Page 70 of Stealing Jia

“Maybe, but you’re the one who paid six times the bride price for me,” I countered.

“Female warriors are rare.”

“Not on Earth.”

“I will admit, your species is unique.” Sariel’s tentacles seemed to be staring at me.

Was he trying to freak me out? Cause it was working. “I know you think I’m child-sized and weak, but I’m not. And Trayon’s wealth isn’t the reason I agreed to mate with him.”

Sariel’s eyes narrowed. “No, you did it to keep the Rodan spawn safe.”

“Are you afraid Cason’s going to taint the Askole bloodline?”

“No. Askole blood will overcome the child’s puny Rodan genes. With the proper training Cason will be a formidable warrior.”

Huh? Sariel sounded almost proud of that fact.

“Guard the Shani carefully. Many will try to take her from you, including Zarek,” Sariel said.

“Chiara’s part of our family. I won’t let that happen and I don’t think Trayon or you will either.”

“Any who try to take her will bring the wrath of the Askole Empire down on them,” Sariel drawled ominously.

One look at the remorseless malevolence in his gaze and I believed him.

Whoosh!Moving faster than the eye could follow, Sariel grabbed me and stuck my hand in his mouth.

“Hey! What are you doing? Let go.” I yelped when he bit my index finger. His forked tongue licked up the blood. “If you’re hungry I can order you a meal.”

Sariel bared his fangs in a terrifying grin and released my hand. “Our tongues are able to sense molecular changes.”

“Didn’t know that, and what exactly are you looking for?”

To see if your change has started. It has not. I will take another sample in two days.”

“No, you won’t. Trayon will.”

“As you wish.” Sariel dropped me to the floor. “The sooner you are Askole, the harder you will be to kill.”

He had a point, but I hadn’t really thought about the changes that were going to occur. Holy Mother. Like tentacles, scales, and fangs. Ugh. A horrible thought struck me. “My hair! Am I going to lose my hair?”

“It serves no purpose.”

“I like my hair and I don’t want tentacles.”

“What you want is irrelevant. Once the conversion starts it is irreversible.”

Wonderful.

The door slid open and Bey crawled in.

“What are you doing here?”

“I have been instructed to guard the children while you attend the war council.”

I frowned.“But females aren’t allowed to attend the war council.”

“We have made an exception in your case. Please arrive at 1900 hours. Bring the Shani, we have questions for her too,” Sariel ordered and whizzed away.

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