"That was not good," he grumbled, and I was pretty sure he meant the weddings, not his talk with Sylis.
"No, and I think it's why Felicity wants to speak to me," I admitted. "I'm sorry I couldn't entertain your friend - "
"You're fine," he promised. "Sylis needs a wife, Callah. He doesn't want to get married, and he has no interest in rushing to get children. He wants a wife because it's the only way he can get promoted enough to get the door code."
"Oh."
He nodded. "Yeah, and it's easier for him in other ways to be married, but that's his goal. So we need to see if there are any women you can trust who might be a prospect."
"I..." I paused, thinking about it. "I'll see. At worst, I'll be able to find someone who won't cause problems. She might not be brave enough to help, but there are plenty who won't get in his way."
"Which is good enough," he said, moving closer. "And I hate that you do my laundry for me."
"I don't mind," I promised. "But maybe you can help me gather what needs to be washed? All your clothes look alike."
"Because they are," he said, heading into the bedroom. "But Callah? I don't remember that happening before."
I followed after him. "Ayla stabbed her husband."
"No, the punishment," he clarified.
"Gideon punished Ayla and Meri in the dining hall once," I reminded him.
"And it was shocking to many," he said, tossing crumpled clothes into the basket I used to carry our laundry. "I want to see if more than the marriage age has changed. I... Callah..."
"What?" I begged.
He dropped in a shirt and turned to face me. "I don't like this. It feels wrong."
"The marriages?" I asked, waiting for him to nod before I kept going. "Because theyarewrong! Those girls aren't ready, and we're kept so isolated, few of us have people we can really call friends. We have no one to turn to, and that has to change!"
"So change it," he said.
I nodded. "Which is why I'm going to do laundry. You men can hide in lounges, but we women have to make our plans around work."
"I know," he said, lifting the basket and carrying it to me. "But I will help. I don't know how I can, but I will."
I accepted the basket, shifted it to my hip, then caught two of his large fingers in my hand, holding him before me. "I don't understand Sylis. I feel like I need to be a proper wife before him."
"No," he promised. "Callah, he knows about Ayla, and he didn't tell anyone. He wants out, but she made it very clear he isn't welcome with her until she knows you're free."
"Oh."
"And I think he can help too," Tobias went on. "I've made it clear to him that the way to have a good wife is to not hurt her. We haven't been able to talk freely, but I truly believe he's with us."
"And if he's not?" I asked.
He glanced away. "Then I'll shoot him the next time we're hunting."
For a little too long, I stood there, taking that in. My giant husband, who everyone assumed would hurt me, didn't want tokill. He wasn'tmadefor killing, and yet he would to help the women down here. No - to help me.
"Okay," I said, giving in. "But I don't want to miss Felicity."
"Go," he said, tilting his head at the door. "And Callah? Please be safe with them too? Not all women can be trusted."
"No, but there's strength in numbers," I assured him as I left.
But that was the thing, wasn't it? Therewasstrength in numbers. I'd realized that when Rebekka had threatened to get me in trouble. I'd made it clear we'd all say she was simply a jealous shrew. She was, but we'd found a sort of power in standing up.
