Zoya pursed her lips thoughtfully, then turned to Tyal, asking him something in his language. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he didn’t seem bothered about answering her questions. His response made her scowl, and he nodded in agreement. Whatever he told her, he wasn’t happy about it either.
Turning back to us, she explained, “The Fer’na clan, the clan you were both brought to, is…”
“A hellscape?” Rebekah answered when Zoya hesitated.
Zoya sighed and nodded. “I was going to say one of the bad ones. There are only two other clans who act like the Fer’na does. They’re the reason the clans have such a terrible reputation with the towns. Their newest clan leader, to deal with jealousies among their people, decided that all tributes would be shared amongst the clan. Starting with you.”
She gave me a significant look and my stomach twisted uncomfortably. So I’d been right that they were going to pass me around. The thought was terrifying.
“Your bondmate took issue with that and made the decision to leave to keep you safe.” She turned to Rebekah. “Tyal took you because he cares for you and didn’t want to leave you behind. He took you to protect you.”
Rebekah glanced over her shoulder at Tyal with a grateful but hesitant smile. I got the feeling it would take her longer to warm up to him after everything she’d been through.
“What’s the word mean? Bondmate?” I asked.
Zoya tipped her head, her brows drawn tight in a frown. “It’s like a spouse. Khrull said you were his. Did you not choose him?”
Not at first, but I didn’t want to get into that with her. I knew some people would take issue with me choosing to stay with the man who held me captive, but Khrull wasn’t bad. He was kind to me from the start.
“I mean, we’re together, but there wasn’t a wedding or anything,” I hedged.
She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Well, a ceremony can be arranged after you all get settled here if you want to make things official. There’s no rush, though. You two have been through a lot. Right now, our goal is to get you healthy and keep yousafe while your barbarians learn the ways of the clan. It’s a lot different from the Fer’na. They’ll have a lot to learn.”
Orthorr acceptedour request to join their clan and once we were welcomed with a ceremony, we were each given our own tents with our bondmates. Tyal’s bondmate was taken first to the healing tent for treatment, and Tyal stuck close to her, but Briar was uninjured since he was first given to me. I was careful to be gentle with him always.
Our tent was closer to the middle of the clan. Orthorr said it was for our protection, in case our old clan felt inclined to come after us. I didn’t think they would. The northern clan had already proven they could take them out. Coming for us would mean war, and they wouldn’t survive the encounter if they did. We were safe here. I did like being close to Tyal again, though. I felt more secure knowing he was right next door.
Briar looked around curiously when I set him on his feet in our new tent. It was larger than my old one, big enough for a bonded couple and future children should we choose to have any. I didn’t know how that would be possible with two males, but I would ask Tyal later. He had enough to deal with right now while his bondmate was on the mend.
“It’s nice,” he murmured. While Tyal and I were in discussions with Orthorr and his second, Uttin, about the ways of the clan and our future, our bondmates were taken away to be taught our tongue. I refused at first, I didn’t want Briar out of my sight, but the clan healer reassured us they were safe and would stay in the large tent we’d been sharing while having their lessons. And the lessons were incredibly useful. On the very first day, Briar picked up enough to start conversing with me. Onlylittle things, like telling me he was hungry or cold, but it was a start and his grasp of the language only grew as the days passed. Now, three weeks later, he spoke well enough to understand most of what I said to him.
“It’s ours.”
He glanced over his shoulder at me, a light blush tinting his cheeks. “Ours.”
As it was explained to me, to be properly bonded in this clan, a ceremony was required. Tributes also got to choose their bondmates, not the other way around. I worried at first that Briar wouldn’t choose me, since our coupling had been forced in the beginning, but he hadn’t said otherwise. Still, I had to ask.
“Do you truly wish to be mine?”
Humming, he cuddled against me, smiling when I wrapped my arms around his smaller frame. “When I was scared and alone, you took care of me. You never once hurt me. I feel safe with you.”
My heart warmed, and I swooped down to kiss him hard to show him how much his words meant to me. He melted into it like he always did, but before I lost myself and pushed for more, I wanted to speak more with him. Uttin explained to me how tributes were treated in their clan. Briar didn’t get a choice. I wanted him to know if I’d been with this clan, I would have given it to him. I would give him anything he would ask of me.
Resting my forehead against his, I explained, “I did not wish for things to begin as they did. Ugbar said if I did not, he would give you to another.”
His eyes softened, and he cupped my cheeks in his hands, leaning into me. “I know. I mean, I didn't know at the time, but after getting to know you, I know you wouldn’t have chosen to force me to do anything with you. You’re too kind for that. You were trying to protect me and you did everything you could to make it painless. Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
Relief swelled within me and I had to pull him off his feet and into my arms to hold him closer. Tyal explained to me that Briar was probably gifted to me as a joke since they thought I was too stupid to complain about not getting a female bondmate. I thought Ugbar was the stupid one. His jest turned out to be the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Now I had a bondmate who I cherished more than life, who trusted me to care for him properly, and a new clan who would support me in protecting him. He had hoped to ridicule me, but he gave me everything I never knew I needed instead.
Eight
After a lifetime of living with his old clan, Khrull didn’t have it easy adjusting to his new life. He was glad for parts of it, like knowing I was safe and wouldn’t be mistreated and not being forced to use violence on a daily basis just to appear useful to the clan. He actually gave up violence entirely and was learning metalwork with the clan smith to do his part for the clan instead. He seemed a lot happier because of it and proudly showed me anything he’d had a hand in making.
His most difficult adjustment was trusting his new clan brothers around me. He didn’t mind the other tributes or bondmates and was fine to leave me to my language lessons or socializing as long as we were alone. But if another clan brother was there, he couldn’t make himself leave my side. And during meals, when we ate with the clan, he kept me in his lap and glared at anyone who spoke to me. He was selfish with my attention and I couldn’t help feeling a little giddy about it. And none of the other clan members seemed bothered by it. Still, I apologized for it when Zoya’s bondmate tried to ask me about my old town and Khrull physically moved me away from him and growled like a beast.
“I’m sorry. He’s… overprotective.”
Khaul laughed, unbothered. “He is newly bonded. I would be surprised if he wasn’t.” His gaze shifted to Khrull, and he held out his ale for a toast. “To our bondmates. They bring light to our lives.”
