Ynyr (Tornians Book 3) (12 page)

“That is a real possibility. You must decide if the chance she
might
be harmed outweighs
you
harming her. For that
is
what you will do Ynyr and deeply, if you treat her as we have treated our females for all these years.”

“She believes I do not truly care for her because I called her my female?”

“I believe so, yes.”

“Queen Lisa felt this way too?”

“Yes. It is difficult Ynyr, truth. I am still struggling with allowing my Lisa to do all she feels she should be able to. Especially now that she is with offspring. But I now realize that my lack of faith in her, my not trusting her, would cause her more harm.”

Ynyr was silent for several moments thinking about all that Grim had said.

“And if it was you? Would you take your Lisa with you to Etruria?” Silence greeted Ynyr’s question for so long that he did not think Grim would answer.

“It goes against everything we have been taught,” Grim voice was rough and deep when finally spoke, telling Ynyr of his inner struggle, “to knowingly take a female someplace where they could be at risk. We prefer to hide them away, to shield them from any struggles. Yet Earth females do not shy away from problems. They face them head on. I know I am a better male… stronger with her at my side, so yes, I would take my Lisa with me but her protection would be my first priority.”

“You are sure this is what you want to do?” Oryon asked, his eyes traveling over Ynyr who had come to inform him that Abby would not be going to Betelgeuse with them.

“Yes. No.” Ynyr let his manno see his conflict, knowing he would not think less of Ynyr for it. “All I know for sure manno is that it is going to take a great deal of time to truly rebuild Etruria and erase all the harm Bertos has caused. Maybe more time than the Goddess has granted me, but with the time she has, I want my Abby at my side. Where
I
can protect her.”

“Even if it puts her at risk?” Oryon couldn’t stop himself from questioning.

“Can you guarantee me she won’t be on Betelgeuse?”

“You know the Goddess gives no guarantees.”

“I know, so I will pray to the Goddess that she will assist me in keeping the Lady she entrusted to me safe and happy.”

“Your mother is not going to be happy about this. She was looking forward to having Abby in our House.”

“I will get over it.” Isis surprised both males by entering the room. Walking over to Oryon she kissed him lightly on the lips before looking to her offspring. “I believe you are making the right choice Ynyr.” Isis smiled at his surprised look. “Abby told us how you did not want her to go with you.”

“She did?”

“Yes. She was heartbroken Ynyr, at the thought of being separated from you.” Ynyr didn’t understand the look his mother was giving him. “You truly do not understand the risk
she
took in telling us about you do you?” Isis let her gaze travel from Ynyr to Oryon and back again. “Both of you think only about the risk Ynyr took in speaking to Abby. Yet Abby’s risk was so much greater because she risked herself by putting her faith and her life, in the hands of a male she really does not know. She had already experienced the worst our Empire had to offer in Luuken and Risa… that she could find the courage…”

“Luuken!” Ynyr’s sharply spoken word cut his mother off. “What do you mean Abby
experienced
Luuken?!!” Ynyr demanded, taking a step closer to his mother.

When Oryon would have stepped between them Isis waved him off.

“Luuken is the male that
acquired
Abby from Earth. Did you not know this?” Isis asked, tipping her head to the side.

“No.” Ynyr gritted out through clenched teeth. “What did she say he did to her?”

“Abby said nothing,” Isis said and Ynyr felt the tightness in his chest loosening, “because I don’t think she knows.”

“What?”

“I said I don’t think Abby knows. She was drugged at the time Ynyr, Rebecca was the one who told me.”

“What… what did she say? Please mother.” Ynyr begged when she looked unwilling to say.

Isis’ eyes flew to Oryon, she had not even told him about this and wondered if she should speak of what she had been told.

“Isis, you must tell Ynyr if it will assist him in understanding his female.”

“My Lady,” Ynyr instantly corrected.

“What?” Oryon looked at him in confusion.

“Abby will never be a
female
and will never be treated that way. She is my Lady, the only one I will ever have.”

Oryon looked at him silently for several moments, then nodded his agreement before returning his gaze back to Isis. “If you know anything that will help Ynyr with his Lady you must tell him.”

Isis felt a warmth fill her heart at Ynyr’s words. Her third male had already come to understand that there was a difference in the way Tornians treated their
females
and how the Earth females expected to be treated. Something Ull hadn’t.

“Rebecca told me this as I was sitting with her when she first came out of the deep healing unit. She was worried about Abby and blaming herself.”

“For what?” Ynyr asked.

“Rebecca was the first female taken from Earth. Callen acquired her and it seems after he did, he refused to leave the Searcher, choosing instead to guard the females. Because of this Luuken was chosen to replace him. Abby was the first female he brought back. Rebecca was sleeping when Luuken brought her in. When she woke Luuken was loosening Abby’s coverings.”

“What!” Both males exclaimed!

“Rebecca started screaming, by the time Callen responded to her screams Luuken was shaking Abby and asking her questions. Callen saw nothing wrong and Rebecca said nothing. But from then on one or the other of them was always awake so they could protect each other.”

“Do you think she knows?” Oryon asked quietly wishing Luuken were alive so
he
could end him. No one touched a female like that, especially not one that belongs to his family.

“I don’t know,” Isis told Oryon before her gaze returned to Ynyr, “and I would never ask but do you understand now Ynyr? I do not wish to belittle you or make you think less of yourself, but there is
nothing
in your life that will be as brave as what Abby has already done. She is a small female but she has more courage, more strength than any I have ever met and that includes Queen Lisa. She has put her faith, her hope, her trust and her love in these hands,” Isis gripped Ynyr’s hands large strong hands and squeezed. ”She did it blindly Ynyr. Are you brave enough to do the same?

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Abby shoved her head under the hot, pounding water of the cleansing stall and hoped it would block her thoughts as the steam blocked her from the outside world. After several moments she pulled her head out of the stream and took a much needed breath. She needed to be thinking not burying her head in the sand, or in this case a shower stream. Hiding did no good. That was a lesson she would never forget.

Giving herself some time to calm and to gather her thoughts, she reached for what she had learned was cleansing gel and began to rub it over her body. The sweet scent of vanilla and musk quickly filled the room. At least that was what it reminded Abby of, it was one of her favorite scents on Earth. She would skimp and save to be able to purchase a bottle of the scented lotion at the high end lingerie store near campus. She wondered what it was called here.

Running her hands over her body, she felt the little aches she still had from Joining with Ynyr. Closing her eyes, Abby lets herself remember how wonderful it had been to be in Ynyr’s arms. She had spent nearly six months with Lance and yet for all his experience and skill he had never excited her even half as much as Ynyr had last night with his honest touches and responses.

Yes, there had been some misunderstandings, but they had worked through them by talking. Lisa had told them misunderstandings were going to occur, that they could cause harm when none was intended. Was that what had just happened? Abby made herself take a hard, cold look at what had really happened, what had been said and how they both had reacted.

Ynyr had not said he didn’t
want
to take her to Etruria, but that he
couldn’t
because it was too dangerous. She knew he was concerned with her safety, even here with something as simple as a trunk being delivered to their resting chamber without his knowledge. He took it as a possible threat. All his life he had been taught that a female would never consider him, let alone stay with him, if he could not protect her. It was why no Tornian female would Join with Grim because he had been injured. But that was no longer true, thanks to Lisa and her refusal to leave Grim.

It would not be true for Ynyr either, not if Abby had any say in the matter… but would she? How could she? If she wasn’t at his side? But she also forced herself to understand his fear, for that was what it was, fear, for her. So much changed in his life in just a few short hours and he had to be reeling.

Abby waved a hand to shut off the water and stepped out the cleansing stall quickly wrapping a towel around her sopping hair and then another around her body. Could she really have any idea of the pressure he was under? Of what he was going through? Of the thousands of decisions he needed to make?

She was still so new to this world that what seemed normal or unimportant to
her
, weren’t to
him
, take the trim on the covering she wanted to wear. She looked at the gown she had dropped on the counter. She looked at it and all she saw was a beautiful gown. Ynyr looked at it and saw her telling everyone she was still under ‘Grim’s’ protection, not his, that she trusted Grim. Not him.

She needed to show them her trust was in Ynyr… unsheathing her blade she went to work.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Ynyr thought about what his mother had told him as he walked back to their chamber. Did his Abby remember what Luuken had tried to do? Did he dare ask? Was that why she had reacted so strongly to his words? He had not meant to insult her by calling her his female. It was what all Tornian males called the female they were lucky enough to attract.

But Abby wasn’t like Tornian females she was… Abby.

Unique.

Special.

His.

Yet he had treated her like one of them. Would she let him explain? Forgive him? Last night had been the most amazing night of his life. Yes, there had been misunderstandings, but they had worked through them. They would work through this too, for he
would not
lose her.

Entering their chamber, he froze at what he found. Abby was standing before one of the windows, the warm light of the sun flickering through the damp strands she was brushing. Yet it was what she was wearing that stopped him for she wore the gown she had been so excited about but it was minus its trim. How had she accomplished this?

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Abby spun around at the sound of the door opening, tensing until she saw it was Ynyr.

“Hi,” she said, taking a hesitant step towards him. “I…’

Ynyr could not take her hesitancy and quickly moved to her pulling her into his arms. She should never hesitate to move towards him, should never fear that he would rebuke her. If this is the harm his words had caused he had to correct it.

“I’m sorry,” they said in unison, then gave the other an embarrassed smile.

“It was my fault Abby.”

“No Ynyr. It was not.”

“It was!” He began to argue back only to have Abby put gentle fingers over his lips.

“Maybe it was
both
our fault.” She told him with understanding eyes.

“Perhaps,” he said as he kissed her fingers. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Abby had to blink rapidly to hold back the tears that suddenly tried to fill her eyes. “I know and I never meant to make what you had to do more difficult.”

“You haven’t Abby. You have made me realize how important what I am about to do truly is. How special. Yet none of that will matter if you are not at my side.”

“What?” Abby couldn’t hide her shock.

“I cannot go to Etruria and do what I need to do without you.” His eyes searched hers. “Not after last night. It would be mean nothing.”

“Ynyr…”

“I did not mean to insult you by calling you my female.” Ynyr expected her to stiffen in his arms, but instead she gave him a soft, understanding smile.

“I know and I should not have reacted that way.” Abby told him. “It is how Tornian males refer to… well all females.”

“It is, but you are not
all
females, Abby. You are mine. My Lady. My Abby.”

“Do you really feel that way Ynyr?” Abby found herself asking, her insecurity and doubt showing. “It’s alright if you don’t you know. I would rather have your truth than have you just try to please me.”

“You believe I would tell you an untruth?” Ynyr’s head jerked back as if he had been struck.

“It is what Tornian males do to appease their females isn’t it?”

“Perhaps, but you are not a
female
!” He told her anger. “You are
a Lady
!
My Lady!”

“What does that
mean
Ynyr?” Abby asked not intimidated by his anger. She needed to know. “To
you
?”

“It
means
,” he said, giving her a little shake, “you are going to Etruria with me. It
means
you are going to be resting with me every night, in
our
chamber. It
means
you are going to be an integral part in the building of
our
House. It means…”

The rest of Ynyr’s words were cut off as Abby jumped into his arms, silencing him with a kiss. Ynyr’s arms immediately wrapped around her, pulling her close as he fisted one hand in her hair, deepening the kiss.

Abby sunk into the kiss, she couldn’t believe he was taking her with him. She had really thought he was going to send her to Betelgeuse. She hadn’t given him enough credit for understanding what she needed. She would have to make sure she did the same for him. Ripping her mouth from his she gazed into his dark eyes.