Page 22 of On a Barbarian World

“We worship honor. Strength is a part of that, but so is the ability to uphold your word and protect those to whom you’ve granted your protection. Zaltoh did not do that. He hurt someone far less strong than him…to my deepest regret.”

Aurina looked across his land. “I took one look at your world and thought I understood you.”

“That we were all simple barbarians.”

“Yes.”

“But like a good scout, you keep gathering information.”

She smiled. “Yes. And something tells me there is nothing simple about you, Kavon Mal Dor.”

He felt a tug deep inside, felt his nanami rising. All because of this strange woman. “Hold on.”

Her hands tightened on the pommel. “Why?”

“Tarm, go.” Kavon nudged the beast with his boots.

The animal lunged into a fast gallop.

Aurina cried out, jolting, but Kavon had already tightened his hold on her. He’d never let her fall.

They raced across his farmlands, the sun on them, and the wind tossing their hair back behind them. As Tarm leaped a small rock fence, Kavon heard Aurina laugh. Not a polite laugh or an orchestrated feminine giggle. This was a huge, throw-your-head-back laugh. It made him smile.

When they neared the boundary to the Wilds, he slowed Tarm. Soon, they stepped off the verdant farmland and into the rocky, wild terrain.

“It looks forbidding.” She was staring ahead to the shadowed, sharp spires of the mountains. “But somehow wild and exciting, as well.”

“This is the Darken Wilds.”

“The mountains look like the teeth of a demon.”

“Plenty of demon monsters call the mountains home.” He pointed to the slope of the western part of the closest hill. “Up there, I have my mines.”

“You have people working in here?” she asked, her tone incredulous.

“We’ve set up good defenses to the mine entrances. And I have warriors there to provide security to the miners, including traveling in convoy when they return to the estate. They only travel during the day. The beasts of the Wilds are…quieter in the daylight hours.”

“What do you mine?”

He sensed the excitement in her voice. “Ore for various metals. Gold. Zoaal, which we burn for fuel. Various gemstones.”

“Gemstones?”

“It appears women are the same, wherever they are from.”

She poked out her tongue. “I like collecting jewels. I have an extensive collection.”

“I’ll show you some of mine later.” His Tanaa emeralds were the exact same shade of green as her eyes. They would look exquisite against her skin.

“What are your mining methods? Is it all manual labor?”

He raised a brow. He’d expected questions on the gems, not his mining practices. “There is some manual labor, mainly to build the access tunnels. But the mining itself is carried out using nanami.”

“Nanami? The organisms in your blood?”

“Yes. The miners are Markarians whose nanami have an affinity with rock. They can direct the power of their nanami to melt through the minerals and collect it.”

“Amazing. I’d love to see it.”