"Nothing," she replied, her voice dry.
I arched an eyebrow, not really believing her, but I waited for her to open up, as I always did. Kalisha was kuturo. When her parents died in battle, my parents had taken her in, and she came to live with my family. She was a few years younger than I was, so we hadn't been close as children, but I still saw her as my responsibility.
If something bothered her, I wanted to know so I could try to help her.
The silence stretched for several minutes before she finally spoke.
“She’s beautiful.” Her gaze lingered on Fiona as she kept trying to strike the center of the target under Drak’s guidance. “And strong.” Then, almost like a confession, she continued:
"Did you know she is training me?"
I turned my face to look at her.
"Training you?"
Kalisha nodded slowly.
"Everything she learns from you, she teaches me," she explained. A small, sincere smile appeared on her lips, something so rare to see that my eyes widened slightly. "I didn't ask; she simply offered. She realized that I’m rak’er, but not once did she treat me as if I weren't as capable as she is."
Fiona let out a frustrated snarl, and Drak threw his head back with a loud laugh. I quickly saw why; her arrow had landed in an entirely different target than the one she’d been aiming for. Despite myself, my lips twitched at the sight.
"I didn't know that," I replied, without taking my eyes off the beautiful orc bickering with my friend. Her light hair, so different from the dark locks of the Okshai, shimmered under the sunlight.
"I told her it was forbidden."
I arched an eyebrow in her direction. Kalisha was one of the best warriors in Oksha, trained by my own mother from childhood. So why had she lied?
“I know she’s different, Malek. It’s more than obvious she didn’t come from Oguk.” She rolled her eyes, impatience flickering across her face at what she considered obvious. Thatdidn’t surprise me; Kalisha had always been too observant for her own good. “I wanted to test her, to see if her intentions were true or if she was just another female hoping to conquer the Ruk’hai.”
"And if she hadn’t passed your test?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
"Then she wouldn't be here, akrin. I’d have ensured she didn't make it past the first night."
I nodded silently. In the Okshai culture, the survival of the people came before any individual desire. I imagined for a second a world where Fiona had said the wrong thing to my cousin. Kalisha wouldn't have hesitated to protect the clan, even if it meant facing my fury. I didn't blame her for that; she had grown up knowing that, should I meet my end on a battlefield, she would be the next Ruk'hai. The people would always be her priority.
That had also been my absolute priority until I tasted Fiona and felt the foundations of everything I had built crumble around me.
"And what was the verdict?" I questioned, watching Fiona finally drive the arrow into the center of the target and let out a shout of victory while Drak clapped happily.
"She could have had better," she replied, mocking. "But for some reason, she chose you."
The words struck something in my chest because it was true. Fiona had chosen me. Even with all the adversities, she had said she wanted me and would stay with me.
"Yes. She chose me."
Kalisha said nothing more. She only nodded and turned to walk back to the village. Before she could take more than two steps, I called her, and she turned her head toward me.
"Someone will also choose you, akrinum."
Her shoulders tensed for a moment before they slumped. She shot a glance toward Drak, and a flicker of sadness appeared in her eyes.
"I highly doubt it, akrin."
She left without another word. I turned my attention back to Fiona, who was approaching me with a broad smile, her blue eyes shining.
"I did it!" she exclaimed. "Did you see?"
"Yes, krash’uk," I said, pulling her to me and kissing the top of her head. "You’re very good."
