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to something that troubled him deeply.
She drew her knees to her chest and rested her head on them, though her seduction attempt felt as if she
was going through the motions. What can you tell me about what goes on in there?
His gaze flicked to the edge of her shift, which had risen midthigh, but his concentration didn t waver. In
where?
In your mind. You never talk about yourself. I see you every day, but I feel like I barely know you. I
want to know you better. Her mouth curled into a half smile.
Damen glanced at the door. What do you want to know?
Anything. Or, if you prefer she stretched out one bare leg we don t have to talk.
He stood slowly, and she leaned her head back, anticipating his approach.
I need to leave now, he said.
She cursed inside but kept smiling. Why?
Because I think you want something I can t give you.
Why not? You don t find me attractive?
He sighed and set his pipe on the table. She waited for him to prove her wrong, first with words, then
actions. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest. No, Alanka, I don t.
She gaped at him, her face heating.
Let me be clear, he said. I like you. I think you re a wonderful person. But I have a mate waiting for
me in Velekos.
Oh. She straightened her legs and drew her shift down to cover as much skin as possible. I m sorry.
You said the mother of your child wasn t your mate
She s not.
so I thought there was no one else.
There is.
And you ve never spoken of her
Him.
so I assumed that She stopped and heard what he said, moments after he said it. Him?
His name is Nathas. Do you understand now why I m not attracted to you?
She hesitated. Only men?
Yes. And since you re a woman
But nearly half the men in Kalindos will lie with men or women, especially when they re young.
I know. He grinned. Why do you think I have such fond memories of this place?
What about you?
Strictly men. Sorry.
She covered her face with her hands. No, I m sorry. I feel so stupid.
Don t. He came over and sat on the edge of the bed. I m flattered. You re a beautiful young woman.
Most men would give anything to trade places with me at this moment.
She tried to smile, but his words only made it worse. Suddenly curiosity stifled her humiliation. You re
second phase.
He looked at the floor and nodded. It wasn t easy.
But how did you
I said it wasn t easy. In Velekos, people s views aren t as open as they are in Kalindos. With me having
a rare Aspect, it was even more important to have children. The tips of his fingers rubbed together, as if
they already missed the pipe. Imagine my parents reaction when I told them why I d never be a father.
Thus began the project.
The project?
First, finding me a woman who d be patient enough to conceive under exceptional circumstances, not to
mention a woman who wanted children but not a permanent emotional commitment from a man. He
shifted his weight. Then came the obvious part. I had a lot of help from my mate with that.
I see, was the only reaction Alanka could come up with.
Reni lives in the home I share with Nathas. He s taking care of her while I m here, and I ll return for the
birth. If everything goes well, and Reni is willing, someday she ll have his child, too.
Alanka s mind spun at the odd arrangement. The thought of sharing a mate, even for such practical
purposes, made her feel cold inside.
I ll go now, he said.
Relieved, Alanka nodded. Good night.
He gave her shoulder an awkward pat. She didn t watch him leave.
When Damen was gone, Alanka pulled on a pair of soft sleeping trousers and crawled under a pile of
blankets.
Maybe men were more trouble than they were worth.
13
M arek rolled onto his left side and slipped an arm around his sleeping wife, who stopped sleeping.
What is it? Her voice pierced the darkness at full volume.
Nothing. Didn t mean to wake you.
It s all right. She covered his hand with her own and drew it over her bulging belly. I have all day to
sleep and do nothing else. You don t need any more scarves.
He smiled at the thought of the pile of wool scarves she d knitted for him during her bed rest, which Silina
the Turtle had prescribed a month ago.
Though Rhia had put on weight faster since they d returned to Asermos five months ago, the Turtle [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
to something that troubled him deeply.
She drew her knees to her chest and rested her head on them, though her seduction attempt felt as if she
was going through the motions. What can you tell me about what goes on in there?
His gaze flicked to the edge of her shift, which had risen midthigh, but his concentration didn t waver. In
where?
In your mind. You never talk about yourself. I see you every day, but I feel like I barely know you. I
want to know you better. Her mouth curled into a half smile.
Damen glanced at the door. What do you want to know?
Anything. Or, if you prefer she stretched out one bare leg we don t have to talk.
He stood slowly, and she leaned her head back, anticipating his approach.
I need to leave now, he said.
She cursed inside but kept smiling. Why?
Because I think you want something I can t give you.
Why not? You don t find me attractive?
He sighed and set his pipe on the table. She waited for him to prove her wrong, first with words, then
actions. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest. No, Alanka, I don t.
She gaped at him, her face heating.
Let me be clear, he said. I like you. I think you re a wonderful person. But I have a mate waiting for
me in Velekos.
Oh. She straightened her legs and drew her shift down to cover as much skin as possible. I m sorry.
You said the mother of your child wasn t your mate
She s not.
so I thought there was no one else.
There is.
And you ve never spoken of her
Him.
so I assumed that She stopped and heard what he said, moments after he said it. Him?
His name is Nathas. Do you understand now why I m not attracted to you?
She hesitated. Only men?
Yes. And since you re a woman
But nearly half the men in Kalindos will lie with men or women, especially when they re young.
I know. He grinned. Why do you think I have such fond memories of this place?
What about you?
Strictly men. Sorry.
She covered her face with her hands. No, I m sorry. I feel so stupid.
Don t. He came over and sat on the edge of the bed. I m flattered. You re a beautiful young woman.
Most men would give anything to trade places with me at this moment.
She tried to smile, but his words only made it worse. Suddenly curiosity stifled her humiliation. You re
second phase.
He looked at the floor and nodded. It wasn t easy.
But how did you
I said it wasn t easy. In Velekos, people s views aren t as open as they are in Kalindos. With me having
a rare Aspect, it was even more important to have children. The tips of his fingers rubbed together, as if
they already missed the pipe. Imagine my parents reaction when I told them why I d never be a father.
Thus began the project.
The project?
First, finding me a woman who d be patient enough to conceive under exceptional circumstances, not to
mention a woman who wanted children but not a permanent emotional commitment from a man. He
shifted his weight. Then came the obvious part. I had a lot of help from my mate with that.
I see, was the only reaction Alanka could come up with.
Reni lives in the home I share with Nathas. He s taking care of her while I m here, and I ll return for the
birth. If everything goes well, and Reni is willing, someday she ll have his child, too.
Alanka s mind spun at the odd arrangement. The thought of sharing a mate, even for such practical
purposes, made her feel cold inside.
I ll go now, he said.
Relieved, Alanka nodded. Good night.
He gave her shoulder an awkward pat. She didn t watch him leave.
When Damen was gone, Alanka pulled on a pair of soft sleeping trousers and crawled under a pile of
blankets.
Maybe men were more trouble than they were worth.
13
M arek rolled onto his left side and slipped an arm around his sleeping wife, who stopped sleeping.
What is it? Her voice pierced the darkness at full volume.
Nothing. Didn t mean to wake you.
It s all right. She covered his hand with her own and drew it over her bulging belly. I have all day to
sleep and do nothing else. You don t need any more scarves.
He smiled at the thought of the pile of wool scarves she d knitted for him during her bed rest, which Silina
the Turtle had prescribed a month ago.
Though Rhia had put on weight faster since they d returned to Asermos five months ago, the Turtle [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]