“Yes, I do.”
My father hesitated. Then he frowned and looked over my shoulder again. “I would like to speak to my daughter alone.”
“No,” I said in the same moment Donavyn spat the same word.
I felt the men moving behind me and glanced at them, to find Ronen folding his arms and widening his stance, and my brothers following suit. They all looked very large, and strong in their leathers, andfierce.Even Harle. If it hadn’t been so wonderful, it would have been funny.
I turned back to my father and raised my chin, cleared my throat to remove the frog from it and pinned my father with a gaze. “Papa, these are my squad brothers, and my Commanding Officer. They are all very important men and they’re here to make sure I’m safe.”
My father scoffed. “I am not naïve, Bren. I know what men do with a pretty woman.”
I felt my brothers stiffen behind me.
My father’s gaze narrowed as he shot me an accusing look. “What did you tell them?”
The last part of me that wanted to maintain pretense, or sought my father’s approval, died in that gaze. I recognized it. I despised it. And I refused to cower before it any longer.
“The truth,” I spat. My father spluttered, a herald to his anger. My mother looked worried. I wanted to take their attention off my brothers, so I strode past them to the window as if I was merely thoughtful.
But when I looked out onto the grass, I saw that not only Akhane, but Kgosi, and several of my brother’s dragons had gathered too, and I almost cried again.
‘We are here with you, Bren,’Akhane sent sweetly.
‘Thank you,’I sent back to her, touching the window briefly, then turning to face my parents again.
But my father had turned his attention to Donavyn who I’d introduced as my Commanding Officer.
“I know what you are. I know what all of you are,” he said, scowling at my brothers. “And we’ve seen how much honor lives in men like you. As if we needed more proof—you take my daughter and dress her like this to pretend she’s one of you? We are not naïve, Sir! I understand what happens here—and it makes me sick! The Creator’s light does not shine on immoral men—”
“Like those who reject their sick and injured daughters?” Donavyn asked quietly and I could have kissed him. But I didn’t want him to make the argument for me.
“Father, you’re accusing the wrong people. They aren’t the ones who kept me here.”
My father turned, his expression skeptical. “Oh? Then who—”
I tipped my head towards the window. “She’s out there.”
My father frowned, but stalked the few steps to join me and leaned over the bench to look outside, his eyes widening at the incredible sight of several, massive dragons, all milling on the grassy lawn outside.
“See the gray—she’s the one who’s slightly smaller, right next to the big black one. That’s Akhane. SheChoseme. She wasn’t supposed to, but she did. And because she chose me, the black one—that’s Kgosi, the Primarch of the herd—he accepted me as a Furyknight. And because the dragons accepted me… the men had to, as well.”
I swallowed, because I knew how incredible it sounded. But I also felt a swell of pride in my chest, and realized it wasn’t just my own. It was Donavyn, in the bond.
I walked away from the window and my gaping parents and moved to stand in front of my brothers again, brimming with happy pride. “I know how this looks to someone like you, Father. But I can tell you, there’s no way I came to be here without the hand of God. These men are good men. They’re strong, powerful, honorable… I know they look frightening—”
From the corner of my eye I saw Gil, right next to me, smile wickedly and I had to swallow back a laugh because my father paled.
“—but they are my friends, and brothers and… they love me. They teach me and protect me. All of them. And not—not the way you’re thinking,” I said sharply as my father opened his mouth. “They are reliable and patient, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
“Here?” my father asked, incredulous. “Where ishere?”
I took a deep breath. “I’m a Furyknight, Father. I passed the trials a few weeks ago. I’ve already—”
“Bullshit.”
Something in me sank as my father’s bewilderment was replaced with outright anger.
“I am no fool,” he said, addressing my brothers and Donavyn, ignoring me completely. “You may have deceived her into believing your motives are pure. But we’re all men, and I know what’s going on here.”
