“Why not?”
“It’s complicated, Raiden.”
There was something there… a piece of the mystery of Daya’s life he wanted to know.It hadn’t ended well, based on the interaction she’d had with the man from the village.
“Do you regret how it ended?”
“It wasn’t right, much as I wanted it at the time.He was kind and loved me.And he already had a son.I’d been on my own on for a while when we met.I cared for him, and I was struggling with the change of moving to the mountain.I was lonely.”
“Wait.Why was it important that he already had a child?”There’d been something in her voice.
“He had a son,” she emphasized, “so there was already a guarantee his bloodline would continue.He didn’t need me to produce an heir.”
“I don’t understand.Why is that significant?”
“I’m…” Daya’s voice thickened with deep emotion.“I can’t have children, Raiden.”
“Anaiah.”He waited until she met his eyes.“Why would that matter to a mate who loved you?”
“The potential end of their bloodline is pretty significant for most people.You’re saying it really wouldn’t matter to you?”Incredulity colored her tone.“Wouldn’t make a difference in your choice of a mate?”
“No.My sister will carry on our bloodline.It’s her right and responsibility, not mine.I’d love to raise another child, but not because I need to continue my line.There are other ways to leave a legacy.”
He frowned at his own words.Why had he said ‘another’?The girl with red hair and feisty green eyes ran through his mind, giggling with mischievous energy.He’d caught flashes of her in his memory more than once.Daughter didn’t feel like the right term, but she was his, somehow.A younger sister maybe.His head began to throb with the effort, so he reluctantly let the thought go.
“You’re Calderran.”Daya’s whispered words hit him with a forceful punch.
“What?”He whipped his gaze back to her.“Why would you say that?”
“Combined with your skills and your magic, your statement was pretty revealing.Very few realms pass heritage down through the female line.”
Calderre was one of them—the only realm in close physical proximity to Eldridge.His stomach flipped, mixed sensations of relief and dread mingling.
The snowy northern realm was a matriarchal society led by a queen.A sanctuary realm for mages fleeing places like Eldridge and Zamyra.Most of their world persecuted those with magic.
It was a danger he hadn’t considered.Alone on the mountain with only Daya, he hadn’t given much thought or worry to the fact that he was a mage living in a realm that would imprison him for his abilities.Daya was too.Perhaps that was part of what drove her isolation on the mountain.
Being Calderran wasn’t a problem by itself, but it threw another barrier between them.Watching her eyes begin to dim, he already felt it rising.
“Maybe I’m just unusual.”His smile felt forced.
“Well, you’ve always been very accepting and respectful of my lifestyle.The villager’s attitude is more commonly what I receive.One of the reasons I avoid people.”She closed her eyes briefly, as if strengthening herself for what was coming.“It makes sense, Raiden.Especially given the ink on your back.”
“I have a tattoo?Where is it?”
Turning at her hand motion, he gave her his bare back.
“It’s on your shoulder blade.”Her fingers traced over his skin, outlining a pattern.“A sword and a lightning bolt, with dark shadows flowing around them.”
“The shadows are mine.”The words came from deep within, a claim he knew with certainty but couldn’t fully comprehend thanks to the block in his mind.“The emblem—that’s what it is, isn’t it?It’s for the Calderran Lightning Teams.”
Rightness seared through him.That was exactly what it was.He wasn’t a monster with a blade, he was a highly trained soldier.Relief made him weak in the knees.Something solidified in his chest.His skills were terrifying for a very good reason if he was a lightning warrior.
“A protector, just like I said.”Daya’s voice had softened, and he found her watching him again.
A sliver of pain shadowed her features.She turned away but wasn’t quick enough to hide it from him.Why would that upset her?Time and time again, she’d assured him that his skills stemmed from a protective nature.The fact that he was part of an elite group of warriors shouldn’t be a surprise to her.So why was she hurting?
Reaching out, he turned her face toward his so he could search her eyes.“You knew.”
