Read Online Cosmos' Promise: Cosmos' Gateway Book 4 by S.E. Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: S.E. Smith
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stay with Tansy until he returned. When Angus had asked where Mak was going, the huge warrior had quietly explained that he had one last thing to do before his mate woke. Tresa had warned both of the older Bells that Mak had sought the Right of Justice against the men who had harmed their daughter and had been granted it.
“What is the Right of Justice?” Angus had asked looking at Tresa and Terra’s worried expressions.
“My son will deal out justice to the men that were brought back to our world. Borj did the same thing with the men who harmed Hannah,” Tresa said hesitantly. “Our ways are different from yours. I have been studying your culture through RITA2. We do not have prisons to keep those who break our laws. Each clan deals with justice according to their customs. For a serious offense against another, the warrior may claim the Right of Justice. The one seeking justice chooses the weapons to be used. The one accused has a right to defend himself and can pick from the chosen weapons first. It is believed that the Gods guide the hand of the warrior seeking justice.”
“What happens to the loser?” Tilly asked wide-eyed.
“They die,” Terra murmured, looking out at the darkening sky. She turned her head. “Mak will not lose. He is our fiercest fighter. No one can beat him. He will kill the men who were brought here.”
Tilly shuddered and shrank into Angus. “What happens if he somehow loses?”
Tresa sighed as she gazed at the tense face of her daughter. “Mak will not lose. Terra is correct when she says no one can defeat Mak. He will return.”
“But…. Isn’t that a little barbaric?” Angus asked pushing his glasses up on his nose. “What if the person accused is innocent? What if someone is falsely accused? What do you do with a small infraction?”
Tresa smiled. “The Right of Justice is not asked for lightly and never without evidence that the wrong has been committed. The council and Teriff must approve such a request before it is granted. Lesser offenses are taken care of by the council judges who are appointed to different zones within the clan’s territory. You must accept this is part of our world, Angus. Prime warriors are very fierce. They must be controlled with an iron fist otherwise the leader and council would be seen as weak,” Tresa insisted before turning to look worriedly at her daughter. “Terra, tell me what concerns you.”
Terra looked at her mother. Tears glimmered in her eyes before she looked down at her palm. “I have found my bond mate,” she replied quietly. “He is a human male. Father was not happy. I worry that he will not accept Cosmos’ claim on me because he is a human. What will I do if father refuses?” She asked, a beseeching look clouding her silver eyes.
Tresa rose and walked over to where her daughter was standing near the window. She gently grasped her hands and turned them palm up so she could see the bonding mark. A tender smile curved her lips. She looked into Terra’s seeking gaze and lightly touched her cheek.
“He will not refuse him,” Tresa assured her with a look of determination coming into her own eyes.
“But…..” Terra whispered. “But…. What if he does?”
Tresa’s right eyebrow rose. “Then he will discover the true meaning of war,” she vowed.
*.*.*
It was early the next morning when RITA2 informed Tilly and Angus about what Teriff had done. Tilly and Angus had hurried to Teriff and Tresa’s living quarters to confront him. Tilly had been worried about Terra since she had not been able to locate her and the young girl’s bed had not been slept in. She had promised Cosmos that she would look after Terra, and by damn, she would not break that promise! Angus had suggested that perhaps she had gone to visit her parents as she would want to know what happened at the warehouse after they left. It had been while they were on their way there that RITA2 had let slip that Terra had been taken away.
Now they stood
“What is the Right of Justice?” Angus had asked looking at Tresa and Terra’s worried expressions.
“My son will deal out justice to the men that were brought back to our world. Borj did the same thing with the men who harmed Hannah,” Tresa said hesitantly. “Our ways are different from yours. I have been studying your culture through RITA2. We do not have prisons to keep those who break our laws. Each clan deals with justice according to their customs. For a serious offense against another, the warrior may claim the Right of Justice. The one seeking justice chooses the weapons to be used. The one accused has a right to defend himself and can pick from the chosen weapons first. It is believed that the Gods guide the hand of the warrior seeking justice.”
“What happens to the loser?” Tilly asked wide-eyed.
“They die,” Terra murmured, looking out at the darkening sky. She turned her head. “Mak will not lose. He is our fiercest fighter. No one can beat him. He will kill the men who were brought here.”
Tilly shuddered and shrank into Angus. “What happens if he somehow loses?”
Tresa sighed as she gazed at the tense face of her daughter. “Mak will not lose. Terra is correct when she says no one can defeat Mak. He will return.”
“But…. Isn’t that a little barbaric?” Angus asked pushing his glasses up on his nose. “What if the person accused is innocent? What if someone is falsely accused? What do you do with a small infraction?”
Tresa smiled. “The Right of Justice is not asked for lightly and never without evidence that the wrong has been committed. The council and Teriff must approve such a request before it is granted. Lesser offenses are taken care of by the council judges who are appointed to different zones within the clan’s territory. You must accept this is part of our world, Angus. Prime warriors are very fierce. They must be controlled with an iron fist otherwise the leader and council would be seen as weak,” Tresa insisted before turning to look worriedly at her daughter. “Terra, tell me what concerns you.”
Terra looked at her mother. Tears glimmered in her eyes before she looked down at her palm. “I have found my bond mate,” she replied quietly. “He is a human male. Father was not happy. I worry that he will not accept Cosmos’ claim on me because he is a human. What will I do if father refuses?” She asked, a beseeching look clouding her silver eyes.
Tresa rose and walked over to where her daughter was standing near the window. She gently grasped her hands and turned them palm up so she could see the bonding mark. A tender smile curved her lips. She looked into Terra’s seeking gaze and lightly touched her cheek.
“He will not refuse him,” Tresa assured her with a look of determination coming into her own eyes.
“But…..” Terra whispered. “But…. What if he does?”
Tresa’s right eyebrow rose. “Then he will discover the true meaning of war,” she vowed.
*.*.*
It was early the next morning when RITA2 informed Tilly and Angus about what Teriff had done. Tilly and Angus had hurried to Teriff and Tresa’s living quarters to confront him. Tilly had been worried about Terra since she had not been able to locate her and the young girl’s bed had not been slept in. She had promised Cosmos that she would look after Terra, and by damn, she would not break that promise! Angus had suggested that perhaps she had gone to visit her parents as she would want to know what happened at the warehouse after they left. It had been while they were on their way there that RITA2 had let slip that Terra had been taken away.
Now they stood
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