Page 21 of Daring the Drakarn Warrior Lord
She rolled her eyes. "Get your ass out here."
I dropped my jacket and joined her. The first sprint felt good, muscles warming, blood pumping. The second was harder. By the fifth, I remembered why I usually avoided Vega's training sessions. The woman was relentless.
We ran in silence for a while. Just breathing and footfalls and the scrape of boots on stone. As usual, this place felt like a furnace. Sweat soaked through my shirt.
Finally, Vega slowed to a stop. She bent over, hands on knees, sucking air. I did the same, grateful for the break.
"So," she said between breaths. "What do you want?"
"Can't I just want to train with a friend?"
"You could. But you don't." She straightened, wiping sweat from her face. "You've got that look. The one that means you're about to do something stupid and you want someone to tell you it's a good idea."
Damn. She knew me too well.
I grabbed her water flask and took a long drink, buying time and ignoring the faintly disgusted look she gave me for stealing her drink. "I'm thinking about entering the Skalanth."
Vega's expression didn't change. "No."
"You didn't even let me explain."
"I don't need to. The answer is no." She snatched the flask from me and took a drink. "That's a terrible idea."
Okay, this was not going as expected. "It would show them I can compete on their level."
"It would show them you're willing to break your neck for their approval." Vega's voice was flat. Final. "Which you shouldn't be."
I felt my jaw tighten. "I thought you'd understand."
"I do understand. That's why I'm saying no." She moved closer, her gray eyes sharp. "You're never going to win if you play by their rules, Terra. The whole fucking thing is rigged. It's designed for Drakarn warriors for Drakarn strengths. You entering doesn't prove you're strong. It proves you're desperate."
The word hit harder than it should have.
"I'm not desperate."
"Then why are you considering this?" Vega gestured at the training chamber around us. "You've already proven yourself. Multiple times. You led the defense when those desert predators attacked. You've trained with their warriors and held your own.You survived a crash landing on an alien planet and built a life here. What more do you need to prove?"
"That I belong," I said quietly.With Darrokar. I couldn't bring myself to say that last bit out loud. Idid.He was my mate. Fate had decreed it, and the rest of the universe could take a hike.
"To whom? Karyseth? The fuckers who hate us on principle?" Vega shook her head. "They're never going to accept you. Not if you win the Skalanth. Not if you single-handedly save the city. They've decided you're the enemy, and nothing you do will change that."
"So I should just accept the bullshit? Let them treat me like I'm some kind of parasite?"
"No. You should stop caring what they think." Vega's voice softened slightly. "The Skalanth is about pride. Tradition. It's not about real worth or actual capability. It's a ritual designed to reinforce their hierarchy and their values. Why do you need validation from a system that was never built for you?"
I wanted to argue. Wanted to explain that it was more complicated than that, that my position as Darrokar's mate meant I had to meet certain expectations, that proving myself wasn't about validation but about survival.
But the words stuck in my throat.
"What does Zarvash think?" I asked instead. Her own mate had once been one of the traditionalists opposed to our presence. Despite his relationship with Vega, I thought he still had a few lingering doubts about us humans.
Vega's mouth twitched. "About the Skalanth? He thinks it's a useful tradition that serves a purpose for Drakarn society. About entering it?" She paused. "We've discussed it. He agrees with me."
That surprised me. "Really?"
"Really." Vega leaned against the wall, her posture relaxing slightly. "Zarvash is pragmatic. He understands that humans and Drakarn have different strengths. He doesn't expect me to compete in their trials any more than I expect him to, I don't know, pilot a spaceship or something. We bring different things to the table."
"But you're not mated to the Warrior Lord."
