Page 24

“Logic says to stay put,” I said. I eyed the giant bird. It hadn’t moved from the place it landed, though it had tilted its head up and to the side, like it was listening for something. “But I don’t think I want to be anywhere near that for longer than I need to.”

Even as I said it, I took a step back, putting another foot between me and the bird.

“The acora won’t harm you.”

The deep voice had me twisting, putting Sloane behind me as I bared my teeth.

The man stood at the edge of the clearing. He was only a few inches taller than me and built like a freaking lumberjack. He slowly edged forward, and I tried to take in his appearance while also ensuring Sloane was out of harm’s way. His skin was a rich olive while his hair was a brown a few shades darker than the amber of his eyes. It was shaved close to his skull, even shorter than the Votarist, with a single strip growing longer in the middle leading into a simple braid. A… mohawk. He had a mohawk.

His clothes were at complete odds with everything else I’d seen worn here. His green tunic was unlaced and sleeveless, revealing his broad chest and arms that were the size of my thighs. He wore a dagger on his hip, the sheath blending with the light tan of his pants, but it was the only weapon I could see. Around his neck was a leather necklace with a stone pendant that reflected a deep green in the pink-hued light. All together, he reminded me—of all things—of a bear.

His gaze raked over us both, his attention catching on Sloane. I snarled again, and he raised an eyebrow, holding his hands palms-out.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said. His voice was husky with a bit of bite, like a sip of spiced rum. “The acora walk this island as well as the southern continent. They will not harm you as long as you’re not threatening its nest.”

The stork—acora—took flight, disappearing into the shadowy depths of the trees again.

“Acora?” Sloane asked, slowly easing to stand beside me.

The man nodded, his eyes catching on the tattoo underneath Sloane’s ear. He’d stopped paying much attention to me at all, entirely transfixed on my sister. “You are not from the northern continent? You are from the Far Lands?”

Sloane didn’t hesitate, immediately nodding her head. “We are.”

His eyes tracked over her again, catching on the split of her cloak and the small mud stains on the dress from where she’d kneeled. There was a stretch of silence where it took every bit of self-control to not snarl at the man and force Sloane back behind me. Rain slowly fell, soft droplets that sank into the cloak without affecting its warmth. The man glanced up at the sky, and then he walked toward us until he stood directly in front of Sloane.

“I am Jacob of the family Armand, the third clan under the leadership of Nolan Cashel,” he said, holding out his hand again in offering. Then he hastily added, “Of the Kingdom of Senona.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sloane said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her immediate capitulation put my nerves on edge, and I had to breathe carefully to keep from saying something rude to them both. She continued, not noticing my dislike for everything that was happening. “I’m Sloane, and this is my twin sister Amethyst.”

Jacob’s gaze sharpened, one bushy eyebrow rising as he turned his attention to me for a moment.

“I’m sorry that I am the only one left of Senona that has not selected someone,” he said, his voice apologetic. “I will do everything within my power to see you reunited once the Rite’s verifications have been completed.”

Verifications?

And then I realized what he was actually saying. He was picking my sister in whatever this whole event was. I swallowed down the growl that wanted to rise, balling my hands at my sides under my cloak.

His gaze swung back to Sloane. “Sloane of the Far Lands, I wish to select you as my omega in the Grand Rite. If you consent, of course.”

Sloane looked between me and the man, her teeth biting into her lip. Then she pulled me into her, her arms crushing around my back. It took me a moment to hug her back, but then I was holding her just as tightly, the reality of being separated bearing down on me.

“Be safe,” I whispered, and she nodded, her hair brushing against my cheek.

“I’ll contact you as soon as I can, Mimi.” She tightened her hold for a heartbeat then pulled away from me. Her eyes were glassy, but she quickly blinked away the tears. She squeezed my hand. “We’ll figure this out.”

I nodded woodenly, forcing all of my instincts back, knowing it wouldn’t go over well if I tried to stop this from happening. I eyed the man’s dagger again to drive home that point before I made a fool of myself.

“Senona?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Yes, lady,” he said. “The Votarists will aid in reuniting you both in accordance with Freia’s will.”

Sloane squeezed my hand again then dropped her hold. Jacob’s hand still sat between them. She took a deep breath, focusing on me rather than Jacob, and then set her palm in his.

With a loud crack, they both disappeared.

I flinched and then stumbled a few steps back, the strange feeling of the island rushing in with Sloane’s sudden absence. My heart raced, and tears lined my lashes, but I wiped them away before they could fall. I forced the feelings into a box and chucked it with the other ones. I couldn’t cry right now. Sloane had been taken by someone which meant I needed to be as well.

I eyed the place where the man had appeared. Maybe there were more people that direction? It was better than staying here like a sitting duck, at least. I wrapped the cloak around me and left the clearing. Shrubs and fallen trees littered the ground, and I had to focus on my feet to keep from slipping. When I stepped into the next clearing, the rain fell harder, large drops that had my hair clinging to my neck. A tree trunk nearly my height blocked the way ahead of me, stretching at least twenty feet in either direction, disappearing back into the trees.