Torkel's Chosen (3 page)

“Do you agree,
Torkel?” Merlyn asked in a soft voice that carried.

Torkel released
Faye’s hand. He could refuse but people would always question his honor. They
would whisper that he cheated. Faye’s head tipped up, her brows raised in
question because the assembly spoke in their native language. Confusion
darkened her eyes but Torkel blocked his desire to soothe her. It was better to
remain distant in case she chose Axan. “I agree.”

Faye looked
bewildered, her gaze going from him then back to the Commission.

“Faye Reid, Axan
Bular has questioned the choosing. We ask you to choose again.” Conra used
Standard and Faye understood every word by the widening of her eyes.

Her body brushed
against his, her fingers reaching out to Torkel but he kept his hands to his
side. At the brief look of disappointment on her face, his throat tightened.
Already his emotions were engaged.

“Do I have to pick
him?”

Her voice was
sweet. A different cadence compared to the guttural tones of Enotia. Torkel
could imagine it calming him at night as they spent the evenings together. He
would love to spend his down time with nothing but the gentle notes of this female’s
voice in his ears

“You don’t have to
pick Torkel Alonson if there was a mistake.” Conra and the others frowned.

Axan’s triumphant
smile spread over his mouth. “The female chose me.” He gripped her upper arm
but Faye pulled away and ducked to the other side of Torkel.

Axan cursed and
made to follow.

Torkel shifted his
weight, blocking Axan from pursuing her even as he mourned the brief moment of
happiness from thinking he’d finally found a woman to spend his life with.

“Move aside,
Torkel. Allow me to claim my Chosen or forfeit your honor.”

Anger burned in
his chest. All heard Axan’s challenge and people were on their feet. Some
screamed out Axan’s name, others hissed in Torkel’s direction but it was the
bright spark of red at the edge of his vision that caught his eye. The
distinctive red uniforms of Jutak warriors stood out among the browns and green
of the crowd. His friends and teammates pushed to the edge of the stone
barrier. Team One. He’d told them not to come.

Torkel bowed his
head reluctantly. He would not cause a scene. “Of course, Axan.”

He forced his feet
to move and cleared a path to the female he’d had if only for a moment.
Thickness coated his throat as he headed toward the exit. His team mates eyed
him with pity. They knew this was his last year for presentation and understood
his reasons for not wanting to participate again. Most of them were Enotians. Those
that weren’t at least had decent ancestry. He alone was of Marenian birth among
their ranks. All his life he’d fought the stereotype of his people yet in this
he would always be considered unwanted.

“Hey. Wait!”

Torkel ignored the
woman’s voice and walked faster.

“You must return
the medallion, Torkel the unwanted,” Axan called out.

Torkel paused at
the edges of the sand. His hand went to the medallion the female had placed
around his neck. Once he crossed the threshold it would be official. He would
no longer be eligible for choosing.

Axan’s taunt was
meant to insight his anger. Maybe have him snap to prove he was an evil monster
like other Marenians. He’d never let Shaya and Marlin down by displaying the
behavior of a Marenian.

“Get off, you oaf.
Torkel, please.”

Torkel turned in
time to see Faye kick Axan in the leg and dodge his arms. She raced in his
direction, her hands gripping the hem of the cloak to lift it. Her feet slipped
and she went to her knees. Axan chased behind her and grabbed her by her loose
hair.

It was her scream
that released him from his amazement at the tableau taking place in front of
him. His muscles began to swell and harden in preparation for battle.

Chapter 4

Faye didn’t
understand what was going on and the man she’d Chosen barely glanced at her
when she questioned the proceedings. Why was it taking so long? The other women
had chosen and now watched outside the stone barriers with their men.

Torkel moved away
from her and the little weasel on the other side of her grabbed her arms
pinching the flesh. Faye jerked back from him and put herself on the other side
of Torkel. He was her husband or Chosen which meant he had to protect her.

The other man shot
her a hate-filled look from his blue eyes and came after her while her Chosen
walked further away. Faye’s eyes bugged. People stared.

“Hey. Wait!”

The brochure
hadn’t covered this but her Chosen didn’t stop or glance back.

“You belong to me,
now. After I punish you for shaming me, I’ll enjoy your lush body,” the man
harshly whispered in her ear.

At the implied threat,
her pulse kicked up a notch. When he grabbed her upper arm and dug his fingers
into her tender flesh, Faye cried out in pain. Ignoring her, his lips curled at
one corner as he snarled. “You must return the medallion, Torkel the unwanted.”

Now he pissed her
off. “Get off, you oaf. Torkel, please.”

The man wrenched
her arm behind her back. Faye lost her temper and kicked him. Hard. He released
her and she charged after Torkel.

She almost reached
him when she tripped and fell to her knees. Something snagged on her hair and wrenched
her head back. Faye cried out as tears welled. The brute’s breath scraped
against her face smelling of sewage. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
What barbaric practice allowed a man to abuse the women who wanted to be with
them?

Her scalp burned
but the man wouldn’t let go. He tightened his grasp until she thought he’d yank
the strands from her scalp.

A loud roar jerked
her head up. Torkel flew across the sand, his face a mask of rage.

The man managed to
get Faye to her feet but with hope reborn, Faye slipped from the cloak and his
hold, then jumped for Torkel. He caught her mid-air and spun on his heels,
keeping her well out of the crazy dude’s reach.

Screams and shouts
poured out. The entire place was in an uproar.

“Halt!”

Faye wrapped her
arms around Torkel’s broad shoulders and ducked her face into his neck. She
shook hard enough that he had to adjust his hold on her and lift her higher
against the reassuring heat of his chest.

What was wrong
with this alien planet? Tears ran down her cheeks. “What’s going on, Torkel? I
chose you. I chose you.”

Axan yelled but
she couldn’t make out his words.

“Enough,” another
voice shouted.

Faye dared to lift
her head. Men in red uniforms blocked the other man from her and Torkel. Face
red with fury, he kicked up sand every few steps as he tried to circumvent the
human wall barring him.

Torkel glanced
down. “Axan is out of control. He protested the choosing and you agreed.”

Faye leaned back
to see Torkel’s face without the sun in her eyes. “No, I didn’t.”

His lips pressed
tight together for a moment before he spoke again. “Faye, when Conra ask-”

“Torkel Alonson,
bring the female forward.”

He didn’t get to
finish what he was about to say. Two men and a woman in black robes stood on
the sand. Silence reigned.

“Never have I seen
such a display,” the woman hissed.

Her blonde hair
curled in ringlets about her head. The features of her face were delicate
enough to get her a role in one of those ice shows as a princess.

“I must agree with
Merlyn.” This from the man at her side.

“I second that,”
said the man with the gray braid though his blue eyes twinkled.

“Faye Reid, you
have caused a stir in one of the oldest traditions on our planet,” said Merlyn.

“He attacked me.”
Faye rolled up her sleeve to show the purple bruises already forming.

Torkel growled.

“You will keep
calm, Torkel Alonson or your maman will deal with you.”

To her surprise
the tough guy quieted at the woman’s admonishment.

“I am Naine. We
don’t harm females who come to the choosing. For that, Axan will receive a
sufficient fine.” The first man looked sad and disappointed.

“I’m Conra, the
head of the Commission. We ask again who is your Chosen, Faye Reid?”

“Torkel. I only
chose Torkel.”

They all nodded.
“Then the matter is finished.”

“No,” Axan
screamed. “She is a human from Earth. He doesn’t deserve the rare treasure.”

“The presentation
is now over. Torkel, I trust you and your men can get your Chosen home safely.”

“Yes.” Torkel’s
deep voice rumbled beneath her ear.

***

Faye found herself
bundled off into a hover car with men seated on both sides of her. Worried that
something else could go wrong, she’d refused to let go of Torkel and spent the
entire ride in his lap. A very comfortable lap and for once she didn’t think
about how round her butt was or how she might be too heavy for a man.

The four men with
them all wore red uniforms that fit tightly over their bodies without being
obscene. Each time she looked up from Torkel’s chest, she found herself the
object of their attention. The feeling disconcerted her.

They arrived at a multi-level
structure in grey stone that reminded her of a business complex. The men exited
first then cleared the way for Torkel, who had to bend low to climb out with
her in his arms. Neither of them spoke on the ride but at least he hadn’t tried
to move her.

“Can she walk or
are her legs damaged?” One of the red uniformed men asked.

“She can walk,
Jaron,” Torkel said.

“Maybe Axan hurt
her when he tackled her on the sand,” another murmured, his blue eyes vigilant
as he unholstered his blaster and kept it pointed down by his thigh as if prepared
for an attack.

Torkel stiffened
and his pace quickened as they entered the building. “Page medical and have the
doctor sent up.”

“I’m fine.” Faye
didn’t think she needed medical intervention.

Torkel barely
spared her a glance. “Axan left bruises on you. The doctor will take care of
it.”

And that was that.

Content in his
arms and since he didn’t complain, Faye didn’t demand to be let down. The lobby
of the well-lit building was empty. Echoes from the boots the men wore bounced
off the white walls. No furniture or carpets on the tiled floors. Maybe it was
a ghost town or this was everyone’s day off. When they reached the elevators,
Torkel had to turn to the side to enter as all of them crammed in the small
space.

Faye peeked over
Torkel’s shoulders to find four sets of eyes on her. She swallowed her nerves. “Hi.”

The one Torkel
referred to as Jaron smiled. “Are you really a human from Earth?”

She nodded,
bumping her head on Torkel’s jaw.

“Are all Earth
women as troublesome as you?” Unlike the other three, this man was closer to
Torkel’s height and had light brown hair instead of blond like the others.

“I don’t know
about all Earth women but I didn’t start the trouble.”

“Actually you
did,” Jaron protested. “Arak, Geile, Gregir and I came late to the presentation
but everyone heard you renounce Torkel.”

Faye struggled in
Torkel’s arms. “Put me down.” She pushed at his arm. “Please.”

He lowered her
carefully to her feet but kept an arm around her shoulders.

“I chose Torkel. I
gave him the necklace they handed out.”

Jaron’s brow
pinched. “Necklace?”

“Medallion,”
Torkel filled in, staring forward at the doors of the elevator.

Had she done
something to anger him?

The brown haired
man spoke up. “When the Commission asked you to choose again, you said-”

“Do I have to pick
him?” Faye repeated. She remembered what she said because she’d been frightened
to death.

Now all four
glared but Torkel didn’t turn.

“I meant the jerk.
Not Torkel. I thought they were forcing me to change my mind.” Faye faced
Torkel and pulled his head down by gripping his chin. “You believe me, right? I
didn’t want the other guy.”

“What is a jerk?”
Jaron asked.

Faye ignored him.
“Torkel?”

He finally faced
her and when he did his tone was as flat as she’d ever heard someone speak. “It
would have been okay if you changed your mind. I would not have held you to
your mistake.”

His words hit hard
for some reason. “I didn’t make a mistake. I wanted only you.”

The elevator doors
opened to a narrow hallway with thick grey carpet on the floor. There was only
room for two men side by side. Torkel walked beside her while two others walked
ahead and two followed behind. Faye remembered what the man from the Commission
had said.

“Am I in danger?”

“As your Chosen, I
will see you safe.” Torkel kept walking, his bare feet silent.

“Oh my God, you
don’t have on shoes.” Faye skipped to keep up but he ignored her as he entered
a room behind the guys who’d been in the lead.

Faye froze, only
half noticing the two guys who gently moved her out their way to enter. At
least ten stares pinned her to the spot. Men standing, some sprawled on lounge
chairs and a few others around the room played a game on a low round table. It
wasn’t until Torkel reached the center of the room that he realized she wasn’t
with him. The look he cast in her direction displayed patience.  Torkel came
back over to lead Faye all of the way into the room.

“This is my Chosen,
Faye Reid. She is deserving of your respect.” Torkel announced to the room. He pointed
to the men who’d accompanied them. “This is Jaron, the dark-haired one is Arak.
Geile and Gregir traveled with us also.”

Torkel kept both
her hands in his and spoke clearly. “That was not a typical presentation. I
want to make you welcome but I wish to change clothes first. Then we can talk
about any concerns you have.” His fingers brushed over her knuckles. “Will you
give me a few moments?”

Faye relaxed. She
understood nerves and offered him a grin. “You mean it’s not always that
exciting?”

His harsh visage
eased as he ran a hand over his ruffled hair. “Not at all. The other men are from
my unit. Fellow Jutak warriors. You’re safe with them. A doctor will arrive
shortly to see to your injuries.”

“She’s injured?”
From one of the newcomers. A wicked scar slashed across his left cheek and ended
at his collarbone.

“Axan hurt her,
Kyele. It’s a long story.” Torkel pressed a kiss on her temple. “Watch over her
until I return. I’ll be right back.”