Read Online The Outcast by Calle J. Brookes - Free Book Online
Authors: Calle J. Brookes
Tags: Science-Fiction, Romance, paranormal romance, Vampires, Love Story, Werewolves, demons, shifters, Werewolf, fantasy romance
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They will be looking toward your line. Are you prepared for that?”
“I will meet my duty to my people, even though mine own numbers are much smaller than that. I am Amyenka first and foremost.” Lana closed her eyes for a moment, as the remembered words of her parents flooded her heart. They had preached duty to her, above all else. She was to lead.
Ragner had robbed them all of that. And now was the time she would face him. Was she ready?
Aureliana leaned down from her seat upon the dais, until she could speak to Lana. Marcos’ sister wrapped a hand around Lana’s. She forced herself not to yank away from the woman’s act of kindness. Were all of Marcos’ family like that? Willing to reach out to a stranger? She couldn’t fathom it.
“You are not a stranger. You have been of our family since the moment Marcos was born. It just took us this long to find you. You will always be welcome here. You are as my sister, and will be always. Remember, you are not alone. Not any longer. And you never really were. We have been waiting for you.”
Something passed between their clasped hands, and Lana felt a rush of humbling power and support unlike anything she had ever felt before.
She was Amyenka, and she wasn’t alone any longer. If her people needed her, she had no other course than to be there.
“I am ready.”
Chapter 12
SOMETHING about his female had changed, but Marcos knew not enough about her to tell what it was. She stood a little straighter. She didn’t look quite as ragged as she had at first.
Pride in her filled him. She was strong, even though the small body and wounded ways belied that. But the look in her eyes…
She stepped away from him, then unbraided her hair. She tightened his hasha around her waist. “My people are coming. I will be the one to greet them.” Her eyes met his. “With you by my side. I do not know whether I will be welcomed, and I need your assurance. My people—the ones with me today—will always be protected, as part of your House.”
“You have that assurance. My House, your House, all who choose to follow you… we become as one House today.”
Never had he spoken truer words. He could see some of his top warriors in the crowd surrounding them. Behlik, Ju, Areu—men he had spent the last four hundred years fighting and living beside. Behlik nodded at him, and Marcos knew the other male understood, as well.
“Together we live, now. ”
Ten minutes later the portkeys parted and a new House stepped through. It was a rather large one, as it took them more than two hours to fully arrive.
The hasha they were was the brown of Amyenka.
Lana stepped forward. Marcos shifted to stand at her back. He leaned down and brushed a kiss against her neck. He whispered in her ear. “I am here for you now; you will never have to be alone again.”
Chapter 13
SHE could do this. She didn’t need Marcos’ support, though it was certainly appreciated. She stayed still until the people of her mother’s House stepped past the initial entrance to the courtyard and moved toward the queen and king. Toward her.
The two hours it took were some of the longest of her life. Finally the House of Amyenka came close enough to pay respects to the High King and their hosts in this new world.
The first person she recognized was Salo, her mother’s old tutor. Her old tutor. His eyes met hers.
She didn’t know what to do next, so she fell back on the training her mother had given her. That Salo had given her. She bowed the traditional formal greeting of the Dardaptoan people.
He stopped walking, causing half the people behind him to stop, as well.
Lana continued to study her people. And they were hers. The weight of the responsibility settled upon her soul. As did the knowledge that leading the House of Amyenka was what the goddess
“I will meet my duty to my people, even though mine own numbers are much smaller than that. I am Amyenka first and foremost.” Lana closed her eyes for a moment, as the remembered words of her parents flooded her heart. They had preached duty to her, above all else. She was to lead.
Ragner had robbed them all of that. And now was the time she would face him. Was she ready?
Aureliana leaned down from her seat upon the dais, until she could speak to Lana. Marcos’ sister wrapped a hand around Lana’s. She forced herself not to yank away from the woman’s act of kindness. Were all of Marcos’ family like that? Willing to reach out to a stranger? She couldn’t fathom it.
“You are not a stranger. You have been of our family since the moment Marcos was born. It just took us this long to find you. You will always be welcome here. You are as my sister, and will be always. Remember, you are not alone. Not any longer. And you never really were. We have been waiting for you.”
Something passed between their clasped hands, and Lana felt a rush of humbling power and support unlike anything she had ever felt before.
She was Amyenka, and she wasn’t alone any longer. If her people needed her, she had no other course than to be there.
“I am ready.”
Chapter 12
SOMETHING about his female had changed, but Marcos knew not enough about her to tell what it was. She stood a little straighter. She didn’t look quite as ragged as she had at first.
Pride in her filled him. She was strong, even though the small body and wounded ways belied that. But the look in her eyes…
She stepped away from him, then unbraided her hair. She tightened his hasha around her waist. “My people are coming. I will be the one to greet them.” Her eyes met his. “With you by my side. I do not know whether I will be welcomed, and I need your assurance. My people—the ones with me today—will always be protected, as part of your House.”
“You have that assurance. My House, your House, all who choose to follow you… we become as one House today.”
Never had he spoken truer words. He could see some of his top warriors in the crowd surrounding them. Behlik, Ju, Areu—men he had spent the last four hundred years fighting and living beside. Behlik nodded at him, and Marcos knew the other male understood, as well.
“Together we live, now. ”
Ten minutes later the portkeys parted and a new House stepped through. It was a rather large one, as it took them more than two hours to fully arrive.
The hasha they were was the brown of Amyenka.
Lana stepped forward. Marcos shifted to stand at her back. He leaned down and brushed a kiss against her neck. He whispered in her ear. “I am here for you now; you will never have to be alone again.”
Chapter 13
SHE could do this. She didn’t need Marcos’ support, though it was certainly appreciated. She stayed still until the people of her mother’s House stepped past the initial entrance to the courtyard and moved toward the queen and king. Toward her.
The two hours it took were some of the longest of her life. Finally the House of Amyenka came close enough to pay respects to the High King and their hosts in this new world.
The first person she recognized was Salo, her mother’s old tutor. Her old tutor. His eyes met hers.
She didn’t know what to do next, so she fell back on the training her mother had given her. That Salo had given her. She bowed the traditional formal greeting of the Dardaptoan people.
He stopped walking, causing half the people behind him to stop, as well.
Lana continued to study her people. And they were hers. The weight of the responsibility settled upon her soul. As did the knowledge that leading the House of Amyenka was what the goddess
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