The Tracker's Quest: (Forced To Serve #6) Read Free Page B

had him calling out when she grabbed his throat and lifted him from the ground.
    “What Siren suitor?” Seta demanded. “Who is trying to buy me?”
    “His name is Ji Warro. He told us only that he served with you on a ship. . .Uhhh. . .I can’t talk while you’re choking me,” he protested, stumbling as she dropped him abruptly back down to the floor. He was still in shock that Seta had been able to lift his considerable weight. “The Siren says you are already his.”
    Snorting at the arrogance of the male who had evidently followed her to Ethos, no matter that she had not wished it, she still didn’t bother trying to explain Ji to Arghane. It was none of his business.
    “He said I was his? If so, it is only in his dreams,” Seta declared.
    Resigned to dealing with the added complication, she trudged to the gallery to face both males who thought they owned her. It was Ji’s own fault he was about to lose a fortune for no good reason. Her father was going to demand an exorbitant union price from him and would still bargain for use of her tracking skills if he could manage it. Of this, she had no doubt.
    “Hands off if you value your life,” Seta warned when she felt Arghane’s touch on her arm again. His tentative hold became a whisper of air near her skin instead.
    The rest of their walk was made in total silence.

Chapter 3
     
    Lifting her chin, Seta swallowed her repulsion and strolled into the receiving gallery. Inside, she headed straight to the platform where her father sat waiting for her. The last time she had been summoned before him it was to be informed she had a second suitor. Damaged from the abuse of her and Rena’s first mate, her sire had decided it best to make separate second unions for her and Rena the second time. Citing a compassion for their poor first match, a compassion she had known better than to believe, he had agreed to unions with two younger males.
    Rena’s male never made an appearance. However, the second male who paid her own union price had been very young—much younger than her. Perhaps he had been decent as well, but she had not lingered long enough to find out his character. She had seen him only once, but well recalled the entire day of grooming she had endured before being presented to him.
    In contrast, the male who waited for her now was not young at all. He was decent in most things, so far as she had seen in her time with him. The Siren’s worst flaw was being more arrogant than any male she had ever encountered on Ethos.
    As if her thoughts about his nature had asked for evidence of the understanding, she watched as Ji snubbed the still seated suzerain. He rose from his seat of honor and strode out to meet her as it were a common practice to do so. But what amazed her most was Ji completely ignoring the guard’s laser weapons pointed at his back as he walked to meet her.
    Seta had no choice but to stop walking when Ji stopped in front of her, blocking her progress forward.
    “Have they fed you yet?” he demanded.
    Despite being emotionally touched by the fury in the unexpected question, Seta snorted in disbelief that Ji could be so inane at such a critical time. “You should not have come here. The purpose of the union suite is to extort all the funds they can from the suitor with no real promise of any return. They might still refuse your offer for me.”
    “Yes, I got the same impression. However, the bad bargain is mostly done and the suzerain will honor our agreement if he values his life. Now answer my question,” Ji ordered.
    “If you must know before moving out of my way, I will tell you. Wearing these garments is the price I paid for food. Yes, I have eaten, and so far managed to keep my uniform as well,” Seta replied calmly.
    “Good. Then no one has to die yet,” Ji said calmly in return, watching a flash of red pass over her eyes. “Why don’t you let me hold your uniform if you’re not going to wear it? I think I can safeguard it