“How was it?” Amahle asked me. “Once you woke him?”
“I’m not sure.” At first, Rykr had seemed cautious but willing to listen. But that look he’d given me when he realized how closely we were linked—that was pure hatred.
Not that I’d have reacted any better.
“Does he seem decent? For a Lirien?”
“Define decent? That depends on what you value most in a man.”
Amahle grinned. “Fair point. Lucky for you, he’s decent to look at. And if he’s indecent in the right ways, you might be very lucky. Could’ve done worse and happened upon a cave troll instead.” She poked me in the ribs. “Though I doubt you’d have taken that blood oath if he had been a troll.”
“He’s a fucking Lirien.” I brushed off the comment about Rykr’s good looks. Yes, he was handsome. Ridiculously so. I wasn’t about to admit those looks had tempted me to stay my hand in killing him before the vuk attacked.
But that’s not why I took the oath.
An oath I was quickly starting to regret.
Not only that, but I’d also experienced the monstrous ways of Liriens firsthand. Why take Esme? Was she even alive or had they already killed her? The questions haunted me, awake and in my dreams.
Amahle studied me. “But you knew that when you saved him. Do you think we can trust him?”
Him. Rykr. My husband. I shuddered.
“If it weren’t for the fact that killing me would kill him, I wouldn’t put it past him. I don’t know if he’s so devoted to Lirien to commit suicide just to rid the world of one Viori, but turning my back to him might be terrifying.”
My mother had been right. I’d bound myself to a man I knew nothing about and now that he was awake, the reality was hitting me hard. But I owed him. He’d saved my life.
Still, my limited knowledge of the oath worried me. Hopefully my mother would know more. “Do you know where Tara is? You passed along my message, right?”
Amahle nodded, scanning the gathering crowd. “I haven’t seen her, though. I saw your mother on the way in. But your father and Madoc still haven’t returned.”
I gritted my teeth. What was taking Father and Madoc so long to find Esme? Each day that passed without their return only fueled my worries. They would have helped me today, too. Of course, if I had stayed home like Father wanted, I wouldn’t be in this mess. Would he be angry with me when he found out?
All my hopes hinged on Tara. She should be here by now.
A deeper fear unfurled inside me. What if she didn’t want to be here? Facing my family after what I’d done would be difficult—I’d put them all under scrutiny. They’d already been worried about betrayal from someone in our encampment after Esme. My actions made everything worse.
If I’d had doubts about the oath when I took it, they were nothing compared to what I felt now. The changing color of my hair and eyes had been the least of it. The changes I felt were more significant. The spell book said nothing about what this bond would do to me.
If Rykr angered the council, he could get us both executed.
Please, please don’t be that stubborn.
Amahle’s dark brown eyes reflected understanding. “Tara will be here. And if your Lirien doesn’t agree to your marriage, we can always tie him up and make him realize the error of his ways.” She set her arm around my shoulders. “If you find any other handsome Liriens in the woods, maybe teach me your oath before you kill them, too. The pool of eligible men around here is becoming damned near incestuous. I don’t want to switch tribes just to find a man.”
She wouldn’t need to. Tall, black-skinned, and beautiful, she was descended from a legendary Doban scribe. She’d rejected all offers that had come her way, though.
I covered my face with my hands. “Much as I agree with you, I apparently have terrible taste in men. First Seth. Now a Lirien.”
As though I’d summoned him, Seth entered the clearing, Darya trailing behind him. The din of the gathered crowd faded into silence. I averted my gaze.
The clearing, nestled at the heart of the encampment, was our version of a town square. Every major decision affecting the tribe was made here, ensuring that nearly everyone would bear witness. I’d never been on this side of the gathering, though—awaiting my own judgment.
The seating—a rough circle of felled logs—ensured I’d be visible to all.
“Are you sure Tara is coming?” I asked Amahle, my voice low.
Her lips pursed slightly, then her jaw set. Only my proximity to her made it possible to see the mist that fogged her dark eyes, making them suddenly grey. When she blinked, a hint of fatigue crept into her face. “She’s not here yet, but she’s close.”
