Free Honor Bound by Michelle Howard Page A

she stood in front of him, he lowered his
head to the side of her face. “Do not move. Do not break the circle and do not
shame me.” With those ubiquitous words, he backed away.
    The Warlords took
this as a sign and moved to surround her on all sides. They gripped their hands
on their swords. Her noan remained silent and watched with curious eyes. Only
Tesai thought to protest.
    “What are they
doing? Miki, move way from them.”
    Miki didn’t have a
chance to soothe her friend. Vaan pulled the knife from his thigh sheath and
yanked Tesai close. He laid the sharp edge of the blade to Tesai’s nose. “If
you call her by this name again, I will cut your nose from your face. If the
lesson is not learned and I hear you call her thus again, I will remove your
eyes while you scream for mercy.” Vaan trailed the knife to Tesai’s eyes and
pressed the tip to the corner of his pupil. Tesai’s face paled. “Do you mistake
me?”
    Tesai shook his
head frantically and Vaan withdrew the weapon. Miki released the breath she
hadn’t realized she held. Vaan’s Warlords didn’t let the interruption distract
them. All fifteen warriors maintained a perfect circle around her. Vaan nodded
at his men. “Behold the circle of honor. The circle symbolizes my Warlords willingness
to stand between my bride and my enemies.”
    Miki searched for
Argan. He stood slightly behind her and to her left. His dark eyes revealed
nothing. Vaan murmured in Assa’s ear and the woman came to stand beside a
Warlord holding the tray out.
    Miki’s two friends
joined the gathering. Sera and Vesa served in the kitchens, and Assa must have
told them to come out. The women had their black hair coiled up in a bun. Their
simple black tunics sported stains from the meals they’d worked on. Their arms linked
at the elbow while they looked on fearfully.
    Vaan spoke over
the hush quiet of the hall. “Eating the bread is a sign of trust from my bride
that she accepts my Warlords will provide for her on my behalf.”
    The first Warlord
unsheathed his sword and placed the tip at her throat in a move so fast Miki
had no time to prepare. Her people gasped and from the corner of her eye the
Ba’asi took a step forward. Her noan gripped his gold robes and the holy man
stopped. Vaan allowed the move thankfully without threatening to remove any
body parts. Miki breathed easy. They did not need a threat to the Ba’asi and
offending her people.
    Her mate’s focus
remained on her and the ritual about to unfold.
    “I vow to protect
you when my Overlord can not,” the Warlord holding his weapon to her throat
yelled out the words.
    Assa held the
bread aloft. The Warlord chose a slice without looking and held it to Miki’s
lips. “I vow to provide for you if my Overlord is not able.” He held the bread
between two fingers and waited.
    Miki hesitated and
risked a glance at Vaan. He stared. Miki bit into the thick crust and the sweet
topping. She chewed slowly and swallowed. Her nerves jangled as everyone
watched. “Thank you?”
    The Warlord
continued to hold the bread forcing Miki to eat it all from his fingertips.
Only then did he remove the sword from her throat. The Warlords each took one
step to the right and the next Warlord raised his blade to Miki’s throat and
nicked her flesh. She gasped but didn’t move. The Warlord’s eyes glittered with
malice as he reached for a piece of bread. Miki sought Vaan with her gaze but
he only stared back, face blank. She focused on the Warlord as he placed the
bread at her mouth with more force than necessary.
    He repeated the
words and Miki ate the whole slice without prompting. She wanted him to move
away from her as soon as possible. Another Warlord took his place and barely
touched her with his blade. After she nibbled on the bread, he popped the rest
in his mouth. Miki frowned in surprise but he winked and moved on.
    The sword at her
throat and offer of bread went on until the last Warlord moved in front of her.
She