The Illegitimate Claim (44 page)

“I’m sick of her talking all the time.” Tory stamped his foot. “I don’t like everything

she says.”

Meah turned around quickly and glared at Gilroy when he burst out laughing. His

blue eyes danced at her undaunted and he walked over to Andru and slapped his back.

“We all have that problem, son,” Gilroy said good-naturedly. “They have a right to

talk too, I’m afraid.”

“Tory, you should be happy that your sister is talking. She can’t rely on you all her

life.” Meah ignored the two men behind her and focused on her son.

“Why not?” Tory looked perplexed.

“I can say what I want to say,” Tia snapped at him.

“Don’t talk to me like that,” Tory yelled again and this time pushed his sister hard

enough that she fell over backwards.

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“Tory!” Meah yelled, and moved to pull Tia into her arms. “Go up to the nursery

right now.”

Tory looked at the adults watching him, and then turned and stared defiantly at his

mama.

“Andru,” Lord Darius’ voice boomed across the backyard, and Meah instinctively

jumped to her feet.

Andru, however, turned around slowly to face his papa.

“Raise that boy the Gothman way.”

Ana’s eyes widened and she watched as Darius glanced at all of them then walked

into the house. Tara shot Andru a glance before following her claim inside.

“Tory, go wait over by the shed.” Andru looked at his son then pointed his finger to

the small structure at the end of the yard.

“But, Papa…”

“Now.”

Tory made a terrible face at his papa and then ran off toward the shed.

Meah turned with her daughter in her arms. “What’s the Gothman way?”

“Come on, Meah, let’s go inside,” Ana said, and reached to guide her bewildered

friend toward the house.

“Why? What are you going to do?” Meah felt anger brew within her.

Andru was going to beat him. She looked up at her claim then over at Gilroy.

“Take them inside,” Andru barked, and Gilroy moved instantly, placing a hand on

the back of each woman, and then with a quick look had Tia and Darien running for the

house.

“When we get to the throne room, you need to sit next to where Andru will sit and

not speak,” Ana instructed Meah as they walked through the kitchen.

“Why?”

“Because that is the Gothman way,” Ana whispered.

“I’m not Gothman.”

Gilroy’s hand tightened on Meah’s braid and pulled her to a stop. With his other

hand still resting on Ana’s shoulder, he looked around the room calmly but his tone

was harsh. “You’re half-Gothman, and this is not a Runner issue. Now, do as you’re

told or you’ll be the next one sent out behind the shed.”

“You’ll see, Meah, even Mama stays quiet during these things, unless one of the

men speak to her. We’re just respecting our men’s cultures.” There was a pleading tone

in Ana’s words, and her gray eyes beseeched Meah to comply.

“Don’t speak unless I’m spoken to, huh?” Meah said with a groan.

She allowed Gilroy to seat her, and shortly was joined by Andru.

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The conversation before they ate was light and entertaining. And the laughter and

stories continued through the meal. Afterwards, the men gathered in the throne room,

while one of the older servants passed around goblets of Gothman wine. Ana gestured

for Meah to follow and the two went outside to gather the children for bed.

“Andru said we’re to put them all down in the nursery tonight,” Ana told Meah as

they climbed the back staircase together.

“Tory seems to be okay.” Meah watched her son bolt up the stairs after Darien.

“Of course he is.” Ana smiled. “Andru isn’t heartless. I’m sure Andru talked to him

more than he hit him.”

Meah nodded, but she didn’t like it. She’d never been hit as a child…at least, not

until she started sparring when she was much older. And that was different, she was

able to fight back.

“What did your papa hit you with?” Meah asked quietly as she pulled her son’s

clothes off, and saw the red marks on his back and rear end.

“Oh Mama, don’t make such a fuss out of things.” Tory rolled his eyes. “Papa told

me that Gothman don’t send their boys to their room as punishment. That would be

humiliating. I took my punishment like a man.”

Meah looked at her son who stood like a man, and spoke using such big words. He

would lead Gothman someday, and his training had already begun. She pulled his

pajamas over his body, and kissed his forehead.

“I want you to go tell your sister that you’re sorry for yelling at her.”

“I won’t. Papa didn’t say I had to.” Tory clenched his jaw and glared at her.

“What…and suddenly what I say doesn’t matter anymore?” Meah stood up,

instantly angry.

“Go do as your mama asks.”

Meah turned to face Andru standing in the doorway. The room quieted down and

Tory walked over and mumbled something inaudible to his sister. She looked up at her

papa, then at Meah, and then nodded to her brother. Andru stood there until the

women had tucked all the children into their beds. He backed into the hallway to let

them exit.

“Paleah, Beel is downstairs. You may join him if you like.” Andru smiled jovially as

Paleah grinned, and then hurried down the stairs. “I daresay those two will make a

good claim,” he said to no one in particular.

* * * * *

With darkness came the cool night air as the cycle drew to a close and the Bryon

family mingled out into the backyard. The men had consumed a fair bit of Gothman

wine, and were getting rather rowdy.

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Ana and Meah froze when Gilroy took a pop shot at Andru and Andru let out a

howl and sent a quick blow back. Meah’s heart pounded when Gilroy grabbed his

friend in a headlock. For a second, her insides came to a complete stop as Gilroy just

held him that way. None of the other men seemed to pay them any attention but

continued with their storytelling and jokes. She realized then that Andru was laughing

and he went down on his knees and Gilroy fell with him. The two men slapped each

other on the back and hollered in laughter. Meah wondered for a second if Andru

sincerely began laughing over their antics, or if he was unable to free himself from

Gilroy. She compared the two men. They were about the same size, both had

protruding chest muscles and arms the size of small trees.

Gilroy looked up at her then, and his blue eyes penetrated through the darkness

and bore into her. He seemed to sense her curiosity. His gaze was triumphant and

challenging. She looked down quickly when Andru noticed them staring at each other.

Andru looked sideways at Gilroy, but his friend didn’t appear to notice. He then

focused on his claim, but she’d already turned away. Was there an issue here he should

pay heed to?

He wouldn’t focus on it right now. Instead, Andru turned his attention to his papa.

The man stood tall and powerful as always. If anything, the black patch over his right

eye made him look even more dangerous than before. He was telling an old battle story

Andru had heard before and the soldiers standing around him listened with

admiration.

Andru’s task wouldn’t be easy, but it would be carried out. His papa could proudly

tell the stories, but he would no longer be able to go to battle…not with one eye.

The men laughed when Darius finished his story and Andru watched as his papa

walked over to his mama and kissed her savagely. Andru glanced at Gilroy who in

turned signaled the soldiers to disburse. Within minutes the yard was empty and he

turned to face his claim. She still had that wary look in her eyes whenever he looked at

her. So beautiful. He could see in her eyes that she still wasn’t completely his, though,

and that bothered him. Andru needed to know she was loyal, and he still didn’t feel it.

He reached for her and his heart pounded blood ferociously through his veins when she

smiled softly and walked into his arms.

“You were very good tonight,” he whispered into her ear as they walked into the

house.

“I will be even better later, my lord.” She looked up at him with smoldering blue-

green eyes and smiled, almost timidly—or more like, cautiously.

“I’m sure that you will be,” he whispered again, and then nibbled on her earlobe

before straightening and swatting her rear end. She jumped and looked startled. He

kept her guessing—he liked that. “Go on upstairs now. I have some business to tend to

then I’ll be up. Take Ana with you.”

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“Why do we have to leave?” Meah questioned him as her hands went to her hips.

Ana entered the house behind them and moved to stand by Meah. She looked at her

first assistant then up to Andru.

“Your lord just told you to go upstairs. You don’t question him, my lady,” Gilroy

growled, and Andru turned quickly to see his friend’s sky-blue eyes glaring at Meah.

He turned back to see Meah give Gilroy a vindictive glare before lowering her head

and turning for the stairs. Andru watched her go then raised an eyebrow at Gilroy. Ana

stood looking at both of them curiously until Andru turned and looked at her harshly.

“Go upstairs.” He spoke calmly to his sister and she glanced at each one of them

again before turning to follow Meah up the stairs.

“So, my son, did you decide your papa had enough entertainment for the night?”

Darius’ tone silenced the room when Andru and Gilroy joined them in the throne room.

It was just Tara, Torgo and Syra visiting with his papa when he entered, but

whatever conversation they were having came to a halt when Andru and Gilroy joined

them.

“This is your first night home, Papa. We don’t want you back in the hospital.”

Andru spoke calmly as he faced him and clasped his hands behind his back. Gilroy