Page 34 of On a Barbarian World

After they’d left, Kavon pushed the nearest platter closer to Aurina. “Try the fruit.”

She tilted her head back, one eyebrow arched.

He smiled. “Please.”

With a satisfied nod, she plucked up the juicy fruit and started eating. He liked seeing her eat the food he brought her. He glanced up and saw his scholars watching him—Chaldora looked amused, and the others looked dumbstruck.

“Chaldora?” he prompted.

With a nod, the woman shuffled forward to start.

“When the First Warriors came to our land from the north, we were but a primitive, animal-like species. The warriors came to help guide us onto a path of learning and honor.”

Kavon watched Aurina lean forward, completely absorbed in the story. He was completely absorbed in her.

He frowned. He’d never been so enamored of a woman. It wasn’t just her fascinating, tempting looks—he liked her quick mind, her annoying courage, and even that quick-talking mouth of hers.

“We were warlike and brutal, but not organized,” Chaldora said. “Our bodies were unrefined. Huge, with power but no skill. The First Warriors made their home here and started to teach us skills and eventually, they mated with the native Markarians. We became smaller, but smarter, less like the beasts that roam the land. The warriors taught us to become one with the nanami inside us…to use the power of the nanami to our benefit.”

Aurina’s face was rapt. Kavon scowled. Why couldn’t she look at him like that?

Chaldora continued. “Some Markarians learned to use the power of their nanami to mine, others to channel it into growing crops, others into healing. And of course, into being excellent warriors. Some warriors, the greatest in our legends, were able to create the power of lightning with their nanami.”

Aurina pulled her small device from her pocket. Kavon heard the younger scholars gasp.

She pressed something and the screen glowed. “This is called a Sync. I’m just taking some notes.”

Chaldora nodded.

Aurina tapped furiously. “Go on.”

“They taught us to write, to build, and to farm, and to mine. Most importantly, they taught us the Way of the Warrior. To fight with skill and honor. To control our unruly, rampaging emotions. They taught us to speak in more than grunts and growls.”

Now Aurina went very still. Kavon straightened, watching her face.

“They taught you to speak English?”

Chaldora frowned, a hundred wrinkles appearing. “We speak Markarian, Aurina.”

She shook her head. “Your language…it’s called English. It’s spoken throughout the galaxy.”

Kavon saw the scholars’ eyes widen, a million questions in their eyes. The last thing he needed was Aurina spreading tales of life beyond the stars to his most impressionable clan members. He wanted order in his land, not anarchy.

“Back to the story,” he said.

Aurina looked up at him, something sparking in her eyes.

He sighed. “Please. Focus on the sword.”

Chaldora sank into a chair. “The First Warriors brought the sword with them. Legend says it was a long, elegant sword, crafted by the Warriors’ greatest weapons maker. It was passed down from great warrior to great warrior, and was the sharpest sword in all the land.”

“It was very old,” Kata added. “And its name meant ‘to endure.’”

“Durendal, Durendal,” Aurina murmured. “It sort of sounds familiar.” She released a breath. “I wish I could contact my cousins. Dathan is a treasure hunter, and his brother Niklas is an astro-archeologist.”

A treasure hunter sounded very close to a thief to Kavon’s ears, but he had no idea what an astro-archeologist might be. The scholars were all looking at her blankly.

“Ah…right,” she said. “One hunts for old treasure and the other studies it and history…kind of like you guys do.” She waved a hand at the scholars. “But we are a long way from my Phoenix cousins.”