I took a breath, looking down at the injured Gahn Fallo, then added, “I have a feeling it’s either he agrees, or he dies.”
She spoke immediately. “Tell your boyfriend he agrees.”
I swallowed an exclamation of surprise at the way she spoke so easily for the Gahn at her feet. I wonder what happened while I was gone.
The other women were starting to nod, muttering about how staying together did sound like the best plan.
“We’re all agreed,” I said breathlessly, looking up at Buroudei, not really believing that this was happening. That I’d get to be together with my friends, and my mate, without further battles and bloodshed. There were a lot of details that would need to be worked out, of course, and I had a lot more explaining to do to get the humans up to speed. But this could work. This could really work.
“Where will we settle?” Taliok asked. Buroudei thought for a moment, then spoke with decisive authority.
“The Cliffs of Uruzai. They are neutral territory. They cliffs and valleys offer some shelter from predators, and no one will want to shed blood at such a sacred place.”
Taliok’s tail thumped.
“Then it is done. We will ride back and collect our people. To be clear, our territory will remain ours for hunting, and for any other purposes we see fit. But we will live in the neutral territory to remain near the new women.”
“Yes, it will be the same for our tribe.”
I relayed this information to Chapman, and she nodded impatiently.
“Yes, yes, that’s fine. All good. Are we done here?”
“I guess we are,” I said.
Some of the next details were worked out quickly. It was determined that the other women would stay here for now and help prepare for the move down to the Cliffs of Uruzai. I could tell Taliok did not like this.
I spoke to him in the alien language. “Taliok, you won’t win over your new mate by forcing her from her people tonight. Let us work this out at our pace, and then see what happens. We’ll all be together soon.” I still wasn’t sure who he’d been staring at. But he seemed to take my words to heart, turning and stalking from us without another word, calling orders to his men as they prepared to leave. They collected their fallen Gahn’s body, along with the others, and Buroudei’s men did the same. Gahn Fallo was helped to his limp feet by some of his men, dragged towards what I could only assume was their healers’ tent. I hugged my friends. Knowing I’d be seeing them again so soon was more than I could have hoped for.
I released the other women, returning to Buroudei’s side as he watched Gahn Fallo get pulled away.
“I should tell him I expect that axe back when I see him next,” he muttered. I gripped his hand, rolling my eyes.
“Come on. We need to get back. You need to see Rika.”
He looked down at the wound on his chest, then smiled broadly.
“My mate, this is nothing for a Gahn.”
I hoped he wasn’t exaggerating, but I was still anxious. I pulled at his arm.
“Let’s go.”
We took my saddle from Galok’s irkdu and secured it to Buroudei’s. It felt so good to settle in and lean back against him. At first I didn’t, not wanting to put any weight on his wound, but he’d growled and yanked me to him anyway. When everyone was ready, we began to disperse, heading back the way we’d come.
“You know, your plan helped me tonight,” he said as we headed back.
“Oh?”
“Yes. Gahn Irokai and I never agreed upon what would happen after the battle with Gahn Fallo. I worried that, after that battle, I would face another with his men. I knew about Taliok. I knew he would not let the women go with us easily.”
I sighed, not able to be really annoyed with him. Not now that he was literally bleeding because he’d been fighting for my friends.
“You should have told me.”
I felt his nose against my hair, then neck.
“I know, my mate.”
That would have to be good enough for now.
“To be honest, I’m surprised anyone agreed to my idea. You guys are so territorial.”
“We are,” Buroudei agreed. “And if two of the Gahns present did not have mates from among the human women, I do not believe such an agreement would ever have been reached. But such is the power of a sacred mate bond.”
I smiled, unable to help feeling touched by his words. That he felt so strongly for me was incredible. A week ago, I wouldn’t have counted myself as lucky. In fact, I would have counted myself as among the unluckiest girls alive. But now? Well, now was a whole different story.
I sighed against Buroudei’s chest, settling in for the ride. The desert was wide and the journey would be long. But we were together.
And in that moment, I couldn’t have asked for anything more than that.
Thank you so much for reading the first book in the Fated Mates of the Sea Sand Warlords series! I hope you enjoyed reading Cece and Buroudei’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. The next book will tell Chapman and Gahn Fallo’s story, and I have many books planned after that. Book two should be released by the end of August 2021, or September at the latest. If you want to stay up to date with my releases, please subscribe to my newsletter here. I only send out a newsletter when there’s a new book or promotion to be aware of. You can also follow me on Instagram here or Tiktok here.