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Everything within him wanted to fight again-the idea of letting Harth out of his sight, let alone under the eyes of other males wanted to blind him. But as he felt her fear bloom, he was reminded that at least he’d know if something went wrong. He would know, and he would take action.

‘Trust me,’ he murmured in her head. ‘The Queen takes honor in her word.’

Then he locked eyes with El and spoke to her not as her Captain, but as her loyal friend. “You leave her free in my home-the guards stay outside. And you promise you’ll free her the second you know she’s safe.”

To his relief, Elreth nodded immediately. “I’ll do better than that, I’ll let you free her.” Then she turned to the guards. “Put the word around. No one can account for Harth’s freedom except myself, Aaryn, Gar, or Tarkyn. If anyone else attempts it, it will be seen as an act in violation of my peace and that person will be named a traitor. As long as she remains in her mate’s home, she’s left untouched.”

Then she turned to Tarkyn. “I believe I can still trust you, Tarkyn. Don’t convince me otherwise.”

A wave of gratitude washed over him, but it brought with it an undercurrent of fear. He shook just thinking about being apart from Harth. But if this approach could leave her free... it was worth it.

“Can I please take her to my home, and can we... Can I prepare her?”

“You have ninety minutes. I need to speak with Aaryn and Gar, and we’ll make sure the Alpha’s son has been fed so that they can be as relaxed as possible. I’m looking for answers, Tark. Not to conquer.”

.....

Harth coughed, shaking her head to argue that point-what need was there to imprison her and keep her away from her Alphas if the Queen wanted peace? But Elreth’s intimidating gaze snapped to Harth.

“Tell me what your leaders would do, Harth? And be honest: If I arrived in your land, and I brought a warrior who was strong, and that Warrior attacked and almost killed your King, your people? I’ve spoken with Sasha, she is not a withering flower. Tell me she wouldn’t stifle the risk until they were certain I could be trusted? If you try to say otherwise, you lie. Sasha admitted as much herself.”

Harth glared, tension twisting in her chest. Tarkyn held her tightly to his side, his tension high as well. But there was no doubt that this was ending better than Harth had imagined when he’d been carried in her by his own men.

Elreth turned to her mate and her brother. “Make sure the healers make the Alphas as comfortable as they can be. You stay here with me so we can plan how to approach the... discussions. Tarkyn, I’ll expect you back here within ninety minutes. No later.”

Tarkyn nodded and saluted again, though he didn’t let go of Harth.

Then, as the Queen turned away from them, he led her out of the building, Harth’s teeth gritted in a twist of fear and anger when the guards who’d carted them in there circled them again.

*******

As they walked quickly down the trail, Tarkyn kept an arm around her and looked at each of the guards, muttering orders for them to give more space. He was relieved-and could see Harth relax-when they kept a much wider berth this time. But her body still quivered, waiting for that sudden attack from behind that had happened earlier. Tarkyn wanted to claw something.

‘Where are we going?’ she asked him through the bond, clinging to his waist.

Tarkyn never looking around them, checking the position of the guards, and looking for other dangers as well. But the truth was, the guards would stand in his defense, just as solidly as they would stop Harth from fleeing.

‘My home,’ he said, and then it hit him... he was taking her home.

‘What is it?’ Harth asked, nervous.

Tarkyn gave a little huff, uncertain how to feel. A curl of joy had begun in his chest, and yet it was shadowed by the weight of their position.

‘I just realized... I’ve been waiting for the day I could bring my mate to my home. But I didn’t imagine it would happen this way.’ He smiled down at her, shaking his head. ‘I wish all of this were happening differently, Harth, but... but my home is your home. Do with it as you will. It has need of the female touch,’ he said with a small pinch of dread. But there was no time or space to think of the details of life-whether his home was clean or she would like it. At that moment his chest tightened because while he imagined walking her inside and watching her reaction... he also saw himself having to leave her there, alone.

He shuddered.

‘Tarkyn, what’s wrong?’

‘I just don’t want to leave you,’ he said, glancing at the guards over his shoulder again. ‘But I can see Elreth coming around, Harth. Thank you for not arguing about this. I know... I know it was hard. And I’ll make certain I’m not gone a moment longer than is needed. I’m just certain that this is needed. El needs to see that I’m still her loyal Captain-and I need to be there to make certain that your Alphas are understood and... listened to.”

A chill ran in his blood when he thought of the dozen ways this could go wrong if the warrior was enraged again. But perhaps if one good thing came from their own conflict that morning, it was that Elreth and the others would be reminded how far a male would go for his family.

The walk to his tree took several minutes. Tarkyn, that joy and thrill threading deeper into his veins, tried to prepare her-he had lived the life of a soldier. His tree was neat and well cared for, but... stark.

But Harth truly didn’t seem to care, only gripping his side as they walked and leaning into him. ‘I just want to be with you.’

Tarkyn nodded and held her until finally the trail turned and his Great Tree could be seen, the trail taking a wide bend around it because he’d chosen this area which was more remote.

When he was younger and just finding his feet as a Lieutenant, he’d needed a place that would remain quiet even during the day if he was working night shifts. And he’d never moved closer to the center of the Tree City, though the larger trees there had been offered to him more than once. He’d always found relief in having a place to simply be, without the eyes of others watching-or the burden of authority.

The only Anima who came out here were hunters and trackers, or the occasional family or group of young ones taking a trip to the mountains. He was less than a mile from the center of the City, but there were very few homes on this side, and none of them within earshot.

As he pointed it out, Harth’s eyes widened. The door into the tree, and the windows-lots of windows-drawing her eyes. “The tree is... still alive?” she asked quietly.

Tarkyn chuckled. “Yes, the Great Trees share themselves with us. As long as we leave them their roots and their branches, they shelter us in their hearts,” he said with a quiet smile.

They looked at each other as they stepped into the shadow of the tree. Tarkyn glanced over her shoulder as the guards trotted to circle the tree and set themselves within eyesight of it, and each other. Tarkyn’s tension burned, but as they reached the door, he pulled her to a halt and turned to face her, holding her against him. She looked up at him, nervous and curious.

“We have an hour, Harth. I wish we had more. I pray we’ll get more today. But for now, it will be a lifetime’s joy to show you my home-our home. So I propose to you that when we step through here, we take that hour and hold it precious. Forget what occurs out here... forget the coming distance. For an hour, let’s just be newly mated and finding each other in this world. Will you do that with me?”

Harth burst into a beaming smile. “Yes, Tarkyn. Yes!”

He leaned down to kiss her quickly, then opened the door and ushered her in. “Welcome home, my love.”

*****

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