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“How exactly do you pair the women with their Mates, by the by?”
Chiron turned to address him.
“The unmated males choose which females they want, and if there is more than one male who wants a particular female, they fight for her.”
At this absurdity, Divina couldn’t keep the leash on her tongue.
“What about what the women want? Don’t they get a say in who Mates them?”
Chiron huffed an impatient breath through his nose. He was obviously not used to being challenged by a female like her. Or perhaps, any female at all.
“Why would they have a say? The winner of the challenge will be the strongest. Each female will get the strongest male who wants to claim them. The strongest protector.”
“But what if she doesn’t want the strongest?” she retorted and made air quotes with her fingers.
Chiron looked at her hands quizzically, clearly not comprehending the gesture.
“What if she wants the sweetest?” she expounded further. “Or the funniest? Or the one she’s most attracted to for whatever reason that’s unique to her and to him? My point is: the women should have a choice. And it’s barbaric that the males have to fight. What if the loser is the girl’s true love? It’s awful to think that she will be Mated to someone else for eternity who might not be the perfect match for her.”
“These are harsh climes, woman,” Chiron said, his frustration clear. “The strongest is the best. Only the strongest can lead us. Only the strongest can protect what’s his.”
“But what about what’shers?” she insisted. “And what about what’syours?”
Chiron’s head went slightly back at that, as if she’d just socked him on the chin.
“I don’t take your meaning.”
“You warriors, I mean,” she gestured to the two dozen centaurs gathered around them.
“Why should you be deprived of companionship and comfort? Aren’t you the strongest males within the herd by virtue of what you are? Shouldn’t you be the first to claim Mates, not the last? Or, rather, not ever?”
Chiron’s nostrils flared, and his tail flicked restlessly on the ground behind him.
“You know nothing of what you speak.”
“I—”
“Divina has a point,” Ere suddenly jumped in.
Damn straight she did!
But when she turned to meet Ere’s gaze, she wasn’t sure her point and his point were the same. His intense blue eyes practically glittered with ideas.
What was he plotting?
“What if you could have Mates for yourselvesandnot worry about what would happen if anything ill befell you in the future?”
“You make no sense,” Chiron retorted. “That is not how it is done.”
“But whatif,” Ere insisted, “just what if it could be done? Wouldn’t you want that? Wouldn’t you want Mates of your own? Offspring to carry your warrior line? Don’t you want to stop being the oldest virgin in the world?”
The centaur general colored deeply despite his tanned skin.
“I am not—that is not—”
“But close enough,” Ere surmised.
Divina knew he was right when Chiron shut his mouth with a snap.
