65 Undercurrents

ELIA

She'd had no clue! The personal nature… the digging these men would do! When one of them asked if she was a true virgin, or perhaps trying to hide her previous activity from Reth, she'd looked at him, wondering if he would fly into a rage. But he'd gritted his teeth and nodded at her to answer the question.

"No, of course not. I'm not… in my world it isn't a matter for shame if you aren't a virgin when you marry."

The men laughed. "Neither, here, Sire. But a sacrifice must be Pure. Did you perhaps discover that your mating would be rejected if you were not, and wish to hide that for as long as possible?"

"No! If I hadn't been what… what they said I was, I would have just said so."

The men looked at each other as if they weren't sure whether to believe her.

"Oh for the love of—ask me!"

"Ask you what, Sire?"

"Ask me why we haven't mated yet!"