“You were crying,” I pointed out. “I was trying to be gentle but I thought maybe I rubbed too hard—especially where you have old bruises?”
I let the question hang in the air but Isla only shifted on the bed and looked away from me.
“I…I’m very clumsy,” she said in a low voice. “I, er, fall down a lot. And walk into doors. It’s my sense of balance—it’s very bad.”
Well, I had seen her nearly fall twice that night but I still wondered if she was telling the truth. I decided to reserve judgment. Maybe she was just really clumsy. Maybe.
“All right,” I said. “But something I did made you cry and I wanted to apologize for it. It was never my intention to hurt you.”
“You didn’t, honestly. So let’s say no more about it.”
I sensed she didn’t want to talk about her moment of weakness but I wasn’t done yet.
“I don’t know what you expected when your husband brought me in here,” I told her. “But I can tell you what to expect for the future—I’m here to protect and defend you. And I’m telling you again, I will not hurt you or put my hands on you in a way you don’t want.”
I saw her stiffen at my last words and she cut her eyes towards me as though she was afraid to believe me.
“You say that now,” she said in a low voice. “Later you’ll change your tune.”
“No,” I insisted. And then I heard it again—the Voice.
“Give her your oath,” the Goddess whispered in my ear.
I didn’t stop to think. I slid out of the low bed and went to her. Isla stiffened, getting ready to run if I came too close. She seemed surprised when I knelt by the side of her bed instead of leaning over her or reaching for her.
“Lady Isla,” I said, looking up at her. “What can I say—what can I swear by to get you to trust and believe me?”
“Why do you care what I think?” She seemed honestly surprised. “I am only a woman, after all. No one cares what a woman thinks.”
“The Kindred do,” I told her. “We hold all female life to be sacred—our race is 95% male, which makes females both rare and cherished among my people.”
“Really?” She looked at me with wide eyes.
I nodded.
“So when I tell you I want to protect you, not hurt you, I’m telling the truth.”
“Baslik says I’m nothing but a life support system for the womb that will bear his son,” she whispered.
A flash of anger went through me but I wasn’t surprised—it sounded like something that weaselly little prick would say.
“The Kindred don’t feel like that—I don’t feel like that,” I told her firmly. “I’m here to protect you and I’d like to give you my oath.”
“Your oath?” She frowned at me uncertainly.
“It’s a promise of protection.” I shifted awkwardly—I had never given my oath to anyone before because my clients were almost exclusively male. But in this case, I knew I had to.
“I…will hear it, if you wish to say it to me,” she said hesitantly.
“Thank you—may I have your hand?”
I reached out my own hand, palm up, and after a moment she laid her small, soft hand lightly in my outstretched palm.
“Lady Isla,” I said, looking up at her, since she was still sitting in the high canopied bed and I was kneeling. “I vow to protect and defend you from any danger that comes near. My body will be your shield and my strong right arm your sword. Not a drop of your blood shall be shed unless all of mine has first been poured out like water. I will lay down my life to defend yours if need be, and no hand shall touch you in anger or hatred while I am near. This I swear by the Goddess all Kindred worship—the Mother of All Life.”
I don’t know where all those words came from, by the way. They just…came to me. Maybe they were sent by the Goddess—I don’t know. But I do know I meant every word of the oath I gave her.
I think Isla could sense that because her lovely dark eyes went wider and wider as she looked at me.
“All right?” I asked her. “Will you believe me now when I say I’m not here to hurt or molest you?”
“I…I’ll try to believe,” she whispered.
“Thank you,” I said, nodding. “All I ask is a chance to prove myself to you, my lady.”
“You’re welcome.” She withdrew her hand from mine. “It’s late—we ought to get some sleep. We have a public appearance scheduled for tomorrow with Baslik and my father-in-law, the Prince.”
“All right.” I rose and watched her bite her lip and shrink as I stood to my full height.
I had never been quite so aware of how my size intimidated people before. Oh, I know how it affects other males—they either want to try and fight me or they suddenly get really busy and decide to leave my general vicinity. But I never noticed it with females because I never went around them much.