To Defend A Bride (Entangled with the Enduar #3)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

MELISA

T his godsdamned city is enormous, and I keep getting lost. Between hundreds of unoccupied homes, bobbing lights, and dozens of smells, each different from the last, I can’t find the house they gave me.

I lean against one of the doors and let out a long breath. I slept like shit, tossing and turning, dreaming of Ra'Sa drowning. After waking up the third time, drenched in sweat and convinced that Ra’Sa had died before I had enough time to inspire a passionate obsession deeper than the oceans, I decided to abandon sleep.

It's not early, not really, but most of the others are still exhausted and are nestled safely in their beds.

Walking down the streets that separate the groups of houses, I notice the tools and weapons hanging on the outside of the occupied homes. Hammers hang above collections of crystals and other contraptions I neither recognize nor know how to use. Wheels, pumps, and long, wickedly sharp blades. It's all curious. All strange.

A part of me hopes to see Ra’Sa. On the trek, I noticed he was also an early riser. I slow my pace when a few Enduares leave their homes. Some reach for their hammers, but all nod to me as they pass. The sheer muscle mass and height stretch above me, proud and strong with every step.

Some say simple greetings in the human tongue, and I answer with common language words. It's strange to see them all acting this way, as if it were normal for me to wander through their city.

I’ve even seen a few women. They match Enduar strength and raw allure, with skin the color of rippling ocean waves, but they don’t approach.

One man shuts the door firmly behind him, and I'm disappointed yet again to see that it isn't Ra'Sa.

He's not one of the Enduares we traveled with. He's beautiful, as they all are—stronger than any human—but he’s not mighty like a certain stone bender.

I cast him a slow smile.He tosses me an easy greeting.

Instead of walking past, he pauses.

"You're one of the new humans, no?"

I nod. "I am. They call me Melisa."

"Melisa. Charmed. They call me Faol." He dips his head, and a scar comes into view I hadn't noticed earlier. It's a brutal marking slashed across his face. When he pulls his head back up, curiosity sparkles in his features.

Spell lights cause his straight, thick strands of hair to shine, and his lips easily pull from frown to smile. It’s a pleasant thing to behold. He inspects me as I inspect him, and for a second, I consider stepping closer—just to test the waters, however briefly.

But instead, his eyebrows furrow, and he steps away.

A strange sting pricks my chest before a hand rests on my shoulder.

"Faol. Can I help you?" Ra'Sa's voice feels like a feather-light touch sliding up my spine.

My heart jolts.

Is he softening to me?

I look up to meet Ra’Sa’s eyes and smile sweetly. He smirks, and my heart sputters. The sharp angles of his soul chip away another bit of my armor, and for a glimmer of a second, I think about how I wanted to kiss him today.

Better yet, I want to ravish those sweet lips. Kissing certainly should be on the list of ways I make him fall in love with me.

The Enduar next to us, Faol, clears his throat. “Lord Ra'Salore. My apologies. She looked lost. I didn't realize?—”

"All is forgiven. You should run along and see if Lord Lothar is feeling better. He was distressed after the meeting last night," Ra'Sa says gently.

Faol starts to move away, leaving us alone between the quiet homes, and I turn to look at Ra'Sa.

"Good morning. I didn't realize you attended a meeting last night," I say swiftly.

A frown pulls the corners of his mouth back down. "I didn't tell you while we were in the pools?"

I shake my head.

"I must've been distracted," he says with a smirk.

Pleasure warms my belly. I’m going to wrap him around my finger so tightly.

"I'd be happy to distract you further."

I watch the reaction spread across his face. It starts with the widening of his pupils and ends with the flaring of his nostrils. I reach out to touch him, but he catches my wrist. His grasp is firm but gentle.

"I don't know much about humans or your mating customs," he says after a moment. "But for me and my people, you seem… interested, to say the least."

I suck in a sharp breath. "Would it please you if I was interested?"

His brows draw together, and his hand slides from my wrist to my palm. “It matters little. We are not mated.”

The heated air between us goes cold, and I pull out of his grasp. “Why are you telling me this?”

“It is a kindness. If we are not mated, what is the point? I do not wish you to think I care for you when we cannot be.”

I step away from him. Estela had mentioned mates—the person some foreign god chose for you—but I didn’t realize the only way to find a future was by procuring one.

I’ve been wasting my time like a fucking idiot .

My chest burns.

“Do the rest of your people share this sentiment?”

“Yes.”

My cheeks go flame red. If he won’t touch me without a godsdamned matehood, and neither will any other man, then I guess I’ll have to find a mate—and fast because I need to get back.

“How do I know if one of you is my mate?” I ask, frustrated and hot.

“A song will bloom in the very air around you.”

I roll my eyes. “There’s already a song playing.”

“Yes, but this one will be different. You probably will hear it after they place a stone in your chest.”

I huff and start to walk away from him.

His footsteps sound, and he touches my arm. “Wait.”

I turn around and take a deep breath before asking, “Yes?”

“I saw them preparing breakfast. You should go.”

I bite my lip. “Go where?”

“To eat.” He looks at the enormous clock tower watching over the city, then purses his lips. "I need to meet with the other stone benders soon, but I will show you the way."

“Thank you,” I grit out.

We walk in silence, with nothing but the bustle of people passing us and the common sounds of the cave to break through my disappointment. When we arrive in a massive hall with mushrooms lining the outer walls, he pauses, and I step away.

Looking up, I see Teo and Estela cooking food like commoners. What a sight.

Ra'Sa breaks away from my side.

“Be well. We will likely see each other later,” he says abruptly, then disappears.

I purse my lips and find some other women already arriving at breakfast. I walk into their huddle, greeting them brightly. Some look frightfully pregnant.

My sympathies.

Abi and Paoli are chatting near the feasting tables, and I go to stand near them.

"Afternoon!" they all say brightly to me as I approach.

I smile and nod. “Hello, friends. Hope you all slept well.”

They share a look.

"You left before all of us. I was surprised. Hell, I could hardly slide out of bed after all the walking we did. Did your mating song call you?” Abi asks, her tone verging on excited.

Something clicks in my mind. That's what Ra'Sa had been talking about. A new strain of nerves slither through my ribs.

"I thought mating only happened with those stones in your chest," I say absently when I catch three of the other rescued slaves watching us across the pavilion. They whisper and narrow their eyes.

I frown at their reaction. Back in Zlosa, there had always been a general mistrust of comfort women. Hilarious to think that a woman who shares a man’s bed also shares his ideals, but the prejudice runs strong.

It surprises me to see it here, seeing as how they wouldn’t have escaped without us.

A new woman joins our conversation, and I’m happy to see not all share their sentiment.

"I heard the queen’s song started before she had her stone. And someone told me Lola started to feel poorly last night when they all rushed out of their houses," the pregnant woman says while easing herself onto a bench.“Suddenly, she was too hot, and she swooned right into the arms of a tall man.”

I twist my fingers, wondering if that's true. Ra'Sa is unattached. Will one of the other humans be mated to him?

Probably.

It’s time to let the idea of him go.

Most of the women have washed, and all of them look much better than we did while traveling. One even looks like Seranya, with her oval face and broad lips.

A wistful memory returns, and I try to let some of the pent up feelings flow away. Life is never so bad that I can’t find a way out.

I take a deep breath, straighten my shirt, and then turn to the people cooking our meal. King Teo hovers around Estela like he can’t help but keep her close. It’s somehow endearing, especially when he wraps his hands around her waist while she cuts.

I sit and watch for as long as possible, taking in all kinds of Enduares as they filter into the pavilion.

One with an elaborate, crystal-laden dress saunters around. I smile when I hear the crystals clink and chime with each step. She's regal. Proud. With toned arms and a rod-straight spine. This is the kind of woman you take drinking.

Then, another woman enters. This Enduar is different from all the rest, with a grey tone to her blue skin and strikingly silver hair. It’s pulled up tight in a bun—meaning she’s unmated—but she pulls out a set of knives for chopping and sets to work. Her quick, precise cuts are fascinating.

“I want to work with her,” Abi says, breaking away from her conversation.

I smile and nod. “You probably will soon.”

When a little troll girl comes to join them in their cooking, something bursts in my chest. I know her—she said hello to me the night before.

Rila.

She passes out bowls of soup, and the pavilion fills with humans and Enduares alike. Sadly, she doesn’t come to speak to me today.

Instead, I focus on the human man who returned to Enduvida. He also joins us in the meal, clinging to the walls, and I watch him carefully. He looks like a lumber yard slave. While we traveled, he practically refused to look at any of us.

“Have any of you started a mating song?” I ask, turning back to the women at my table.

All of them frown, shaking their heads.

“I’m sure someone will soon,” I say brightly.

“How will we ever find one if they keep separating us from the men?” grumbles a newcomer whom I don’t recognize.

“Are they keeping us separate?” Abi asks.

In response, the woman lifts her spoon from her bowl and points at the entrance.

Not eating, I watch the enormous arches that lead to the feasting area. Every now and again, I see a few of the men try to enter the pavilion, presumably to get a closer look at the humans. They look at us like children look at toys—wide-eyed and somewhat hungry.

It's a stark contrast to the blatant possessiveness that Ra'Sa regards me with, but it's not unwelcome.

A few Enduares helping with the meal approach the new guests, hand them food, and send them away. The men leave, looking miserable.

Interesting.

I continue to watch until Estela walks to the front of the tables.

“ ?Todos tienen comida? ”? 1 she says in the human tongue.

We all start to nod.

Estels steps forward, and I can already tell she’s preparing for a lecture. Our eyes meet, and I cast her a reassuring smile when she opens her mouth.

“As you can imagine, living in a cave is not ideal for humans,” she starts. “The lack of sunlight will do cruel things to your mind, skin, and soul. While leaving the cave is an option, we have had problems with vaimpír attacks. Add in the state of our relationships with the giants, and the wisest place to be is here. Luckily, we have a way for you to get sunlight.”

When Estela reaches into her dress's neckline and pulls it down, I perk up. I'd seen the stone embedded in her chest many times, but now there was a curiosity surrounding it that I didn't have before.

Around me, most of the women let out confused noises, moving forward to get a better look at what they may be missing. Her action only shows about half of the actual stone, for I know that it dips down to the bottom of her breasts.

When she can’t pull down her shirt further, a human man walks forward, one who had lived in Enduvida before we arrived.

He has long, black hair and the beginnings of a beard and pulls up his shirt. He's scrawny as far as slaves go. Interestingly, even a few months under the mountain hasn't improved the constant emaciation most experienced in Zlosa.

His crystal isn't the same shape as Estela's; it's more round and much more red, but I imagine it works similarly in function.

I watch with a critical eye, and a woman shouts, “?Qué demonios es eso?” ? 2

The beautiful older Enduar reappears, crystals still chiming, and casts a disapproving look into the crowd. I like her—she doesn't act like any of us are breakable.

When I get back, I'll have to make friends with her.

“It’s called a Fuegorra, and it is our most sacred stone,” the new woman calls back into the crowd. “Enduares have used these gems since the dawn of time. They extend your life, help your body heal when you are ill, and signal your mate. The insertion is not painful, I can assure you—especially since we already have several humans who wear them in their chests.”

As she speaks, I notice that a few Enduar men return, waiting at the entrance. And then, the king quietly breaks away from the meal and exits.

Seeing the king walk away makes me anxious. Hearing about the underground customs doesn’t excite me—not when my top priority is finding a way to back to my family.

I start to hurry out of the area and after the king, only to realize I don't know exactly where he went. I walk faster, reaching another cluster of homes, looking around frantically for the house I’d slept in.

It’s nowhere to be seen.

Frustrated, the small failures of the day start to creep up on me. I think of how I didn’t kiss Ra’Sa, there’s no mating between us, and I’m no closer to getting back to Zlosa.

For a minute, thoughts of Griselda press in. I try not to think too much about how she treated me growing up—I was strong enough to handle it.

Some might even say I was better for it.

But now, knowing that they are alone with her is terrifying. I press a hand to my chest and then straighten.

You just didn't rest long enough .

I start looking for the small home that I share with Abi and Paoli. Sleep will do me well, and tomorrow, I will go to get my stone.

What happens if your plan fails and you are sent back to Eneko’s home? What will he do if he ever sees that on you?

Gods.

I shove the thoughts away. I already braved the trek here. Hell, I escaped. I’ll deal with Eneko. It won't be too hard to hide it or never lie with him again.

Besides, if the stone chooses someone for me, it might be easier than getting Ra'Sa to react to my advances like any other normal, female-preferring man. The ritual they described could do me good.

I try to consider it, but my thoughts stubbornly stray back to Ra’Sa. If I’d picked any other man, they would've been waiting for me at my bed or followed me around, ready to sweep me off my feet at a moment’s notice.

But he’s an Enduar, and he wants a mate.

I sigh and look around the neighborhood, suddenly realizing it looks familiar. This time, I actually find my way back to my house.

As I approach the circular, deep blue building, I see an elderly woman exit her home across the way. It seems strange that she isn't at the feast.

Pausing for a second, I decide to go to her.

She's out in the front, plucking mushrooms from pots that cover the front side of her home, but she stops when she sees me approach.

“Hello,” I say.

She smiles warily. “Morning, human.”

I blink at her greeting. “Are you hungry? They have food in the common area right now.”

I gesture over in the direction of the hall.

“Oh, that is kind of you.” She shakes her head and holds up the mushrooms in her basket. “I’m just fine, though. I don't enjoy the way they cut their mushrooms."

I smile. "Not too many humans for you?"

Her lips quirk up.

“Never too many humans.” She pauses and places some more of her fungi into a basket. "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't. But I'm Melisa," I say.

“It was nice to meet you, Melisa. They call me Leuel.”

I nod, her name instantly ringing a bell. Ra’Sa had used the name… for his mother. A new feeling crashes over me.

I’m out of place here.

The woman seems to notice my distress.

"You best go back to what you were doing. I'll need to prepare my lunch," she says, still harvesting.

I force a smile on my face. “Of course. Enjoy.”

She smiles but doesn’t say anything more as I return to my house and walk inside.

I look around the room at the brightly textured fabrics and sit down.

Ra’Sa’s mother. It’s such a quotidian, mundane thing to see a mother outside her house, picking mushrooms. She was… kind to me.

That unsettles me deeply.

After another hour passes, staring up at the roof of my new home and memorizing the strange, gleaming material, I close my eyes and relax into the soft cushions.