I knew she was close friends with the farmhand.
“He would want to stay,” she insisted when I said nothing in reply.
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” I informed her, my tone hardening, shooting a pointed look.
“How would it look if you played favorites with the Dakkari?” she asked, frowning. “They already think…”
“Already think what?” I asked sharply. I let out a small laugh. “That you’re warming my bed?” Her cheeks heated. “Well, you have once before already, and you will be tonight. So what? What they think doesn’t matter. There’s more at stake.”
“You’re right—it doesn’t matter,” she whispered, shaking her head. She pressed her palms to her face, rubbing against her eyes. “What am I even saying? I care about my reputation here when someone is dead? I didn’t even know his name.”
“Gethrin Osa,” I told her. “That was his name.”
She peeked at me from behind her hands, understanding going through her eyes. She nodded solemnly. “Kakkira vor.”
Thank you, I knew it meant in her language.
“Amaia,” I said, regaining her complete attention. “I already told you…I’m a selfish bastard.” My expression was stern, I knew. “I don’t care how it looks if I keep you here and send the others away.You’remore valuable to me than anyone else here right now. I won’t deny that. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you here. I’m warning you now.”
Her expression settled into one of knowing and wariness. “You have me until the end of the exchange. One season. Nothing more. And even then, this might change things. If theDothikkarcalls us home, I will go. If I think I’m not safe here, I will leave.”
“Decisions can change.”
Especially if I set my mind to it.
“I’m serious, Alaryk,” she said, tone hardening. “I have a life back in Dothik. A family I miss. A future I’ve worked hard for. I won’t give that up so that I can beused.”
“We’ll see about that,” I said coolly.
Chapter 21
AMAIA
“What happened?” Syris asked in a whisper. “What did he say?”
I sighed, watching Kyr leap from the tree he’d been climbing up, his wings flaring wide. I couldn’t pick him up anymore—he was too heavy, and rapidly growing at a rate that I’d never seen in apyroki. Any morning now, I expected Tarkosh to declare that today was the day we’d present him to the Grymian Elthika, to see if one would take Kyr under his or her wing as he came of age.
One thing was becoming very clear. He couldn’t stay here much longer. We had four more hatchlings already, two of which were tumbling with each other in the courtyard.
“Nothing happened,” I said, scrubbing a hand down my face and over my tired, stinging eyes. “I fell asleep in the lounge, and when I woke before dawn, he was gone.”
“But what about you?” Syris demanded. “What did he say?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said quietly. “Please.”
She went silent, in the process of scooping out the feed from the tight container we kept it sealed in. There were little troughs in the courtyard and in the nesting room, and I watched as Syrisplopped ladlefuls of the stinky feed, the hatchlings coming racing.
“It’s not your fault, Amaia,” she finally said after a long silence had stretched between us. “You know that, right?”
Tarkosh appeared at the courtyard entrance, saving me from having to answer, from having to lie. “We’re being called to gather at the landing field.”
Alaryk’s address,I thought, wondering what he would possibly say.
When Syris and I both stood, Tarkosh stepped forward. “Amaia, his orders are that you stay here. Syris and I will go. We’ll tell you what happens.”
I frowned. “Alaryk told you that?”
She inclined her head. “Stay with the hatchlings. We won’t be long.”
