Page 24 of The Iron Oath
“But what about my fated mate?” she asked. Did she tell him? The fear that was present in Gelisha’s eyes at the sight of her did something to her. Had something happened between Tulak and the Seshes that she was unaware of? Had Xagok shared something with her that led her to not trusting the chieftain?
Even if it’s your own father?
Amuleta’s words echoed through her mind.
“What about them? Have you found the one and have not shared it with your family?” He gave her shoulder a squeeze then released her. He folded his thick muscular arms in front of his chest. “Have you?”
It was Magoza’s turn to walk over to the window. She was met with the rolling green hills outside the stone walls. Udenia was a beautiful country surrounded by ocean on three sides. The sky was a multitude of colors as the suns would be rising soon. She blew out a deep breath and tried to focus on the scenery but all she could see was Amuleta’s wide eyes as she’d knelt before her.
“What if I had. Would I get to choose her instead of one of the three?” she asked.
“Absolutely.” Her father’s reply was immediate. His footsteps echoed behind her. He came to stand next to her.
She kept her gaze straight, unable to meet his eyes at the moment.
“Why would you think that your fated mate wouldn’t be honored?” he asked. “That person would be a blessing from the gods.”
“Can I ask you a question?” She leaned against the wall and continued looking at the horizon. Solana and Lyra rising was always breathtaking. After the night she’d had tossing and turning, she needed something to bring her joy.
“Kraz.”
“How well did you know Commander Sesh?” she asked, changing the subject.
He grew still next to her. It had been a long while since the former commander’s name had been mentioned. She flicked her gaze to him and found him looking at her. She couldn’t get a read on him. For a moment she didn’t think he was going to respond to her.
“You know of my relationship with Xagok. Not only was he your predecessor, he was a friend,” Tulak started. He turned toward the window and rested his hands on the ledge.
She wasn’t sure how to approach the fact that someone who was close to him, someone who had held the chieftain’s ear, may have kept secrets from him.
“There’s not a day that doesn’t go by that I don’t miss him telling me what I should or shouldn’t be doing.”
Magoza smirked at that comment. If there had been one other person beside her mother who kept him in check, it would have been Xagok. Here in this exact room, they’d had plenty of meetings to plan attacks or defense strategies when Angarth Keep was under siege. When the former commander had transitioned, she’d known she would have big shoes to fill. Herfather had believed that she would make the perfect replacement for his fallen friend.
“But did you really know him,Ranhos?” she asked carefully.
He cut his gaze to her and arched an eyebrow.
“Spit out what you are trying to say,danhas,” he snapped.
“Why was he banished from the Dhogurd Clan? They are a strong southern clan. They have kept the borders secured and have always been an ally. Sakgu may be a little deranged, but he’s a good male. A good leader. Why would he banish his own flesh and blood?” she asked boldly. She needed to know if her father knew of Xagok’s family. The two women were living out in the middle of the woods with no protection. No one to keep them safe.
Tulak straightened to his full height. He was large orc, standing at seven feet tall with pure muscle. Like her, he had battle scars to prove his worthiness of being the chieftain. He was never one to shy away from a fight. He jumped right in the front and led his armies. There was an intensity in his eyes that may have meant she had gone too far in her questioning him of his knowledge of his former war commander, but she wasn’t going to back down. This was her mate and her mate’s mother who she was speaking about. Whether or not Amuleta would allow her to claim her, Magoza would do what she needed to keep them safe.
Magoza couldn’t force Amuleta to mate with her. The gods would certainly look down on her. Magoza wished that Amuleta’s orc heritage would allow her to feel the mating bond. If it had, they would have already sealed their bond. Neither of them would have been unable to resist. For Magoza, it was absolute torture to know that her mate was out there and was rejecting her.
But she wasn’t going to give up.
Magoza was a stubborn warrior, and she would get Amuleta to fall in love with her. It may take time, but she was willing to wait for her. Amuleta was worth it.
“What is shared in this room between me and you stays here.” Tulak stalked away from her and stood in the center of the room.
Magoza turned, curious as to what her father was about to reveal to her. This was a side of him that she had never seen before. Just before he’d turned away from her, she could have sworn there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
“You have my word that what is spoken here will remain between us,” she replied.
Silence fell between them. He rested his hands on his waist while he stared off into something only he could see. He inhaled sharply.
“You know what happened that day. The day that Xagok died,” he started.
