The Reaper was waiting for them, as Zar had known he would be.

He couldn't blame the other warlord for his interest, but it didn't serve to ease the tension between them.

As soon as the gate of the Black Hall opened a bit – as wide as the Foront and twice its height – the hovership flew in and they were greeted with the usual clamor that always followed a successful raid. Warriors were moving around, trying to glimpse Zar's haul to see if they noticed the female who was going to be their fated mate among them.

Seeing that it was just him and Ashley, they didn't stop staring.

Zar was used to receiving so much attention whenever he was on Luminos, but Ashley was clearly taken aback. The smile that had graced her lips all throughout their journey over the frozen plains was gone, replaced with wary carefulness.

The Reaper approached them. Zar could hear Ashley gasp under her breath.

The Lord of the Black Hall was formidable, despite his paleness that gave the false impression of age. He marched toward them with all the right and presence of the man who ruled over everyone he saw.

Zar had sworn a long time ago he wouldn't be one of those. It was the reason why his domain stubbornly refused to be joined with The Reaper's.

"Zar Kohora," The Reaper said, loudly so everyone could hear. "The Black Hall welcomes you."

"It's good to be back, Reaper," Zar replied, aware of how many people were looking at them.

It was not the place to start a fight, not with the long night coming fast as he'd sensed outside. He searched The Reaper's eyes for any sign the other warlord might want to provoke him, finding none.

Of course not. He wouldn't risk me taking the females away.

"And this must be your fated female?" The Reaper asked, coming closer.

Zar felt his fingers twitching, aching to draw the sword on his back and make the damn bastard a head shorter. Even seeing the Lord of the Black Hall so close to Ashley made his blood boil.

"This is Ashley," he forced himself to say. "I'd advise you to look with your eyes."

The Reaper's hand stopped mid-air and the gaze of his milky light eyes fell back on Zar.

"You are an interesting man, Zar," The Reaper said quietly. "To think I will take advisement from you in my own hall."

"It shouldn't be said at all," Zar replied, raising his voice to be heard in the furthest corners of the vast hall they were in. "If your own mate happens to be on her way here – gods willing – you wouldn't let me near her either. That is our way."

The Reaper backed away, a smile so fake on his lips it hurt to see.

"Just testing you," he said in what he clearly hoped was a conciliatory tone. "Just to see if you are still the man I know. Of course your fated is safe from me. I have had rooms prepared for you on the lower levels. Very warm there this year.

"Are the rest of the females on their way?"

The question you've wanted to ask since you laid eyes on me, but you needed to taunt me first.

Zar nodded, hearing the murmur rise among the waiting Nayanors.

"They will be here shortly," he said. "I trust you will see to their accommodation as well. It's not ideal that the long night is coming, but we have to make do. I'm sure you'll find a way to make sure they are separated from the others."

The Reaper bared his teeth in a vicious snarl.

"Who do you take me for?" he asked. "I know how to handle my own hall. You have changed, Zar, and not for the better."

"I am as I've always been," Zar lied, before deciding he'd had enough. "I will see the rooms you set aside for me now. Captain Roagh should be here shortly with the rest of the females. You can give us a guide so you don't have to bother yourself and can be here when they arrive."

This time, The Reaper didn't seem to have any words for him at all. There was too much at stake for him with the precious haul on the way.

He waved for a guide to come running to them and giving Zar one last sharp look, left them be.

Ashley breathed out.

"That wasn't so bad," she said quietly.

The guide saluted Zar and pointed them toward the exit. As they walked, Zar could see Ashley peeking back to see if the gate had opened yet again.

"They will be seen to," he said. "Say whatever else about him, but The Reaper wouldn't hurt a female. We are on Luminos now. They are more valuable than all the riches in our mines."

Ashley nodded, but Zar could see that she was still troubled.

He wasn't surprised. She had that look on her face that most females had when they first came to Luminos. No matter what Ashley said, Zar knew that finally arriving on the planet felt like a door closing behind her. Her fate was sealed at last and any hope she might have had for escaping was quickly dissipating.

It was discouraging even his fierce fated.

The guide led them to a carrier, a smaller version of the hovership that had brought them from the Foront's landing area. Ashley sat down wordlessly and Zar took a seat next to her, wishing that he knew how to put that gorgeous smile back on her face.

When the carrier took off, taking them to the depths of the Black Hall, Zar could feel Ashley's hand slip into his.

* * *

The Reaper had done as he'd promised, at least.

Zar wondered if it was the warlord's clumsy attempt to seek peace between them.

The halls he'd set aside for Zar, his crew and his domain were some of the most beautiful and warmest in the Black Hall. The harbinger told the pilot of the carrier to slow down when they were passing through his temporary home.

Some life was returning to Ashley and Zar didn't want to squander the opportunity to show her the beauty of the Hall. True to that fact, her beautiful neck was craned back as she took in the statues and endlessly stretching walkways.

They were seeing the living quarters now too. Some – but of course not all – of the Hall had been carved to house people during the long night. There were lights flickering under the statues, some coming from inside them. Like tiny villages hidden inside a single room of the stone giants.

Their guide finally stopped before a small hall near the very end of another hallway.

Zar recognized the place. Up ahead, he knew there were quarters fitted for The Reaper's most powerful guests. The set of rooms was hidden in the shadow of a gigantic warrior, fitting for a harbinger.

The guide left the small carrier for them to get around and left, heading back to catch a ride in one of the many similar crafts moving around the Black Hall.

"It's so quiet here," Ashley said when they were alone, looking at him with frightful eyes. "And so dark. I almost feel like we're inside a tomb."

Zar chuckled softly, pulling her in for a kiss, which his mate resisted only at first before her lips responded to his.

"I know it feels dark now," he said. "It's because we are the first who will be staying here. Soon, the crew of the Foront will arrive, hopefully some with their new mates, and settle in here. The people of my domain in south will come too.

"I believe you will find their mates to be good company to you. They have been here longer and can answer any questions you might have."

"Will you not be staying?" Ashley asked and the fear was clear in her voice this time.

"I will never leave your side again," Zar said, holding her tighter against him. "I was implying the females might share their experience with you, give you some comfort. Most of them have found a way to make a life for themselves here. Some are even happy."

His fated's eyes were filled with some emotion Zar couldn't recognize, but he understood that its nature was positive. That gladdened him.

"Come," he called her. "I will show you our quarters. Until the long night lasts, this is our home. When the storm passes, I can take you back to my domain and you can fit our fortress to your needs."

"Our fortress," Ashley repeated, laughter back in her voice. "Gods, this planet."

She didn't say anything more, letting Zar lead her into the quarters. The door opened for his handprint and Zar could see the look of surprise on Ashley's face. She seemed to have thought they were going to live inside a cave, where in truth all the rooms inside the structure were reinforced and fitted comfortably.

When the lights of their quarters turned on, Ashley's smile widened and she seemed to forget about the world for a while.

Zar didn't let her explore very much before catching her in his embrace and pulling her to their new bedroom.

Holding her in his arms afterward, hearing her rapid breathing evening out, Zar couldn't help feeling like The Reaper had been right.

He was changed. Only unlike The Reaper, Zar was certain it was for the better.