n

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nELIA

nShe'd had no clue! The personal nature… the digging these men would do! When one of them asked if she was a true virgin, or perhaps trying to hide her previous activity from Reth, she'd looked at him, wondering if he would fly into a rage. But he'd gritted his teeth and nodded at her to answer the question.

n

"No, of course not. I'm not… in my world it isn't a matter for shame if you aren't a virgin when you marry.

"

nThe men laughed.

"Neither, here, Sire. But a sacrifice must be Pure. Did you perhaps discover that your mating would be rejected if you were not, and wish to hide that for as long as possible?

"

n

"No! If I hadn't been what… what they said I was, I would have just said so.

"

nThe men looked at each other as if they weren't sure whether to believe her.

n

"Oh for the love of—ask me!

"

n

"Ask you what, Sire?

"

n

"Ask me why we haven't mated yet!

"

nBehyrn, who suddenly seemed to be hiding a smile, turned to her and asked the question.

"Lady Elia, why have you not yet offered yourself to your husband?

"

n

"Because I didn't know that I was supposed to,

" she spat.

"Reth and I were… very comfortable together that first night and I thought… where I come from it's natural that whoever has the most experience would take the first step to… bringing you together. When he waited, I thought he didn't want to mate with me. I was upset about it. But I had no idea others would know. And I didn't know the mating would be a topic of conversation throughout the entire people! Then the next night, when we were together, we were… interrupted.

"

nBehryn nodded.

"It's true. When we entered to tell the King about the Silent One, they were together and… clearly engaged with each other.

"

nElia stared at him and she thought he might have blushed. She knew she did.

n

"Then I was gone until last night, when I was injured,

" Reth said, though technically he shouldn't have spoken into her testimony.

"So you see, my friends, there is no plot or ploy. Only the misunderstanding of two people new to each other, and the Creator's sense of humor in keeping us apart.

"

n

"What I'd like to know,

" Elia ground out,

"Is what this has to do with the wolves attacking me?

"

nThe man Reth had called Ehrahrd spoke up then.

"The wolf tribe is, to Anima, the human equivalent of our… assassins?

" he said carefully.

"If we were to find out that they had good reason to threaten… they would be forgiven for overstepping.

"

n

"Overstepping?

" Reth snarled.

"That's what you're calling it?

"

n

"Not anymore,

" the deep voice said from the corner again. Elia turned to look at the man who was clearly the oldest in the room.

"I believe the lady has been honest with us, and as such, we should move ahead with our own counsel. I propose a vote to discipline the young wolves—one month in the camps. And if Behryn discovers a plot, that the elders were in any way involved, death to any who declared her the enemy.

"

nElia blinked, surprised. But the men took only seconds to shrug their shoulders and apparently agree.

nIn less than a minute, Reth had relaxed.

n

"Thank you, sirs,

" he said, though the tension in his jaw hadn't relaxed.

"I'm glad we could finally get to the bottom of this. Now, we need to discuss the traders that have been using the North road…

"

nAnd just like that, it was done.

nElia wished she felt like that was the last time her sex life would be discussed in a public forum. Reth squeezed her hand as she walked past to greet the women coming in the door with dinner for everyone, and she squeezed back.

nBut she felt like she'd been wrung out.

nAnd as the meetings dragged on and on, late into the night, Elia gave up and went to bed without him.

n