Shadow

Idonia Torbet

Rae led me down stairs, across halls, up more stairs, and finally to two wooden doors guarded by two men with swords. As Rae and I approach, the doors open and inside is a long table. Avon is there with Olen, the only other two present. When Olen spots me, he comes over to me.

“Avon is very nice, I like him, ” Olen declares.

“Did you thank him for bringing you here?”

“I did, and he said that it is what brothers do. Is it true that Avon is my brother as well? Do I have that many brothers now?”

Rae knelt down to Olen’s height, “You will have many brothers as a Viker. Avon is one, yes, but so is Rikki and many more. You will meet them today.”

Olen gave a big smile as Avon comes to stand with us. “You northerners wake up too early. This one woke up at sunrise!”

“Early to rise, early to train," I ruffle Olen's hair as I speak. "When is training?"

"Every other day," Rae explains to me. "Though Viker and soldiers are welcome in training grounds anytime, off days are used for chores, leisure, mental growth, and any business."

"Do we train today?" Olen asks me.

"We train every day except our resting day," I remind him. "What kind of schedule did Egil have you on?"

"Whenever he had time for me," Olen shrugs.

"You train your brother?" Avon asks. I give him a nod, before the doors open and two females come in. One, sharing the same red hair as Rae and one having dark brown, a darker color than I have seen from any of the Dolph siblings.

"Rae!" The dark haired, younger female ran to her brother. "You're back."

"Hello Sive," Rae chuckles, tousling her hair.

"Not my braids!" Sive's hands shoots up to her head to guard the dark hair from her brother's large hands.

"Sorry," Rae lifts his hands in defense. The other female comes up over and greets her brother. "Hello Hertha."

"Raedwulf," she grumbles.

"You're fighting with Father again?"

"He's being rude again," she defends. Then Hertha sees me, her eyes brighten. "You're his mate?"

"I am." Rae wraps his arm around me and holds me close.

"This is Khanelea Idonia Torbet-Dolph," Rae introduces me to both his sisters.

"You can call me Idonia," I tell them both. "This is my brother, Olen."

"Hello Olen, I'm Sive," the small Sive curtsied to my brother, who looks slyly up to me. I give him a reassuring nod, causing him to turn back to the her.

"Good morning," Olen greets her.

"Where is Mikkeal?" Rae asks the eldest sister.

"He'll be here soon," Hertha states. "Mother had him go to the vault for something."

"What?"

"I have no clue," Hertha admits.

Four more guards enter the hall from a side door. I watch as all of the Dolph siblings line in the same way that my brothers and I would line up for the presentation when Khanel Raedwulf. Rae has me stand by him, Olen at the end beside Sive.

The doors open and Mikkeal runs in. He quickly hugs Rae, "Welcome home." The he passes the rest of us before standing between Sive and Avon. Rae and I share an amused look before he grabs my hand.

"Don't be nervous." Rae squeezes my hand once.

"It is the Khannun and Khanea, not to mention you're parents."

"Just be yourself, that will be impressive enough."

The doors open once more, in walks the beautiful auburn haired, wide eyed, Khanea. Her hand rests gently in the arm of the older Khannun. His hair is dark, but peppered with white strands. In each of their heads in a bright gold band, the Khannun's bearing engraving decorations while the Khanea's was left plain.

"Raedwulf," Khannun Kol greet us first. His eyes peruse over me, working his way down and then back up.

"Father, this is my mate, Idonia Torbet," Rae speaks slowly, formally. The way he introduces me is different, there is no title and no Dolph. I know why, his father as the family head and Khannun is the only person to give me those things. Rae has been using them under the assumption they will be given to me as his fully bonded mate.

"Madam Torbet," Khannun Kol looks me over once more. "Aeral Torbet is your father?"

"Yes, your mightiness," I bow my head, showing respect to the Khannun. I see the Khanea's soft eyes showing sympathy for the uncomfortable of the situation.

"And your mother?"

"Ae-" I clear my throat. "Aeralea Anrid Torbet, originally from Sacole, a rich Master's daughter."

"Let's sit for breakfast," Khanea suggest and the Khannun nods. Rae takes my arm and leads me to our seat. Khannun Kol sits at the head, his mate to the left and son to his right. I sit between Rae and Avon, with Mikkeal and Olen further down on our side. Across from me is Hertha and to her side is Sive.

Servants come out and serve tea and wine before standing silently behind us. "You're doing great." Rae assures me and I give him a small smile.

"Tell us about your family," Khanea says first while we sit at the table.

"Four older brothers, and then me and Olen," I refer down the table to my younger brother who sat alone at the end.

"Your family must be so proud that you're here," Khannun Kol says, sipping on morning wine.

"They are just happy I found my mate and he found me." Rae meets my gaze and we share a smile. He gives me one more nod, assuring me silently of the words I speak.

"And your two have completed your bond. So I guess Rika's and my opinion doesn't really matter."

"We are mates, nobody's opinion matters," Rae bites back.

"I have heard many good things about the Torbets," Khanea tells Khannun Kol. "Your are the only daughter, correct?"

"The only one," I repeat. "Five brothers."

"I can barely manage three," Hertha grumbles, making it hard for me to hold back my laugh.

"Five is no picnic," I tell her, making the spiteful female look up at me from the table.

"How did you survive all those years?" Hertha asks, leaning forward to give me her attention.

"Being as tough as they are."

"Idonia trains her brother as her Viker," Avon tells the rest of his family. "I'm sure you'd be formidable on the training fields."

"She is," Rae informs them all. "And against a shadowbeast."

"You've killed a shadowbeast?" Mikkeal nearly spits out his tea. Servants come forward again and present each of us with a plate of food. One even supplied Mikkeal with another napkin.

"I've killed two," I tell him once the servants back away again. "Your brother has as well, I took him to Theris's dark north."

"You took my son, my heir, to the most dangerous place in all the Bethley Isles?" Khannun Kol exclaims, his anger seething out of him. "How could you think that that was a good idea?"

"Father, enough," Rae demands. "I didn't have to go, but it made me stronger."

"You don't need to be strong, you need to be alive. How could you think that risking your life for glory was a good idea? Do you think Avon is ready for that responsibility?" Khannun Kol stood from the table. "Northern girls are not meant to be Khanelea."