Throughout it all, Aday was still with her, but she was more of a quiet shadow than she had been. A guardian. She watched and warned Saraal sometimes. She was the one who told Saraal which of Kuluun’s sons needed to be killed. After she reminded Saraal of all the man’s wrongs, she cheered when she killed them. One by one, Saraal was killing any man who had touched her. There were many, and some were very skilled. She needed her lessons from Temur.

“What do you want?” Saraal asked Temur, who was still laying beside her.

His hand slid up the inside of her thigh and cupped her between the legs. “I want this.”

“This” was never as quick with Temur as it had been with Kuluun or his brothers.

“Rashon will be waiting,” she said quietly, though she set her sword to the side and lay back as he began to remove her leggings.

“Rashon can wait,” Temur said. “While I enjoy what is mine.”

The sword clattered to the ground, and Rashon leaped on her, pressing his dagger to the back of her neck.

“You’re dead. Again.”

Saraal sneered and shoved him off. She’d bested him the night before, and he seemed intent on teaching her a lesson that night. He’d been vicious. He’d fought dirty. And he’d been winning. He had her pinned to the ground, her face in the dirt and his hips held her down. He was holding onto the back of her hair, which had grown past her shoulders in the years she’d been with Temur and his warriors.

She needed to cut it again.

Saraal twisted around and tried to kick him in the balls. He blocked her, but he didn’t notice her hand, which had crept back and under his hip. She grabbed onto his testicles and pulled. Hard.

Rashon screamed and slammed her head into the ground, over and over, but Saraal did not let go. Her grip was unyielding. She squeezed harder. She felt his blade press into her spine, and she twisted. Eventually, the blood dripped into her face and she couldn’t see. But she could still feel his balls in her small hand, and she would not let go. Rashon’s blade left the back of her neck, then he yanked on her hair as he was pulled off. Saraal let go of him and immediately rolled into a crouch.

Temur was holding Rashon by the hair. The Sida was guarding his sore testicles and his fangs dripped blood where he’d bit his own lip.

“I’ll kill her!” he growled. “You won’t stop me this time!”

“You’ll do nothing,” Temur said, shaking Rashon by the hair. “You were sparring. You came to a draw. You’re finished.”

Until the next lesson. Saraal eyed Rashon with suspicion.

Aday whispered in her ear. “He’ll kill you the next time you fight.”

Temur must have agreed with Aday because he said, “And you’re done giving her lessons. You’ve taught her all you can, and obviously, she’s strong now. You’re finished.”

“But—”

“Go.” Temur slapped his child on the back and smiled a little. “Find a human to tend what is sore. Leave Saraal alone. My orders, Rashon.”

Rashon limped away, and Temur grabbed Saraal from her crouch. Then, without a word, he held her and took to the air. She sucked in a cold breath at the shock of the wind. Then she closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel.

Cold ripping air did nothing to calm her blood. She could feel her heart beating in excitement. Could feel her mind racing. Within moments, Temur had landed them in a thick stand of trees, out of earshot of his Sida children.

“What were you doing?” he hissed.

Saraal cocked her head, surprised by his anger.

“We were fighting.”

“You almost ripped his balls off, Saraal. They would have grown back. Eventually. Do you know how painful that is?”

She sneered, “You’ve seen me naked, Temur. Do I have a pair I don’t know about? He’ll be fine. He was fighting dirty. I fought dirtier.”

“You can’t do that to my men. You’ve already killed all of Kuluun’s children. My men are off limits to your rage.”

“Then they shouldn’t pin me down and put a dagger to my neck.”

“You will show respect!”

“To who?” Her chin lifted. “To you? Fine. To Rashon? No.”

Temur’s eyes flashed. “He is my second in command.”

“And I, as you so often remind me, am Jun’s child.”

His eyes narrowed. “So you are.”

For once, it didn’t sound like a compliment.

Saraal did everything she could to soften her voice. “I meant no disrespect to you. Perhaps it is better that I avoid Rashon. He does not like me or trust me.”

No one liked her except Temur. And Saraal often thought he only liked her because he could fuck her. But she knew he didn’t trust her. She could see his eyes cutting to her every time she mastered another skill. The long sword. The bow. The spear. Would he still put up with her once she could fly?

Because Saraal knew in her gut, once she could fly, she would be stronger than Temur. She sired no children like Temur did. Her strength was growing as his waned with each new warrior he made on his father’s orders.

Temur stepped closer to her, and his eyes narrowed. “Give me your neck.”

Saraal took a step back. In all their time together, all the times she had allowed his body into hers, he had never taken her blood. He’d never even asked.

“No,” she said in a small voice.

“No?” His eyes were starting to glow in anger again. “You don’t tell me no, Saraal.”