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“I didn’t either. At first.” I look down at Elena, who’s clutching my leg as a child would, which is unfortunate considering Ramsey is around. He values strength more than anyone.
She looks up at me with panicked eyes. There are so many things I wish I could say to her, so I could prepare her, but Ramsey’s appearance makes everything difficult.
“Get dressed,” I say firmly. “We will be leaving soon.”
She looks to Ramsey, who is staring her down, her eyes alight with confusion.
I know he must be thinking the same thing I was. That she’s soft, weak, and poorly designed. I need him to see that she can be brave.
The snapping of twigs grabs my attention, and I look past Ramsey to Elric and Jacek.
Their jaws drop in shock.
“You two,” I point to them, “Go to the northern shore. A boat crashed, holding this woman and her companions. I need you to keep watch. Don’t make contact, but make sure they go unmolested.”
Ramsey snickers. “So now we’re protecting the weak?”
“We must, until I can present the situation at hand to our tribe,” I snap, then I turn to Elric and Jacek. “Go.”
They obey without question.
Elena releases my leg, grabs her clothes, and begins dressing. Thankfully, she stands tall, no longer looking but a child.
And to my utter shock, once she is dressed, she walks straight up to Ramsey.
“Well, wishes to you. My apologies for how we met. I didn’t expect to be disturbed while so vulnerable.” Her eyes never leave his.
She knows she can’t appear weak, so she’s trying to look bold. Smart woman, though her apology thwarts her cause.
Ramsey’s critical gaze roves her body, looking for the slightest of flaws.
“You’ve bandaged her,” he says when his eyes find her wrists.
“I do not answer to you,” I say firmly as I pack the last of my things. “We tell the men of my findings so we can decide as a tribe what to do next.”
Ramsey clenches his axe so tightly, his knuckles grow white. “Let us hurry, then. So we can be done with this foolishness.”
10
ELENA
“You dare suggest the strong should mate the weak?”
At first, they spoke foreign words, some the same as mine, others hard to make out. Then Grixis told them to speak the lesser tongue.
I wish he hadn’t.
“…scrawny looking thing…”
“Have you lost your honor?”
“…unfit for furs…”
“…deformed…”
“Lesser seeds of long ago…”
“…pink of flesh…”
