Page 67 of Bride By Initiation

"Of course you can't," I sneer, my heart racing faster.

He studies me, then declares, "Your chosen path is the initiation of rings."

In a sarcastic tone, I jeer, "Am I going to have to jump through hoops of fire?"

His lips twitch.

"Or maybe play a few rounds of ring toss?"

He ignores my taunts and informs me, "Everyone's initiation is different."

"And?"

He gives me a stern look. "You've been chosen for rings. Twelve women will stand before you. One of them is yours to take."

My stomach drops. I growl, "I don't rape women."

He holds his hands in the air. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! There'll be no rape. Who said anything about rape?"

I point at him, arguing, "You just said there's twelve women and one will be mine."

"Aye. You'll choose her."

"Choose her for what? Ring around the rosie?" I question, my stomach dropping further.

He snaps, "Choose her to be yours. Forever."

I snort. "Sure."

With an angry tone, he announces, "You will marry her. You will make blood vows, and there will be no going back."

"You're joking."

"I'm not. And nor should you be at this moment," he warns.

I curl my fists at my sides with a new round of rage filling me. I insist, "I'm not marrying any woman tonight, especially one I don't know."

"Aye, but you will. And you'll know which one is your bride when you step in front of her. But be careful."

"Of what?"

He glances behind us, even though no one else is here. He continues, "You'll only secure her as yours if you have a reason for her to accept your bid. And it has to be compelling enough because one man will be out. Son, you don't want to be that man."

A chill runs down my spine. I try to take in everything he says, but the more I absorb, the angrier I become. I hurl, "I'm so tired of these answers that aren't answers. They just lead to more questions."

He puts his finger in front of my face, boldly ordering, "Listen to me, lad. You have an inherited right to sit on the throne, but your spot at the table isn't guaranteed. It's meant to be yours, but you have to grab it."

My head buzzes with too many questions.

Fear laces his tone when he says, "Sean, it was your father's place, and now it's meant to be yours. But there's always a fight, and you can't let anyone else win. Am I being clear?"

"No. I don't understand any of this. I don't know what my father was involved in. And I'm not marrying some woman tonight, no matter who she is," I state.

He points up at me and insists, "Youwillmarry her. You will. When the moment comes, you will. If you don't, your seat will go to someone else and then we're in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"The kind your father wouldn't want," he answers.

---