Gatewright (31 page)

“And
you could be with Kestral, and Copper, and Calin.  Your own
holdings.  We have enough room.”

Jack
breathed in sharply.  “Your offer is cruelly tempting.  You’re as
dangerous as a
nagali.
”  He scanned the room, at the other three of
us watching them in rapt attention.  “How formal do we want to make this?”

“Oaths
will be necessary, especially from Exiles.  Absolute loyalty is
essential.”

Jack
rose from his chair to his full height, peering closely at Riven as if looking
for something, then nodded to himself.  “I swear on one condition.”

“Yes?” 
Riven was nervous.

“Defend
justice above your personal vendetta.”

I
could see Riven struggling before his shoulders sank.  “I accept.”

“Then
I, Xantae Jack, formally Becot Ashad, offer my loyalty and life to Clan
Xantae,” he declared in Anowir.

Riven
bowed his head and answered in kind.  “I, Xantae Riven, formally Kusay
Vaal, accept your oath. Further, to see to your interests of justice… you are
named Judge of clan Xantae.”

Jack’s
eyes widened.  “Well, I think we’ll get along just fine.”

Rose
immediately demanded to join the Clan.  She mangled the Anowir horribly
but Riven didn’t even twitch.  Emma followed suit, but asked straight-out
for the translation.  Then it was my turn.

I
took a breath and centered myself.  “I, Xantae Jan, formally Jan Leeman,
offer my loyalty and life to Clan Xantae.”  My formal Anowir wasn’t
perfect, but it was good enough.

Thus,
in an old house on the borders of Charlottesville, an Exile, an outcast, a
gatewright, a human, and a half-blood forged fated Xantae from bonds of loyalty
and the iron will of our oaths.

I
hope you enjoyed
Gatewright! 
Please leave a review for me and
potential readers.  Otherwise, how will I know what you thought?

I’d
like to acknowledge my parents for their wonderful support and ongoing feedback. 
Most of all, I would like to thank my husband, Benjamin, for listening to my
rants, bad ideas, and every new paragraph that popped into my head at least
once.

To
learn when book two, Clan of Exiles, is coming out, like
Gatewright
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Thank
you!