Trusted Bond

warrior than I am a pupil of a
    sylvan. You don‘t have the look of a fighter, or of a khatyu… there‘s
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    Mary Calmes

    power, but not‖—he had to think for a second, searching for the word he
    wanted—―fierceness. Who are you?‖
    ―Jin Rayne.‖
    ―From where?‖
    ―Nevada.‖
    His dark brows furrowed. ―How did you come to be here in Sobek?‖
    ―I was abducted.‖
    ―Why?‖
    I had traveled with my best friend across the country, and for the
    most part we had avoided other werepanther tribes and especially semels.
    On those few occasions when we had met them, often I had come away
    bloody and bruised, and sometimes just barely with my life. To try to
    explain to this man, the head of the Shu, the fiercest of werepanther
    warriors, that I was both a reah and a man did not seem smart.
    ―I have no idea,‖ I lied. ―Maybe you can tell me.‖
    His scowl was dark. ―Who took you from your tribe?‖
    ―I don‘t know. I woke up in a room and ran. I was running when you
    saw me.‖
    ―I understand a man taking a woman, but not another man.‖
    What was I supposed to say?
    ―Jamal.‖
    He turned and then lifted his hands to take the tray that was lowered
    to him. Whatever it was smelled amazing.
    ―Here, eat this.‖
    I crossed my legs, tucked the blanket around me so I wouldn‘t flash
    anyone, and took the wooden tray from him. The huge bowl on it held
    thick, succulent-smelling soup that was a dark forest green color and had
    some kind of meat cut into chunks mixed into it.
    ―It‘s chicken.‖
    ―I don‘t really care, but thanks for telling me.‖ I smiled at him.
    He let out a quick breath, watching me devour my food.
    The thick bread was warm and soft, the soup was possibly the best
    thing I‘d ever had in my life, and I couldn‘t drink enough glasses of water.
    Jamal called for a second bowl for me, and I got hummus and pita bread as
    well as mashed eggplant and tahini to dip it in. When I was stuffed, I was
    poured a mug of mint tea that actually tasted as good as it smelled.
    Trusted Bond

    111

    I had listened to the conversation of the men who had taken seats
    around us as I ate. They were talking about the feast, how after fifteen
    days of standing idly by guarding the priest, they were all ready for the
    games of Thoth to begin. They got to compete to see who the best warrior
    was within their ranks as well as testing the initiates that wanted to try and
    join them.
    ―Jin.‖
    My eyes flicked back to the face of Jamal Hassan.
    ―Tell me what tribe you‘re from.‖
    Fifteen days. I had been gone for fifteen days already. I could only
    imagine Logan‘s worry. I needed to get to him as soon as possible.
    ―Jin?‖
    ―Pakhet,‖ I lied.
    ―Pakhet,‖ another man said quickly, taking a seat beside me on the
    couch. ―Why do I know that tribe?‖
    ―Because Jin‘s sheseru was the one shielding those two that attacked
    Logan Church‘s reah,‖ Jamal told him, locking eyes with me. ―Why in the
    world would your semel allow your sheseru to shield those that attacked
    another semel‘s mate?‖
    ―I have no idea.‖ I forced a smile.
    ―What is it with this semel Logan Church and his reah?‖ another
    man asked.
    ―Yes,‖ someone else chimed in. ―Why can‘t he keep her safe?‖
    ―I don‘t think—‖ I began.
    ―If the priest decrees that the reah is not safe with the semel, he‘ll
    remove her,‖ the man to my left told me. ―Did you know that? Did you
    know that the priest can part a mated pair? It is his right by divine law.‖
    ―Only if the reah seeks sanctuary,‖ I corrected him. ― That is the
    law.‖
    The men clustered around Jamal and me went silent. Everyone was
    staring at me.
    ―And how do you know so much about the law?‖ the man standing
    beside Jamal‘s chair asked me.
    ―My father taught me.‖
    He nodded slowly before leaning forward and offering me his hand.
    ―I am Shahid Alon, second to the phocal along with Taj Chalthoum.‖
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    Mary Calmes

    ―Here!‖
    I turned my head at the smiling man who was striding across the
    room to join us. He took my hand warmly in his the minute Shahid
    released me. It was only then, looking at him closely and then glancing
    around the room, that I noticed that all the men were dressed the same, in
    uniforms. I was in a barracks, after all.
    ―So are you one of the khatyu of the tribe of Pakhet?‖
    ―He‘s no fighter,‖ Jamal told Taj. ―He can‘t be.‖
    ―What then?‖ Taj was