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The sweetest voice on the planet greeted me, making my heart swell.
"Alahna." I grasped her to me hard and kissed her fur-covered forehead. "You shouldn't be out here, it's too cold."
"I feared the worst," she cried, clinging to me, and I felt her little heart beat fast against my ribcage.
"I'm alright," I assured her, "but you will catch your death if you stay out here."
"Welcome back, Warlord." Cassair strode toward us, interrupting our sweet reunion and reminding me of my duties.
"Cassair, please meet King Uthar of the Vandalls. His people will need food brought down to the beach and some will be our guests for the time being."
Cassair didn't falter, even though my orders must have taken him off guard. "King Uthar, my second-in-command, Lord Cassair."
King Uthar eyed Alahna with a mix of curiosity and aversion, and I liked neither. "King Uthar, meet my mate, Lady Ahlana."
"Please come in." Alahna waved at the entrance door, eyeing Uthar just as curiously as he eyed her.
The heat of the great hall was a welcome change to the freezing cold outside and all four of us, as well as the few warriors Uthar had brought with him, took our furs off, handing them to waiting servants.
"Keep an eye on them," I hissed to Cassair when Uthar was momentarily distracted by Alahna shedding layers of fur coats.
Cassair nodded tightly, but Uthar's exclamation turned my attention back to him. "Is this a bad joke? She is the same race as the one who attacked us."
"I told you many humans enjoy our hospitality," I tried to soothe the Vandall king.
"But you made her your lady." Uthar stared at her. "You are sullying your race with the blood of these… creatures from hell!"
I quickly moved into Uthar's personal space, growling, "You better watch your tongue, Vandall King. This is my mate you're insulting. May I remind you thatyouaskedmefor help?"
Cassair raised an eyebrow at that, but remained quiet despite the thousands of questions I was sure he must have had.
"I apologize," Uthar ground out at Alahna, who gave him one of her sweet smiles before her eyes fell on the cage, or more exactly, on the person inside the cage, which was just now carried inside. With a cry of dismay, she rushed to it.
"What is the meaning of this? Brogan?"
Iwasconfusedseeingthe Vandall king being treated like an honored guest, but I decided to take my cues from Brogan. I trusted him enough to know what he was doing and so I greeted our new guest respectfully.
Until the woman was brought in, in a cage!
"What is the meaning of this?" I cried out and rushed to her side, determined to open the door.
"Wait, Alahna," Brogan's voice held me back. I stared at him expectantly, wondering what logical explanation he could possibly have for treating another person, a woman, like this. So far, all Thyres had treated females respectfully, more so than my fellow humans men, I was ashamed to say, remembering it was them who had given me to Brogan as a tribute, like a slave.
"She is King Uthar's prisoner. Something happened on his lands. From what he says, this kallini isn't like the other people of your race."
I stared at the woman with curiosity, whose green eyes threw daggers at me, obviously disgusted by my presence. What the hell?
"Fucking barbarians," the woman cursed in a language I hadn't heard in a long time.
"What did you say?" I asked her.
She tilted her head at me. "So you do speak the civilized language?"
"You can understand her?" Brogan asked with something akin to exasperation in his voice.
"Yes, it's called English. We only speak the Thyre language now at our settlements because it's easier, but my grandma said that when the first settlers arrived, they only spoke English astheiruniversal means of communication."
"Settlers, hah!" the woman spat, and I gave her a curious glance.
