Change of Heart

me where he is."
    "Logan knows. Ask him," I said, turning to look at Crane.
    He was tired, and worrying about me wasn't helping. He had basically passed out.
    "He doesn't look concerned," Peter Church rendered his judgment.
    "Looks can be deceiving."
    We were silent again before we were interrupted by Koren, who came striding out onto the balcony. He walked just like his brother and his father, like he was king, like everything he was looking at belonged to him, put there specifically for his pleasure.
    "Is there something you want?"
    "Yeah," he said, crouching down beside the chaise that I was stretched out on. "I wanted to tell you that I never had a problem with you, just in case you thought I did."
    "No?"
    "No," he assured me. "You're my brother's reah, and that's all I care about. Period."
    I stared into the olive green eyes of my mate's younger brother. Logan was born first, then Koren, and finally Russ. I would have enjoyed learning about my mate's siblings if I had been given more time.
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    "I just wanted you to know that."
    "Thank you."
    "You're welcome." He nodded, his eyes soft as he looked at me. "Yuri is back."
    "And he's fine?"
    "He is. Would you like to see him?"
    "Yes."
    "Simone is here," Logan's father chimed in quickly. "You named her aset , so you should see her if you feel up to it."
    "I will see her."
    "I'll go get them both," Koren offered, bolting from the room. It was uncomfortable, being around someone who was going to die. I would have run too.
    I thought Peter had gone with his son, but when he cleared his throat, I realized he was still there. I turned my head so I could see him
    "Please forgive me, Jin. I had no idea the kind of man you were."
    I shrugged. "It doesn't matter."
    "Don't talk like you're dead," he commanded me.
    My eyes flicked to his. "And why not?"
    His jaw clenched, and I saw the pain in his eyes. I looked back to my serene view and forgot about him. Minutes later, Yuri joined me. He looked terrible, his eyes consumed with worry.
    "Why are you acting like this?" I asked him. "You would rather lose me than your semel. Don't deny it."
    "I don't want to lose either of you. We've only just been blessed with you, my reah."
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    by Mary Calmes
    I smiled at him. "Since when did I become your reah?"
    "When you took the mark of my semel and became his mate. From that second, you became the reah of my tribe. I am as pledged to you as I am to him."
    I stared into his eyes and saw that the pain was real.
    Losing me was going to be hard for him, even more so because he would have to watch and do nothing. He would stand there, frozen, knowing that he could save me at any time, but was forbidden from doing so.
    "I don't know if I can bear it."
    "You will bear it because Logan's going to need you." I squinted at him. "I expect you and Markel to uphold the law.
    Call Christophe and have him send his sheseru Avery as well, see if he himself will come and bring his sylvan. I know he hates Logan right now, so seeing him lose his reah might appeal to him."
    "Jin, don't—"
    "The more people there, the better. I don't want Domin going after Logan when I'm dead."
    The muscles in his jaw were working, his eyes red-rimmed as he held himself together. "Please don't speak as though you're—"
    "Enough with the crap," I said irritably. "There's going to be five of them in the pit with me. I can't hope to win; I can only hope that, by my sacrifice, I can keep Logan safe."
    He looked away from me.
    "If I don't die during the fight, they'll perform a winnowing, Markel already told me."
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    Change of Heart
    by Mary Calmes
    His head snapped back around, and his eyes were terrified as he stared at me.
    "If they do it in front of Logan, you'll have restrain him."
    Yuri sat there absolutely still but for his blinking eyes.
    "They'll skin you alive."
    "They'll cut first, or maybe use a whip," I answered as coolly as I could, working hard not to let any emotion creep in. "I don't know, but that part and after... when they finally cut my throat... I need you to be the sheseru that no one should ever have to be and keep your semel restrained. It may be days before you'll be able to release him. Do you understand?"
    He nodded.
    "Domin will have my life, and he is to be either paid or given land. I don't remember how much. It's in the ode of Sekhmet, but I'm not sure where."
    "I know where it is."
    "Good. So you'll pay him, and then your tribe and his will