“Luminescence mates, hmm?” The Savrix looked us up and down, his gaze lingering on our joined hands. “The big moon will be full in two days’ time. Why don’t you stay so I can see the evidence of your bond myself?”
“We don’t want to stay,” Taylor cut it. “In fact, I would like to go home now,” she took a step toward the gate when the Savrix cut her off.
“It wasn’t a request, female,” he growled and Brexl’s fist clenched. Taylor caught sight of the gesture and moved back to Brexl’s side. She unclenched his fist and interlaced her fingers with his. He rolled his shoulders back as if he could manually release the anger coursing through his veins.
“Savrix,” I began with the most humble tone I could force myself to speak in. “If you’d be so kind to let us go. We’ve been gone for longer than we should, searching for food for the winter and the offering. OurSavrix-”
“How many of these females do you have in your dekes?” He cut me off.
“Just the two of us,” Taylor lied.
“Silence, female. I wasn’t speaking to you,” he growled and this time Brexl couldn’t hold back his growl. He took a step forward when Taylor held him by the base of his tale. Brexl choked and nearly doubled over. Taylor looked confused. She must not know how sensitive the base of a sirret’s tale could be. Brexl righted himself again.
“Just two females,” I repeated Taylor’s statement, trusting her wisdom to lie.
The Savrix looked at Taylor and Kayla now. There was a hunger inhis eyes, but it was different from the hunger Scaron had. He looked at them as if they were dried reeds ready to be woven into whatever shape he pleased.
“If I remember correctly, you struggled to provide enough food for your dekes last winter. How do you expect to provide enough food for the offering as well as two new females? Are you planning to forgo the offering? Maybe now that you’ve been blessed by the goddess with two females, you think your curse has been lifted?”
“No,” I stepped forward with a growl of my own this time. “We have not forsaken the goddess.” How could we? Either we pray to her day and night to release us from the guilt we suffer or, for those with mates, we offer our gratitude for the blessings she’s granted us. Either way, we’ve remained faithful.
“Luminescence mates or not, perhaps the females should stay with us since we can provide for them and you cannot.”
“We aren’t staying with you,” Kayla said in a firm tone with her arms crossed over her chest.
“You will if I say you will,” the Savrix growled back.
“No, we won’t.” She said in an authoritative tone that I knew the Savrix would not appreciate.
“I'm the Savrix here. You may not be sirret, but while in my valley, you'll give me the respect I deserve.”
“Iamgiving you the respect you deserve,” she said through gritted teeth.
The Savrix drew back his hand and before I could react, he slapped Kayla across the face.MyKayla.
I lunged for him, claws out, and landed one blow across his face before I was dragged away. Blood trickled from the scratch on his cheek and he wiped it away with the back of his hand with a frown.
“Tie him up.” The Savrix said in a low tone. “Tie them both up.”
“No!” Kayla cried. She reached out for me, but I was already being pulled away. Zander held her back. If it had been any other male, I would be vowing to rip their throats out. But I could see in Zander’s eyes that he was only trying to protect her. The more she tried to reach me, the worse it would be for us both.
“Let him go!” Taylor cried as Brexl was ripped from her grasp. “He hasn’t done anything wrong! Neither of them have!” Tears streamed down her face.Taylor carried herself with such confidence that I didn’t think it was possible for her to look scared. But she looked frightened now, frightened and distraught.
“It’ll be okay,” Brexl tried to soothe her as his wrists were bound behind his back.
His grandfather held Taylor back and echoed his words. “They won’t harm him. I’ll make sure of that.” The elder male eyed the Savrix with fury in his eyes, promising vengeance if they laid even a scratch on his grandson.
Ropes were tied tight around my wrists and we were both led away from the crowd. There was a small, damp cave at the base of one of the mountains protecting our valley. They led us to it and threw us inside.
“You two can rot,” Scaron scoffed as he rolled a boulder over the entrance, leaving us in utter darkness.
Chapter 18
Kayla
That raggedy ass mother fucker. I muttered under my breath as Brexl’s relative led us away. I swear to god, if that male didn’t have the power to strip the guys of their right to give their offering to the goddess, I would go back and punch him right now.
“Come, I am Trivix, I will get you both some hot tea and a comfortable place to sit in my home.”
