Fencer by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page A

shifted away from him.
    It was her instinct to hide behind Kebril, but this wasn’t his fight. “Lord Makadan, I challenge you to a duel for my hand.”
    The words dropped into the room with the finality of shattering crystal.
    “My, my, aren’t we over confident. Your hearing has not even been scheduled and you are challenging me to a duel?”
    She frowned. “You said they had agreed to hand me over.”
    “After the messiness of the court case was dropped. I dropped the charges yesterday, and now, I am here to claim my reward.” His smile was vicious.
    “I have the right to fight for my honour.” His eyes gleamed yellow with evil humour.
    “You have that right, but you will still belong to me after it.”
    Horror gripped her, but Kebril put his hand on her shoulder. “Come with me now.” Makadan looked at them with suspicion.
    “Where are you going?”
    “I need to speak to her. Wait here.” There was no flexibility in his tone, and even the Yinshin froze in his tracks.
    Kebril hauled her to an archway where couples stood and giggled in the moonlight. He let out a shrill whistle, and a man in formal garb stood up and took up position behind a flat pedestal with two large grooves inside.
    Meena was standing on one side with her arm fit in the groove. Kebril’s was on top of hers, their wrists lining up.
    The priest-like man asked. “Do you consent and give to your mate all you are, all you will be?” Kebril nodded. “I will.”
    “Lady, do you consent and give to your mate all that you are and all you will be?” She took in the rapt audience and the formality of the words. She consented to her marriage. “I will and do.”
    The priest lifted the dagger and sliced down into their joined wrists. Meena opened her mouth to scream, but Kebril leaned down and took her pain into his own body.
    As the sharp agony receded, she looked down to see the welling of blood that was coming out of their wrists. To her shock, the blood coming out of her wrist reversed and returned to her body.
    Light and warmth ran through her, making her smile and laugh. When he lifted his hand, she flung her arms around his neck and held on for all she was worth. Wild applause broke out, and she kept the kiss going far beyond a decent amount of time.
    Kebril gradually released her, and she leaned against his chest. “I didn’t mean to rush this.”
    “I am glad you did. Was it because of the Yinshin?”
    “Sort of. Being near him made me want to be next to something clean. That would be you. You have never pressed your advantage.” She stroked his cheek, noticing the pink line that marked the mating scar.
    “No, I have not, because I am not an idiot. You can’t base a relationship on force. But, my lovely mate, I now can claim something I could not before. The right to your body.” She blinked. “Here?”
    There were plenty of couples going at it, but Kebril didn’t seem the type.
    He grinned. “No. On the field of honour. Makadan is going to get his ass kicked, and you need only watch. I don’t want you having to get his slime on you.”
    She held his hand as they returned to the party.
    Makadan cut them off, “Have you had your lovely last time together? Be a good boy and hand her to me now.”
    “Hand over my wife? Give a Genaran to a Yinshin? I don’t think so.”
    “That bitch isn’t your wife. You had just met.” He was furious, and his scent gland started to produce a noxious odour.
    “This princess is a Genaran by our rites. There were twenty witnesses to our nuptials just a moment ago. I wear my mating scar just as she wears hers.”
    Kebril held his hand out and showed the mark that all mated Genarans wore. Even Drehl and Rhoda had marks like theirs.
    “I challenge you for possession of the female.” Kebril shook his head. “You cannot. By Nyal charter, all Genarans are free.” Makadan grew sly. “Perhaps I could purchase her before the paperwork is processed.” Kebril lashed out and struck the Yinshin