Simon’s familiar voice cut through the buzzing sound that had filled my ears, and when he moved to join us, he had his knives out and a look on his face that promised pain toanyone who got in his way. He yanked me away from the two barbarians facing off with each other, standing in front of me even though we were pretty much the same height. A presence at my back made me tense, but I let out a breath of relief when I glanced over my shoulder and found Matthew and his bondmate standing behind me.
I was surrounded by people willing to protect me, even though they had no idea what was happening. It didn’t matter to them. My safety came first. The realization was overwhelming.
“What happened?” Simon demanded without looking away from the barbarians who were chest to chest, snarling at each other in their gruff language and looking seconds from starting a fight.
“I-I–” I wasn’t sure what to say. I felt embarrassed for causing more trouble for the barbarians. It’d only been a full day and already, they’d had to protect me three times.
Something the other barbarian said must have crossed a line because Tyos shoved him hard and started swinging, his teeth bared and his face a mask of fury.
“Tyos!” I cried, nails digging into my palms as I fought the urge to get between them. This was my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset. Just because I wasn’t used to that kind of attention didn’t mean I had to insult the man. I could have been kinder about it.
More barbarians swarmed the two, separating them and keeping them apart. Uttin strode into the fray, his face like a thundercloud, and got into Tyos’s face. His voice was too low for me to hear him, but his expression was foreboding, and he didn’t look happy about Tyos starting a fight.
When it was Tyos’s turn to talk, he looked like he was fighting a scowl, his words gruff and growly. Uttin’s gaze snapped to me for a second, and I shrank under his intense stare as Tyos explained his side of it. I wanted to speak up, to tell Uttinhe’d only been trying to protect me, but I felt a lot like I had when confronted by Marvin. Frozen where I stood, fear and embarrassment making it impossible for me to speak.
Uttin said something to Tyos, who nodded sharply, then stepped around him, coming to stand in front of Simon instead. He didn't force the smaller man to move from where he stood protecting me, instead looking past him to speak to me without moving me from where I felt safe.
“Tyos says you were attacked. Is this true?”
“Um…” I felt tears fill my eyes, unsure how to answer him. I didn’t want Tyos to get in trouble for protecting me, but I shouldn’t have made such a big deal out of nothing either.
Spinning around, Simon looked at me, making a tick sound behind his teeth before grabbing my wrist and pulling me away. For such a small man, he was a force to be reckoned with, and I had no choice but to follow him until we were near the wagons and alone aside from Uttin and Simon’s barbarian, who stood nearby, but with his back to us, protecting us from the rest of the clan.
“Tell me what happened,” Simon insisted.
“I-It was nothing,” I croaked. “A misunderstanding–”
“If that were true, you wouldn’t look so pale and terrified,” Simon argued.
“Simon,” Uttin chastised. “He is still new. Be kind.”
Simon shot him a dirty look, but forced himself to take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. When he looked at me again, his fierce expression was softer, and he looked a little less murderous than he had before. He gave me an expectant look, but I still didn’t know what to say.
“Would Matthew being here help?” he offered.
It was a little embarrassing wanting a man so much younger than me to be nearby as a comforting presence, but I nodded inagreement. They obviously weren’t going to let it go, and having someone familiar to me made me feel better.
Uttin called Matthew over, and he sat with me on the back of one of the wagons, a hand on my shoulder as I worked up the courage to speak.
“I was going to return my bowl when the barbarian stopped me. He asked me if I was a tribute, and I said I wasn’t, but I think he was confused because he started asking me about my interests. I know male tributes were a thing before the new treaty with Al Nuzem. He…” I swallowed hard, staring at my hands as I forced myself to continue. “He propositioned me, but when I said no, he got a little rough, and I guess Tyos thought he needed to protect me because he got in between us, and they started to argue.” A tear slid over my cheek, and I dashed it away, trying to keep my voice from wobbling. “I swear, I’m not trying to cause trouble. I didn’t mean to upset the barbarian. I should have been more clear, more polite–”
“That’s bullshit,” Simon snapped, cutting me off and making my head jerk up. “He asked, you said no, that should have been it. He got his ass kicked for hurting you, which is exactly what he deserved.”
My hand moved to cover the spot on my arm that still throbbed from the grip of the barbarian’s hold. “It was nothing…”
Matthew didn’t seem to agree, urging me to lift my sleeve to show him the bruise forming on my arm. Simon’s eyes went wide when he saw it, and he spun around on his heel, only stopped from going after the barbarian because his husband got in his way before he could gut him with his knives.
“That’s not nothing,” Uttin said, his voice edged with fury and forced calm. “I will speak with the clan leader about this. You should not have been harmed for saying no.”
CHAPTER NINE
TYOS
Being a representative of my clan, I was required to eat with the leader of the Ilvos clan, to discuss trade and the like in my clan leader’s stead. I’d attempted to pass the responsibility off to Dras alone, wanting to stay close to Arlen while he was resting, but Uttin had insisted, and I felt content to wait after seeing Arlen with the rest of the townsfolk we were escorting, smiling and enjoying himself. As long as he was within my sight, I could wait to be close to him again.
At least, that was what I had thought. But I found myself moving before I had made the conscious decision to do so the second I saw him being approached by a member of the Ilvos Clan. I tried to tell myself I was just protecting him, but even I could hear the lie inside my head. I didn’t want him approached by other warriors before I had a chance with him. I found him first. I’d felt what it was like to sleep with him in my arms. I wanted a chance to earn his affections before someone else stole him away from me.
I was crossing the village center when I saw the Ilvos clan member grab Arlen’s arm. I heard Arlen’s whimper even from a distance, and my protective instincts flared at the way he flinched at the touch. I quickened my pace, shoving the Ilvos warrior away, putting myself between him and Arlen, and growled out a warning.