Page 84 of On a Barbarian World

“Aurina?”

She blinked and saw one of her students watching her expectantly. “Right. Okay, can you all write out the properties of the zanite ore?”

With nods and murmurs, they bent over their books again.

She smiled. She liked teaching. She’d never, ever thought it would be something she’d enjoy, or be good at. But this group was soaking up everything she said.

She sighed, her smile slipping. She was working with the miners every day. At night, she slept, held tightly in Kavon’s arms. She should be happy. She had a man who cared for her, who was a hundred percent concerned for her well-being and happiness.

But she wasn’t entirely happy. Her brothers would be worried. She needed to contact them. Inside her, there was a small kernel of doubt and uncertainty eating at her. Every morning in the mirror, she saw the same bruised look in her eyes that had been in her mother’s eyes.

Sighing, she rubbed her face. She was Kavon’s bondmate, and she wanted to be with him. But as far as she could tell, bondmate wasn’t wife…and she was too damn cowardly to ask anyone about it. Even Kavon.

She just wasn’t sure she could live like this, knowing she was second best.

“Such a serious look for such a beautiful woman.”

She glanced up and saw Coran, one of her students, looking at her. He’d apparently come in from some distant village and, despite being older, she would have guessed he was a warrior not a miner. He was as tall and broad as a warrior, although his simple clothes were very well-worn. He had streaks of gray through his dark hair that she thought gave him a distinguished air, and his deep-brown eyes were the most serene she’d ever seen on anyone. He looked like he was always going to start smiling about something.

“I…it’s personal, Coran.”

He studied her. “Your warrior isn’t treating you right?”

She automatically touched the hidden bands on her arms. “No…yes.” She blew out a breath. “I love him and he cares for me…” She looked around. “I want to belong here.”

“It seems you already do.” Coran leaned closer. “These people speak very highly of you. The knowledge you share, the way you stand up to the warlord, how you’ve helped him achieve his quest.” Coran smiled. “The way you make him laugh.”

“He wants me to stay, but he hasn’t asked me to be his wife.” She straightened. She shouldn’t be talking to Coran about such a private matter, but God, she wanted to talk to someone. “I won’t let myself be second best.”

Coran’s brow wrinkled. “Warriors rarely talk of love, but they have their ways of showing it. If your warrior doesn’t value you or your love, he isn’t worthy of it.”

She shot Coran a rueful smile. “Kavon is a good man. But if he doesn’t love me, there isn’t anything I can do about that, except respect myself.” The thought of leaving was a thousand knife cuts to her belly. She swallowed and looked around the village square. God, how had this become so familiar, almost like home. She looked up, her gaze snagging on the gauzy curtains at the balcony off their rooms. She thought of the flower boxes she’d planted with seeds, hoping to one day see those flowers bloom.

But she knew while she liked the place, it was the man who’d become home to her. The man who made her feel complete in almost every way.

Still, she wouldn’t, couldn’t, follow the heartbreaking path her mother had.

Suddenly, there was a whooshing sound overhead. Her students all gasped and sprung to their feet. Coran whirled, his face turning serious.

Aurina shielded her eyes from the sun…and saw a sleek, gray shuttle shoot overhead.

She gasped. It was the shuttle from the Sky Nomad.

“Oh, my God.” She ran. She dodged through the streets, around groups of people looking up and the crowds spilling from the houses.

When she got to the main gate, she saw the shuttle landing in an empty field not far away.

A second later, she saw the three tall, wide-shouldered forms of her brothers step out into the Markarian sunshine.

Aurina had never felt so happy and soul-shreddingly sad at the same time.

Her brothers had come for her.

But going with them meant leaving Kavon behind.

For now, she focused on the men walking toward her. Right now, she needed the strong arms of someone who loved her around her.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN