Chief Rattler coughs, and waves his other man forward to speak. He has a telepathic bond with the other two men, and I know that whatever words come out of his mouth, it will be as though the leader is speaking directly to us.
The second warrior has only one ear. His face is rough and brutal. He opens his mouth and his voice is surprisingly soft for such a big, beastly man.
“Your triad was to go east and search for a new home, far from the sickness. Instead, you bring back an unknown woman, through unknown means. The Orb-God must decide whether you live or you die. I will not pass judgement myself.”
I shiver, and Forn reaches out, gently stroking my arm. He looks at me with his green eyes. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll go first.” We walk together towards the end of the cavern.
“Halt!” It’s a strong, booming voice. I turn and see three more huge Aurelians at the entrance to the cavern. They are older than Forn and his triad, broader at the chest and with brows furrowed by sun squints. There are no smile lines on their faces.
“Cornal. Ton. Renak. I have business. No man may stop another from consulting with his God.”
“And where is Hadone?” Growls the one addressed as Ton.
“He is outside.”
The huge Aurelian named Ton snorts. “Stealing someone else’s woman?”
Forn’s hand inches towards his dagger hilt. “He never stole your woman. She left you, Ton, because she had no love for you.”
Ton reaches down, grabbing the hilt of his Orb-Weapon.
There’s a racking cough from behind me. Chief Rattler stands slowly, and it takes all his might. “There are to be no fights in the home of our tribe,” he growls. He’s so close to me that I can see the flecks of blood and black in his beard.
I want Forn to back down, but he takes another step towards the three men. “Fish-eaters, back away from me. I must bring my mate to the Orb-God.”
Fish-eaters?
The leader of the other triad, Cornal, licks his lips as he stares at me. It’s as if he can tell my surprise at the name, and feels that I have inadequate respect for it.
“You’ve never seen a man wrestle a ten-foot pike in the waters, have you gorgeous? This man here is not worthy of a beauty like you. He did not earn you.”
“I am not a possession,” I snort, my chin up high. The three Aurelians laugh. Forn is silent, brooding. He knows that he’s outnumbered, and only Chief Rattler’s proclamation of peace is keeping us safe. The two other leaders of the Scorp-Blood tribe look ready to tussle as well, though, and I feel that they would come to our aid if needed.
“You are a possession,” Cornal growls, “and you were not earned through sacrifice. The Orb-God will smite you if you go to it, woman. Come to us instead. We will kill a Scorp Queen in your honor and appease the God. If you go with Forn, you will surely die.”
Cornal speaks the words slowly and with menace. I have the horrible feeling that he’s not lying. I look up at Forn, feeling betrayed.
“Does he speak the truth?”
Forn looks shaken, but his voice does not waver. “If the Orb-God does not accept you, he will take me first. You will stand back and watch, and then run.”
“No! I won’t let you go then! We don’t have to. We don’t need to live here. I just want to help these people!” I open my hands and motioning to the wretched, huddled masses of sick Aurelians and humans.
“We must go,” Forn growls. “I must show the tribe that you are my fated mate, or else I will have no claim to you. If the Orb-God accepts you, all must admit that you are mine. Ours,” he adds, and I know that he’s thinking of his two battle brothers. “No more words. It’s time for action.”
Forn strides towards the back of the cave, where I know his God must be waiting.
“You… you can’t go, Forn! I’m not your fated mate.” I speak softly, my heart breaking that he must now learn the truth.
I thought I said the words softly enough that only he could hear. Instead, all eyes turn to me. Even sick Aurelians perk up, staring at me as though I am now the only thing on the menu. I curse inwardly.
Of course. Aurelians have better hearing than humans. How foolish of me! But I don’t know how close the Orb-God is. If I hadn’t said anything, and Forn died because of it…
I don’t know whether to feel guilty or not. There’s no room for emotion with all these Aurelian eyes on me.
“What do you mean?” Forn demands, his voice strong but his eyes wide as he stares at me. Before, he told me that he’d felt a connection with me. I’d undeniably felt the same for him. I hope that when I tell him the truth, he won’t realize that it was all in his mind.
“Your… Your Orb-God didn’t open that portal. Lord Tenderfoot did. He was trying to create a bridge to your world, but he thought of his niece, in the city of Barl, when he opened it. That’s why the portal opened between you and I. It… It was not fate.”
Forn reaches forward, his hand tracing down my cheek. “No. I will not believe it. I feel that you are my mate. I’ve never known anything with more certainty.”
“The woman speaks the truth,” says one of the Aurelians from behind Chief Rattler. “You know this, Forn – in your heart. The Orb-God will smite the both of you down if you consult it.”
The third Aurelian of the fish-eating triad, whatever Forn meant by that, steps forward. “This human female belongs to no man, then. She is open to any warrior who proves themselves.”
“No!” I say, my voice wavering.
“It is
