Page 71 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

"That's what I said." She smiled at their synchronicity. "Jasmine told them it's just a visit, hoping they'll fall in love with the village and want to stay."

"That's very possible," Max said. "The village is beautiful, and the community is great. They will feel at home right away."

Kyra wasn't sure about that. The girls had grown up in a very different society, but as the saying went, getting used to good things was easy. They would love to have a world of opportunities open to them with no gender-based discrimination and restrictions.

"I think you are right, but it's not going to happen overnight. It's a big change for them." She chuckled. "I can only imagine them putting on a swimming suitfor the first time in their lives and jumping into the pool."

Max nodded. "I bet. I've seen those ridiculous photos of women getting into the water clothed from head to toe. It's like they want to erase women from existence." He let out a breath. "It's the teachings of Mortdh made manifest. He was the original misogynist."

What was he talking about? "Who's Mortdh?"

"Mortdh was a powerful god who had an arranged engagement to our clan mother. She chose to marry another, her truelove mate, and Mortdh felt scorned. He was insane to start with, but that must have pushed him over the edge. His son Navuh is the leader of the Doomers, and he carries on his father's legacy of rabid hatred for women." He snorted derisively. "Although truth be told, he's only pretending to believe in that crap because it serves his purposes. Apparently, he loves his mate, and although he has a harem full of concubines, he never touches any of them."

"The definition of insanity is that it doesn't make sense, so he can love his wife and hate all other women and somehow justify it to himself." Kyra took another sip of her coffee. "But how do you know that he loves her? Do you have spies in the Doomers' stronghold?"

"In a way, yes, we do." Max smiled. "I love how you always think like a warrior." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I love everything about you."

"Same here." She looked into his eyes and suddenly realized that they had started talking about loving each other as if it were a given.

It had just happened.

"I love everything about you. From your sarcastic humor to your enormous heart and everything in between."

His eyes were glowing as he stared back at her. "Fates, Kyra. I want to kiss you so badly. Do you think we can sneak into the bathroom together without your sisters noticing?"

And just like that, the serious moment was gone and she burst out laughing. "We could, if Yamanu was here and shrouded us. Regrettably, he's on the other plane."

Max groaned. "I don't think I ever missed the bastard as much as I miss him now."

"He's not a bastard." She playfully flicked his arm. "I like Yamanu." She smiled. "My sisters like him too. I need to tell them that he's taken."

"Among all the other things you need to tell them." Max leaned over and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "For now, it will have to do. Anyway, back to your sisters, there are plenty of eligible bachelors in the village."

Nodding, Kyra sipped her coffee and thought how long it would take her sisters to shed the shackles of their oppressive past and embrace their newfound freedoms. The new houses were a good start.

"I've never had a real home, not that I canremember anyway. The resistance camps were always temporary."

"You'll have one now." Max took her hand. "A place of your own, your family nearby. It's one of the best things about the village—the sense of belonging. The same is true for our castle in Scotland. It's a smaller community, but with most everyone living in the castle, it's like one big family."

"It sounds wonderful," Kyra said softly. Then, a thought struck her, and she felt a strange hollowness open in her chest. "I had a home and a family once. I just can't remember it."

Max's expression didn't change, but she caught the subtle tightening of his fingers around his coffee cup. "Yes, you did."

"I have—had—a husband." The notion was abstract, disconnected from any emotional reality she could access. "Should I go see him?"

Max set his cup down carefully. "We can't let Boris see you and keep his memories of that encounter, for obvious reasons, so what's the point? It will just cause him distress. And I'm not saying that because I'm jealous or anything like that."

"What if I wear a disguise to make myself look older? I'm sure Eva can do that for me. I feel like I need closure. Like he does. After all, we have a daughter together."

Max considered that for a moment. "That could be done. If Eva can make you look twenty yearsolder, seeing you will be a great relief for Boris. He blames himself for your death."

She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "You are incredible, you know that?"

"Of course." He puffed out his chest. "I'm Maximilian the Great."

"Would you come with me to see Boris?"

"Naturally. He is nearly bald and pudgy, but I'm still a little jealous of the history you two shared." He took a long breath. "I was in his head. I've seen the love he still has for you. And even though I feel sorry for him, I won't let him take you away from me."

---