AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rardek shoots me a look that starts out disbelieving, but fades quickly into contempt.
“If there is one thing I have learned from our sisters, it is that human males are disproportionately idiots,” he says. “Lina smiles on you to bless you with a mate so fine.”
He reaches for my Brooks’ arm, gripping it in the raskarran way of greeting. My Brooks looks a little confused, but follows his lead, gripping him back.
“Rardek,” I say, slapping his shoulder.
“Brooks,” my linasha says, tapping her chest.
“It is my great pleasure to meet you, Brooks, sister.”
And though it is the same word which we use to refer to all of our tribe sisters, I feel the difference in the way he says it and means it. Just as I do when he calls me brother.
“Brooks,huh?” Liv says, stepping up beside Rardek, Gregar a watchful presence at her side. “Militaryteer?”
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Brooks
The woman before me is young, certainly no older than I am, possibly even younger. But she radiates an authority that has me almost wanting to stand up straight and snap out a salute.
Almost.
“Yes, I’m military tier.”
“Enforcer?” She arches a dark brow, her hair falling long about her shoulders, one hand resting on a prominent pregnant bump. Judging by the way the big green guy behind her is hovering, he’s the father, and though he’s not obviously hostile towards me, I get the feeling he could be real fast.
“No. Border Defence.”
“So, persecuting people outside of Mercenia’s walls rather than the ones inside?”
Part of me stiffens, words lining up on my tongue to defend my actions, my superiors, the cause itself. But it’s just an echo of a memory of how I used to feel, who I used to be.
“Following bad orders,” I tell her, “without having the awareness or education to understand that they were bad.”
“Awareness and education aren’t things our overlords were particularly fond of giving any of us.” She scrutinises me a moment longer, then nods. “You have a first name, Brooks?”
I shake my head. “They never gave us those.”
Her pretty features fall into a deep scowl. “The fuckers.”
A burst of laughter escapes me. She smiles, then shakes her head.
“Growing up on bottom tier, I always figured I knew the worst of what Mercenia was capable of, but I’m being proved wrong all the time. I’m Liv, chieftess of this tribe. The pacing wall of tension behind me is Gregar, the chief. He’s unhappy to be here, but don’t get the wrong impression it’s anything you’ve done. He doesn’t want me and our baby away from the safety of the village, and the Mercenia base gives all the raskarrans the creeps.”
She turns, grabbing him by the arm, halting him in the short circuit of steps he was taking back and forth.
“Brooks,” she says, gesturing to me.
Gregar nods to me. “Vo’shashken, Brooks.”
“Brooks and I are going to have girl talk now,” Liv says to her hulking raskarran. “We’ll sit by the fire, okay? I’ll rest.” She shoots me a look. “Not that I need it after being carried all the way here.”
Her raskarran says something in their language, and it’s obvious that Liv understands him, for she smiles, answers. “I know, but you don’t need to. I’m fine. We’re safe. There are five warriors here.”
She kisses him softly, and it’s adorable how much the brief touch makes the big guy melt. Briefly, he presses his forehead to hers, then turns to Maldek, greeting him effusively as Liv grabs my arm and steers me away. She’s a tiny little thing, but I don’t try to resist her, allowing myself to be swept over to the fire.
“You speak their language?” I ask as we settle ourselves on a log bench. It’s not the most comfortable, but there are some furs that Liv folds into a small pile to use as a cushion.
