Chapter Twenty-Two #2
A Morraki woman with copper kethra but no ridges offered me a sample of a sticky fruit as we passed. I glanced at Kael to be sure it was safe since I had no idea if they had foods that weren’t edible for Humans.
“That is vorreni. Grows in deep caves near mineral springs. Do not eat the stem or seeds.”
Cautious of the syrup on the outside of it, I took a bite. It burst with tangy flavor, and I hummed in approval. The syrup it was coated in wasn’t as sweet as I’d expected, and the fruit itself I almost wanted to call citrusy even though the texture was more like a pear.
Kael smiled as he passed the woman a coin he pulled from his pocket.
Once I finished the fruit he took my hand again, pointing to a stall covered in richly dyed fabrics.
“Drevarn?”
It finally clicked that drevarn was clothing. I was interested in the robes most of the Morraki wore, so I nodded.
“Let’s see if she has something you like.”
He spoke with the vendor in rapid Morraki, gesturing to me. She lifted a datapad to show him something and he had to release my hand to point at what he wanted.
Mesmerized by the shimmer of a deep teal tunic, I took a few steps over to touch it, but it was scratchy and I flinched away.
I spotted another in turquoise and reached for it, the silkiness surprising me.
Most of my clothing was meant for the cooler climate I’d come from, and something that light and soft would be much cooler.
I saw another that looked like the same fabric, but was full-length, so I walked over to it, humming when I ran my fingers along the sleeve. I didn’t realize how far I’d gone until I turned to ask Kael what it was but couldn’t see him through the racks and other shoppers.
My heart surged into my throat, my kethra brightening and catching the attention of Morraki passing by. I knew I hadn’t wandered far, and it would be embarrassing to ask someone to lead me back to him like a child, so I spun to retrace my steps, but a broad chest blocked my path.
“You do not belong here.”
The voice was guttural, the Common accented as if they rarely used the language. A new scent bit into my senses, harsh and overwhelming. Swallowing, I backed away, but I spotted two more figures stepping from between the stone pillars behind me.
Alphas, my instincts screamed. They were as tall as Kael, their ridges pronounced, kethra flickering with yellow and black hues across thick muscles.
“You should not be allowed to walk among us.”
The one on the left curled his lip, revealing his sharp teeth as he raked his eyes over me. I clasped my hands together to hide the trembling as I turned, trying to find a way to keep them all in view.
“Humans will weaken the bloodlines,” said the one behind me who’d blocked my path.
“I—I’m sorry.”
I didn’t know what else to say. I was trying to find an escape, but they were closing in.
A hand gripped my shoulder as the one on the left reached for my other arm and I let out a squeak of fear as I tried to duck away, but sharp claws dug through my blouse into soft tissue.
My shoulder burned, three bright spots of pain flaring in the flesh beneath my collarbone.
I cried out, but the sound was lost beneath a sudden roar.
Kael came out of nowhere, his glowing kethra making him look like he’d been splashed with blood.
He struck the one holding my shoulder, knocking the stranger’s grip loose while curling his tail around my waist to keep me from falling.
I stumbled backwards into the hanging clothes, pressing my hand to the place where the claws had dug into me as his tail slipped free and he moved to put himself between me and the other Morraki.
The one who had grabbed me crumpled beneath a vicious kick Kael landed to his thigh.
The other who had reached for me tried to retreat, but Kael grabbed him by his shirt and slammed him into a stone table holding boots, cracking it down the middle.
The third bolted, but not fast enough to avoid Kael’s tail whipping across his legs and sending him to the ground.
A crowd had formed a ring around the front of the shop. Vendors across the walkway stared, silent, watching the confrontation with no sign of concern. Even the shoppers looked more curious than worried as they waited.
Kael bared his teeth, a growl pouring from his chest as the three alphas tried to get back to their feet.
“Veyrari’en. Kael’sha korravalryn. Zhal’kai zorrin.”
Two of the alphas he had fought stared at him with surly expressions on their harsh features, the third already having disappeared. Kael took a step as if he were going to follow them when they shoved through the spectators, but when I whimpered he stopped and turned to me.
“Serenya.”
I shook, breath ragged, still processing what had happened. I didn’t think I was truly hurt, but fear still sent spikes of ice through my veins.
“Kael—”
He took my dangling hand and pulled me closer to him.
Gripping my chin, he made me meet his eyes before turning my face to each side, scanning me for injury.
When he noticed the blood on my blouse beneath the fingers I pressed to my shoulder, he snarled again before pulling them away to check the wound.
There were three tiny punctures, not deep enough to be concerned over, but still bleeding.
“Come.”
He kept hold of my hand and his tail wrapped around the backs of my legs, herding me forward. He led me back through the market, toward the tunnel we’d entered from.
I kept my head down, my hair shielding my face, trying to wrestle the glow of my kethra to something less blinding as I blinked back tears. It was hard to get a full breath between the panic and way I had to hurry to keep up with his pace.
I had caused a scene. A very public one.
“Kael, I… Will this cause trouble for you? I didn’t mean to—”
He stopped and turned to me, his kethra still pulsing. It was the only time he hadn’t kept them steady in public. I had never seen him so angry.
“You believe defending you is a problem?”
I shrugged then winced at the spike of pain from the punctures, and Kael’s features grew even tighter. I couldn’t keep the tremble from my voice.
“I—I don’t know. You’re their leader. People saw you fighting—”
“I am Torvakai. If I had not fought for you, I would have been called weak. I’d have lost my position by the end of the drazh. The Morrak do not question combat, they question restraint.”
I blinked at him, trying to understand. He continued more quietly, his kethra slowly calming, and mine followed, as if our emotions were already connected.
“If I had stood by and simply scolded, others would have believed their actions were acceptable. Or that I didn’t see you as worth fighting for. Losing would have made me look weak, but not even trying… That would have taken away your value.”
My heart stuttered and I pressed my hand to my shoulder harder, but it wasn’t the wounds that hurt.
Was I worth fighting for?
Kael stroked his thumb over the back of the hand he held as he reached out and cupped my cheek, his gaze keeping me captive.
“You did not cause this, Serenya. I failed to keep you safe, but you will never face another threat alone. I will always fight for you.”
I leaned into his palm, nodding. I believed him, and somehow that hurt almost as much as the thought that my father wouldn’t have done the same.