Heroes at Odds Read Online Free Page A

the relevant section, and send them on their way.
    My brothers said nothing. I didn’t know them as well as I would have liked, but their ongoing silence struck me as uncharacteristic. It was disquieting.
    In time, Mother started yawning, her eyes watering. “Time for us to bed down, boys,” she announced. “We’ve had a hard day.”
    Dias and Mika didn’t appear tired, and I expected them to demur. I was surprised when they didn’t. They were too old to be going to bed just because their parent told them to, but they got up and left with her.
    Interesting.
    I sat alone by the fire and tried to settle my mind. Thoughts were jumping in and out and bouncing against each other. It was so hard to focus. It was impossible to remain calm.
    What if I hadn’t been a Shield? Would I have been already married? Having grown up with that expectation, would I have accepted it with equanimity, or would I be as bitter and resentful as I was feeling right then?
    And then Taro breezed in. Oh, lords. I had to tell him.
    “Your family is very free with their hands,” he commented.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Oh, that wasn’t a complaint. I like them.”
    Yes. Taro liked to touch people, too. Or he used to. He didn’t do it as much anymore. I wondered why.
    He liked my family at the moment. What would he say once he knew why they were here? “They have told me some disturbing news.”
    I had planned to get it out all at once, I wasn’t looking for drama with a significant pause, but Taro interrupted me.
    “Is something wrong? Is someone ill?” He reached out to touch my hand.
    “No, nothing like that.” I pulled in a deep breath. “Apparently, when I was a child my parents entered me into a betrothal with a boy named Marcus Pride. They never invalidated the agreement when they sent me to the Shield Academy, and Marcus Pride and his father are coming here in an attempt to enforce the contract.”
    He stared at me. “What?”
    It was too ridiculous to say again. “You heard me.”
    Taro’s lovely black eyes widened. “You’re betrothed.” His voice was flat with disbelief.
    “Of course not. The agreement became invalid once I was recognized as a Shield.”
    “So why are they coming here?”
    “Apparently they’re claiming the contract was never voided. Mother says they’re desperate.”
    Taro’s posture stiffened. “Wonderful. That’s just wonderful.” He started pacing.
    “Listen, it’s nothing. They’ll come here, they’ll make their demands, I’ll say no, they’ll go home. That’s it.” I almost felt sorry for them, coming all this way for nothing. Almost. They should have written. Or, better yet, just accepted that the contract was void.
    Perhaps they had hoped I wouldn’t know they had no legal claim, hoped to arrange a quick wedding before I found out differently. If Marcus was so meek, they might assume I would be, too.
    I was almost looking forward to proving them wrong.
    “Have you met this Marcus Pride?” Taro asked.
    “Not that I can remember.”
    “So what happens if he’s moderately handsome and intelligent with a pleasing manner?”
    I glared at him. “Don’t be absurd.”
    “Please, the whole situation is absurd.”
    “I don’t disagree. It’s going to be humiliating. It won’t result in anyone getting married.”
    Taro knocked his knuckles against the wall before turning and pacing back. “It doesn’t make sense. You don’t own anything.”
    “My family does.” That was all the Prides would care about.
    “Becoming a Triple S member severs family ties.”
    “I already said that.”
    He pushed his hands through his hair and then rubbed his face. “I can’t believe this.”
    “Neither can I.”
    “It’s always something.”
    I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “There is always someone.”
    “There is always someone what?”
    “Someone . . . interfering. With us.”
    “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “Yes. You do.”
    I really didn’t, but I had no