Luc’s green eyes narrow as he studies me.I don’t fidget. Out of all these men, he’s the most powerful. If I win him over, I win them all over.
I lift my chin a fraction and speak in an even tone. “Name him, and I will marry him.”
Luc’s eyebrow rises. “Why are you eager to remain here?”
“I told you. I am an outcast. I want to belong to something greater than myself. I want to serve you.”
Gabriel scoffs. The sound burrows beneath my skin and prods at my temper. I exhale and keep my focus on Luc.
“Please let me belong here. Let me serve your people with my healing and allow me to marry one of your warriors. You need more women, and you need someone with my capabilities.” Even though I have heard their men outnumber their women, I don’t know if it’s factual. I cling to the hope anyway.
Luc sinks back against his chair and studies the parchment on the table, as if the words alone will give him the answer he seeks.
“No,” Gabriel says, his tone final.
I don’t look away from Luc. I cannot, not when he’s holding my Fate in his hands. Not Gabriel. Never Gabriel. He will never have such power over me.
“Please.” I allow my desperation to echo in that one word.
Finally, Luc looks up. Something stirs behind his eyes. Compassion? “You will stay, and I will find someone for you to wed.”
My heart leaps for joyandshatters. Now, I’ll have to keep my pledge to marry a Bloodstone warrior.
“Luc,” Gabriel begins, then he tightens his mouth into a firm line.
“Sol saved my sister’s life, Gabriel. I can’t just send her back.”
“I will serve you.” I have won the first battle. Despite Gabriel’s objections and my trepidations, I won.
“Luc,” Kassandra says, drawing his attention to her. “May I speak?”
He nods. “Of course.”
She glances at me for a breath before talking, her voice soft. “Sol has the serpent mark. I saw it on her wrist when I took her to the river to bathe.”
My breath catches as I force my hands to stay folded and not reach for my wrist.
Doubt festers in Luc’s eyes as he cast his gaze between Kassandra and me. “That’s impossible.”
“It’s not.” Loose strands of hair fall over her shoulders as she nods toward me. “Show them.”
“Never show anyone what the gods cursed you with.”Father’s words pierce my ears.
“I don’t…” I swallow through the sudden grit in my throat. “…see how that has anything to do with my desire to wed one of your warriors.”
“It has everything to do with it,” Luc says curtly. “Show me.”
I reach for my sleeve and grip the hem with all my strength. For ten summers, I have hid the mark. Now a Bloodstone warrior is asking me to show him.
I dart my eyes between Luc and Kassandra. She offers an encouraging smile.
“Please.” I choke out.
I gasp when Gabriel reaches across the table, grabs my right hand, and flips it over.
“Don’t,” I hiss as he yanks up my sleeve with his free hand.
Sunlight streaks through the open tent flap, engulfing the white mark. The hissing serpent laughs at me, as it has since it appeared the summer Mother died. Father said it was a cursed handed down from the high gods, though he never explained why they cursed me.
