Vera draped a silk sheet over just as Kai prepared to whisk away from the back of the stage, while Zelig approached with the carriage. I let out a groan, itching to toss the fabric aside; every spot it brushed against felt like a thousand tiny stings, my entire body ablaze with discomfort.
"Stay strong for a bit longer. We’ll have you back ho soon, and I’ll run a warm bath for you to relax in while I handle the preparations for our journey. Trust , I’ve got everything under control. Nothing will go wrong on my watch."
I let out a small whine but stubbornly kept that torturous sheet draped over as if I were donning fabric over a nasty sunburn. His cool lips brushed against my forehead, and I realized that I must be running a fever.
"Why is she so hot?" said Kai.
"Normally she would be in the water to go through this transition. The extra heat is part of the process, but as things are now she’s far too hot. Quickly get back to your ho and prepare," said Vera.
I experienced a gentle bump, and suddenly, I found myself back in the carriage, making our way to his place. Monts later, I was outside again, the sun blazing down, turning my skin into a desert. I felt so dry and scratchy!
"What’s wrong with her?"
"Who are you and why did you follow us?"
"I ntioned to Perla that I would be attending her ceremony today, but then you unexpectedly took off with her," said Milo
"Ah, I understand now; you’re the person she spoke of. You are no longer required," Kai stated.
"What do you an?"
"You’re not needed here; seek out another female."
"If she feels like saying that, she can just let know directly," said Milo.
"I don’t have the ti to waste on a feeble little male crafting fox. You’re not in a position to engage with her or to ask anything. Step aside before I force you to, as I’m far too occupied to handle you at the mont. You can stay out of trouble for now, but don’t push your luck. I didn’t earn my rank for no reason."
"Fluffy," I mumbled.
"Of course, I’m right here! Is there sothing you need? How can I help you today?"
"Need water and lotion. So dry."
"Of course! I’ll grab my best lotion and be right back with it for you." Without hesitation, Milo hurried off.
Kai watched him with a furrowed brow before gently placing Perla on the bed and filling the deep tub with water. To his surprise, Milo was back sooner than expected, lotion in hand, and Kai eagerly accepted it from him.
"That’s enough," he said, slamming the door right in his face. Yet, to Kai’s surprise, he didn’t just walk away after delivering the lotion. Instead, he plopped himself down on General Kai’s porch, wearing a look of concern that lingered for hours. He even made a quick trip to fetch so chilled lon as a thoughtful gesture to help cool her off.
General Kai let out a resigned sigh, realizing that the only way to shake Milo off would be to confront him directly. But even then, he doubted the guy would take the hint. After all, his female was simply irresistible, and while he could use so strong males to guard her, having a savvy rchant and crafty fellow in their ranks wouldn’t hurt either. With another heavy sigh, he swung the door open, only to find Milo anxiously waiting on the other side.
"Very well! You may enter, but keep in mind that everything you encounter here is highly confidential—no discussions outside these walls, no exceptions. To ensure you’re on board, you’ll need to adopt the role of her loyal servant imdiately. I’m allowing this because I could use a reliable set of hands. However, let be clear: do not even think about trying to get any eggs from her. I’ll be the first to receive those, and believe , I have to wait as well because she insists she’s not ready yet. No pressure is permitted!"
"I could never imagine that. Just being near her would make really happy," said Milo.
"That’s good then. She’s not in the best fra of mind at the mont, but you won’t be able to ask any questions until you take on the role of her servant male. As her current lead male, I can approve a servant male for her."
She lay sprawled on the bed, completely out of it, while he used the tip of his claw to prick her finger, letting a single drop of her blood fall onto Milo. In that mont, a shadowy glow enveloped the room, leaving behind a delicate gray pawprint on Milo’s fur. This mark, however, was fleeting; it would vanish unless she decided to make him hers. It was a sign of a servant male.
"You are now temporarily part of the family and as part, you should know that our female is a rmaid going through her first shift. I need you to bring one of your carriages around after filling it with supplies that we’ll need to stay out of town for a week. We need to take her to a secluded place that she can swim."
Milo’s eyes widened to saucers, and his complexion drained to a ghostly pallor as the gravity of their predicant sank in. rn were notoriously protective of their females, and with their legendary beastkin status and formidable magical abilities, they could be downright lethal.
"I have a piece of land in Starwood Shade where I’ve set up a lovely pool of water to grow high mana herbs for selling. Occasionally, I do have trouble with monsters getting a bit too close to my herbs, but I’ve placed wards to keep them at bay. As long as they’re not too strong, she should be fine there, especially with both of us keeping an eye on her—though I know you’ll be doing most of the watching," said Milo.
Kai thought for a mont and then shook his head in agreent. "We’re leaving with Zelig and Fidel. Go let them know."
"Alright!" Milo ran off to go get them and just a little while later they ca back with Elara in tow.
"Why is Elara with you?" said Kai to the males.
"Instead of asking them, you should ask ," said Elara.
"Alright Peewee, what are you doing here?" Kia smirked at her.
"Wherever she goes, I’m right there with her. You’re the one who brought us together, so it’s totally your fault we beca best friends!"
"Are you sure you’re not just trying to avoid the Female Snatching Ritual?" Kia said and smirked.
"This is serious stuff. Do you really want so random male I don’t even know, who’s so eager for a mate that he’d go along with a ritual that’s both cruel and just sad? I’m not cool with being snatched up by so stranger; I want to make my own choices in life and pick my own male when I feel ready. What if the male who grabs is abusive or takes off to another village, and I end up never seeing my family and friends again?"
"It’s the rule of the tribe, you know that."
"All I need to do is find a new tribe or a male I like who accepts as I am. You wouldn’t want to be stuck feeling unhappy forever, right?"
"It’s clear that we have your best interests at heart, and while we don’t wish for anything less than the best for you, there’s a chance you might encounter an exceptional man who will treat you in ways you never thought possible."
"What if I ended up in a situation where a male just wanted to use to churn out a bunch of eggs? He might think he’s got the right to keep all to himself, hiding away and making lay eggs non-stop until I can’t take it anymore. It’s hard to know how a female is treated once she’s moved to a different village. I never planned on leaving Duarte Village to mate. Do you and my dear brothers really want to see taken away like that?"
I opened my eyes and saw the tub full of lovely water. Soon I stripped off my clothing, stumbled over to it, and climbed in. After soaking in the bath, which had cooled my fever, I started to regain my senses and caught snippets of their conversation. What a ghastly and savage tradition! It made curious about what other dreadful customs they might have. There was absolutely no way I was going to be whisked away to live with a bunch of unfamiliar n without having another woman around to help navigate what was deed normal and acceptable. Elara was my only female ally in this strange world, and she had stood by more than once even in our short friendship. No chance I was letting her go, especially not to face so grim fate!
"Wherever I go, Elara is coming with !" They burst into the room, clearly startled by my outburst, only to find lounging in the tub. "Turn around!"
"We’re mates though," Kai said while pouting but he quickly turned around nonetheless.
"When the mont cos that I decide to let you catch a glimpse of in my birthday suit, trust , you’ll know!" I exclaid, my cheeks flushing with warmth that had absolutely nothing to do with being feverish.
"Hey Kai, maybe you should’ve hung out with females a bit more instead of just being on the battlefields. You’re not exactly the smoothest male around."
"While that might be the norm in your culture, in mine, females have the freedom to select their mates without any pressure. I’m not leaving without Elara by my side; she’s my emotional anchor. I refuse to let so random male swoop in and snatch her up without her permission. So, if you’re planning on taking sowhere, I’ll allow it, but you’ll need to include Elara in the mix!"
"We can’t afford to waste ti debating this. We need to leave imdiately. If she can secure permission from the village, I’ll arrange for one of her brothers to co and get her later."
"That’s quite the amusing fantasy, but not quite! If you’re planning to whisk away, you’ll need to bring Elara along for the ride otherwise, I’m not going."
"I appreciate your feelings, but I must stand my ground on this matter. This is not how we operate within our tribe. The Miko has made her decision, and we cannot bend the rules for anyone, no matter how much we might wish to."
I laughed. "You can say you’re going to be firm all you want but you’ll soon learn that I can also be just as stubborn as you are. Do you really want to fight with over this? You won’t gain any points from acting that way. If you try to take out of this village against my will, I will yell the mountain down, screaming that I’m being kidnapped."
"We have to get you out of here imdiately. You’re transforming into a rmaid, and it’s crucial for your well-being that you swim."
"I know."
"You know that you’re a rmaid?!"
"Well, yeah."
He rubbed the area between his brows thoughtfully. "So you’re aware that you’re a rmaid, yet you’re still prepared to put yourself at risk of being found out just to have things your way?"
"What risk? I know that you’ll make the decision that will best keep safe and happy," I said with a smirk.
He sighed while looking at the smug look on my face.
Coming Next Ti: Starwood Shade and Offer
Reviews
All reviews (0)