Of course, his sister was out of the encampment waiting. She took her job of securing their perimeter seriously, and with both her brother and soulmate gone, she’d be extra alert for any threat against their people.
“I saw you from the encampment riding hard down the mountain, so I got here as quickly as possible. Are there any injuries?” Kyla said. She reached for Jari’s reins and looked at the small bundle in Savine’s arms.
“Who is the child? I’ve never seen her before,” Kyla asked. Savine knew his sister had not given the woman a good assessment yet to make the same mistake the others did on the mountain.
“This is no child. She is a woman. Did you see the light streaming off Quartz Mountain or hear the loud sound?"
Kyla reached her arms up to take the woman from Savine. “I did. I sent patrollers to circle the encampment and healers to help the injured. All non-warriors are safely behind the encampment walls. I figured with an explosion like that, we would need to be ready for anything.”
“The woman’s the only one injured. She needs healing. Her head is sliced, and she has claw marks across her neck and shoulders. Will you help me?” Savine asked as he passed the little human to his sister.
Kyla, a tall woman even by Latian standards, looked her brother in the eyes and didn’t hesitate for a moment. “Of course, brother. Let’s get her to my tent.”
Kyla gently passed the injured woman back to Savine before they began running toward the encampment. The village was full of wood and canvas structures making a circle. In the center of the circlewas an enormous bonfire, always burning in an offering to the Goddesses of Aeritis. Only two priestesses had joined their cause, but after all these years of fighting against the loyalists, Mother Althea continued to bless the rebels.
When they arrived at Kyla’s tent, they opened the canvas flaps to see Kyla’s mate, Garnel, stark naked, sitting on the large bed of furs. He sat with his muscular body displayed and his obvious erection pointed like a spear at the salute.
“Hey baby, I thought you might like a little afternoon romp,” Garnel said as Kyla stepped in.
“Not the right time, Garnel.” She had hardly finished speaking before Savine walked in.
“Garnel, out!” Savine shouted. After fifty years of dealing with his sister and his closest friend as a mated pair, he was used to their near feral sex drive. Add in that twenty-five of those years were spent in close proximity, and Savine had heard more of his sister’s and friend’s sex life to last the rest of his centuries-long existence.
“Goddess alive! Savine, I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!” Garnel yelled as he covered himself with a nearby fur.
“I wasn’t either. But something came up. Speaking of, why are you here? Shouldn’t you be scouting near the river? Why weren’t you alarmed by the flashing light at the top of Quartz Mountain?”
“We’ve been scouting for three days and have seen nothing. I missed Kyla. I thought I’d surprise her with an afternoon quickie and be back on the trail before you were down from the mountains.” Garnel shrugged unapologetically. Savine knew mated fae had a hard time being apart from their other half, but this was ridiculous. Especially coming from the General of his rebellion.
“For fuck’s sake! Get some clothes on and get out of here. I want you back on duty before I decide to punish your insolence.”
Kyla raised an eyebrow at her mate, but didn’t comment on Savine’s harsh words. Thank the Goddess one of them was being rational.
He walked over to the bed, where Garnel moved off. Savine placed the woman on the pile of soft furs. He checked her pulse on her wrist again and found a slow, steady pulse. Behind him, Garnel leaned forward, examining the woman as he put on his leather pants. Savine placed the woman’s bright red sack on the ground next to the bed as he stepped out of Garnel’s way.
“Who is the child? What happened to her?” Garnel questioned. His red eyebrows arched in a quizzical expression.
“She’s not a child, and we don’t know yet,” Kyla replied as she kissed Garnel’s bearded cheek.
“If she’s not a child, she must be a Bayberry. How would a Bayberry make it this far into Latiah without us knowing? Why does she have such strange clothing?” Garnel asked again. Savine clenched his jaw as his shoulders tensed. He was quickly losing his patience. This woman needed healing.
“I know nothing about the woman. She appeared on the crystals while I scouted, and we made it to her at the same time as the loyalist scouts. We killed them with no problem. They were only recruits— no powerful fae in the group. I will update you when I have more information myself. Meanwhile, get out and get back to your post,” Savine said with a snarl.
Garnel glared at Savine, but did not challenge him. His hazel eyes flickered with flecks of gold. Savine’s authority outranked Garnel, despite his mating to Kyla.
Kyla walked over to Garnel and wrapped her arms around his waist. She whispered something indiscernible into Garnel’s ear. Whatever she said madeGarnel grin a tantalized smile before he kissed her on her lips. Kyla reached her hand into his long red hair, deepening the kiss.
“OUT!” Savine barked. Garnel and Kyla pulled apart quickly. Reluctantly, Garnel turned toward the door of the tent.
“Fucking mates!” Savine shouted as Garnel left the tent.
Kyla shot her brother a scathing stare as she walked back toward the bed. “You know, you shouldn’t treat him that way. Garnel likes to be included, and he could have stayed out of my way while I examined the woman.”
“Kyla, if this woman wakes, she will be frightened. I don’t need a Latian warrior in the room, not to mention that you both have a job to perform. Have you been so focused on your mate that you missed the glaringly obvious features of this woman?” Savine quipped at his sister.
“Don’t throw my mate’s attraction for me in my face just because you have no love life, Savine. And no, considering you were carrying the woman like a rag doll, I haven't had a good look at her yet. Please, enlighten me,” Kyla barked back at her brother as she looked at the sleeping woman on the bed. Savine knew she noticed what he saw right away by the surprised expression on her face. “Ah! She isn’t a fae folk? But how? How can this be?”
“Her rounded ears took me by surprise, too. I think you have a human in your bed,” Savine said as he looked at the woman.
