“Don’t.” The one word was all K’hor said, but it was enough.
Sparx elbowed his fellow warlord. He knew Matrix wasn’t angry at the female; rather, he was angered that Hamuir had already begun laying claim to the women.
He brushed back the hair that fell over his forehead and gave the female a smile. With their size difference, the last thing he wanted to do was frighten the small female. Matrix, on the other hand, maintained his stiff posture. His bright-blue eyes remained focused on the woman as if she were a jewel he couldn’t look away from.
“Your mate?” Matrix rasped, focusing the perpetual glare he wore back on K’hor.
“Yes, my mate.” K’hor stepped to the side to let them see her more clearly. “Juniper, this is Warlord Sparx and Matrix. Sparx rules the tunnel city of Fyeir, while Matrix leads the miners of Gunninng.”
She stepped forward and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you both.”
Round and petite, Juniper created a tempting picture. Even though she wore a cloak similar to the one he was wearing, Sparx saw a hint of the figure beneath. A generously rounded, although small, figure that any Djaromir would be happy to pay tribute to.
“You’ve already begun claiming the women?” Sparx clarified with a frown, even while reaching forward to accept Juniper’s welcome. He knew the words had come out more abrupt than he’d intended, but he couldn’t help it. He’d never expected the other warlord to move so quickly and begin claiming the women before they’d even had a chance to discuss things.
“My claiming is the result of the Djaromir mating instinct,” K’hor answered, his voice proud as he announced it. “Tiny feels the pull as well.”
“Tiny? I thought you said she was called Juniper?” Sparx asked once he’d gotten over the shock of what he was hearing—which was something he was struggling to do.
The mating instinct K’hor was talking about was something that he, along with almost all of the men he ruled, thought they’d never have a chance to experience. Considering the few females they had within their society, matings had dwindled drastically in the past decade. The fact that their ancestors had given their blessing to the couple wasn’t to be questioned. They’d been taught as young men that the mating instinct never made mistakes, pairing two souls destined to complete each other together on an even deeper level. A biological level.
While taking a closer look at K’hor’s chosen mate, he had to plant his feet when the miners behind him tried to do the same. Bumping and jostling him forward, they clamored for a glimpse of the warlord’s lady.
“She is tiny though,” Matrix added before glaring behind them at the anxious men still vying for a glimpse of her. When one of them stepped forward and knocked him into Sparx, he let out a warning rumble. “Back. Off.”
Sparx let Matrix handle the men, while he continued to study the human.
“I see that you’ve wasted no time in marking her according to the old ways,” Sparx observed with a nod toward the claiming marks scattered across her exposed skin. From what he could see, K’hor must have taken great care and pleasure in placing those intimate bruises. From where he was standing, the marks resembled a necklace of blush-colored flora draping across her collarbones.
“I have.” K’hor casually stroked his thumb along the line of bruises on her neck where his arm was tossed over her shoulders.
Sparx was unable to look away, his chest pained with jealousy at the sight. It had been a long while since there’d been a mating in Djaromir, but instead of congratulating his friend, he worried about the others.
Didn’t they all deserve the same chance?
“And she’s accepted it?” Matrix asked, his tone full of surprise as his eyes studied the pair.
“Yes, I did,” Juniper answered.
“And the others? Will they accept their fate as well?” Sparx asked, making sure to meet her gaze as he asked the question.
“Uhhh…” K’hor’s human mate stuttered under the attention. Her cheeks turned a delightful pink as she took a moment to respond.
“Well?” Matrix frowned at her from beside Sparx. “Will they accept it or not?”
“It’s up to them really…on whether they want to stay or go,” she finally answered, giving his friend a frown of her own. “K’hor promised to give the women until the Phaetons get here to make their decisions. I have no clue how many will end up staying. It’s their choice.”
Juniper’s words effectively silenced the entire tunnel. Not one Djaromir made a sound, some of them even holding their breaths in shock at the announcement. Sparx himself was stunned speechless for a moment as he tried to digest that bit of information.
“Is she telling the truth?” Sparx demanded when he found himself in control of his mouth again, stepping forward only to be held back by Matrix’s hand on his arm.
The emotions that were rolling through him were strong and swift. Confusion and shock gave way to helplessness, which in turn made him angry.
“Calm, Sparx,” Matrix warned him with a shake of his head.
“Did you tell them they could leave?” Sparx asked again, taking great care to speak clearly and slowly. This time his tone was steadier than before, even as his stomach felt as if it were weighted with the ore they mined. “Did you promise it?”
“Yes, I did.” K’hor nodded, his jaw set. “And, it’s a promise we will keep.”
“But—” he began to argue, unable to stomach the idea that their chance at a future was slipping away so quickly.
He understood the other warlords’ stance when they refused to participate in the auction to buy the females. It had chafed at him because of the desperation they’d faced, but he’d understood it.
It was K’hor’s actions, now, that he could not come to find reason within.
The women had practically fallen into their laps! Did they not see the opportunity they had
