will not risk it. I only
know that the few successes we’ve had in transforming human women involved the
presence of a Traveler Caste. I will not lose you because I am too eager to claim
you. And I want you to have more time to decide.”
“I don’t need time—”
“You cannot sway me. We will wait until you are safe with
me, in my world, with my people, before we attempt such dangerous magic.” He
paused. “And you can always choose to stay a human.”
Vetiver, however, understood that she had no reason to stay
as she was now. Everything had changed for her, in one night her world was
turned upside down and inside out. Vetiver figured, why not go that extra mile
and truly become his partner? She would become a Shikar. She would fight with
Boreas and his people. It was as he’d said; the war was still the same. It was
only the battleground that would change.
She would change with it and be stronger for it.
His mouth was at her ear now, gently feathering soft kisses
against the shell of her ear. “Do you think you could ever love me, Vetiver
Device?”
Vetiver froze.
“I knew the moment you spoke to my Winds that you would be
mine. But your heart is your own. To gift to whom you will.” He squeezed her
upper arm in his hand, which had grown hot, fevered. “I would hope you gift it
to me, someday.”
She swallowed, speechless.
“I vow to keep it safe.” His sweet words were soft in her
ear. A breath, no more. “I would treasure it. Love me, give me your heart, your
devotion, and I would be your slave. Ask for the moon, I will see that you have
it. All that I am will belong to you. Everything I have to offer, you need but
ask. If you would only love me, I would never want for anything else.”
Her heart thudded in her chest. He wove a spell over her
with words that she had no wish to silence. But what could she say that would
explain all she felt now? It was too soon to love him, it had to be. But the
thought of telling him anything but “I love you” made her soul hurt most
painfully. So she didn’t say anything.
It was her only defense. It was her last vestige of
independence.
She could give him her body. She could give him her passion.
Her excitement at the prospect of a new life. She could devote that life to
fighting a war at his side. That much was easy—she’d always lived her life in
the service of something greater than herself. But to give her love to this
man—nay, not a man but a different species of male—seemed
reckless.
Are you not a child of nature, wild and strong? The
air practically slapped her in the face with the question. And the accusation, Did
you not heed your guardian, who gave you a glimpse of what the future could
bring if you would but trust in your destiny? If you do not believe this is the
hand of fate at work between you, what do you believe?
She believed in herself. Change was inevitable, but so much
of it at once was overwhelming and difficult to absorb. It was too fast.
She didn’t like the taste of her will caving in.
But to love him…
To truly love him…
Now that would be a potent magic.
Vetiver caught her breath when his lips nibbled at her ear,
whispering in his foreign tongue words that sounded like silk in the water,
like blooming flowers. Love. To love Boreas would be as wild and empowering as being
in love with storm and gusty weather. She would not halve her heart by gifting
it to him, but double it by gaining his in return.
He vowed to worship her if she would have him. He had given
her all the power in the world with those words, putting everything he had on
the line. She had given nothing.
She turned to search his gaze. Therein was the answer. He
was not so confident or arrogant as he waited for her to say
something—anything. His feelings were bare and defenseless to her whim. In his
eyes she read the very real truth that, if she wanted, if she were cruel, she
could wound him, crush him, throw him to despair. One word and he would
know that the few successes we’ve had in transforming human women involved the
presence of a Traveler Caste. I will not lose you because I am too eager to claim
you. And I want you to have more time to decide.”
“I don’t need time—”
“You cannot sway me. We will wait until you are safe with
me, in my world, with my people, before we attempt such dangerous magic.” He
paused. “And you can always choose to stay a human.”
Vetiver, however, understood that she had no reason to stay
as she was now. Everything had changed for her, in one night her world was
turned upside down and inside out. Vetiver figured, why not go that extra mile
and truly become his partner? She would become a Shikar. She would fight with
Boreas and his people. It was as he’d said; the war was still the same. It was
only the battleground that would change.
She would change with it and be stronger for it.
His mouth was at her ear now, gently feathering soft kisses
against the shell of her ear. “Do you think you could ever love me, Vetiver
Device?”
Vetiver froze.
“I knew the moment you spoke to my Winds that you would be
mine. But your heart is your own. To gift to whom you will.” He squeezed her
upper arm in his hand, which had grown hot, fevered. “I would hope you gift it
to me, someday.”
She swallowed, speechless.
“I vow to keep it safe.” His sweet words were soft in her
ear. A breath, no more. “I would treasure it. Love me, give me your heart, your
devotion, and I would be your slave. Ask for the moon, I will see that you have
it. All that I am will belong to you. Everything I have to offer, you need but
ask. If you would only love me, I would never want for anything else.”
Her heart thudded in her chest. He wove a spell over her
with words that she had no wish to silence. But what could she say that would
explain all she felt now? It was too soon to love him, it had to be. But the
thought of telling him anything but “I love you” made her soul hurt most
painfully. So she didn’t say anything.
It was her only defense. It was her last vestige of
independence.
She could give him her body. She could give him her passion.
Her excitement at the prospect of a new life. She could devote that life to
fighting a war at his side. That much was easy—she’d always lived her life in
the service of something greater than herself. But to give her love to this
man—nay, not a man but a different species of male—seemed
reckless.
Are you not a child of nature, wild and strong? The
air practically slapped her in the face with the question. And the accusation, Did
you not heed your guardian, who gave you a glimpse of what the future could
bring if you would but trust in your destiny? If you do not believe this is the
hand of fate at work between you, what do you believe?
She believed in herself. Change was inevitable, but so much
of it at once was overwhelming and difficult to absorb. It was too fast.
She didn’t like the taste of her will caving in.
But to love him…
To truly love him…
Now that would be a potent magic.
Vetiver caught her breath when his lips nibbled at her ear,
whispering in his foreign tongue words that sounded like silk in the water,
like blooming flowers. Love. To love Boreas would be as wild and empowering as being
in love with storm and gusty weather. She would not halve her heart by gifting
it to him, but double it by gaining his in return.
He vowed to worship her if she would have him. He had given
her all the power in the world with those words, putting everything he had on
the line. She had given nothing.
She turned to search his gaze. Therein was the answer. He
was not so confident or arrogant as he waited for her to say
something—anything. His feelings were bare and defenseless to her whim. In his
eyes she read the very real truth that, if she wanted, if she were cruel, she
could wound him, crush him, throw him to despair. One word and he would
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