There had been a time when the Black Mercenaries were not feared and were usually hired to deal with beasts, Orcs, and sometimes as infantry. For many years Hepys has been a poor kingdom, despite having ruby, emerald, amethyst, and silver mines. It was a cold winter’s day when Fherax's father, Gefroy, organized a feast at the Black Brotherhood Guild. That day, the mercenaries were supposed to celebrate Fherax's first kill and him becoming a mercenary, but things took another turn when Gefroy hit his wife because she accidentally knocked over a goblet of wine. Gefroy was a cruel man who loved nothing more than to beat his wife. Fherax was also a victim of his father's brutal treatment. When Gefroy started beating his wife in front of all the mercenaries, Fherax got up from his chair, took out his dagger, and killed his father. After that, he sat on the Skull Throne and declared himself the new Mercenary King. He was only fourteen at that time. It took Hepys only a few years to become the richest kingdom on the Uslaya continent and the Black Mercenaries, the most feared assassin in the world, Fherax being the deadliest of them all.
No one in his right mind would want to have Fherax as an enemy.
"Your father killed Fherax's heir?" Perhaps her hearing failed her.
Jayden pressed his lips in a flat line. "The exact words were, 'I am responsible for the death of Fherax's heir. That loss will forever haunt my nights. And days. I knew Fherax would come after me, but I hope to see you and your mate before the Black Mercenaries come for me.'"
Jayden had repeatedly told her how much he hated his father, but she wondered if he was truly honest with his feelings. She shifted in his lap. There was anger and hate in his blue eyes but also so much pain her heart ached for him. "Have you ever met your father?" Jayden shook his head. "How about we go to Ora Dorei and visit him before our matting night?"
And there it was, a sparkle of yearning and wanting, and Mina knew that deep down in his heart, Jayden craved to meet the man who fathered him. But there was also fear in his eyes—fear of his father not loving him. Of rejecting him.
"I have no desire or time to go up to Ora Dorei and make it back for our mating night! Besides, there are things I must prepare for the Trials of the Land!"
Jayden had been very mysterious about what would happen that night, and Mina's curiosity was growing. "What things?" she asked, hoping Jayden would tell her.
Jayden chuckled before planting a kiss on her neck. "First, my lovely lamb, I have to purchase a special dress for you." His eyes burned with lust, and he licked his lips. "A very, very special dress." He traced her hands with his index. "Ocxoas females will prepare you for our night. They will cleanse your body with herbs and plants I have yet to gather for you." His fingers traced the shape of her breasts, and Mina bit back a moan. "Paint will adorn your body—" his voice was husky as he spoke "—and the Topaz Tiara will be placed on your head. Second...." he stared into her eyes as he cleared his throat. "I had the luck to assist at two mattings. Both pairs fought with me in the war, and I still remember how beautiful the females were in the traditional ocxoas dresses, their bodies adorned with paintings. But you, my little bride, you will be the most beautiful thing my eyes will ever see. There are other things, but I will reveal those during the Trials."
Mina was curious about the dress and the painting but knew Jayden wouldn't tell her more. “If you are buying me a dress and doing other things for me, what is my role?”
Jayden smiled. “To be my mate and enjoy the night.”
Mina said nothing as the thought of a present she would make for Jayden came to mind. It wasn’t fair that only Jayden would do things for her. “Does the ocxoa male wear special clothes during the mating night?”
“Perhaps.”
She frowned. "I don't understand all the secrecy."
Jayden thought for a moment. "The first mating is very special. It should be a time when the male honors and shows his respect and...." his Adam's apple wobbled as he swallowed hard. He looked out the window before he spoke again. "Devotion for his female." He shifted his gaze back to Mina. "I won't just unceremoniously open your legs and fuck you, Mina. There is so much more to it than the physical part, little lamb. That will be the last part of the Trials. When that time comes, I will bond you to me! But before our bonding, many things have to happen, some of which I am unsure about because it was my father's duty to teach me! But some older males and the Lady have offered to fill in the gaps for me. And for that, I have to be in Athea because I want our first night to be perfect. Once the Trials of the Land are completed, I will be Uzgaia."
Mina let out a breath she did not know she was holding. She knew Jayden was dying to mate with her. While she was content with how things were between them and slowly getting used to the intimate part of their marriage, she was still nervous about the moment Jayden would be inside her. She knew it would hurt. At least the first few times. Jayden also confirmed it. But pain or not, she wanted to make Jayden happy. The thought of him wanting their first time to be perfect comforted her.
Mina tilted her head. "I thought you were already Uzgaia."
"Yes and no," said Jayden. "It is more than a title. It is a name. A person. A warrior. And you will be my Andarra. My Queen. My mate. The Light to my Chaos!"
Mina stared into Jayden's eyes. She wanted to be all those things and much more to him. "What do you mean by 'the light to your chaos?'"
"There is this sleeping power inside me, Mina, that will consume me when it awakens if my soul is not tethered to yours. Without your gentle soul to keep my dark side calm, I would leave a trail of death and destruction where I go. At least from what the Lady told me. You see, it is that dark power that makes me Uzgaia. But the Lady made sure the power only awakens once the Uzgaia is bonded to his Andarra."
Some part of her mind was telling her Jayden was dangerous. That whatever Jayden was talking about was evil. That she should save herself while she still had the chance because once she put a foot on Isyleon Island, there was no turning back. But as she stared into his blue eyes, she knew Jayden was not evil. That his power, even if he said it was deadly, was not evil. And she would tether her soul to his, but also her heart and body if need be.
"If you say you have this power inside you, how do you know it won't come to life before our mating night?" asked Mina. She was concerned about him.
Jayden chewed on his lip while thinking. "I know I must have scared you with what I have told you, but my power would never harm you, Mina. Of all the people living on Aylarra, you are the only person who should never fear what I am."
Mina shook her head. "I am not scared, Jayden. I know you would never hurt me. But I worry this power you are talking about will awaken before we are bonded. I don't want you to get hurt."
Jayden looked at her, utterly dumbfounded. He cupped her chin, his thumb tracing her lips. "I have never been so grateful as I am in this very moment to have you as my wife. As my mate. I know I told you love is for dreamers and fools and that I will give you everything you need except my heart. But one day, it will be yours if you are patient."
Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked them back. She would wait a lifetime. Not trusting her voice, she nodded her reply.
Jayden smiled and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about my power. As I said, it will come to life after we are bonded."
"This power, what does it do?" Mina asked.
"Apart from giving me magical abilities, it will also allow me to connect to all the ocxoas. But don't think my magic will be warm as that of the Fire Mages or as soft as that of the Water Mages. It will be cold and deadly. I am not to use it unless...."
Mina waited for Jayden to continue, but when it was clear he wouldn't finish his sentence, she asked, "Unless what?"
"Don't worry. He will never find her," Jayden said absently. "I know you slept all afternoon and well into the night, but I could use a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow I will have to start searching not only for a bigger house but also I want to know how Lord Ferry's investigation about the dead maid is going. Something about it bothers me."
"What thing?" asked Mina.
"I smelled poison on her."
"Do you think Rosalyn had anything to do with the maid's death?"
"I don't know. There was a time when I thought I knew Rosalyn better than anyone else. Not only did she betray me, but she also tried to poison you. And that is something I will never forgive. The maid who could have incriminated Rosalyn for what happened to the young prince appeared dead hours later. There is something more to all this. When I returned from war, Rosalyn said she would never leave Prince Liam, and suddenly she begs for my forgiveness. I fail to see her reasoning."
"Maybe she found out about your father?" Mina suggested.
"It does not matter anyway. All I want to focus on in the next six weeks is our mating night," he said before getting into bed with Mina.
Mina laid in Jayden's arms while he slept, while she thought about their mating night. The little details Jayden shared with her made her both excited and nervous, and she hoped the next six weeks would pass in a blur. She also thought about Rosalyn and the things she said to Jayden.
The next morning Mina, Kara, and Aksel went to pick up the clothes Mina had commissioned for the ocxoas and her at the tailor. While Aksel had an errand boy take the clothes to the house, Mina asked the tailor to make dresses, pants, and other items for the children before going to the market.
Upon her return home from the market, Mina learned Belle had named the kittens Lady Cup—because she liked to eat from a teacup— and Butter—because he licked the butter Caesar left on the table after breakfast.
It was dinner time when Jayden returned home and told Mina he could not find any other house for rent, and they would have to keep living in the current one for the time being.
When everyone went to sleep, Mina and Jayden lay in bed, talking or kissing, until Mina fell asleep. Her sleep was restless, and strange dreams haunted her until she woke up.
Jayden was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to her, his body tense. He was shaking so bad the entire bed moved.
Mina reached her hand, wanting to touch him.
"Don't!" he growled low and went to the window. She tried to follow him, but his loud growls stopped her. "I need to go to Isyleon Island today!" he sounded as if he had been tortured for days.
Mina hated that he had to go. She understood why, but it did not make it easier. "How long will you be gone?"
He stood in front of the window in silence, his body shaking violently and inhaling deeply. "Until it is safe to be around you again. Because right now... I am more a beast than a man," he finally replied in a deep, guttural voice.