When we arrived back at the house, I spent the rest of the day reading, practicing, and just plain thinking. Why did he set the bomb? I was missing something. Who was I kidding? I was missing a lot. They were up there. How many, I didn’t know. Xade, definitely. I just knew he’d be part of this. How many were there? Why couldn’t they come down here, all of them? Or did the land protect us? I didn’t remember enough about them yet to know what they would or wouldn’t do.

That night at dinnertime, I walked downstairs, hesitating, hand on the rail. I’d avoided Marin the rest of the day and didn’t set foot outside my room. So many questions without answers. When I got to the dining room, I paused, hand on the doorjamb, then entered, but didn’t see him. My shoulders relaxed.

Marin closed the door behind me.

I whirled. “Hi.”

“Hi.” His light brown eyes met mine. He moved toward me, a focused, determined look in his eye. That look was killing me. I backed up and skirted around the table. My heart skipped a beat.

“We shouldn’t be doing this, whatever this is. I started something with Finn. I don’t know what it is yet, but until I know, nothing else can happen. That’s not the way I do things. Plus, Finn told me how the Fost view relationships. Never serious. Bang more, not better. That is not me. I expect the man I’m with to be with me and only me. And I will be with him, only him. We talked about this. Please.”

I stumbled back as he kept on coming toward me. Given how I had been kissing him, I felt like a hypocrite as I choked out the words.

Marin skirted the table.

I rounded the next corner.

“Finn agreed to this?” he asked.

“We haven’t had much time to talk, but he knew I felt that way. He offered me comfort and I took it. I wouldn’t feel right starting something with you before clearing the air.” In actual fact, he said sex didn’t have to mean anything. He might be acting jealous, but that could just be instinctual. If Finn couldn’t give me what I needed, then I couldn’t be with him, and until I knew that, I couldn’t be with Marin.

Hell, I needed answers and a lot more time before I’d feel comfortable being with Marin. Finn was fun, but I had no doubt that anything I started with Marin would be a lot more serious.

Marin continued to stalk me around the room. “My mother believed as you do. She loved my father beyond all reason. Her day began and ended with him. His needs and wants were of paramount importance, much more important than her children. That was a fact drilled into us from the day we were born. We represented his legacy. Yet he never cared for us and she was blind to everything but him. My father was a good leader, but he was like Finn. He did not understand that devotion, love, they could be a strength, not a weakness. He married my mother because she was fertile. She gave him children, but he wasn’t faithful. He broke her with his women. She hated and worshiped him at the same time. When she saw us, we represented an extension of him to her. Then when my father died fighting the corecks, she had nothing left to live for. She walked into the lake, knowing she could not swim. Nothing else mattered to her, not her life, not her children. She was six months pregnant at the time.

“I tell you this, not for pity, but so that you understand that I know exactly what you need. I saw what happened when one partner wanted something the other could not give. I saw the pain and destruction it caused when one cares, and the other does not.

“Finn does not care about you.”

I inhaled and pressed a hand to my gut. Ouch.

“He wants you, he wants to have you. And Finn, he does have many good qualities but faithfulness, care, love. Those are not in his makeup. He is not worth your devotion. He is right now down at town hall, reconfirming his mating contract with Lara. From what I heard, they were both quite happy with the arrangement and celebrating.”

His words stung. I wanted to cover my ears. Finn had been so attentive at the clearing. He warned Marin off and Marin did back off, at least a little. This couldn’t be true.

“Prove it.”

“He is still in town at the bar right now. You can see for yourself. I can come and go there as I please. We will not be seen. He goes there most nights.”

Marin sped me to the center of Finn’s clan area. This was where most people went to socialize at night if single, which was most of the population. I hadn’t even heard of it, but I hadn’t been here long. It just felt like I’d been here forever.

The canteen was one of the larger buildings down in what I thought of as the market district of Groos. It was located in the top of level two, near the path that led to the first section. Marin led me through a back entrance so I could look into the room, yet not be seen entering.

Finn sat smack dab in the center of the room; Lara perched on his lap. They were kissing, and his hand was up her skirt.

Huh.

That explained his lack of concern yesterday, even if he’d been quite affectionate today.

When it came right down to it, we had only had sex once—well, twice, technically, in one night—but it still hurt.

Hanging with Marin confused me. He was trying to confuse me. My first few days, I saw only Finn. Now I saw only Marin. I thought my head was being turned a little.

To be honest, I didn’t know what I wanted. That decision was taken from me, however. What was right in front of me couldn’t be denied. Finn wasn’t pining for me. Lara sighed and moved to straddle him on the chair, adjusting her skirt across Finn’s lap.

Better to find out now than later, right? Bitterness rose inside me. I wanted to run down there and rip her off his lap, make a scene. My eyes burned with unshed tears. My power flexed inside me. I could feel the burn of it. Why?

Finn must have heard. He glanced up and looked right at me. His whole body stiffened, his tongue still lodged deep in Lara’s mouth.

Well, that was enough of that. I turned to Marin. “You win.”

“I am sorry.”

“Let’s go home.” Triumph flashed across his face. As he’d said before, I wasn’t naïve. I knew why he’d shown me this.

Anger pulsed inside me.

I knew it was unreasonable, but I let the resentment build. We’d made no promises. We’d had sex. So what?

It still felt like a betrayal. Finn knew I believed in monogamy. I’d held myself back because we’d started something, maybe, but that didn’t appear to be a problem for him.

We walked the path to level one, then Marin harnessed the wind, and we arrived home in under a minute. Head down, I went to go my room. Hesitating, I looked at Marin. He stood behind me, hand outstretched.

“Thank you. It’s better to know now than to be the fool later.”

“I am sorry.”

“You already said that.”

“I wanted you to know.”

“Well, now I know.”

We stood there, gazes locked. Marin shrugged and rubbed his hand along his neck.

The door opened a few seconds later, and Finn burst inside, out of breath, Lara right behind him. That was quick. He must have run the whole way.

“Lara, leave,” Marin called out.

Lara dithered, looked at Marin, Finn, and me, and fled.

Moving forward, Marin intercepted Finn. “You. I cannot believe you would come here. You know exactly why this is bad.” Marin pointed to the door. “You should leave as well.”

Growling, Finn dodged, trying to get around Marin.

Without taking his eyes off Finn, Marin moved to block him.

Finn exploded. “Get out of my way. This is your fault. Why was she even there?”

Their eyes locked. Violence shimmered in the air. Finn rammed Marin. “You cannot make me leave. I will not leave without talking to her. Get out of my way.”

Laughing, Marin refused to budge. “She does not want to be with you. You have never slept with the same woman twice. She deserves better. She wants better.”

Finn feinted; Marin pivoted into his path. They started to circle each other. Finn dropped into his fighter’s stance.

With a primal cry, Finn launched himself at Marin, who twisted out of the way. Finn let his momentum carry him forward to the wall, using it to spring back and tackle Marin. Carrying him to the ground, Finn lifted his knee. Marin caught his leg and upended Finn. They both scrambled to their feet, pulling knives.

Enough.

There was enough testosterone flowing to choke an elephant.

“Stop it, both of you.”

They ignored me and stepped into each other. Exasperated, I ran back down the steps, wedging myself between them. “I mean it. Stop right there.”

Nothing was going to get Finn to leave without talking to me. I kept a hand on each of their chests and addressed Marin. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him.”

Marin scowled at this. Without taking his eyes off Finn, Marin replied, “You do not have to talk to him. He has done nothing to deserve it.”

Finn strained against my other hand.

“Please.” My stare met Marin’s. “Let me do this.”

“Fine,” Marin hissed. “I will be listening. Call out, and I will come.” He addressed this last to Finn. Turning without another word, he stalked to the library and slammed the door.

Finn put his hand over mine on his chest. I pulled my hand free and crossed my arms without looking at him.

“Follow me.” The meeting room was empty, so we headed there. No way was I taking him to my bedroom to talk. I didn’t know how to start.

“It is not what you think,” he began as soon as the door closed.

“I think you were close to fucking Lara,” I swore. Swearing made me feel much better.

“Fucking?”

“Having sex.”

“Oh. It was an act. Marin told everyone you ran away. He told me to act angry, to act betrayed. He told me to look for you, to be bitter. ‘The better the show, the more secure she will be,’ he said. After everything that happened at the mines, I was just so damn happy you were all right. I should not have kissed you. People asked questions. I had to throw them off. When Lara approached me, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. I needed information, and she could act as a screen for you. For your safety. She said it upset her that we are close. Her father has been pushing us to mate. I played along.”

I interrupted. “Was kissing part of the show?”

“Yes.”

“Did your hand have to go up her skirt?”

Finn’s jaw clenched. “I had to put on a good show.”

“But you weren’t planning to have sex with her?”

“No, I wasn’t planning to have sex with her.”

“Were you hard?” I persisted.

“Hard?”

I looked down.

He jerked back, as if I’d slapped him. “What kind of question is that?”

“Answer me.”

“No.”

Snorting, I slanted him a look.

He shrugged. “Yes. I had a beautiful, willing girl on my lap. I was not planning to use it. It was just a show.”

“But fucking would make the show just that much more believable, wouldn’t it.”

“No. Well, maybe. You are confusing me.” He stabbed his finger in my direction.

“Were you going to have sex with her?”

“No.”

“Were you?” Now I was screaming. Look what he did to me.

“I do not know… Maybe,” he screamed back.

Huh.

With that, we both paused.

“Wait, no.” He held his hands up. “You confused me. I planned to do nothing. It was a show.”

“I told you flat out that I believe in monogamy. I know you said sex didn’t have to be complicated, but damn, I didn’t realize you would immediately move on and not have the decency to let me know.”

“I know. I was not planning to do anything.” Finn was talking, but I kept hearing the echo of his earlier words, I do not know… Maybe.

I just shook my head and sat on one of the chairs. He moved to sit next to me. “I heard you, you know.”

“What?”

“Yesterday, when you called me, and just now, in town hall. You said my name two times. I tried to talk to you all throughout the day. Did you hear?”

“No.”

He steeled himself. “What is going on with you and Marin? Dinner? Why were you dressed up? You looked beautiful. New dress?”

“Marin gave it to me. We were just having dinner.”

“Dinner, just dinner. Did you know a formal dinner is a way of showing intent, interest? Are you interested in Marin?”

“What?” How did this turn on me like this? I scowled.

“Dinner. Formal. Dressing up. That is part of courting. That is why we had dinner. I was declaring my intentions. Has Marin declared his intentions?”

“Nothing happened. I’ve told him that you and I… Well, that maybe we’re involved, and he’s respected that.” Well, for the most part, he’d respected that.

“How long did it take him to start working on you? Was he whispering to you even as you stayed in Ute’s house? What did he tell you? Did he tell you about my mother, my family?”

“No. He told me nothing about you, only about himself. If anyone should tell me about you and your family, it should be you. Why haven’t you told me anything? You told me of pranks and fun, but I’m sensing there is more to it than that.”

“When have I had time? He hustled you out of Ute’s house as quick as he could. He did it on purpose. From the first day, I could tell he wanted you.” He ground this last out and pulled me onto his lap. I resisted and ended up standing over him with his chin buried in my stomach, looking up at me.

“Yes, he planned on the Imani attacking me.”

“You know I did not mean that,” he snarled.

“What are your intentions toward me? Us? Huh? I asked you the other day, but you didn’t look happy with the question.”

He hesitated. “I do not know.”

I turned away.

“I am being honest! I do not know, but I do know you are important to me. I care about you. I have never felt like this with anyone.” Finn lifted his shoulders, hands outstretched.

“But you’re planning to mate with Lara?”

“Did Marin tell you that? The contract was made long ago. Neither of us wanted it, wanted each other. We were together, once, a long time ago, and it did not work out. It meant nothing. Stein, Lara’s father, approached me this afternoon, after the mines; they wanted to reinstate it, for whatever reason. I did not want to end the contract now because we need their expertise.”

“What expertise is that?” The question hung there. Finn didn’t seem to want to answer.

Marin answered instead.

From the doorway, he called out. “Stein’s clan, Clan Halit, are miners. The mines are how we will fight the Imani. We have found a metal called feruk. It has magical properties. When we fought them before, we had a small quantity. The metal is significant because we can use it to coat our weapons. This coating allows our blades to pierce their personal shields. That makes it priceless. We can finally fight them.

“The Imani tend to fight from a distance. They stand back and pummel their enemies. You have to get up close to kill them, but up close, they have shields, as you saw. Offensive magic can kill them but it takes its toll on the user, and to sing our powers that way weakens the link to the land itself. We needed more reliable weapons.

“This metal is the key to this war. Before, we had only a small amount of the metal, as I said, but the amount in the mines is a million times that. We will be able to coat every weapon. That is why when you arrived, not only was your appearance suspicious, but where they found you.

“It would be logical for the Imani to target the mines if they knew of the feruk. Those blasts today, though, they were to hurt, maim. Not to destroy. The structure of the mine remained intact. Why not destroy them? With the Imani’s technical expertise, I would have expected them to bring down the tunnels.”

“Who knows you’ve found the metal here?” Whoever knew was most likely in the clear.

“Not many, just the miners. To everyone else, it is regular ore we have found.”

“So the spy most likely doesn’t know about the metal? Or the Imani would have blown the mine?”

“We do not believe the spy knows, and we are limiting everyone’s contact with events.” Marin slanted a look at Finn. Finn nodded.

“Wait, you know who the spy is?” I asked.

“We believe so.” Marin said. He cut a deliberate glance at Finn who looked away, fidgeting.

“Who?”

“That is not important now. Now that we know, we can lessen the risk.”

Sighing, I sat and let my head drop back against the wall. Finn reached out to pull me close, but I pushed him away. The metal had distracted me. With a meaningful glance at Marin, I motioned toward the door.

Finn turned to me. “Look at me. We do not know each other that well yet. But I want to. I want to be with you,” Finn continued, as if we hadn’t been interrupted.

“I need fidelity. It’s a requirement, not an option,” I said, no give in my tone.

“I do not know if that is possible for me, but I am willing to try.”

At least he was honest.

“I can’t, then.” I could be honest too.

Swallowing, he stared at me, eyes wide. He lowered his face to mine. He always took his time when he kissed me. His lips feathered mine in a light caress.

That familiar warmth curled through me, and I shuddered.

“No, no,” he said. “Think about it. When this is all over, then we will talk.”

“I’m not going to change my mind.”

“I need to think, as well.” He looked at me as if memorizing my face. “I have never had anyone want me for more than one night. Let me adjust.”

“Yeah, right,” I muttered.

“It is true,” he insisted.

“What do you mean?”

He laid his cheek on mine and held me tight. “Before we came here, one of my distant grandmothers was taken by the Imani. When we got her back, she was pregnant. She said she was pregnant before she left, but there were always questions. Her son looked like her husband, so those rumors were put to rest for a while. But occasionally, along my bloodline, someone gets white eyes, white hair. Those do not run in the Orin bloodline.” He let me absorb that. “People wondered if Imani blood runs in our veins; then I was born with white eyes. Oh, the women still want me, but only for the thrill, to say, ‘look, I slept with him.’ No one has wanted to keep me. They did not want their children to be tainted by bad blood. I was an accident. My mother hated my father after she got pregnant. She was not forced to mate with him, but like I said, it is expected if the woman becomes pregnant. She died in childbirth. They said it was the shock of seeing my white eyes that killed her. My dad loved me, though; he was my world. We had a good life. All the stories are true. I expected my line to end with me. I was surprised Lara and her father offered for mating. I realized I did not want my family line to end with me. I made the contract… But that was before you.”

“You confirmed it again today.”

“Yes, Stein came to me after the blast and said Lara wanted confirmation of our contract. He implied their help in the mines hinged on the contract, so I said yes. She came to see me this evening, as well.” His eyes wouldn’t meet mine.

“So you will mate?”

“It is complicated, but I do not want her. I want you. You know this. This does not have to change anything.”

Swinging round, I hugged myself. “This changes everything for me. I can’t be with you and have you mated to someone else. I can’t do that. I know myself too well. It would tear me up.”

His furrowed his brow. “I would not be with Lara except when she is fertile.” He trailed off. “I want children. I do not want my line to end with me.”

A light dawned; he didn’t know if I could give him those children. He didn’t know anything about me, where I was from. We might not be compatible, DNA-wise. I got a clear picture. I shoved him. I was good enough to fuck, but not anything else. He might care about me, but he wanted to have his cake and eat it too.

“I think you should mate with her. You two deserve each other.” I didn’t know why I was so upset. It had just been casual, carnal, but it emphasized to me that I wasn’t cut out for that.

“Do not be upset.”

“You can’t give me what I need, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it, anyway.”

“I can.”

“No. You can’t! To you, anything that happened with Lara or anyone else would be inconsequential, but not to me. To me, it’d be everything. It hurt to see you, and I don’t need that right now.”

“So that is it?”

“Yes, I think it’s best.”

“Best for you, best for Marin, maybe; I do not accept this. This is not over between us.” He kissed me hard. I pushed him away. He pressed me into the wall. I latched onto his hair and pulled it. Growling, he leaned to kiss me again, so I slapped him. The sound of the slap echoed in the room. I can’t believe I did that. I curled my fingers into my palm.

“No!”

He froze. He raised his hand to his cheek and seemed to come back to himself. Without a word, he pivoted and left the room.

Damn, my hands were shaking, the palm still red from the blow. I ran my hands over my face, then left the room and retreated to the foyer.

Marin stood there. Lara was back. They were arguing. She grabbed his hands and tried to pull him upstairs. He didn’t budge. Now what was this? Lara sure did get around. I should give them privacy, but I wanted to go to my room. And the sight of her with Marin set my teeth on edge.

She saw me over his shoulder and screeched. “You!”

Such hatred in her voice, I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve it. I knew she didn’t like me, but get a grip, sister.

Marin yelled, “Stop. I do not know where you got the idea that I was in any way interested in you. You are with my brother. I want you to leave.”

I cringed. That was cruel of him. I may not like her, but still, burn.

She gave me another look full of hatred and stalked out. A lot of stalking going on tonight.

“She’s going to tell people I’m here.”

“She’d better not.” Squaring his shoulders, he went out after her.