Read Online Claiming the Jackal by Seressia Glass - Free Book Online
Authors: Seressia Glass
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Dread coiled in her stomach as silence fell thick and absolute between them.
“Sir?” Her voice was a squeak.
“Tia told me of your relationship to Amansuanan and Cassandra when you asked to remain here in the jackal compound,” Markus said. “Yes, she is a Daughter of Isis, but she’s my wife, and Anput of this clan. My Anput and I don’t keep secrets from each other, especially those that could endanger our people.”
That told her in no uncertain terms that Tia’s first loyalty was to the jackals, as it should be. It was actually a relief to know that Markus already knew. Knew that she was related to the evil that had murdered his mentor and apparently spawned a coven of dark priestesses. “Why did you allow me to stay here?”
She waited, tensed, for a growl of rage, for him to shift to jackal or, worse yet, that terrifying Anubis form. Instead, he merely stared at her, eyes dark and unfathomable. Unnerving. She wondered if Anubis wore that same expression while he weighed a heart for salvation or destruction.
“If I thought you were an enemy to my people, you wouldn’t be alive to have this conversation.” He leaned forward. “Are you an enemy to my clan?”
“I am not a danger to your people,” she managed to say. “I want to help them.”
“I realize that.” He sat back. “Your desire to help is not something to be condemned and dismissed just because of your bloodline, and we have need of a healer. Even one who concealed her lineage from us is welcomed.”
“I wanted a chance.” She lifted her chin, staring him full in the face. “I wanted to stand on my own merits and not be rejected out of hand.”
Hurt rose like bile to score her throat. “I know some jackals have a deeply ingrained and justified dislike of Daughters of Isis in general and Amansuanan in particular. They would have wanted my expulsion or worse if they knew I’m her granddaughter. No matter that I’ve never met her, never knew she was the one who started our war. The day she attacked Tia and Aya in the grove was the first time I’d ever seen her.”
He nodded. “I understand. But, Rana, you need to understand that continuing to withhold this from Hector doesn’t do you or him any good.”
“You’re right.” After hearing Hector’s outburst, she knew she couldn’t hold off the truth any longer. It was going to come out sooner or later, and it was better for the revelation to be on her terms. “I... There’s something else I need to talk to you about, but I know you have more important things to do right now. It can wait until morning.”
“Are you sure? Everyone under my protection is important to me.”
She closed her eyes, fighting to retain control of her emotions. When she was certain she could speak without screaming, she opened her eyes again. “Thank you sir, but it can wait.” It would have to. They needed to take care of their dead, and she needed to take care of her rioting emotions. “If you could have Tia and Hector there, I’d appreciate it.”
Markus stood. “Then we’ll meet here at ten.”
She nodded, then retreated to her room as quickly as she could. Stripping off her clothes, she showered, getting the water as hot as she could stand. She could wash away blood and sweat but she couldn’t rinse the pain away.
Hector...his pain and rage were so much a part of him she didn’t think they’d ever be removed. Even though in the past couple of weeks he’d smiled and laughed more than he had in the first month she’d known him, all it had taken was one skirmish with the Lost Ones, one of his comrades losing his life, to bring all the fury roaring back to the surface, changing how he viewed her and the other priestesses. If he could be so angry now, knowing she hadn’t done anything wrong, what would he do when he learned the truth?
She was going to lose him.
A sob broke free as her control crumbled. She sank to the tiled floor of the shower, giving in to the need for an
“Sir?” Her voice was a squeak.
“Tia told me of your relationship to Amansuanan and Cassandra when you asked to remain here in the jackal compound,” Markus said. “Yes, she is a Daughter of Isis, but she’s my wife, and Anput of this clan. My Anput and I don’t keep secrets from each other, especially those that could endanger our people.”
That told her in no uncertain terms that Tia’s first loyalty was to the jackals, as it should be. It was actually a relief to know that Markus already knew. Knew that she was related to the evil that had murdered his mentor and apparently spawned a coven of dark priestesses. “Why did you allow me to stay here?”
She waited, tensed, for a growl of rage, for him to shift to jackal or, worse yet, that terrifying Anubis form. Instead, he merely stared at her, eyes dark and unfathomable. Unnerving. She wondered if Anubis wore that same expression while he weighed a heart for salvation or destruction.
“If I thought you were an enemy to my people, you wouldn’t be alive to have this conversation.” He leaned forward. “Are you an enemy to my clan?”
“I am not a danger to your people,” she managed to say. “I want to help them.”
“I realize that.” He sat back. “Your desire to help is not something to be condemned and dismissed just because of your bloodline, and we have need of a healer. Even one who concealed her lineage from us is welcomed.”
“I wanted a chance.” She lifted her chin, staring him full in the face. “I wanted to stand on my own merits and not be rejected out of hand.”
Hurt rose like bile to score her throat. “I know some jackals have a deeply ingrained and justified dislike of Daughters of Isis in general and Amansuanan in particular. They would have wanted my expulsion or worse if they knew I’m her granddaughter. No matter that I’ve never met her, never knew she was the one who started our war. The day she attacked Tia and Aya in the grove was the first time I’d ever seen her.”
He nodded. “I understand. But, Rana, you need to understand that continuing to withhold this from Hector doesn’t do you or him any good.”
“You’re right.” After hearing Hector’s outburst, she knew she couldn’t hold off the truth any longer. It was going to come out sooner or later, and it was better for the revelation to be on her terms. “I... There’s something else I need to talk to you about, but I know you have more important things to do right now. It can wait until morning.”
“Are you sure? Everyone under my protection is important to me.”
She closed her eyes, fighting to retain control of her emotions. When she was certain she could speak without screaming, she opened her eyes again. “Thank you sir, but it can wait.” It would have to. They needed to take care of their dead, and she needed to take care of her rioting emotions. “If you could have Tia and Hector there, I’d appreciate it.”
Markus stood. “Then we’ll meet here at ten.”
She nodded, then retreated to her room as quickly as she could. Stripping off her clothes, she showered, getting the water as hot as she could stand. She could wash away blood and sweat but she couldn’t rinse the pain away.
Hector...his pain and rage were so much a part of him she didn’t think they’d ever be removed. Even though in the past couple of weeks he’d smiled and laughed more than he had in the first month she’d known him, all it had taken was one skirmish with the Lost Ones, one of his comrades losing his life, to bring all the fury roaring back to the surface, changing how he viewed her and the other priestesses. If he could be so angry now, knowing she hadn’t done anything wrong, what would he do when he learned the truth?
She was going to lose him.
A sob broke free as her control crumbled. She sank to the tiled floor of the shower, giving in to the need for an
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