His heart battered him from the inside worse than the wind against his hide, making his landing inelegant. He stumbled onto the small flat near the top of the escarpment, the mouth of a cave opening before him.
He should check for predators first—many things in the forest enjoyed a good deep cave—but his mind couldn’t comprehend anything pastkigara.
Soren clawed at his throbbing chest, the sharp points sinking into his shirt and skin. The sting of pain offered no respite, though, his mind a messy whirl.
Go back!histurukroared. The bestial side of him, that intrinsic part of all mantii that allowed them to shift into great beasts, was furious with him. It raked the inside of his skull, demanding out, demanding control. It wanted togo back.
She’s there! Our mate!
Soren groaned. That’s exactly why he couldn’t.
Falling to his knees, he dug his claws into the stone to anchor himself in place. Wind and instinct assaulted him, but he held strong.
No,no, this couldn’t be.
He wasn’t meant to—the goddess would never—how could she ever want—
Don’t care!howled theturuk. Want her!
Soren’s stomach rolled, a partial shift overcoming him. His roar carried across the treetops, sending flocks of birds jumping into the sky with fright. The fur across his back shivered, his muscles bunching as the shift loomed.
No!he denied. “No!”
“Soren!”
“Kiri—” he groaned through a throat that wasn’t entirely his.
He lifted his head just enough to watch Kiri land at a run. The cub jogged up to him, consternation writ across his young face.
“What wasthat?” demanded Kiri.
Soren waved him off. “Stay back.Turuk—”
“Oh, I’m sure your beast hasplentyto say.” Huffing, Kiri rolled his eyes—a very human gesture he’d picked up that Soren wasn’t fond of. “What were you thinking?Saba em pash-ket.”
Soren groaned, fighting off another volley from his enragedturuk. “No,” he told all three of them, “can’t.”
“Why not?” Kiri scoffed, watching on with a type of disdain only youths were capable of as Soren suffered. “I know you were hoping it’d be Miss Briseis, but Miss Maeve is wonderful. She’s kind, beautiful, and very smart. She sings to us—she has such a lovely voice—and she’s teaching us all about…”
Soren fell onto his back, rolling around on the rocks in agony as Kiri went on and on, describing every single one of Maeve Brádaigh’s qualities.She’s so clever. She’s so lovely. She can play the mandolin. She’s teaching us arithmetic. She likes novels. She’s promised to read to us. The sun shines when she smiles.
Kiri had the gall to snicker at Soren’s pain as he writhed, just barely holding back the shift.
“So accomplished,” Kiri crowed, “and only twenty-three. She’s Miss Sorcha’s younger sister, did you know?”
Soren groaned again, the sound echoing down the cave. Twenty-three. Barely older than Kiri. Far younger than histhirty-one years.
“You’re so lucky,” Kiri sighed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he gave Soren’s throbbing chest a poke with his foot. “Actually, you’ll be lucky if she ever speaks to you after being so rude.”
“Can’t—can’t have—”
“This again?” Kiri rolled his eyes once more.
Soren loosed his greatest roar yet, drowning out Kiri and histurukand his breaking heart.
“Enough!Must you twist the knife?” Soren spat. “She cannot be my mate. I cannot have akigara.”
“Seska-ab.” Taking a handful of Soren’s mane, Kiri pulled his head back so he had to look at his young, serious face when he said, “Only you think that,hurum-tu.”
