Chapter 7
Seven
After a long discussion between our two barbarians and the new clan, we were brought to a large tent to rest. Pallets of furs were brought in, as well as warm water to bathe with and new clothes for me and the woman, who told me her name was Rebekah.
We got clean and were ushered off to bed by our barbarians for a much-needed rest. When Khrull climbed into bed behind me, I immediately turned over and buried my face against him, soaking in the safe feeling I got whenever I was wrapped in his arms. He sighed happily, and I felt the tension leave him as he settled around me.
And when I woke a few hours later, he was still there, sleeping soundly with his arms wrapped so tightly around me, I couldn’t move.
Voices behind me caught my attention. I had to wriggle to turn over, and I squeaked when Khrull hugged me tighter and buried his face in my hair with a grumble before settling again.
A woman with a long dark braid was sitting beside Rebekah, putting something on her injuries.
When she looked at me, a smile tugged at her lips.
“We are all teddy bears to them. I’ve learned when my bondmate gets too aggressive with it in his sleep to pinch his side. He always lets go when I do.”
I thought about it but decided against it. I liked the way Khrull held me. “I’m okay.”
She nodded, her smile sweet and understanding. “I’m Zoya, the clan healer. Do you have any injuries that I need to look at?”
“No,” I shook my head. “No one has hurt me since I was given to Khrull. He’s gentle with me.”
“All the good ones are,” she agreed, before turning back to Rebekah. “We’ll treat your other injuries in the healing tent.”
Rebekah looked over her shoulder toward where Tyal sat watching them, his eyes sharp and his body poised for action. It was a little intimidating, actually.
“I, uh… I’m not sure he’d allow that.”
Zoya smiled, unconcerned about Tyal’s behavior. “Don’t worry about him. All protectors act that way. He’ll settle once things are explained to him. Do you know any of the language yet?”
We both shook our heads, which she seemed to expect.
“We’ll teach you. I know how hard it is to be in a clan without understanding what’s happening. You’re safe here. Our clan doesn’t hurt tributes.”
It took some work to wriggle free of Khrull’s hold enough to sit up. I was pretty sure he only allowed it because he could still feel me when I rested my back against him. If I had moved away, he would have woken up.
“Do you know what’s happening?” I asked curiously. “One minute I was napping with Khrull in his tent, then they both went a little crazy and suddenly we were here.”
Zoya pursed her lips thoughtfully, then turned to Tyal, asking him something in his language. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he didn’t seem bothered about answering her questions. His response made her scowl, and he nodded in agreement. Whatever he told her, he wasn’t happy about it either.
Turning back to us, she explained, “The Fer’na clan, the clan you were both brought to, is…”
“A hellscape?” Rebekah answered when Zoya hesitated.
Zoya sighed and nodded. “I was going to say one of the bad ones. There are only two other clans who act like the Fer’na does.
They’re the reason the clans have such a terrible reputation with the towns.
Their newest clan leader, to deal with jealousies among their people, decided that all tributes would be shared amongst the clan. Starting with you.”
She gave me a significant look and my stomach twisted uncomfortably. So I’d been right that they were going to pass me around. The thought was terrifying.
“Your bondmate took issue with that and made the decision to leave to keep you safe.” She turned to Rebekah. “Tyal took you because he cares for you and didn’t want to leave you behind. He took you to protect you.”
Rebekah glanced over her shoulder at Tyal with a grateful but hesitant smile. I got the feeling it would take her longer to warm up to him after everything she’d been through.
“What’s the word mean? Bondmate?” I asked.
Zoya tipped her head, her brows drawn tight in a frown. “It’s like a spouse. Khrull said you were his. Did you not choose him?”
Not at first, but I didn’t want to get into that with her. I knew some people would take issue with me choosing to stay with the man who held me captive, but Khrull wasn’t bad. He was kind to me from the start.
“I mean, we’re together, but there wasn’t a wedding or anything,” I hedged.
She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Well, a ceremony can be arranged after you all get settled here if you want to make things official. There’s no rush, though.
You two have been through a lot. Right now, our goal is to get you healthy and keep you safe while your barbarians learn the ways of the clan.
It’s a lot different from the Fer’na. They’ll have a lot to learn. ”
Orthorr accepted our request to join their clan and once we were welcomed with a ceremony, we were each given our own tents with our bondmates.
Tyal’s bondmate was taken first to the healing tent for treatment, and Tyal stuck close to her, but Briar was uninjured since he was first given to me.
I was careful to be gentle with him always.
Our tent was closer to the middle of the clan.
Orthorr said it was for our protection, in case our old clan felt inclined to come after us.
I didn’t think they would. The northern clan had already proven they could take them out.
Coming for us would mean war, and they wouldn’t survive the encounter if they did.
We were safe here. I did like being close to Tyal again, though.
I felt more secure knowing he was right next door.
Briar looked around curiously when I set him on his feet in our new tent.
It was larger than my old one, big enough for a bonded couple and future children should we choose to have any.
I didn’t know how that would be possible with two males, but I would ask Tyal later.
He had enough to deal with right now while his bondmate was on the mend.
“It’s nice,” he murmured. While Tyal and I were in discussions with Orthorr and his second, Uttin, about the ways of the clan and our future, our bondmates were taken away to be taught our tongue.
I refused at first, I didn’t want Briar out of my sight, but the clan healer reassured us they were safe and would stay in the large tent we’d been sharing while having their lessons.
And the lessons were incredibly useful. On the very first day, Briar picked up enough to start conversing with me.
Only little things, like telling me he was hungry or cold, but it was a start and his grasp of the language only grew as the days passed.
Now, three weeks later, he spoke well enough to understand most of what I said to him.
“It’s ours.”
He glanced over his shoulder at me, a light blush tinting his cheeks. “Ours.”
As it was explained to me, to be properly bonded in this clan, a ceremony was required.
Tributes also got to choose their bondmates, not the other way around.
I worried at first that Briar wouldn’t choose me, since our coupling had been forced in the beginning, but he hadn’t said otherwise. Still, I had to ask.
“Do you truly wish to be mine?”
Humming, he cuddled against me, smiling when I wrapped my arms around his smaller frame. “When I was scared and alone, you took care of me. You never once hurt me. I feel safe with you.”
My heart warmed, and I swooped down to kiss him hard to show him how much his words meant to me.
He melted into it like he always did, but before I lost myself and pushed for more, I wanted to speak more with him.
Uttin explained to me how tributes were treated in their clan.
Briar didn’t get a choice. I wanted him to know if I’d been with this clan, I would have given it to him.
I would give him anything he would ask of me.
Resting my forehead against his, I explained, “I did not wish for things to begin as they did. Ugbar said if I did not, he would give you to another.”
His eyes softened, and he cupped my cheeks in his hands, leaning into me.
“I know. I mean, I didn't know at the time, but after getting to know you, I know you wouldn’t have chosen to force me to do anything with you. You’re too kind for that.
You were trying to protect me and you did everything you could to make it painless.
Thank you for taking such good care of me. ”
Relief swelled within me and I had to pull him off his feet and into my arms to hold him closer.
Tyal explained to me that Briar was probably gifted to me as a joke since they thought I was too stupid to complain about not getting a female bondmate.
I thought Ugbar was the stupid one. His jest turned out to be the greatest thing to ever happen to me.
Now I had a bondmate who I cherished more than life, who trusted me to care for him properly, and a new clan who would support me in protecting him.
He had hoped to ridicule me, but he gave me everything I never knew I needed instead.