Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Unexpectedly, it was stoic General Boreal who instantly offered me his hand. “I will agree only if you are pregnant first. The details will be worked out later, but at least one of us will have a mate born within a year.”
His caveat made my hackles rise. “Agree to which part?”
Husky-voiced and serious as the grave, he said, “Your friend will receive private instruction, and we will observe the outcome. Should it go well, all females of age may be educated in this manner. If they disappoint us, the privilege will be retracted.”
Privilege? How I held my tongue, I could not say.
Jaw clenched, I looked to the other two.
The eldest seemed the most reasonable, but he did not reach out a hand. Aegir frowned deeply. “I will agree to the terms as well, so long as you are pregnant before speaking with your friend. But, should things fail with your exceptional friend and General Thayer, I will consider it proof that education on sexual topics for women is impractical. I believe you are the exception, not the rule.”
General Murdoch smiled, arm outstretched, voice velvet, as he said, “I demand twins.”
How could they possibly ask me to make such an impetuous decision with less than two weeks to deliberate? A baby was a serious consideration! This was not patience or compassion for females. It was force, with no promise of real follow-through.
They were demanding I go against my core beliefs.
I wanted to change things for women, but I would not sell my daughter for a handshake and halfhearted promise. Not to men who would not care about her concerns if she didn’t sing for them.
General Aegir, General Boreal, and General Murdoch… not one of them was worthy. This problem was too big for me to fix.
Devastated our kind could be so callous, I drew away. “I refuse your terms.”
Looking at males through new eyes, I felt a great weight come over me. “Not one of you cares about the improvement education could have on females’ lives. Your focus is only on your own selfish motivations to have a mate. How can you properly care for a woman you refuse to create a better world for?”
Murdoch looked to my mate. “You must convince her.”
Cyderial shook his head. “No. Lorieyn is correct. Expand your consideration and accept that we are discussing my offspring as well. For ten years, I have had reason to view the world through the eyes of a mate. This is something you must do as well, song or not, or you may never have what you want. Lorieyn has the power to deny you indefinitely… or only bear sons, who would be further competition should another genetic anomaly occur.”
My attention flashed to the man who held me, who had taken me from the world to keep me for himself. And the strangest sensation came over me.
Never would I have thought I might appreciate what he had done. But in that moment, I thanked God Cyderial found me first. That he’d been wise enough to keep me far away from all of them. Horrible as he was, these men would have made me miserable.
And then my mate edified them further. “Do you not think I have made difficult decisions regarding the keeping of females at the academy? The results of my work are clear; their survival rate is higher than it has been in a century. Less are assaulted or stolen by lower-ranked boys. This required me to earn recruits’ animosity, including the dislike of my Lorieyn here. But it was done to benefit them all, not for my advantage. Lorieyn may be affectionate, but there is a hardness in her hearts and good reason for it to be there. That was my sacrifice for the greater good. I could have taken her at twelve and groomed her as I pleased, but instead, she was left to endure the same as the rest. Because it was best for her, not for me. Think on that in the upcoming years of your solitude.”
Something flipped in my belly, my insides going liquid to hear him speak such perfect words.
Where was the general who allowed children to be beaten by instructors, and sisters to be lonely for their brothers? Who was this man, who assured I was educated and prepared, who had kept me safe?
He did not seem at all the same as the person I hated and feared for so long.
How would I reconcile the sentiment knocking at my breast? Awed, I looked at him with gratitude. “Thank you.”
Dignified and tender, he cupped my cheek. “You never need to thank me for taking care of you.” To his friends, he said, “You will respect my mate’s decision. Do not trouble her on this topic again.”
“Wait!” The voice was Thayer’s, my attention pulled from warm green eyes to find the massive general stepping out of the shadows.