Free The Outcast by Calle J. Brookes

suffering—never mind the shit Ragner had done to him four years ago.
    No, Marcos would make Ragner pay for what he had done to Lana, and all the females she had le d deep into the Russian woods. He would make Ragner suffer for every single night those Dardaptoan babes had gone to bed with too little food and no real shelter.
    By rights, Lana should be the one to extract that punishment from the male who tried to take what was hers by rights—at least according to Dardaptoan law.
    As the last heir of Amyenka that was her position and part of her responsibility. But he knew his healer female would never be able to strike such a blow.
    But Dardaptoan law also considered such things—and he could act in her stead. Him, and no other.
    Aodhan dragged Ragner through the crowd of Amyenkans and Lana’s people took up the cry denouncing him as one of their own.
    Some threw dirt on him, and one enterprising young boy threw rocks that struck Ragner square in the groin.
    Lana did not acknowledge the arrest, but gave the crowd a few moments to regain their composure. Then she looked at Marcos, and beckoned. He stepped up on the dais.
    She held out a hand to him and he wrapped his fingers around hers. She pulled his palm toward her mouth and brushed her lips against it.
    It was a traditional sign of affection between Rajnis. And all who watched knew that she was publicly acknowledging their bond.
    She let his hand go, then lifted hers to her followers. The crowd hushed. He watched as his female pulled in a deep breath. “Be assured, any else who perpetuated Ragner’s evil will face their own justice in the coming days—either at my hand or more justly, the Goddess’s. But now we must look to the future, even in this, the most uncertain time for our House and our entire Kind. We do not know what tomorrow will bring for our House and family. We must trust each other, and most especially our Goddess, whose edicts have brought us here today. To the world of Relaklonos, to a world in which we will build the noble House of Amyenka!”
    A ripple started at the back of the crowd, so far back Marcos could barely see what it was. There was a glow he hadn’t expected, and he wasn’t certain whether it was a portkey opening or not.
    A woman walked through the courtyard, toward his Lana.
    Marcos’ breath backed up in his throat and his eyes began to burn. His heart stuttered.
    He’d heard the Goddess lived amongst their people now, but he hadn’t been certain he believed it.
    Kennera, Goddess of all Dardaptoans almost floated over the ground.
    Toward his female.
    The crowd was bowed now, and not just on their knees. And it wasn’t just Amyenkans bowing. It was all Dardaptoans. He slipped down to his knees before the female responsible for his entire existence.
    She stopped directly in front of his Rajni. The goddess held out her hands and stopped Lana from bowing.
    His female, touched by the Goddess.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
    Chapter 15

     
     
    LANA didn’t know what to do, so all she could do was take the hands the Goddess offered.
    She looked only a bit like the ancient paintings that had been passed down through the Dardaptoan people throughout the centuries.
    Lana just hoped all of the awe and nerves she felt didn’t show.
    Every Dardaptoan knew the Goddess of the ir Kind.
    A finger on her chin had her meeting the Goddess’s gaze directly.
    “Do not lower your head, Havalana Amyenka. You have no need to be ashamed of anything, my dear little sister. ”
    “I —”
    “You are special to me, child. In ways you d o not yet know. I see your soul; as it is now, and as it was then. Pure and good and full of the love you possess for your people.”
    The Goddess’s eyes were kind and loving, and almost wistful. Lana found she couldn’t look away. Not that she wanted to. “I see the vestiges in you, as well, of the soul of my younger sister lost to me so many years ago. I did not know at