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Tarkyn’s first instinct when he saw his Queen, Elreth, step out of the trees on the other side of the meadow was relief. Though she could be hot-headed, he knew her heart was compassionate, and she’d been through the process of accepting Gar’s human mate. She would be thoughtful about the predicament he found himself in. And, he prayed, hopefully empathetic.

But before he could think beyond relief, the breeze fluttered in his face and brought with it the scent of the other female that was walking with Elreth. And as the scent of a human hit the back of his nose, and he realized that the dark clothing she wore was nothing he’d ever seen or smelled in Anima, Tarkyn was hit by the most wrenching inner conflict he’d ever experienced.

Twenty years of service-since he was little more than a child himself-told everything within him that the Queen was in danger, and as her Captain and Defender of her people, it was his responsibility to be at her side and protect her from this unknown invader.

And in the same moment, his soul tore at him to place himself between Harth and his Queen, in case a threat approached.

For the very first time Tarkyn could remember since he’d entered his first battle, Tarkyn found himself facing two opposing, powerful forces within. The tearing in his heart left him breathless, and the twist in his gut threatened to empty it.

Who would he protect if his Queen and his mate came into conflict?

.....

His mate, of course, his heart sang.

No, his Queen, his honor demanded. He was vowed to protect, even at loss of his own life.

But his Mate... Harth was his mate...

He stood there, quivering, unaware that he’d shifted to put himself between them, effectively hiding a startled Harth from Elreth, who’d seen them the moment she came out of the trees, and was now walking quickly towards them.

“What’s this? What’s going on? Is this the intruder?” Elreth demanded as she strode towards them.

The males that had circled them, spread out to allow her access-after all, her brother and Captain were part of this group. In any other circumstance, they’d be lacking in duty to hold her back from approaching them.

But Tarkyn tensed, his natural defense of his Queen wanting to slide between her and Harth, and this human!

What was a human doing here?! And carrying a baby? Why would Elreth walk with her, even under guard?

“El,” he growled-

“Welcome to the party, sis,” Gar jumped in with a wry grin. “We’ve got some news.”

“So have I. What’s going on, though? Is this-Tarkyn, thank the Creator. I was terrified you’d been killed.”

It was instinct to drop to his knee and salute his Queen. He hadn’t seen her in days, and she scanned him with weary eyes, bright with relief. He was humbled.

And yet... he kept one arm back, keeping Harth behind him, bracketing her. Making sure no one could step between them.

And Elreth caught it.

Her eyes zeroed immediately in on Harth, her tone sharpening. “Who is this?”

“El,” Tarkyn began, “She’s-”

“Harth?!” The human woman said her name with such a cry of relief and joy that Tarkyn wanted to celebrate for his mate that she was loved.

But Harth, her instincts apparently just like his, had dropped her head and clasped a hand to her chest.

“Sasha-don,” she said, her voice tight with unshed tears. “And... your son? Is it true?!” Harth’s scent was suddenly threaded with an overwhelming combination of grief and joy that Tarkyn found confusing.

Why did she grieve something that gave her such happiness?

Elreth came to stand a few feet away and Tarkyn got to his feet, watching her warily. Her eyes never left Harth’s face and her jaw was tight.

“The one who took you was female, Tarkyn?” she asked, incredulous.

Tarkyn was immediately embarrassed and proud in the same moment. “She found me at the end. I was... almost taken by the Creator. She saved me. Nursed me. But El, you need to know, she’s-”

“Why are you all out here? Why aren’t these things being discussed in privacy? I don’t want the people alarmed-they’ve dealt with enough. I don’t understand why you’d all stand out here-the cave isn’t locked. Come on, let’s go inside.” She turned away, towards the cave mouth, expecting everyone else to follow.

Tarkyn felt Harth tense and he rushed in. “El, please, I need to tell you-out here-” he hurried to add as she turned on him, frowning at what she had to think was his resistance to a direct order. He gave her the look he’d always saved for the moments when he needed her to trust him, and she caught it. She frowned, but she didn’t speak.

Tarkyn cleared his throat, then gave a grim smile. “El... she’s my mate. She’s one of them, but she’s my mate.”

Elreth’s face went wide, her eyebrows climbing even as her mouth fell open. Tarkyn gave a spluttered laugh as it hit him all over again how impossible this was. But before he could continue, Harth was speaking to the human woman.

“Are you well, Sasha-don?” she asked quickly, humbly. “Do you need anything?”

The female looked extremely weary-her eyes ringed in dark circles. But she gave a quiet smile. “I’m fine. I’m safe,” she said after a moment.

But Harth heard the reluctance in her tone just as Tarkyn had. “Where’s Zev-dan? Did he make it? Is he safe?”

Oddly, the woman looked at Elreth as she opened her mouth to reply-but then froze. Her eyes glazed, then her arms tightened on the baby she was holding as she sucked in a horrified gasp.

“NOOOOO!” she roared. All the guards rushed forward as her head snapped around to look back the way they’d come, then she turned on Elreth, teeth bared and her voice rough with fury. “He’s woken up! You said he would sleep-he’s awake, and he’s bound. I have to go back, I have to-he’ll attack the others! You said he would sleep-was this a trick?!”

*****

Today begins Tarkyn’s first week as a contracted book! If you click “Vote” below to offer votes or Golden Tickets, (or comment) you’ll help him get his first week off to a ROARING good start! Thank you!