Page 29 of Ashborne Forged

I bit my lip remembering.

I wouldn’t have complained.

Those thoughts turned my head to the herbs he’d given me. I had very mixed feelings about those.

It was good that I could conduct my training without worrying about pregnancy. But Voski’s reluctance, the thought that he might not want children at all, was shocking to me. I hadn’t known it was possible to prevent pregnancy. Though, I now wondered if many of the married women in the Fyrehold Court knew of it. They seemed to lack caution when it came to adventures that didn’t include their husbands. Perhaps I would have been told about this after my marriage?

But if a woman was married and loved her husband, why would she want such a thing?

I could feel Koa, sense her delight at the thought of offspring. She would be pleased if she became pregnant.

And the truth was, I would be also. If it was Voski’s. And if we were married…

I frowned. Were we married?

‘The mate is… closest. The closest,’ Koa sent.

‘You only have one mate, so of course—’

‘No. No. The words… your marriage… the mate is closest. Closer?’

Realizing what she meant, I nodded. ‘You mean, a mate is closer than a husband?’

‘Yes.’

‘I think they might be the same.’

But Koa gave a little call and shook her head. ‘Mate is soul. Mate is heart. Mate is One. Made for you. Husband is Chosen. Husband might become mate.’

Then I understood. ‘Well, in that case, I’m very glad I have a mate, instead of a husband.’ Especially the husband I would have had.

‘Yes,’ Koa purred. ‘Mate is best. And will remain.’

I smiled and patted her neck. ‘I hope so,’ I sent.

She whistled again. ‘No. Not hope. You know.’

I nodded and didn’t respond. Because I hoped she was right. But as I watched Voski fly, I had to question.

I could sense him. Feel his need for me. His desire. Even something I deeply suspected was love. He would protect me. He would guide me, I had no doubt. But remain?

For now, I could only hope.

Koa nudged my mind, startling me out of a dream in which Voski kept wanting me, then pushing me away, leaving me weeping. I was so confused, it was disorienting to come awake.

‘We will land.’

Blinking away the dread from the dream, I looked to Voski. I couldn’t see his face because Kham had flown ahead to put space between us. But his broad shoulders made me smile with relief. He wasn’t pushing me away. It was only a dream.

By the time we landed, my body ached, but my sleepiness was well and truly gone.

It was colder here than it had been at the treehouse. I was glad to be wearing dragon leathers.

When I dismounted, Voski was already at Koa’s foreleg, and the moment I got Koa’s harness off, he grabbed me, pulled my chin up and kissed me soundly.

“I missed you,” he growled.

My stomach trilled and I clung to him, my breath already coming faster. But then, he released me, though he took my hand and drew me around Koa, who turned toward the trees, and Kham.