AARYN

It was a work of sheer will not to tear out Marryk's throat, though he took Elreth's point about the human. She was clearly terrified and saw Marryk as the only safe thing in Anima. She'd been trembling since the moment they saw her, and still hadn't stopped, despite how kind and gentle Elreth was being towards her.

He and Elreth stood on the opposite side of the now-cold fire, while Marryk and Hannah sat on the log across from them.

Aaryn wouldn't take his eyes off the male, grinding his teeth and almost shuddering with the urge to get his hands on Marryk's throat.

It was the first vow. The first one!

Disformed who were selected for training had to vow on their lives that they would not bring humans into Anima.

There was no disclaimer to that rule. There had been no shift—no command that softened it. Marryk was a vow breaker, and had put the entire Anima at risk because a pretty female wagged her tail at him.

Aaryn wanted to wring his neck. But instead he stood at Elreth's shoulder while she questioned the pair.

"You haven't completed the bond, then?" she asked Marryk carefully, eyeing Hannah with an apology.

The male shook his head and turned to look at the female, a question in his eyes. She was clearly uncomfortable, pulling one sleeve over her hand and twisting it into her grip to cover herself. But then she nodded and hung her head, biting her lip as he put a hand to her thigh, then spoke to Elreth.

"Hannah has been mistreated in the past," he said, his voice trailing off into a growl. "I haven't pushed for that. I wanted her to see that she could trust me."

Elreth nodded as if she understood. In truth, she'd heard a story once about a female who had been mishandled by males. Although Elreth had experienced the males who would diminish her, or resent the challenge she presented, she couldn't imagine a male that would force attentions on a female. On any level. It simply wasn't the Anima way. Though a male might be quite persistent in demonstrating his desire for her, a female always had a choice—and had to signal her choice before the male would proceed.

But her mother had explained that the signals between humans were far more subtle. Perhaps there had been a misunderstanding?

Looking at Hannah, she didn't think so. Something was wrong. The poor girl had shrunk in on herself when the conversation turned this way.

Elreth tsked. "But you are certain the bond exists?" she asked Marryk, who nodded.

"Without question. We can both feel it."

Elreth nodded, remembering the way she and Aaryn had both been aware when the bond began, even before they mated.

"Why didn't you speak to me?" Aaryn growled at Marryk. "Why didn't you ask?! Did you really think I would keep True Mates apart?"

"That's my fault," Hannah said quickly, squeezing Marryk's hand. "I begged him. Things at home were… tough, and I just needed to get out of there. but I had nowhere to go. And we'd been talking about moving together. I just… I lost my patience."

Marryk snorted. "She lost more than her patience, she lost her safety. And I refused to see her harmed while I could do something about it."

Elreth sat back with a heavy breath and Aaryn reminded himself to remain calm. As the morning breeze lifted, bringing the scent of the pair in stronger, Aaryn's flared his nostrils.

The scents of the two were… reaching for each other. He wasn't sure how else to say it. it was strange. Not like he and Elreth when their scents combined, but only lightly. This was… as if Marryk's scent followed hers, but had not embraced it.

Aaryn shook his head. "You have no idea what you've done."

Marryk's lips pressed thin. He held Hannah's hand tightly and met Aaryn's eyes without lifting his chin. "I am not the only one, I am simply the only one you know of. This isn't… a new thing."

Aaryn pulled himself to his full height, hands fisting at his sides. "There are other humans in Anima?"

"Yes. I mean, as far as I know. Only a few, but—"

"WHERE?"

"Aaryn," Elreth said, her voice low and hard. Her eyes fixed on the girl.

Aaryn turned to her. "They are vow breakers! This is treachery!"

"No!" Marryk leaped to his feet, his palms up towards them. "It is only a few, and only those whose tribes were so… cold. The human world holds many dangers for humans. They're better off here!"

"But the Anima are not better off with them here!" Aaryn snarled.

Elreth's hand landed on his arm and he snapped his head to look at her—didn't she agree with him? This was a betrayal!

But Elreth was staring at the human girl. El's scent was hard, spiky. She was angry and afraid, and working hard not to show it. But she was also determined—and utterly calm.

Everything in her leaned toward the female and her eyes searched the woman as if she might find something on her person that explained all of this.

"You were in danger?" she asked Hannah.

Hannah nodded. "My parents are…. Gone. I had to go live with my aunt and uncle, but they already have five kids and I was just… I'm a legal adult. They didn't need me, but I had nowhere else to go. I was trying to find a job so I could get my own place, but it was hard and… It's just been really hard. The night before Marryk returned, my aunt struck me. It wasn't the first time, but there was something different in her. If Marryk hadn't had another answer, I was going to just leave. But…"

"It's not safe for a female alone in their world," Marryk growled—at Aaryn. "I couldn't leave her there!"

"What about staying there with her? The Guardians would have helped."

"I wanted to give her a fresh start," Marryk grumbled, his lower jaw jutting forward. "She is no threat to anyone here—she cannot even defend herself!"

"Her presence is a threat to everyone! Her knowledge is a threat to the entire world of Anima!"

"I will make sure she never returns."

"Perhaps," Elreth said with a glance at Aaryn. "But if others hear of her… any who are disgruntled or haven't found a mate… if this idea spreads… the risk, Marryk, you can't understand all of it. You don't know everything about that world. We cannot let them come here."

"So, what? You'll send her back to those people who don't love her? Who abuse her?"

Aaryn opened his mouth to say yes, but Elreth shook her head. "I don't know what we'll do," she said calmly. "But I know it wasn't your decision to make, to bring her here. So until I understand everything that's happened, and who is involved, and how… we will wait. But be certain, Marryk, this is a punishable event."

"More than that, it is treachery," Aaryn snarled.

But to his surprise, it was Elreth who turned and shook her head. "No, not treachery, stupidity. Ignorance. At least, that's what I hope. But he says there are more. So the time has come for the disformed to give me the full picture of their work with the traverse. I will not discuss it, Aaryn. The time has come to reveal the secrets. All of them."

Aaryn slumped.