Polly nodded. “Makes sense.”
“I did not want to believe my closest childhood friend would have turned on me so easily,” Erzo said. “So you played your part very well.”
Breal nodded. “If it offers any condolence, I hated doing it.” She met Polly’s gaze. “To either of you.”
Erzo crossed his hand over his chest. “I accept your words.”
She mimicked the gesture.
There was a pause of silence between them all, and Polly kept her arm on Erzo.
Finally, Polly broke the silence. “So what do we do?”
Erzo stroked Polly’s shoulders. “Finding a mate was the plan. Finding you, however, was, a stroke of Fate that I could never repay.”
The words touched her deeply, and she stroked his cheek.
“Wow, Erzo. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak to anyone like that,” Breal said, kind of killing the moment.
“Me either,” Carvassa echoed. “You must be sold to her.”
“I don’t think there’s a price high enough I’d accept to walk away,” Erzo replied, as he held her close. “She means too much to me.”
Both females got these warm, girly looks on their faces.
“Now you’re just being mushy,” Polly said.
“There are worse things,” he whispered.
Polly glanced at him. “I don’t know, we’re kind of stuck here, kidnapped by your family, and you’re being pressured to mate with her.” She glanced at Breal. “No offense.”
“You did not offend,” Breal said. “She is right, though. We have to work through this situation, and probably the best choice we have is to keep moving forward and follow this trajectory.”
“How deep into this are we?” Erzo asked.
“At this moment, the clan laws are dictating the only option.”
Erzo sighed. “Combat?”
Breal nodded.
“Wait. Like physical fighting?” Polly asked. “Who would have to fight?”
“Unfortunately, it would be you and Breal,” Carvassa said. “The winner gets to keep the mate.”
“But she’s not even mated to him. I am,” Polly said, and glanced at Erzo. “Right? I mean, we said the thing. The computer logged it, right?”
“About that,” Breal said. “File’s corrupt.”
“Spinning sands of Charrovik,” Erzo spat.
Any other time, Polly probably would have laughed at that curse, but at the moment, she felt the anger behind it.
“Breal!” Carvassa said, and smacked her on the arm.
“I didn’t do it,” Breal countered.
“But you didn’t stop it, did you?” Erzo asked.
