We would never question your authority when it comes to them.” He smiled. “So? Are you going to come tonight and spar?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded, smiling back. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

  “Lunch?”

  “Let’s go.” She waved a hand to the sky and
watched him jump up. This time she followed quickly. They passed over the females, all of whom were still walking, and Mave ignored the gnawing, sick feeling in her chest.

  I have no right to be jealous of her, whoever she is.

  13

  Brynec

  Brynec silently sat in the small carriage as his captors drove him who knew where. He was only allowed out at night, and flying wasn’t a possibility. They had chained his ankles together, and landing with them chained could be fatal.

  And he had an important mission to fulfill.

  Who the hell were the Andinna who had captured him, and where did they come from?

  He wished he could ignore all the conversations going on around him, but they gave him vital pieces of information. Every little detail mattered, and he needed to finish the picture in his mind of what was going on.

  “Did he really say his last name was Lorren?” a male asked, sounding incredulous.

  “Yup. There was no Brynec Lorren, and the Lorren family had no distant relatives. The chance he's truthful is slim.” The gruff leader hated him. Hated him the moment Bryn had told him his name. They didn’t even consider the possibility he had taken his female’s name.

  No, they pretended like Maevana Lorren had never existed. They only ever spoke about Javor, her father the great General, at length. They mentioned Kelsiana Lorren, the female whose name they all had. She had been the original Lorren, and the rest came from her. Bryn knew a lot about her from Kian and Nevyn. They loved old war stories about the daring, brutal beauty who was considered one of the most tactically adept warriors of their people. There was also no forgetting Hertesh and Seanev.

  They were right. If they ignored Mave’s existence completely, there really wasn’t a Brynec Lorren.

  How can they forget about her? She was a famous babe. Royal decrees were made when she was born. Soldiers drank in celebration. How could they forget?