She smiles, stretching her human lips. Those reddish human lips that I can’t stop staring at. “There are also bows and arrows. Archers can strike from a distance—longbows, short bows, even crossbows. With enough archers, you can darken the sky with arrows.”
I nod, her words painting a picture in my mind. “An attack from afar? That is clever.” Humans are indeed resourceful, capable of creating tools I could have never imagined. “But such weapons would not harm a vólkin, even if they outnumbered us.”
Noël’s expression darkens. “There are also the ballistae.”
I tilt my head. “Ballistae?”
“They’re like giant crossbows,” she explains, making their shape with her hands. “They fire massive bolts that can pierce walls or armor. Some of our engineers even modified them to launch fireballs.”
“You mean humans launchfire?” My fur bristles at the thought. Such a weapon sounds like something only a goddess could command. “Why would humans go so far against nature?”
“Because we’re not all built like mountains on legs, Theron. We have to be smarter.”
It flatters me when my mate says I’m big, but I fall silent. Humans are fragile compared to vólkins, though their ingenuity is something I can’t deny.
The sun dips below Ávera’s trees as we make our way back home. My mate walks beside me, her round, muscled hips swaying with each step. I glance up at the darkening sky and take a deep breath.
You’ve battled for so long, you can battle more.
As we pass the gathering area, I spot Kaël sitting with the growlings, listening intently to Elder Aïna’s lesson. To my surprise, he looks focused—trulyfocused. Good job, Kaël.
Noël stops at the sight. “Isn’t that Kaël?”
I nod, suppressing a grin.
She frowns. “What’s he doing there?”
“Do you want to join their lesson?” I offer.
“Can I?”
Thisis going to befun.
We approach the gathering area where Elder Aïna stands tall in the center. The growlings sit cross-legged around her, and Kaël leans against his thigh, though his eyes locked on Elder Aïna are unusually serious. I’ve never seen him so... studious.
“The knot is an essential part of our mating process,” Elder Aïna explains. “You must understand it well, as your future mates will be human, and they likely will not be accustomed to it.”
Oh, Elder Aïna’s lesson today is aboutknots? I glance at Noël to gauge her reaction.
Her brow furrows as she looks up at me. “Knots? What knots?”
And there is my answer.
I gesture toward Elder Aïna with my snout, biting back a chuckle. Noël turns her attention to the lesson.
“Vólkin males possess a knot,” Elder Aïna continues. “It is a swelling at the base of their anatomy that locks them to their mate during mating. Its purpose is twofold: to strengthen the bond and to ensure the semen stays inside the female.”
Noël freezes, her mouth drops open, and her wide eyes snap to mine. “You have a knottoo?”
“Of course,” I reply, grinning broadly. My knot is big and round. Will fill my mate properly.
Around us, the growlings blink in confusion, some muttering among themselves. “Locked? Like...stuck?” one of them asks.
“Precisely,” Elder Aïna confirms. “This is part of our biology and cannot be avoided. For human females, the experience may be... unfamiliar.”
Noël sputters, choking on air. “I’m sorry,what?”
All eyes swing toward us, and I have to press my mouth to keep from laughing. Her face burns red, and I swear I hear her whisper a human curse under her breath.
