~ TARKYN ~
He'd woken feeling as if a blade were buried in his stomach. He'd tried to ignore it, to push it away, to bury himself in his mate and forget, even for just a few minutes, the risk they faced that day. But bless her or curse her, his mate wouldn't allow him to ignore it.
Tarkyn clawed a hand through his hair, then twisted the lengths into a tight, functional bun that he secured with a leather strap. He needed to face this day with clear sight.
His belly quivered at the thought.
But once he was moving, he found every time his eyes strayed to his mate's soft skin, to her uncertain smile, every time her sweet voice reached his ears, the tension only increased.
He'd slept, but only barely. His night plagued by dreams of losing her.
Her.
Not his people.
Not his queen.
Not a war, or a moral victory.
Her.
He was Defender. He was Captain. He was Emissary.
But his heart was male. Was lover. Was mate.
