Shadow

Idonia Torbet

Rae arrives late at the next day's test. He strolls into the throne room, rushed and with a horrified look in his eyes. Some of the men look up from their papers, their history test, but many stay focused on the material. He had been late to dinner, late to bed, and left early this morning.

So when he grabs my arm and drags me to a corner of the room, my heart races with fear. "Rae?"

He turns to look at all the men, "How are they doing?"

I match his gaze, "Three have left."

"Hertha, Avon?"

"Going strong still," I inform him. "What's wrong?"

"It is about the coronation."

"What about it?"

"There is rumor..." he looks around the room again, seeing one or two males who have their eyes on us. "The army is not for a conquest. Khannun Kol is backing a coup."

"Against you?"

"Against both of us."

"Why?"

"I don't know, he does not think we're worthy of the titles."

"Then why name me Khanelea, why give me the family name?"

"Appearances."

"Who will be placed on the thrown?"

"I don't know that either."

"Who told you?"

"Viker Ness and Viker Hjorth came to me yesterday."

"Rae," I try to scold him mentally. "Why are you just telling me now?"

"I needed to back up the source. Ness and Hjorth aren't close to Khannun Kol, their information could be false."

"Who did you ask?"

"Miss Bard, the mate of Viker Bard. She's always favored me as the Khanel. She told me crying that it was all true. Khannun Kol plans to have me killed on our coronation."

"What do we do?"

He cups my face, making me stare into his dark eyes. "We have the Torbets, we'll go back north."

"The northern Aeral's won't accept a coward."

"You want to stay and fight?"

I look over the men, "Look at them all, willing to go through hell to prove loyalty to you and me. Avon among them, northern males among them, southern males among them. So many will be loyal to us."

"There is no one to be loyal to if we're dead," I argue with her. I take her hand and gently kiss her fingers.

"If we leave before the coronation there is nothing stopping him from sending assassins after us. We have to let him expose himself to the people, then we can rally in the north."

He tries to take a deep breath, but it comes out shaky. To comfort him, I place my hand on his chest and push calmness through the bond.

"I trust you, Idonia."

"Nothing bad will happen to you, I won't let it," I swear to him, making my mate smile warmly at me. He gives me a light peck on the lips and we resume our position in the head of the room.

Many of the males look stressed, especially the younger warriors who forgot being a Viker is more than fighting well. They need to be advisors, knowledgeable in history and war tactics. While some may not do well in the physical challenge, if they do exceptional at this part, they have a better chance at being selected.

However, failure here will result in immediately removal from the tournament. I'd rather have a smart Viker that can be trained than an idiotic brute.

After more finished the test and passed it off the the Sage and his apprentices, a few came up to thank us for the consideration. Northern males specifically came up to wish us a good day before leaving. Some southern males started to make the same effort, but only after the others had done it first.

"Your greatnesses," Cuyler Hoye bows before us. "If you remember me, my name is--"

"Cuyler Hoye," I finish for him. "I've known you for years, Cuyler. Stand and rise before us."

"Thank you, your greatness," he stands before Rae and I, smiling at me. "I never thought I'd see you so far south, Khanelea."

I glance from Rae, who stands beside me tense. I grab his arm and pull my mate closer to me. Slowly, he relaxes and meets my eyes, his eyes softening as he sees me. "It is my place." Rae nods lightly, before turning to Cuyler.

"How is your family?"

"We both know you do not care for my family, especially my sisters," Cuyler points out, making Rae give a slight chuckle.

"True, but I ask out of curtsy."

"Well," he answers dryly. "My mother has been on my sisters to find their mates. My father had been on my younger brother to prepare to take over the management of the lands as well as on me to prepare for this test."

"He wants you to be a royal Viker?" Rae asked my old friend.

"If I won't be his heir, he wants me to be doing something honorable," Cuyler bows and we give him leave. It takes another three hours before all of the males and female are finished with the test. However, the Sage and his apprentices started reviewing them as they tricked in.

Immediately, we know of twenty males who are being dismissed for failure, then the twenty turn to thirty, then forty. In total, the end of the day comes with the dismissal of forty-three males. Leaving us down to sixty-seven males still in the competition.

And one female.

After dinner with Rikki and Disa, our two mates disappear for some leftover work while Disa takes me in to see my Gaudpup. She has grown strong over the winter. In Theris, winter-born pups that survived into spring were said to be stronger than spring-born pups. Sinikka is big for only having four moons.

As soon as the pup sees me, she cooes, reaching up from her bedding to me. I easily take her in my arms and babble back to her.

"When will you have one?" Disa asks me as she sits at a writing desk to pen a few notes. She mostly has me visit to play with Sinikka so she can write letters and maintain her accounts. It doesn't bother me though, I much enjoy my Gaudpup.

"After the coronation hopefully, it is not as though we haven't been trying," I reply, making Disa smile and blush slightly at my innuendo. "I want to give Sinikka another pup to play with."

"Rikki is already asking for another one," Disa tells me in her airy voice. "Though I have not wanted him since she was born so I think the desire for more pups comes from a more feral desire."

"Disa!" I scold her, making her laugh.

"It is true! I still ache sometimes from laboring and have wanted nothing between my legs since."

"Thank you for making motherhood sound so joyful," I grumble, rocking the yawning pup in my arms. Her little mouth opens and closes a few times before she starts to fuss. Disa sighs and takes her from me. One-handed, she releases one of her breasts from the cotton dress she wore and let Sinikka take it in her mouth.

"Motherhood is joyful. I couldn't imagine my life without this pup," Disa smiles, assuring me of the truth of her statement. Then her brow furrows. "Rikki told me of of coupe."

We sit in silence, the only sound is that of Sinikka suckling on her mother. I watch the small pup, thinking of her in all of this. It is hard enough thinking of how to protect my mate, but a defenseless pup thrown into the mix is going to be hard. It is not as if Disa and Sinikka can leave prior to the coronation. As the mate of a royal Viker and our Gaudpup, both will be required to be in attendance.

"I will make sure Sinnika is safe," I promise her.

"How can you be sure?"

"She has you and Rikki, she has Rae and me," I assure her. "We will protect her at all cost."

"No, Rikki will protect you two, that is his duty."

"No duty outshines that of a father and mate."

Five Chapters Left!!

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